Vasanth got down and looked around. The manager came running to him. "Welcome, sir... Very sorry to hear about your loss," he said obsequiously. Vasanth nodded even as the manager gestured to a service staff to take Vasanth's luggage - a small suitcase and an airbag. The manager led Vasanth to the reception where he completed the formalities for registering.
"Lunch is being served..." the manager gently urged him.
The resort was something less than a luxury hotel and something more than a home stay, and was set amidst sylvan surroundings. The senior staff along with the owners personally took care of the guests staying in its 10 odd cottages. So it was hardly surprising that they remembered him, and that he remembered them. Especially since he was here just a few months ago.
"How did it happen, the tragedy?" the manager asked Vasanth seeing him linger by the rosebed after his lunch.
Vasanth vaguely gestured with his hand. "Fell off a cliff... I..." He covered his eyes with his hand.
"Sorry, sir! We are so glad you came here for recovering... Madam and you were so happy here," the manager said in a sympathetic tone.
Vasanth nodded and then indicated subtly that he wanted to be alone.
"I have booked you into the same room you stayed last time, as you requested..."
Vasanth nodded and thanked the man before firmly turning away to be alone with his thoughts and memories.
This is where he had brought her, his new bride, for a quiet, romantic honeymoon. But she was not for the quiet - liked noise, liked the attention, liked people turning to stare at her. And when they didn't...
He had reached the room.
"A$$#@!e!" she heard his voice call across the lawns. He face drained of blood. He looked back. Yes, that's what she called him most of the times.
Vasanth pushed the door open, banged it shut and threw himself on the bed. He thought he was done with crying, but he broke into loud sobs... He didn't expect he would miss her so much! She knew how to make people laugh. And he was the butt of her jokes. She never called him by his name. She invariably used swear words as if they were endearments. In the two months, he had forgotten his name.
He smiled and bore it. He loved her madly. And he hated it when he felt his love starting to sour so soon. He warned her not to abuse him, to stop making a mockery of him. But she loved her game. She laughed. She laughed at him. She made her friends, even his, laugh at him...
She had gone laughing. When he pushed her down the cliff, she had been laughing at him, and the laugh had frozen into shock... But he would always remember her laughing. Laughing at him.
"Lunch is being served..." the manager gently urged him.
The resort was something less than a luxury hotel and something more than a home stay, and was set amidst sylvan surroundings. The senior staff along with the owners personally took care of the guests staying in its 10 odd cottages. So it was hardly surprising that they remembered him, and that he remembered them. Especially since he was here just a few months ago.
"How did it happen, the tragedy?" the manager asked Vasanth seeing him linger by the rosebed after his lunch.
Vasanth vaguely gestured with his hand. "Fell off a cliff... I..." He covered his eyes with his hand.
"Sorry, sir! We are so glad you came here for recovering... Madam and you were so happy here," the manager said in a sympathetic tone.
Vasanth nodded and then indicated subtly that he wanted to be alone.
"I have booked you into the same room you stayed last time, as you requested..."
Vasanth nodded and thanked the man before firmly turning away to be alone with his thoughts and memories.
This is where he had brought her, his new bride, for a quiet, romantic honeymoon. But she was not for the quiet - liked noise, liked the attention, liked people turning to stare at her. And when they didn't...
He had reached the room.
"A$$#@!e!" she heard his voice call across the lawns. He face drained of blood. He looked back. Yes, that's what she called him most of the times.
Vasanth pushed the door open, banged it shut and threw himself on the bed. He thought he was done with crying, but he broke into loud sobs... He didn't expect he would miss her so much! She knew how to make people laugh. And he was the butt of her jokes. She never called him by his name. She invariably used swear words as if they were endearments. In the two months, he had forgotten his name.
He smiled and bore it. He loved her madly. And he hated it when he felt his love starting to sour so soon. He warned her not to abuse him, to stop making a mockery of him. But she loved her game. She laughed. She laughed at him. She made her friends, even his, laugh at him...
She had gone laughing. When he pushed her down the cliff, she had been laughing at him, and the laugh had frozen into shock... But he would always remember her laughing. Laughing at him.
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