Healing

 

Dream

When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying near the sundeck. The sky looked milky white; there wasn’t a speck of blue. The clouds had gathered like snow balls. It felt like heaven. Suddenly, my eyes fell on a bold blue writing, ‘Cordelia’ . I was aghast to know that I was on a cruise ship. My body felt heavy, I tried my best to lift myself up, and there a hand fell on my shoulder. It was my sister’s father-in-law, Mr. Tom. My brain was foggy; I was absolutely confused. “What was I doing here?” I squealed. He had a slight smile on his idiotic face which made me go redder in anger.

Tom was a vile man with a heart as black as a charcoal. His caustic words were his fodder. He had made my sister’s life a living hell. He wasn’t happy; his hunger to humiliate me, malign my name probably satiated his stomach and his black heart. I had no remorse when I heard that he had died. Yes, in his case there wasn’t any need to use a euphemism.

I stood up and gathered myself while Tom decided to leave. As I was walking down the deck, I saw people moving around with wine and champagne glasses while the others with over excited faces were loitering around the ship. I started getting edgy, I needed my phone. I walked up to one of the crew to ask if he had any idea where this ship was going, and how I landed on it. The crew looked at me with a smiling face, and he pointed out to one corner of the ship. When I laid my sight on that place, I was shocked to see my arch rival from school – Max, who was practicing the titanic pose on the bow of the ship. What the hell was happening around here, and how did I reach this place?

I called out to Max, “Hey, can I use your phone? I asked.

He obliged me and handed over his mobile to me. I called home, but from the other side I heard my mother saying ‘Hello’. Now I was baffled and wondered what was happening. I continued the conversation. I wept like a baby and told her, “Mummy, where are you?  I want to be with you. Why aren’t you with me?

I heard her sniffle on the phone, and she said, “Sasha, I hope you’re having a good time on the cruise. I’m so glad that you can rest and enjoy yourself now, and odn’t worry we will meet soon.”

I was bewildered; I had completely lost my mind. I told myself that I still don’t remember planning a cruise vacation. And what was my mother doing with my dad. I lost my mother to cancer years ago. How she was back. For a moment I thought I was dreaming.

My brain was muddled, yet I was ecstatic because I spoke to my mother after twenty-five-years. Her voice transported me to my childhood days. I laid on the sun lounger basking in the thoughts of my mother when I suddenly realised that my daughter and husband were missing. I went looking for my Max and Tom. I finally saw them savouring the entire buffet.

Max and Mr. Tom were still at the buffet relishing the food. I was stumped. How much were they eating! I asked Max if he had seen my family, without looking into my eyes he said that there’s no one from my family except my parents. I was frozen.

“But where’s my husband and my daughter?” I asked. 

Suddenly, Tom looked at me wickedly and said with an evil laughter, “Lady, you’ve left your husband and daughter.”

Now this wasn’t funny anymore. I cursed the old man and abruptly left. Max came running behind me, and showed me a picture.

Tears didn’t stop cascading. Never in my wildest dream I imagined that I would cry on my own death.