A is for Alone in Agony

Apr 1
NabanitaDhar
It was getting dark as Rita sat by her window looking at the returning office goers. The street outside seemed to have suddenly livened up. The honks of cars, the chatter of people walking through the footpaths and the music in the diner next to her apartment filled the air beyond her window. But it only made Rita realize how in contrast to the world outside her life within the apartment was, full of melancholy and fading memories.

It had been two weeks since the fateful train accident which had snatched away Matthew from her, leaving a void in her life. But somehow she still felt that at any moment he would walk in through the door with his soiled shoes. That she would rebuke him first and then spend the evening talking about the day and plan for their future together. But she knew that these hopes were but dupes.

‘I don’t know what to do… How do I live without him? I don’t know how to. I’ve forgotten how to…I can’t!’  Rita thought as she sobbed, her eyes still on the street below. She had not gone to work for two weeks now and she didn’t know when she would be able to go again. ‘How to carry on without you Matt…How do people do it? I just…I just feel so lonely and lost….I’m so alone Matt…I wish you’d not taken the train that day! I wish you had stayed home…hmm!’

This was how she spent her days, talking to herself, as mornings turned into nights.

‘Ohh…Matt you’ve no idea how much I miss you…This life is…’ and her chain of thoughts was broken by a knock at her door.

She walked reluctantly to open it for she didn’t want to face anyone. In-fact she had even stopped her family from visiting. All she wanted was to be alone, mourn alone.

‘Who could it be?’ she thought as she opened the door to see her sister, Keira, standing outside.

“What took you so long to open the door?” Keira said as she walked past Rita into the kitchen where she first poured wine into a glass, took a sip and continued “Okay sis it’s time for you to pack. Enough of being locked up in this apartment. You need to get out.”

“Pack? For where?” Rita asked still standing at the door”I don’t want to go anywhere or be with people now. Please leave me to myself!” Rita then shut the door and finally walked to the kitchen where Keira seemed to be looking for something.

“See that’s your problem. You never listen.” said Keira throwing her hands up in the air as she went through the kitchen shelves  “Don’t you have anything to eat in this apartment?” 
“What? Keira!” exclaimed Rita as she continued unperturbed by Rita’s annoyance “I’m not going but you are honey. Here are your tickets to Italy.” and she handed the tickets to Rita. “Wait Italy was where you always wanted to go right?”
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/to-z-badges-and-banners.html

“What?” sighed Rita as Keira continued “Just consider it a gift from me..You want to be alone..fine! Suit yourself  but just don’t be alone in this apartment with Matt’s memories. It’ll only make you feel worse…So go be alone in Italy…at-least it will be a change of scene…please!”

Rita didn’t know what to say. It was just like Keira to barge in and in her own way offer a solution to problems. ‘Maybe Keira is right’ she thought. Moreover Rita had lost the will to make any decisions for herself.
“Okay..I’ll go..okay!” said Rita as she hugged Keira crying “Thank You…!”
“Okay..that’s enough now order me some food will you…?I don’t have much money left after these tickets! You couldn’t have dreamt of going somewhere nearby..could you?” chuckled Keira as she patted Rita’s back. There were tears in Keira’s eyes too but she knew Rita would be alright with time. She just needed some time alone, away from the constant reminders of Matt’s memories to heal. “Okay don’t drown me in your tears woman…” continued Keira “What does one have to do around here to get some food?”
“Alright! Alright!” said Rita as she looked at Keira wiping her tears and grabbed the phone to order some pizza, smiling for the first time since Matt. Perhaps this was what she needed. She knew she would overcome this agony. Keira had given her the push and she knew it was for the best.
***

A is for healing Alone when in Agony….and that’s the tone of today’s tale…

Linking this post for A to Z Challenge. As I promised in the theme reveal post, as part of the Challenge I’m going to write short stories with one or more emotions beginning with the alphabet of the day as the prompt or central idea for the post. Hope you enjoy the challenge!

Linking this to UBC too.

***
Many of my blogger friends are also taking part in a host of challenges this month. Shower some love on them, won’t you? Oh Please ! You know we bloggers are suckers for comments 🙂
iamstri. Aditi Kaushiva, Amrit Rukhaiyaar, Ananya Tales, Shilpa Garg, Richa Singh, Suzy Que, Corinne Rodrigues, Vidya Sury, Sfurti Sinha, Nibha from Expressions, Shailaja V, Kajal Kapur’s Moviemassala, Sulekha Rawat, Debbie, Beloo Mehra, Swathi Shenoy,Prasanna Rao, Rajlakshmi, Sitara Nair, Kathy Combs

Phew! If I missed tagging you, please shout out here 🙂


110 thoughts on “A is for Alone in Agony”

  3. such a darling sister 🙂 love how u bring out emotions aptly in ur words 🙂
    n naba…. u missed linking me!!! 😛

  5. Intense, powerful and raw. Now that is how you write a story 🙂 Thank god for people like Keira. And thanks for the mention, Naba 🙂

  6. It is just so beautiful, the love sisters share! I saw it firsthand yesterday. I was scolding my older daughter for some reason, and the younger daughter kept hugging her and pushing me as if to say, "Don't yell at her, you monster!" 😀 Great write-up Naba, as usual!

  7. One feels alone, out of control, flooded with waves of intense and often overpowering depressing thoughts at times like these, but thank God for friends and sisters like Keira, who help us tide over such tough times! Lovely story well narrated, Nabanita 🙂

  8. It's true that sometimes a small push is all we need when it seems that all the roads in life are blocked. And Rita's decision to move away from Matt's memories was the right one. Wonderful story. BTW did you visit Italy too during your trip?

  10. Sisters can read your emotions well and provide the best remedy I believe. Loved the story… Great flow!

  11. A beautiful story, Naba. I like this sisterly bond very much…only sisters can really know what helps to heal. And thanks for the mention, dear! Sisterly love, eh? 🙂

  14. Not sure if you ever get over, but getting up and taking the first step is surely the way to get going. Emotion very well brought out Naba. Very nice.

  15. Such a beauty this story. I read it twice and was overwhelmed with the feeling in it. Simply awesome 🙂

    Awesome start to the challenge I must say.

  16. An amazing story teller you are … this month surely would be a treat, reading 26 stories written by you 🙂

  18. Yes, absolutely, sometimes we need that shove to come out of misery and to move forward. Lovely tale!

  23. Thanks Shailaja for the kind words…I'm glad you liked the story and yes thank God for people like Keira!

  24. Ohh I can just picture your daughters and how cute they must have looked,…true there's no bond like that between sisters! Thanks for dropping by Gauri 🙂

  27. Absolutely Prasanna sometimes all we need is a little push…And no I didn't visit Italy Prasanna, I don't have the time but I would have loved to… Thanks for dropping by 🙂

  33. Aren't no nonsense sisters just the best?? Loved the twosome and reminded me of my own sister who's quite like this one here.. 'Don't crib'.. she says when I start on my list of woes :-).

  34. Yes maybe we don't get over it but I guess we can learn to deal with it better…Thanks Suzy for dropping by 🙂

  40. Oh yes they certainly are Tulika, I know just like you I have one! 🙂 Thanks for dropping by!

  44. Makes me want that sister that I,ve always wanted so we could be there for each other, too. good story Naba 🙂

  49. Wow… this one was so much like PS I love you, the scene where Holly's mother and sisters intrudes after she was living a similar life like Rita's after Gerry's death.. Yet the tone of your story was so different from that one… good one… is this a series Naba or there will be some other beautiful story tomorrow… 🙂

    felt good seeing my name up there but the link is not correct Naba… please correct it 🙂

    Amritt

    http://thebiggestmovieblog.blogspot.in/

  50. I'm so glad it reminds you of that …. This is just short fiction Amrit…I'll come up with another attempt at a story tomorrow 🙂

    And I've corrected the link 🙂

  51. Sisterly love……no words for that,I do not have one but have two daughters,a sis can pull you out of any kind of distress
    Loved it…
    And you forgot me Naba

  52. Oh I'm so sorry! Will add you just this moment Sitara 🙂

    And yes sisters do help in overcoming distress !

  53. It's necessary to have siblings and friends who stand by one during a crisis, and help one tide over the crisis.

  54. What a wonderful gift to give! In Italy she can find her balance once again and hopefully begin to live once more. Lovely start to the A-Z! ♥

  67. What a lovely idea for a gift! Nice sister. 🙂 You captured Rita's emotions so well.

  71. A genuine and practical theme with clarity of thoughts….loved reading it…hope to see more of these….Good luck

  89. You made me all teary..I was just seeing my sister in place of Rita..only a sister can know another sister's agony..hope I could also have done something for my little sister like Keira did for her sis..lovely post Nabanita..

  94. Ohh my best wishes to you both sisters … And I agree only sisters can understand the agony…Thanks for dropping by Ranita…

  99. All through the post i was thinking about Raani from the movie Queen. Paris and Amsterdam ! Have watched it twice, what about you.

    And hey, i wanted to say this for long time. Thank you very very much for reading through my posts and voting for them. It meant a lot to me.

    Good night and hey do share what you think of my A to Z challenge posts.

  102. Beautiful story, touching two sides of love- one for her love for her beloved and other her sister's love. While reading this I was thinking about my own sister- she cant see me in pain, neither do I. She does plan my trips when I feel low 🙂

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