Glam Of Talent | Anthology

Genres Clash up contest 2

Entry by Team Romance for round 3:

PROMPT:

Opening line of the story: "This time it will be different."

ENTRY:

"This time it will be different" his eyes glistened as these words made their way out of his mouth. She turned her face towards and saw the depth in his eyes, trying to find traces of lie and betrayal in them but to her own astonishment, there was none. A smile automatically made its way on her way and silently nodding, she kept gazing at his eyes, his dark brown orbs that never failed to bring peace to her.

Sighing she rested her head on his sturdy shoulders and they both sat there in silence, watching the sunset. Chirping, the birds flew back to their homes while they both found their home in each other once again, or so they hoped.

**

“Mama tomorrow is a function in my school, and the teacher told everyone to bring their mama and dada. Can you bring my dada to school?” Before Paridhi could respond to her daughter, the landline rang, and a smile appeared on the face of her daughter. “Dada!” She shouted before running to pick up the phone.

Aayush called once a week to talk to their daughter. It was his routine, no matter what happened, one call was a must. Paridhi sighed sadly as she saw the tsunami of happiness on her daughter’s cute little face as she conversed with her dad. She had second thoughts a lot of times, but it was her best friend who convinced her not to forgive him at any cost.

Her trance was broken by the loud cries of her daughter. She panicked and rushed to her wailing daughter with the handset still on her ear. She could hear some sorrys from the speaker and anger built up inside her. She snatched the handset from her daughter and shouted at her ex-husband, “What do you want now? What did you say to make her break down in tears?” But before she could ask more the other side responded, “I refused to come to her school programme which is scheduled for tomorrow.” And that is when the silence fell over them, ignoring the cries of their beloved daughter.

Seeing no response from her parents, Shreya teared up again and wailed louder, if that was possible, and that is when the silence broke. “Shush baby, please, for mama?” It was the first time he heard her voice after their divorce. But keeping on the track, Aayush was even trying to pacify their daughter by giving her fake promises of meeting her super soon. They hadn’t met even once in the past year, the year which marked the legal end of the relationship shared between her mother and her father. And even before, she met him when her mother left her father’s house－a whole six months before the divorce was finalized. Shreya had forgotten what her father looked like －maybe a tall heavy man, or was he thin the last time she met him? Did he have a moustache or a beard, or was he clean shaved? How much has he changed during this year? The girls of his life had no idea.

When the crying of the girl could not be stopped he sighed and spoke the golden words, “I will come to your programme tomorrow angel, I promise?” A smile curved on the lips of the little doll. “Pinky promise” She said as she forwarded the pinky into the speaker of the handset. He sighed loudly and let out a meek yes. 

Shock adorned the face of Paridhi as she began to get furious. “How dare you?! How dare you try to enter our lives again. I was lenient enough to let her talk to you, but not anymore. You can still talk to her, Ii am not that heartless, but only once a month. And you shall not be coming to her school tomorrow, promise me! I won’t let you!” Paridhi seethed out. It was the first time after their divorce, she had talked to him.