la douleur exquise

2

She opened the door to see her father working on a medicine .She walked up behind him and hugged him from behind . The surprised man turned around and patted his daughters head ."what got you all happy?" he asked to which she let go and smiled at him .She handed him the book .He flipped through the pages . "A book on stars?" he questioned .

"isn't it interesting?" Then man saw the same shine his wife held when she talked about the things she loved . He smiled at the pure display of happiness . "Well i have not read much about them , but they seem very interesting and mysterious" . She nodded in agreement .

"Well ill start reading after dinner." she placed the book safely on her bed .She picked up the scattered clothes around her room and placed it neatly in a corner .

" Harmonia , there is someone at the door . please go get it " said her father from the next room .She ran toward the front door opening it to see a woman with a child in her arms.

"My son he is very sick , i need help" the woman sounded very tired . Harmonia let the woman in and called her father . The woman carefully cradled a child in her arms  trying to stop the crying baby .

"oh Mrs lucy , hello" the man greeted the woman seeing the distressed baby in her arms. ''What happened ?"he asked placing a hand on the babies forehead feeling the heat .'' Oh doctor my boy is ill. He hasn't been eating much and he has been  crying almost all the time . He has been getting rashes . .Please help my son" Harmonia stood behind the woman witnessing the scene .

Her father nodded his head .He checked the baby on his breathing , his eyes and ears. He walked up to his table and took a few herbs placed it in boiling water .  "Has he been drinking more water than usual?"

"yes doctor , he drinks a lot,is that a bad thing?"

"No , its a symptom of Tomato fever."

"Oh lord , is it bad ."

"harmonia wait here and mix these herbs every few minutes ." he looked at the girl and lifted his glasses . Harmonia did as she was told and she stayed quite to hear her father and the woman.

"Nothing to worry about Mrs lucy .Make sure to give him plenty of hot water to drink and make sure he takes  hot showers . You can use that medicine on the rashes ." he assured the woman .

"oh doctor you are a life saver ." the woman cupped her hands like she was worshipping a god .

'' oh no I am no life saver i am just a doctor doing things of my knowledge to help people ." he walked to the table to check up on the medicine . Harmonia stirred the medicine one last time after draining it and placing it in a bottle  too cool of . "May i offer u a glass of tea mrs lucy?" he father asked already pouring warm tea into a cup .

"that would be good." she answered . He walked up to the woman with a glass of tea and placed it on the table in front of her . She slowly picked up the glass, holding the baby in the other . taking a  sip she let out a sigh of relief .

"Father , the medicine is ready now . " 

"yes please , and be careful while handling it" the man sat in front of the woman and waited in silence . "she is a good girl isn't she?" the lady asked to which the old man laughed.
"ever since my wife died she has been the only one with me . She might be clumsy and always in her own world but she is of great help. God forbid what i have would done without her." he said proudly .

"she is of age too, she should get married already . A man can fix her ." the woman said with a laugh. "she is old enough to bear a child and-" before the woman could finish , Harmonia placed the bottle on the table in front of the woman causing a loud thud.

"Mrs lucy i am glad that u are concerned about me , but i can deal things by myself." having a firm voice she continued  . "i am happy with my life right now . Learning new things and helping my father . I dont plan to change that right now ."

"well , i was just giving you good advice ." the woman got up from her seat having the baby calmed down she placed the bottle in her dress pocket and placed money on the table . "ill be leaving now doctor. Thank you for everything." the woman walked out as Harmonia closed the door behind her.

'' harmonia my child-"

"no father , i will not get married , i don't want to have my life tied down by a man ." 

"marriage is not tying down a woman. i never tied down your mother "

"You and mother fell in love before getting married , it is not the same " she said . Harmonia always hoped for romance . She wanted to experience the feeling of a different kind of love . A love that only a man can make her feel . She wanted to be filled with a mans love and like every beauty she too wishes to find her beast . She didn't want to push her self to feel loved .

"such a beautiful girl like you will find your prince charming ," he said examining his daughters face .

"I dont need a prince charming to make me happy ."  her father laughed and said "thats my beautiful girl."