Love is Blind

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mysti hummed a song as she went about typing the Braille with the Braille typewriter. It had taken her a few months to be able to type fast enough to transfer the audio books to Braille. These were for those who were blind and deaf, they reminded her of Helen Keller. She admired her because of her outlook to life; unlike Mysti’s pessimistic point. At this, Mysti paused in her typing. “I wish Mom and Dad were here,” she said to the empty room. “I wish I wasn’t the cause of it.” She froze, frowning at the last part.

“Why did I say that?” muttering mostly to herself, Mysti rewound the CD to where she last heard the speaker talking and tried to focus her mind to the task on hand. In another two days, she had to submit the stories to the principal, Mr Goh. Although he was a fatherly figure in her life, he didn’t take too kindly to late submissions. There were still three more audio stories to go through.

Trish had taken to labeling the home appliances with Braille so that Mysti could identify them and use them with ease. She had also managed to save up enough money to buy the Braille typewriter so that Mysti could occupy herself at home and feel useful. Trish was often worried about Mysti being alone at home but she couldn’t leave her job and look after her niece full time. Besides, Mysti had reached the age whereby she was showing signs that she wanted space for herself and dignity that should be given to anyone aged 26. Twenty years had passed, Mysti paused the audio and felt a drop of tear snaked down her right cheek.

Her parents had passed away on this date and her aunt was busy at work, unable to accompany her to their graves. Just then, the door bell rang. “Hi, Mysti,” a pause, “Are you alright?”

She blinked and then realised that she had not wipe the tear away, “Oh, I’m alright.” Realising belatedly that it was Ace, she asked, “Ace? Why are you here?”

Ace took a moment to recollect himself before answering, “Oh, right, Trish said to pick you up. I think she mentioned something about visiting someone,” frowning at this, he tried to recall what Trish had said. Feeling a tug, he realised that he had been silent for too long, “Sorry, Mysti, I was trying to remember what it was.”

“It’s alright, Ace. She must have asked you to bring me to my parent’s graves,” she smiled wanly at the last part. That was it, Ace slapped himself mentally at his indifference. He heard her saying that she was going to get her bag and soon, they were on the way to Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium. The ride was silent as Ace drove. Mysti sat silently, deep in her thoughts. “Ace?” it was almost a whisper but he caught it and made a sound to let her know that he was listening.

Emboldened, she ventured, “Do you have any childhood memories?”

“Yes, I remember playing with my Dad in the pools and mostly my mother holding my hand as I went to school.” The silence was too long. “Mysti? Are you okay?” He slipped a quick glance at her before concentrating on the road.

Mysti felt her throat constricted when he spoke about his mother. Something nagged at her but she couldn’t grasp hold of it and it slipped away yet again. Finally, she cleared her throat, “I’m sorry, I was thinking of something. I can’t remember what happened before I was six. I can’t even remember what my mother looked like,” her last sentence was barely a decibel above the sound of the car air-conditioner.

Ace didn’t know how to reply and grunted. He struggled to find the right words but came up with none. At that moment, the signboard proclaimed that they were near Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium. “We are reaching soon, erm, Mysti?” she made a small sound, he continued, “You might start to remember soon. Believe in it, okay?”

“Okay. Thanks for listening,” she settled more comfortably and clutched her bag and waited for him to signal that they had reached when she felt the car had stopped moving. Hearing only his side of the car door being pushed close, she waited and wondered why it was taking so long for him until she felt her side of the car door being opened.