The Wedding Gift

She is a ‘blah blah blah’ type. He is a ‘hmm hmm hmm’ one.

She trusts in God. He is an atheist.

She believes in omens, good and bad. He nurtures scientific temper.

She loves nature, especially gardening. He is into tech.

Oh! The list is almost endless. But, both have made sacrifices and compromised for each other’s perceived imperfections.

After all, theirs is a love marriage of twenty-five years.

Of late, for the past one month, she has taken to bird-watching. The reason is that the other day, her husband’s coming home from office and announcing his promotion at work coincided with a barn owl landing on the branch of the tree in their garden. She thought it to be a good omen and from then onward, she has been, with unfailing regularity, watching the bird every evening.

Some days, when he came home early, he, too, has joined her in her new-found past-time.

The owl flies away in the morning to return at twilight and stays put the whole night. The clocks may stop or show a wrong time. But the owl’s arrival and departure have been consistent.

Yesterday was their wedding anniversary. She promised to cook his favorite dishes. He promised to get her a surprise gift on his way back from office.

She finished all the chores, prepared the promised dishes, spruced up the dining hall, decorated the wedding cake and got ready to greet him as the evening dawned.

By force of habit, she peeped into the window to have a look at the owl. But it wasn’t there. She thought that it might have got temporarily distracted by some food on its way and soon it should be there.

She got busy giving finishing touches to the surprises she had created for him.

She could never guess that almost an hour had gone by. She went back to the window. Still the bird hadn’t arrived.

She just talked herself into believing that the owl had indeed got delayed and must be there any moment.

Time ticked by. There was no sign of the owl. And, he, too, wasn’t home. She got worried. She imagined that he must have got into some problem or something untoward must have happened to him. That is why the owl hadn’t showed up. It’s God’s way of forewarning.

She panicked. She ran to the table, picked up her mobile and started dialing to reach him. She was sweating. Fear and anxiety showed up on her face.

She was getting ‘out of reach’ message. She was getting more and more tensed.

Nature, too, appeared to have conspired against her. Suddenly it started raining. Every now and then, she would open the door to see if he was at the gate and whether the owl had arrived.

Both were missing. She started sobbing. She thought that it was the end of the world for her.

It was quarter to midnight, just another fifteen minutes for their anniversary day to close.

She sank into the sofa. She was confused, terrified and worried. She didn’t know what to do.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Heart in heart, with prayers on her lips, hands shivering, she rushed to the door and opened it.

There stood her significant other, totally drenched, with a basket in hand and smiling with a tinge of guilt for being so late on their wedding anniversary.

Her eyes welled up. She hugged him and started sobbing like a child.

He consoled her and led her to the dining table. He seated her and apologized profusely. She was in no mood for all that. She was indeed angry with him.

“Didn’t you know how worried I was? The owl, too, didn’t show up. You know I believe in omens. I thought the owl not coming was an indication of something bad having happened to you, as you, too, never came. And, where were you all this time? I was getting ‘out of reach’ message. Men don’t understand…..”

“Hold on, hold on Dear,” he interrupted, “listen to me. I didn’t do anything deliberately…”

“Then, why are you so late,” she interjected, “that too on an important day like this?’

“Okay, I will tell you everything. Relax,” he comforted her.

“I know you will give some lame excuse. There was a client-meeting, boss gave me additional work…” she remarked sarcastically amidst sobbing.

“No, no, no! Not at all! You believe in divine intervention. Don’t you?” he asked her as he wiped her tears.

“Yes I do. So what?” she retorted.

“That’s what happened today,” he replied.

“What do you mean?” she was still upset with him.

“Now cool down,” he continued, “I will tell you everything. But first open the basket and look at the surprise I have got for you.”

“No! I am not interested in that. First tell me why you were late.” She was adamant.

“Please have a look at the surprise I have for you,” he pleaded.

Reluctantly, she opened the basket and was dumbstruck on seeing the ‘surprise’ in it. She couldn’t believe her own eyes. She looked at him. Her eyes were moist. He smilingly grabbed and hugged her.

“Are you still angry with me?” he teased her.

“But how did all this happen?’” she became impatient.

“Okay, okay. I will tell you everything,” he started narrating the day’s happening, “you see, I left the office early to do some shopping.

I purchased the basket and headed towards the super market. It had already started drizzling. As I was walking, I saw that writhing in pain and drenched.

By the mark on its chest, I could recognize that it was the same feathered friend of yours. I picked it up and took it to a veterinary clinic. Already there was a rush there.

By the time my turn came and the doctor treated it, it was quite late. The doctor told me that it has injured itself, probably in a fight. There is nothing to worry. By tomorrow morning, it will get well and will be able to fly.

By the time I came out of the clinic, other shops and the super market had closed.

Sorry Dear, I couldn’t pick up any present for you. I think I have ruined today’s celebration…”

With a feeling of guilt, he just hung his head down.

She was touched. She lifted his chin, gestured him not to feel guilty and hugged him, “Dear, you have not ruined the celebration.”

She delicately picked up the owl from the basket and placed it in a safe place near the ventilator to help it fly out in the morning.

They cut the wedding cake. She thrust a morsel in his mouth and remarked, “In fact this is the best anniversary I have had. And, you have given me the best wedding-gift.”

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