They felt that 'maybe she has woken up on the wrong side of the bed'....that would definitely explain her grumpiness and moodiness. Still, they had known her for more than a decade and guessed she was roughing it out. They left her at the food court to finish their shopping, asking her to place their orders .
She watched them go...felt bad for a lingering moment and started to sulk again...thinking sadly, 'wish I could tell you both'. 'Another bitter fight, will it ever end', she asked none in particular. She placed the orders, got the tokens, grabbed a seat and watched the world around as she waited.
All that she saw were happy faces, couples exchanging sweet looks and notes, kids scampering around, families conversing, teens chatting and giggling away.....'What right does the world have to be suffused in light and joy, when gloom surrounded her', she mused fuming.
He hadn't even bothered, nothing new there.....still it hurt ....she was a average girl with normal feelings, wasn't she? Not even a rose or a card, forget gifts...It reminded her of other years, times when others never forgot to wish on even silly days made up by Hallmark .....
As she sipped her cappuccino, she went on flashback mode..."her college days, rose day to be specific, as she watched girls swamped with flowers wondering if she would ever get one. Going home to find a letter from her cousin sister with a yellow rose inside with a note :"The rose you never got, the first rose from my new plant", which brought a smile to her face." Nothing's changed was her thought when a beep from her cell shook her off day dreaming.
" Petals once again, wishes you a happy birthday and hopes you liked the flowers" read the text....She stared ahead and laughed inspite of her self and reread the message. When her friends had first asked her about "her day" a week ago, she had kept quiet. On further prodding, she mentioned cooking for six people and spending the evening being forced to watch old films on telivision. She remembered her sister in law having the grace and decency to get her some flowers and a cake....
She gradually noticed a light tap on her shoulder and looked up to see a surly young teen asking her what her problem was. She blinked in confusion when he went on, "Do we look funny? Why are you staring at us and laughing??". The light bulb light up and she replied meekly, with what she hoped was a friendly smile, a small lie, "I was just laughing over a joke some one passed on, sorry if I offended you " pointing to her cell.... The guy muttered a sad "Oh!! that's okay, my bad" and went off with a disappointed look of one who had missed the golden chance of a mall fight.
'Great, that's all I needed ' she muttered grimly to her friends who had returned and stared after the boy, in shock. She narrated the thrilling story over their lunch . A hearty laugh and a movie later, she was on the way out, back to the grim palace. But as she hugged and kissed her friends goodbye and clutched the belated gift they had given her, she went with a lighter heart, her grumpiness a thing of the past.
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