"Its raining!!" Liz cried out, exploding into the room. "The gods have finally blessed us. I wasn't sure how long i'd be able to bear the scorching heat!" The sky outside was a misty purple, the sun was just beginning to set off into its slumber for their part of the world. "Lets go grab a coffee, just like the old times!" She did her best to bring out her positivity towards him. The last year had been difficult for both of them, and she knew that things could get better only if she started making an effort to bridge the widening gap between them. Dan adjusted a little in his easy chair and spoke "Those were the times when we let bygones be bygones. We were free, bashful and so much in love." looking intently into her eyes he resumed to speak when he was abruptly cut my Liz in a rather eager tone "And i am trying my best to bring that love back into our lives. The only way this is going to work is by you co-operating too." As she broke out sobbing exigently. It was then that Dan realised how he consciously pushed Liz far away from him after the distressing death of his 1 year old child and he led himself to believe that it was Liz that caused the death of her son, their son.
He still remembered the day when Liz called him at office to say she was going to go meet up with her old friends and that she would take Henry along, Dan insisted that Henry stay at home but Liz had no one to leave her son with so she took him along anyway. Lunch with her friends really did relax Liz lots because she had been on a constant upbeat since the birth of her child and she knew how she needed to take time out from the monotonous schedule of hers with the exception of her son who began crying at the bistro which was rather crowded. She managed to calmly put him to sleep and left him in the baby bed in her car and resumed the foregathering, catching up with her old mates. She did loosen up lots and felt quite relaxed after a really long time. When it was time to leave she bade her goodbyes and left hurriedly to check on her son.
It was the most horrid of her nightmares. She reached out to see if her son was ok, but he was pale and frigid. She tried to wake him up but he wouldn't open his eyes. Was her son dead? as soon as the thought struck her she broke out in sobs. Shocked and bewildered her tears flowing uncontrollably and she found herself completely helpless. Imprecating herself for having left her son unattended for so long and she couldn't understand how he could have died for he was perfectly ok when she had left him. Hurriedly she dashed to the hospital on the way calling her husband Dan who was stunned and spoke no more than to say "I'm on my way to the hospital. He may not be dead after all just hurry up, please." As he hung up and left for the hospital. Unfortunately, the doctor had pronounced their son's death on arrival and Liz was torn apart now. Her maternal instinct now drove her backwards into the most torturing labyrinths of her mind and all the time she blamed herself for having caused it.
When Dan arrived and saw his dead child, he was a broken man. The creases on his face expanded as he learnt the cause of the death. Death by Asphyxiation, very simply suffocation by lack of oxygen. His sorrow and anger knew no bounds. He knew that very moment, that their connubial bliss had come to a full stop that very moment. He could not think of anyway to forgive her and blamed her entirely in his shocked state. Liz was torn, she knew that although it was her fault, it was never her intention to actually let him die in any way. She knew better than that. But Dan, with his mental state was far too blinded to empathize. What continued since then was Dan's silence and Liz's helplessness. Dan hardly spoke to her. He built himself a wall that permitted no emotions to pass through. His mind ran faster cycles but it was as if his face was detached and almost devoid of any emotion with the exception of the lounging frown that he wore. Liz tried her best to overcome her own grief and set their lives back together. But to no avail. He was impenetrable.
Recalling the horrific turn-out of events Dan felt extremely remorseful of the fact that he had distanced so unreasonably from her, coming out of his shock he realised that his home and life was in tatters. He spoke in a teary tint as he embraced Liz "I have been very hard on both myself and you, not realizing that we needed each other to overcome the pain that befell upon us. Please forgive me Lizzie i just lost my wits when confronted by the sight of my blue, lifeless baby." as the tears rolled down his crinkled face. "Do you think it was any different on my part, goddamnit! The thought of driving my possibly dead son to the hospital, blaming myself for the neglect which went haywire in such a banging manner. I needed you then, Dan. I really did and if you were too filled with grief yourself to be there, you should have atleast made an effort, to reach out and help us overcome it but instead you alienated yourself dissociated with me." They spoke no more as they lay in each others shoulders, crying and consoling themselves as the cool breeze blew in and infused new life into their dilapidated selves.
Dan spoke with an almost hopeful vigor "Aaah! Its that beautiful smell of rain again! makes me feel so young again! I'm so sorry we had to go through all this love, Lets go grab that coffee and really let bygones be bygones. I Promise." He said reassuringly, feeling his strenght back when he saw how Liz's face lit up full of hope after almost a year of grief struck paleness. "And i cant wait to relive our old selves again as we overcome the hurdles that life throws at us." she said beamingly as they broke into a long, lingering kiss. Suddenly transformed into another world, one of hope, light and happiness; light years away from the dark world they were living in heretofore. "The desserts should wait for after the coffee." Dan spoke, back to his punk-humoured self. "And
interestingly, i just can't wait to discover the course for tonight." she said with a wink. Dan loved her obscure humour and they drove off into the mizzling road. So much in love, again. So free and bashfully so. It rained that whole night washing away the old tawny pictures, bringing back a pollyannaish colour to the worlds it bechanced on.
