Goa is a dream destination for most of the people to visit at least once in a life time, but for the residents it’s a daily routine as it was Eddie Steward who was working there in the SBI bank. She was single and a beauty with brain whose best friend was her sweet little Patty more than any human. Patty was a beautiful white kitten who mostly used to remain cladded in furry jackets enhancing her beauty, especially the royal blue jacket on her shining body hairs could give the painting goals to any artist. Whenever Eddie used to be free she takes Patty along to enjoy the tranquillity on beaches of North Goa. This was her every weekend plan until her parents who were living in South Goa called to tell about suitable match they found for her and asked her to come home on weekend as they had arranged a meeting.
“Ma, why did you arrange without asking me? I don’t want to meet anyone.”
“Eddie, we are listening that from last two years but now we can’t wait anymore, how long you want to take? You have already crossed your age.”
“Still Ma, I am not the Spinster. Why don’t you understand that I am not ready for marriage yet ??”
“And why don’t you understand, what we are going through.”
After this Eddie couldn’t say a word thinking that she might have the right to decide for her life, but she has no right of hurting her parents.
Eddie wasn’t single since she graduated the college seven years ago. She had someone in her life whom she loved so intense that when she had her break up she decided that she won’t marry. Though Ansh wasn’t a Christian lad but it doesn’t matter and she decided to follow her heart until he left her broke, the day he realised that his feelings wasn’t that serious for her to bound himself in a commitment. Eddie’s mother sighed a huge relief after hearing about it without having any idea of her dark circumstances. Her parents were strict about the rule, they made for their princess that she has to keep the honour of the family by getting married to a Christian boy which she knew very well but her heart didn’t.
Since last four years she became an introvert who wouldn’t like to socialise much with humans after getting stumbled due to fear of getting hurt and that’s how she met Patty. She used to grumble with her most of the time when she had the urge to talk. When Eddie’s mother informed her about the meeting, suddenly she started feeling butterflies in her stomach. Now she had been alone so long with Patty that a fear of incompatibility started haunting her. But she had no choice left now.
On Saturday, it was shiny beautiful morning where the sun was bathing the beaches with its colourful rays but for Eddie it was kind of an exam day where she had no interest in breathing the beauty around rather she had to reach her home soon. After reaching home as per her mother’s instructions, she wore sky blue silk sari wrapping tightly around her snowy body which embraced her beauty more. She wanted to tie her hairs but her mother didn’t let her. After sometime the boy and his family reached. His name was Richard Thomas, working in five-star hotel and was perfectly apt for tall, dark and handsome statement. After sometime the parents of both parties asked Richard and Eddie to spend some time alone. Though Eddie was quite reluctant to talk but a question in her mind was nagging her whether she would be able to keep her Patty along or not. Richard gave start to their conversation by asking her likes and dislikes and in return she replied asking another question on top of it, whether he like pets or not, specially cats. Richard was so intrigued by Eddie’s personality that he didn’t want to take the chance by saying no. This gave Eddie a reason to nod her acceptance, though she was still doubtful and afraid about the love she had buried deep in her heart in past deciding that she won’t fall in love with any other person.
After her daughter gave nod, Eddie’s mother was quite overwhelmed. On Sunday morning, she went to the church for thanking Jesus for accepting her prayers. Their marriage had been fixed for a date which was after three months and shopping was started. Eddie bought an elegant white gown for herself while Richard bought Turquoise blue coloured Tuxedo and the day came when they both took the oath in front of Jesus keeping Eddie’s parents dignified in honour.
Wedding happened but nobody asked Patty whether she wanted to share her partner or not and this became a reason for her resentment specially towards Richard because he was the one who came in between. Eddie and Richard started living in Eddie’s house as it was suitable for three of them. Whenever both of them used to lock themselves in the room, Patty started yowling in such high volume that Eddie couldn’t stop herself from coming out. For the starters Richard tried to understand the situation, but soon he started getting annoyed. He once asked Eddie for going out without Patty so that the duo may get some crucial time to spend. When they came back, as the door opened a foul smell get stacked to their nose, after maundering here and there, they got to know it was the poop which Patty did all around. Eddie became worried about Patty because she knew that Patty knows her place of doing shit. She took her to the doctor but everything was normal as per the doctor. He just advised Eddie for not leaving Patty alone which made Richard resentful. It was becoming difficult for Eddie to keep a balance between her spouse and her cat because neither Patty was ready for extending her hand of friendship to Richard nor he was.
One weekend on a bright Sunday morning when sun was over the head Richard and Eddie got awake only to find Patty nowhere around. Then after looking on terrace Richard found her hanging with the railing on open side. As he bends forward to bring her back, his foot slipped and he lost his balance and by that time Patty came back by herself. When Eddie came on the terrace she saw her husband lying in pool of blood on balcony of first floor. She called ambulance and took him immediately to the hospital. The doctors asked her to fill the forms so that they may take him to ICU as his situation was critical. This was the first time when Eddie was furious because of Patty as she was the one who was responsible for this hell of situation, having no idea that she literally was. After three hours of operation when doctors came out, they repeated their words about critical situation. By that time Eddie informed her and Richard’s parents about the accident. When they came and asked about the reason, she had no idea what she must say. She just told them when this happened she wasn’t there, so she has no idea. During the night Eddie’s parents asked her to go home and relax for some time. Though she was reluctant to go but the thought of taking some time to think that how all this happened, make her agreed to go.
As she reached home, Eddie sat quietly for some time thinking about all the incidents started happening just after her wedding which never happened before. While Patty came to her with a look of guilt in her sea green eyes, Eddie reluctantly asked her to leave. In these years when Eddie and Patty were altogether Patty knew how to cheer Eddie but today she was unable to do so. As Eddie stood up to throw Patty aside, her leg tangled in carpet and she fell straight on the table striking her face on it’s edge losing her valuable teeth which fell on the floor. She got swelling on her face and some scratches on her hands and legs. Eddie thought if she will tell her parents about it at the current situation they will get more worried, which filled her eyes with tears and while sobbing when she slept, she had no idea. She opened her bleary eyes when the cat, all seven pounds of squirming flesh, climbed onto her belly. Squinting into the sunlight streaming in from the open window, she discovered that she was now the weary possessor of a pounding headache, and at some point, had managed to lose both a tooth and a spouse. She thought about the moment when Richard asked her to send Patty to her parent’s home and she refused. What if I would have agreed with Richard?? Am I also responsible for his condition?
As soon as she realised that she had been out of this world from long hours, she checked her cell phone. There were twenty miss calls in her phone quivering her body with the thought that what might have happened. She called her mother back and jumped in joy when she heard that Richard is out of danger and soon will get awake. She went to the hospital leaving Patty aside in her home. Richard was awoken and asking for Eddie. Till the time Eddie came, his parents tried to check reason of accident but he told them that as he was looking down from the grill of terrace, his foot slipped and somehow, he lost his balance and he don’t remember anything beyond. When Eddie came, she entered directly in the room and hugged Richard tightly, saying sorry in his ears with tears in her eyes. In return Richard replied with kiss on her cheek. Richard’s parents left the room to give some aloof moments to both of them.
While wetting the shoulder of Richard’s clothes with her tears, Eddie told Richard that she decided that she will not keep Patty along with them anymore after all these problems, but what Richard has said, startled Eddie’s ear drums,
“ I would like to befriend with Patty, who loved you more than me.”
© Payal Tyagi
This story I wrote for Twinkle Khanna in Write India season 2 contest but could not submit it on time and the positive part is, this is the first time when could I wrote such a long story of more than 1500 words depicting the foibles of human condition through fictitious characters . You all amazing writers on word press are the judges, so I would request you all to send me your feedback.
Thanks in advance for stopping by and taking out your time to read
Disclaimer : There is no copyright on above image used.
