The perks of young love are known, to those who have loved, to those who still love and a sensational feeling to those who love awaits. Having a boyfriend or girlfriend is not love, having someone who sees eyes closed, feels deep from the strongest part of the heart, speaks no universal language but which the lover and the loved hear. Loving is not in any way compared to infatuation, its more of a sound of swift feelings and beautiful surprises. Love dilutes many injured souls, opens many closed doors and drives out hate in the hardest of hearts. Its a basic need to a human's sanity and an animals wellbeing. Love cuts through lines and space, gender and race, it comforts and relieves. It is never wrong, unless done wrongly. Love robes us of meanness, strange attitudes and behaviour. Its where humility begins. Always misunderstood by those who don't know its basis, its golden sparks and shiny days. Love makes the poorest of men feel rich, not in material but from the heart, love shadows life, makes life live.
In one of the calmest areas in the Coast, tranquility resided as a person. The neighbours full of content and utmost goodwill to each other. You would feel it from the welcoming, the serenity and everlasting smiles. I was privileged to be a guest. In the middle of The Old Town area of Mombasa was where I chose for my vacation after a tough year as a bank cashier in one of the most busiest banks in the country. From the start, I knew it would be worth a stay. I loved the people around here, guests were more of angels. Each day counted. Each second was worth a lifetime. I would watch how the cute and rosy swahili ladies cooked, with great precision and admirable passion. The delicacies were worth appreciating. The spiced kind of fish and sweet pishori rice. I would live to remember.
I set to stroll, at around 4.30 in the evening, needed to toss myself in the sea, or rather pick shells and play with the white sand. The path to the sea was empty, maybe one or two fishermen set from fishing. From a distance, I could see a deserted bungalow. It was plastered very well, painted lilac. It looked like a small castle. I got to take the whole view, or maybe say hi to whoever resided there. It was just magnificent, the sight was very pleasing. An old man, not very old, probably in his early sixties, the white beard and cold eyes made him look much older than he was. Hospitality is the thing here, he quickly pasted a smile and welcomed me in. It was quite strange, there was no lady in the house. But a very big frame of one cute, slender bottle shaped woman. We exchanged pleasantries, at least, for now, we were quite familiar with each other.
He noticed my keenness on the big picture of the lady. She was a beauty. His sharp voice quickly addressed;
"That's my Queen. Malikiye is her name.....the picture was taken on our twentieth anniversary, fifteen years ago.."
The big curve of a smile on his face was first noticeable when he talked about Malikiye. But she was his Queen, who could say otherwise? He then left for a big album of pictures, his three energetic sons, and the cute wife. They looked so good. Such a happy family, I thought. With all the explaining about all pictures, he sounded nostalgic and quite sad. I got uneasy. He would stare at Malikiye's pictures for so long. Caressing the picture like it felt. I interrupted,
"So where is Malikiye..?"
He looked at me with such dispirited eyes, then he closed all albums and kept them aside, those were just memories with him, he said.
"Love happens, between two promising souls, never interfered with, its the language of feelings. Love is never love again, when other people come in, not even kin, they broke an eternal bond, they did, they cut short a hearts yearning and they brought a tough ending."
They lived a royal life with Malikiye, not around but abroad, from the moment they were in primary level, they knew their bond would be as strong. Romeo and Juliet was just but a play, compared to what they had. It was a love of more "mores" and less "less"..It didn't take very long time luring Malikiye, the heart is never wrong. It was mutual. All got stable and alas! the most permanent of bonds was created. The wedding was not so big, but love declaration on the great day mattered most. A palace was built. Royalty at its peak. Life was different now, each day counted. They had a basis for a successful life, their love. They got very successful, from lowest of ranks to managerial. A good day at work starts very well at home.
After years of a very successful marriage, a misunderstanding happened. In such countries where they lived, a woman had more say than a man, Malikiye, not thinking of necessary consequences, quickly reported him to the police and his passport taken, his movement was limited now, he could not travel back home. Even in the hardest of circumstances, he tried understanding his love. He took the blame to himself. Family, down here, grew impatient, sixteen years of not being home, his father passed away and he did not make it for his last rights. He had only one sister, who on seeing this, tried very hard getting her brother's access back. Moved from one embassy to another, she did make it in the end. She succeeded in getting her brother back home. With all this, came conditions, that he should divorce his wife, his Queen, his life, his Malikiye. It was very tough, how would he start? He never wanted all this. The mother, on her side, insisted on the same. Life was all twists. He would suffer mother's wrath. He jotted down the divorce papers. He could never imagine his Queen's reaction. She never replied. She never got back. Each time he calls it gets disconnected.
My face all sympathetic by now, how I wish I could help, we tried calling using my line, but she disconnected all local calls.
"All I want now, is to hear her voice...not saying much, but calling my name." He said with a shaky tone.
He was suffering from diabetes and kidney disease. This all seemed unbelievable. Love existed beyond the confines of movies and fictional stories. Someone could actually get sick out of love that was. He insisted that their candle would never go off. Not when they both existed in royalty. That the wax it had was ever living, ever burning. Even when Malikiye refuses to pick up, some guiltiness gushes in her sweet soul. It was getting late and quite dangerous for me, I didn't want to leave, I wished I could help. All way through I thought of them, I formulated a plan, I would try and talk to the elder son, and assist his parents through. It was so sad. I fast sounded asleep. I didn't watch sop operas today, that was more of one.
Morning dawned as soon, it was so silent. I gulped my tea hurriedly wanting to set out to the old mans house. The silence was too much. It was worrying. Where was everyone? Even coconut vendors could not be heard. I set out on my mission to be. I must re unite their royalty back. I thought. The small castle was not deserted today. People had crowded here. Everyone was around. He had passed away. My shoulders sagged, my eyes shrinked. I had never been heartbroken. The sight of his cold face made me so low. I could not explain to anyone, it was strange that he explained all this to me in the first place. I could never believe this happened. I was to leave on the following day. My sweet stay down here had to end with such a blue feeling. I don't think I will be back anytime soon. I will live to tell this world class tale.
I pray they re unite, in life after death. Where no one may be a reason for their separation. Their hearts were for each other, they still are, the heart always wants what it wants.
