Paradise
The Rain and Her
In Kollam , a serene and breathtaking little hamlet, the rain that day fell like a fierce deluge. As the evening sky was swallowed whole by dark, ominous clouds, Anson stood waiting at the bus stop, watching the raindrops shatter against the lonely road.
Then, in a wild and sudden gust of wind, she rushed into the shelter of that small umbrella—like a rain-drenched flower petal. Merlin.
As the stray droplets from her glistening tresses trickled down onto Anson’s hands, they brought no chill; instead, they ignited the very first fire of love. Those dark, enchanting eyes—brimming with fear and wonder—and the delicate, innocent smile that bloomed on her lips were the first sights Anson enshrined into the depths of his soul. Set against the symphonic backdrop of the pouring rain, the heartbeats of two strangers began to echo as one within that tiny shelter.
The Acquaintance
The days glided gracefully by. Even when the heavy downpours faded and gentle beams of sunlight began to smile upon the earth, that old bus stop drew them back together, time and again. Anson would step away from the dry, monotonous world of corporate files, while Merlin emerged from the studious realm of her post-graduate books, meeting at the twilight hour.
At first, a towering wall of silence loomed between them. But on a particular evening, as they shared a cup of steaming tea from the roadside kiosk nearby, that barrier melted away.
Words began to flow like a restless river. And from that moment on, every second of their blossoming friendship grew far more fragrant than the warm steam rising from their shared cup of tea.
Poetic Pathways
Anson’s mind was a vast, untamed forest of words; poems and novels had long sown the seeds of romance within him. Merlin, on the other hand, was someone who held the poetry of nature close to her heart. Together, they walked and talked of books, and of the unending, deep mysteries of life.
The dirt path winding through the village’s coconut plantations transformed into a grand royal avenue, laid out just for them as the crimson hues of twilight spread across the sky. When the breeze brushed past the trees, waking them to life, she would recite verses. Anson, in turn, searched for the meaning of those lines deep within her eyes. Somewhere along those long walks, even their shadows had quietly fallen in love with each other.
The Symphony of the Soul
Merlin’s soft, tender laughter became Anson’s sole companion through his sleepless nights. The moonlight that rested on his windowsill and the morning's very first chorus of birds now seemed to speak in Merlin’s voice. Every moment of the day spent without her side felt as vast and empty as an entire epoch.
He could feel love beginning to paint the walls of his heart with its own mysterious, vibrant hues. Even though that devotion brimmed over in his every glance and word, he hid it deep within himself like a sacred chant, fiercely guarding it for fear of losing her. Love remained submerged in its most beautiful, profound silence.
The Feast of the Blessed Mother
It was the golden dawn of the Feast of the Blessed Mother at the local Saint Mary’s Church. Bathed in the radiant glow of the festive lights, Anson saw Merlin walking toward him, dressed in a traditional Kerala-style silk churidar, gently tucking away her wind-blown tresses. It felt to him as though nature itself stood still for a breathless moment, captivated by her grace.
The stray curls kissing her forehead and her eyes shimmering in the lamplight stole the very breath from Anson’s lungs. In the sacred presence of that holy night, amidst the decorative lights and the hallowed altar, he gazed at her and inscribed a prayer into the deepest corner of his soul: "You are the guardian angel of my life... you, and you alone, are my paradise."
The Confession
It was an evening when the setting sun spilled molten gold across the river. Beneath the wild frangipani tree at the serene riverbank, Anson finally transformed the vast ocean of love within him into spoken words. There, before her, he laid his heart completely bare.
Hearing his confession, Merlin did not speak at once. She stood gazing into the distance, her fingers gently caressing the cool ripples of the flowing water. Though the heavy silence filled Anson with fear, the very next moment, a soft blush spread across her fair cheeks. As she cast her eyes downward, her tender smile became the sweet, silent proclamation of the love he had so long awaited.
A Nest of Dreams
Having tasted the sweet nectar of love, they began to weave the threads of their own little world. Far, far away from the artificial clamor of the city, they envisioned a verdant, mist-clad hillside. There, surrounded by the sweet fragrance of wild, native flowers, would stand a small tiled-roof cottage—a sanctuary filled with nothing but pure love.
That was the paradise of their imagination. "The breeze must always swirl around us, Anson , and there must be a perennial spring, never-drying, just like our love..." As Merlin whispered this, resting her head gently upon his shoulder, those innocent hearts remained completely unaware of the oncoming tempests of destiny.
The Dark Shadow
Yet, fate so often splatters its dark ink over the most beautiful of love poems. In Merlin’s home, negotiations for another alliance were shifting into high gear, entirely without her knowledge or consent—a wealthy expatriate businessman from across the seas, whose proposal flaunted sheer opulence.
Merlin trembled with the fear that their pristine, innocent love would be scorched to ashes before her father’s insatiable greed for wealth and rigid customs. The ominous tremors of a gathering storm had already begun to bleed into the very winds that swept through the village.
The Interdictions
Secrets can never remain hidden in the shadows for long. The profound soul-bond between Merlin and Anson eventually reached the ears of her orthodox and ruthless father. What followed inside her home was nothing short of a cataclysmic earthquake; she was brutally beaten, her spirit crushed.
The college education that had given wings to her dreams was brought to an abrupt and permanent end. Imprisoned within the four walls of her room, even the sky outside her window appeared dark and foreboding to Merlin. The very floor of her chamber became drenched, saturated with the weight of her ceaseless tears.
Silent Exchanges
In those bleak days, with her phone confiscated and all ties to the outside world severed, their love managed to breathe only through forbidden letters. Catherine , Merlin’s closest confidante, risked her own safety and well-being to act as the secret messenger between them.
Written on damp sheets of paper with trembling hands, Merlin’s tear-stained words tore through Anson’s heart. Those letters bore the agonizing pain of forced separation, yet, nestled within the heartbreak, there remained a faint, flickering light of hope that their love would one day triumph.
The Final Rendezvous
Wrapped in the dark shroud of a moonless night, evading the watchful eyes of her household guards, Merlin fled toward the old riverbank like a spirit desperately seeking life. The moment she saw Anson through the gloom—himself melting away in the agony of darkness—she collapsed helplessly against his chest.
Her clothes were soaked in a mixture of cold sweat and bitter tears. "Take me away somewhere, Anson ... anywhere... if you don't, they will kill me..." she pleaded, clutching tightly to his shirt. Her desperate wails were so piercing they seemed to move the very wind to weep with her.
The Beginning of Desolation
Yet, in that crucial hour, Anson found himself shackled by the ordinary apprehensions of a common man. The prospective tears of his own family and the scathing judgments of society became heavy irons bound to his feet.
He gently cradled her trembling face in his hands and pressed a tender kiss upon her forehead. "Let us wait just a little longer, Merlin... everything will be alright." He offered these words of solace, hoping to convince her family and claim her rightfully in time. Little did he know, as fate would later ruthlessly teach him, those very words were signing the death warrant of their love.
Beyond the Horizon
The following morning, Anson awoke with a heart fortified by the promises he had made to Merlin, only to be shattered by devastating news. Under the cover of the previous night itself, Merlin's family had whisked her away to an unknown destination somewhere in the distant city.
Not a single trace, nor the faintest whisper of where she had been taken, was left behind. Sitting all alone at the old riverbank, Anson wept like a man possessed by madness. The wind swept by, carrying the remaining fragments of her letters, drowning them forever in the depths of the flowing river.
Five Years Later
Time rolled its wheels relentlessly forward. Though five long years had swept by, the embers of love burning within Anson’s heart had not been extinguished. He remained a solitary wanderer, living entirely within the sacred sanctuary of Merlin’s memories.
When the poignant reminders of his village began to suffocate him, he requested a professional transfer to a corporate branch in the city of Kochin. Yet, even amidst the mechanical chaos of that bustling metropolis, his eyes never stopped searching the crowded streets for a glimpse of her old, innocent smile.
A Chance Encounter
One Sunday evening, while navigating the dense crowds of the colossal LuLu Hypermarket, Anson suddenly froze in his tracks. There, standing just a few paces away, was the very face that had haunted his dreams for half a decade! Merlin.
They were the same enchanting, dark eyes—but instead of the radiant light of their past love, they now held the unfathomable depth of an entire ocean of sorrow. She was not alone. Holding onto her hand was a little girl, laughing like a carefree butterfly, bearing a striking resemblance to Merlin herself.
Pathways of Embers
Seated in a quiet corner of the spacious Starbucks coffee shop, they gazed at each other. Before any words could form, their tears flowed unchecked. Merlin began to recount her journey through the embers. Her married life had been nothing short of a living hell.
Unable to endure the cruelty, chronic alcoholism, and brutal abuse of her wealthy husband, she had finally chosen to walk away from the relationship rather than mortgage her self-respect. Now, she was fighting a lonely battle for survival, living with her daughter, Angel, in a tiny rented room somewhere in this sprawling city.
An Unchanging Love
Hearing the shattered fragments of Merlin’s story, Anson’s heart burned with agonizing guilt. He cursed himself for leaving her to face the world alone all those years ago. Yet, despite how broken her life had become, he saw that the familiar sparkle of her old love for him had not dimmed in the slightest.
Though time, circumstance, and society had driven them miles apart, they both realized that their two souls were still breathing for one another.
The Child's Presence
Amidst the heavy weight of their conversation, little Angel stepped in like a guiding seraph. Untouched by the pretenses of the world, the innocent child took an instant liking to Anson . When she climbed onto his lap and softly called him “Uncle Anson " his eyes brimmed with tears once more.
In the sweet prattle and pure laughter of that little girl, he felt as though the entire spring season they had lost was finally blossoming back to life. She felt like a new, sacred bond holding their love together.
A New Resolve
That night, sleep eluded Anson completely. Deep within his soul, he forged an unshakeable resolution: he would never leave Merlin to walk alone again. Cast away from all fears of the future, he resolved to become the protective canopy for her and her little daughter.
He laid his heart bare before his family. Though initially met with fierce resistance over welcoming a divorced woman and her child, they were ultimately forced to yield before the sheer, unyielding intensity of the love burning in Anson’s eyes.
Merlin’s Fear
When Anson revealed his decision to Merlin the following day, she was struck with disbelief. Breaking into a sob, she pleaded, "No, Anson... I am a shattered vessel. If you take me into your life, this society will hunt you down too. I will not let myself ruin your beautiful future."
But Anson remained silent. He simply drew her cold, trembling hands close and pressed them firmly against his chest. The absolute certainty gleaming in his eyes dissolved every lingering fear in her heart, like morning mist before the sun.
The Cottage on the Hill
Anson had never forgotten the dream they had woven together all those years ago. On that verdant hillside in their village, he had already built a small cottage on a piece of land he had purchased in the past. Just as they had once envisioned, it was a beautiful sanctuary, cradled by wild blossoms and swept by eternal breezes.
He brought Merlin and their daughter to that very spot. As they stood together upon the threshold of that home, the divine signature of a God who had fiercely guarded their love was visible in every single detail.
The Consent
Standing on the threshold of that cottage, Merlin’s emotional restraint shattered completely. The overwhelming truth that a man had waited for her, and for their shared dreams, for so long shook her to the very core of her being.
She collapsed into Anson’s chest, washing away five long years of accumulated sorrow in a torrent of tears. Within the warmth of his embrace, she discovered a brand-new life. Finally, with a whole and joyful heart, she whispered her consent to step forward into their new beginning.
A Simple Union
On a fresh dawn, as nature adorned itself in a pristine gown of morning dew, they became one at a quaint little Tabor church nearby. In the sacred presence of Father Baby Shepherd, Anson tied the ‘ Bridal Pendant’ around Merlin's neck, draped in the traditional Wedding Veil.
In that intimate ceremony, free from the judgments of the world and the shallow vanities of luxury, their daughter Angel stood as their witness, clapping her little hands and laughing with joy. Their rebirth was nothing short of divine.
The New Dawn
They moved into their cozy nest of dreams on the verdant hillside. That evening, as the crimson glow of twilight painted the canvas of the sky, Anson and Merlin sat upon their porch, cradling their daughter between them, gazing out into the vast horizon.
A gentle, cool breeze swept up from the valley, tenderly caressing their faces. The dark, terrifying nights of their past had vanished forever. From now on, only the radiant light of love would dwell there.
Paradise
In the courtyard, the frangipani and jasmine vines they had planted began to bloom, weaving a rich tapestry of sweet fragrance through the air. The soft sunlight filtering through the windows transformed the little house into a living heaven.
The very 'Paradise' they thought they had lost forever—which began amidst a torrential downpour years ago and journeyed through paths of burning embers—was finally, rightfully theirs. With the wind, the river, and poetry bearing eternal witness, love continued to rain down as an everlasting spring upon those two intertwined hearts.
"Love is not merely an attraction between two individuals; it is the unquenchable light of the soul that burns bright, even after being melted down by the scorching paths of separation."
The End
©️ Anson Varghese
