Dream Walk

Rohaan wakes up rubbing his eyes and resting it upon a clock saying 6’o clock. This is late especially today when this is day once a year, even though seems earlier than of all rest 364 days he could remember out of. He knows that today is a holiday of the year even though not declared by officials. He is thinking in silent contemplation about what to do, laying in bed, looking at ceiling fan, a wine bottle in book shelf adjusted obliquely. He walks out to spacious open terrace of room without letting curtains left open. He can smell fresh air coming, as it runs through nose and out, looking out at beautiful scenery with wide open eyes, green all around his eyes can see, rolling hills, in distance the high snow covered peaks, light coming through the trees, a little bit foggy, earthy smell, quietness, coolness, grown moss on the trunks of trees, water dribbling through a little natural stream of water, and birds with their early morning alarms. His face is questioned when something pinged inside his brain and glances back inside a room, but could not see a thing, obstructed view because of a freely waving curtain. “What is suitable gift for her?” “Where shall we go for a whole day and for lunch and for dinner?” “Would some outing work for her?” In this dilemmatic situation, he gets inside a room and stands in front of a mirror tacked at wall. He glares at himself curiously and then Adda, visible from a corner of mirror frame. Some idea gleams in his mind which brought a benign smile on his face. He comes closer to the bed where she is in sound sleep, blanket covered. “Sweet heart, Happy Birthday, now get up”, he says softly in her ear and then extends hand to her. Adda shifts in sleep, heard his wish and request, but no response. Then she turns on to her over stomach, keeping eyes closed as it is. Rohaan with a bit more pitch, “Happy Birthday my Princess.” Adda looks at him from corner of eyes and says nothing but points to her chick by a finger. Rohaan leans to her and kisses gently. Adda smiles craftily and says, “Good morning”, and covers her face with a blanket. Rohaan pulls a blanket out off face to get her attention. Adda turns around to plead again. “Where is my other one?” indicating another chick. Rohaan has no choice but to obey. He impels her saying, “Now will you get up? Erm... I want you to meet my friends.” Adda gets up, confused as well as disappointed. She replies in voice mixed with sadness, “What? Your friends or your father?” gestures questioning hands to her words. “Listen dear... I do not want a single minute without fun. Please make your best choice and help me to stack memories, not like...” and looks at carpet. Adda has experienced an outing earlier with his friends at Water Kingdom. She could not swim though but unwillingly has accompanied them. Observing them from a child swimming pool was not so pleasing. Waiting outside the end point of water rides was also frustrating. She had warned him after comeback, not again. Rohaan is well aware about the reference of her words and thinks scratching his head. She stirs for a beat and then steps down a bed, comes near to Rohaan, eye to eye and demands, “I want to meet your father and I want to spend a whole day with him. You know that, right?” Rohaan aligns to her to convince. “Yeah, but these are my very good friends and they all have something special in them, you will really like them.” Adda pierces him with look while saying, “But I want to meet your father, you had promised me few weeks back.” Rohaan glances at her for an instant and she got his full attention. “Yeah... I promised you but I have a better plan.” Adda asks without interest with felt face, “Who are these friends and where they hail from? And how we suppose to plan all this? You have already planned this, isn’t it?” Rohaan says in a tone requesting to her. “Darling, you ask too many questions, can you just be on me for today? Please?” “Ok fine. Say to me at least that, you are taking me to father in evening.” Rohaan stands still and speaks after a beat, “I forgot to mention the most important thing and that is, we need to make one choice either we meet my father or my friends and believe me it is really worth to meet my friends.” Rohaan can see denser disappointment in her eyes but ignoring her reaction pushes her to get ready. He thinks, “What should I say to persuade her?” Rohaan is trying to play with words in his mind and tricks to get her on his side, knowing the fact about her being choleric. Adda kept her gaze on his face and says in furious tone, “What are you saying? You have promised that, today we will meet your father. We came all across here and you are saying that we are out of that plan, at a sudden?” Rohaan interrupts. “My love, listen to me first, today is your birthday and I really have a very good plan. You just need to believe”, he somehow put against expected outburst of her. She has seen a very nice dream, walking on flowers, tiny but able to walk on the petals and seeds of sunflower, riding butterflies, waving hand towards Rohaan who is also on another one. He is showering the beautiful and mixed coloured flower petals for her. But day has started so unpredictably and she is having such a rundown. Adda in low voice, dulled, “No doubt, but do you really want to let our whole plan just go to meet your friends. Means...they must be special, right?”