With Love- John.

With Love John is a short story revolving around 3 main characters Mary, John and Molly. It’s not a sweet love story or a love triangle but about how mistrust blinds love and destroys relationships.  Mistrust is the result of misunderstanding and misinformation. Don't let them effect your relationship.  Life is short to love and be loved and when you have someone special don't forget to tell them how much you love them. 

The story starts on a normal Friday morning with a beautiful bouquet lying at front of a door.  It was tied roughly but it had every single color of rose one can ever imagine. Roses as fresh as morning dew butterflies fluttering on petals of fragrant flowers, the sun rays peeping through tree leaves, fresh air kissing the window pane, birds chirping cheerfully.

A scraggy woman with short golden hair and neatly dressed opens the door hastily with half eaten toast in one hand and door keys in another, cradling her phone between head and shoulder, talking to someone.

"You just reach on time and make all arrangements and rest....”

The moment she saw the bouquet she was stupefied but soon there was revulsion in her expressions, her phone collapsed on floor. 

There she was overwhelmed with regrets, holding an envelope  and a small packet like a helpless figure.

Which said “With Love - John?"

Voice of another woman came interrupting her thoughts... She was calling a name aloud... Mary..... Mary, Are you there?? Mary... Mary... Hello...

Mary picks up the phone,”Yes.. Yes... Hello..Lily. . Sorry, the phone... No.. No.. Nothing.. I'll be there soon.. Just manage... I am on my way... "

She crushed the envelope with Disgust and she was about to throw them away but something stopped her... She thrust her hand in the air, tried hard but it seemed she couldn't so she threw them in her purse and barged the bouquet, she turns towards her car and in seconds she was out of sight.... 

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Clock ticking.. ..

That very afternoon...

Mary sitting in her office thinking of some idea... Strategy.... campaign.... Project...client... presentation.... but her eyes steady on her purse. She puts aside the thought to concentrate on work but couldn't so she opens her purse and takes out the envelope but she stops with a knock on the door...

"Hey Mary!”

“Hey Angela! Get in... I am almost done... "

Angela interrupts...

"No, no I am here to tell you that I'll not join for lunch today. Have some personal work. I'll join you with plan details after 4...Ok...please inform others to join in too. I have few ideas that i need to discuss...”  Angela says with tired voice.

“Hope everything is fine..."

"Oh!  Yes.  Its Robert..., her teacher called its kind of urgent. “She replied with Indecisive smile and was gone leaving Mary with the envelope. 

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The envelope. 

Mary's moves her fingers on the  words.  

“With Love-John".

And there she was standing in church looking every bit like the royal princess in her white gown holding hands with the man she loved surrounded by family and friends. They were about to exchange a kiss at conclusion of their marriage ceremony but suddenly her gaze met his. It was just a split second to send rush of blood to her heart and she was back in reality feeling little embarrassed and more dejected.

A phone call further interrupts her thoughts.  She keeps the envelope back in her purse.

"Miss Jones, Mr. Shawn Edward is here to see you".  

"Yaaa, send him in".

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It was a busy day.. Mary may have kept the envelope back in her purse but the thought never left her mind.

After seeing people running around frantically and screaming to the top of their lungs  and spending hour in car listening to horns it felt like returning from a War zone... Night seemed quite silent...but Quieter it got, the longer it seemed.

Mary sitting in her bed with envelope in her hand. Packet lying on bed.  Roses placed in a beautiful handmade Vase which was out from closet for the very first time. Both together were so enchanting that made the dull room vibrant.

She was depressed to see the roses, roses that she kicked were now placed in her bedroom which made her feel miserable.

The light gets dim and nothing could be seen.  Mary was lying on hospital bed with drip in one hand and next to her is a man holding her hand and crying like a baby.

Its been few hours and Mary wakes up...

Mary starts screaming....

"John... How dare you...??? . How dare you...??? “She keeps moving her hands...

John trying to get hold of her.

“Leave me, don’t touch me... "

“Stop... You'll get hurt. "

“Get out of my sight... I hate you,  get lost... "

John still trying hard to calm her down but fails...

Doctor comes running with injection.

“Calm down.. Just relax.... "

Suddenly Mary's hand moves on her stomach and she stops moving.

“Doctor... My baby???? Where. is my baby???  Doctor... What happened??? "

“John, Are you happy now... You are free now... Just...... Leave..... "

With a loud scream she is silenced with the injection and gone to sleep.

Mary jumps in horror with phone ringing.... She starts screaming, her eyes closed and hands on ears... Silence in the room made her looks around and she realised she was in her past.  The day she lost her child and the man she used to love.

She finds her phone and disconnects the call. 

With lot of courage and bewilderment she finally opens the packet.

There were hand written pages, seems like a big letter and looking at the handwriting she knew it not John's.  This was quite artistic.

Dear Mary, 

This is probably my last attempt to reach you.  My name is Molly, the same woman you hate the most. But I am being punished for no fault. 

(Mary crushed the letter into a ball to throw away but she stopped and holding her calm decides to read further.) 

John paid a big Price for a relationship that he was not involved in.  I tried to lift the veil from truth but....here I am trying again to explain everything.... 

Yes, we were having an affair if you say so but not like what you think. I was going through a rough patch of life when I met John. I was young, divorced and a single parent. He was a kind of man I always dreamt of loving, caring, supportive. I was alone, struggling to make ends meet and he was kind enough to help. He was upset because you were in pain... with all those miscarriages and your deteriorating health... 

It was then this emotional affair started... We were always together in office, meetings, parties then we started texting, exchanging emails when we were not together. I always knew he loved you more than anything. 

I am a firm believer that people enter our lives for a reason. He came as my emotional support more than that an angel who gave up his happiness to bring smile on my face. 

My ex-husband came back in my life. I had no idea what to do and I called John.  The day you saw both of us coming out of the hotel room, he was there to talk to me and Henry. It was Henry's room; we didn't wanted Sam, my son to feel any tension so we decided to meet in his hotel. After hours of discussion, John convinced me that I should give Henry a chance, so we finally decided to be there for our son. But you saw us and after that terrible accident happened. I tried to meet you in hospital, called you, left messages but.....never heard from you. Then I left the city and moved with Henry.

John and my relationship was for a short period of time, we did share a meaningful connection. It was a beautiful and pure relationship not what you thi it to be. He never cheated on you. 

I tried to talk to you but failed...  every time I failed I tried even harder. Last time I came to your office and tried to tell you but after that humiliation,  I was deeply hurt but still didn't gave up and that night John called and made me promise not to follow you anymore. I kept my promise for 5 long years but I can't anymore.

The day you lost your child, he was heartbroken. We both were there with Henry waiting for you to get up. He was sitting next to you holding your hand, crying.. When he fainted.  

He was send for tests. Doctors first thought it might be depression but later found it was brain tumor. 

He is dying Mary, his chapter is on verge of closure.  Don't let him be just a chapter in your life. He tried to make things work but after his chemotherapy he decided not to show up. He didn't want to see you hurt. 

I begged him to tell you or let me explain everything but he said "Believing that your soul mate cheated, it hurts but seeing your soul mate die every day is excruciating." 

I am sending you flowers on his behalf he specifically mentioned to pick every color of rose which he said signifies his colorful life and the note he handed me when i went to see him. Well He asked me to give it on his death bed but i cant hold the burden of this note on my soul and importantly  I don't want him to die in vain. He is all alone there fighting.... Dying.... 

If you still think it was our mistake than i can only ask for forgiveness. Terrible things happen but Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times,  if one only remembers to turn on the light.

Molly.

PS.  Just follow your heart and you'll find him. I know you will.

The letter was all wet with her tears.  The sobs were getting louder and louder.

Dear Mary,
This is my first and last love letter. I know you always complaint that I never wrote you anything not even the wedding vows. I am not a romantic person, never was... But I know one thing you were the one for me, always have been. The day I saw you, my heart knew it was you. Knowing you, loving you has been the best thing that ever happened to me. Life with you was fabulous.  Your love made my life colorful, I know I am a dreadful chapter of your life that you have forgotten but I always want you to live life, enjoy it. Please Forgive me.  Don't forgive because I died. Forgive for the love. 

Love John. 

Mary looked up at the flowers they were colorful like he said his life was. She cried...

She kept reading the letter again and again.. The more she read, more she thought  ... The more she thought, more she cried...

She thought of John,   his attempts to talk, to meet, to clarify... Thoughts of their life together....

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Mary stood in front of a house with swollen eyes both seemed to be in ruins.   It was John parents’ house where he was born. He always mentioned that he would love to revisit the place where he was born and where he made memories.

So there he was lying on the bed.... Waiting for death....

Instead I showed up....

"John"