LOOPS

" where were you silly girl?  I've been choking the breath out of my lungs now " old man coughed.

" I've other people to attend to Joe!  " she immediately repositioned him in bed.

" people now a days just don't care about who lives and who dies " he said dissapointed.

She kept managing things around the room " you are all about 'people now a days ' and ' what a crime' they do by just existing "

" if crime exists then existence is crime " , he said in his usual weary voice .

" you took your afternoon meds? "

" I took some last breaths " he exclaimed.

" oh Joe, I am sorry I wasn't around when you got food stuck in your throat.  Now please forgive me if you can " she said sarcastically.

" if one do everything that he can, and nothing that he can't..

" you did or you didn't ?" she yelled.

" children now a days are so disrespectful " he sadly said.

" I'm just saying , time for your evening meds is also coming close, so tell me before ..

" I haven't ." he said showing annoyance.

" hmm. I'm gonna get them , while you think of more complains ".she smirked.

"here " she brought in the tray of tissue, capsules, syrups and water bottles. She read from his file and chose the medicines from the heap.

" you caught cold? " she asked.

" I'm a warm blooded young man. The cold never bothered me anyway " he laughed.

" that's right " she smiled " you got fever? "

" no silly girl, just slowed peristaltic movements "

" why do you need this then? " she held out a tablet leaf, the one with smiley faces.

" it's purgative " he squinted.

" no it's for temperature " she remembered Saiph told him that.

" no it's purgative ,works like an antitoxin "

Her heart missed a beat.

" so it can't be used in pyrexia? "she asked.

" well I am no doctor "

She told herself that it could be multipurpose medicine.

" but even I know, its so silly question " he added.

" what do you mean?  It can't be ?"

" oh you can take them if you think they are candies " he laughed.

                     ************

She appeared out from the old-age centre's front door. She walked alone on the empty path .

" Bliss " .she turned around, an outline of a person in the dark was visible.

He came close and started to appear clearer.

" Saiph,  what are you doing here? " she asked.

" honestly?  Is that the question?  " he smiled.

" well " she answered seriously.

" well? "

" yes? "

" come on!!  It's my birthday! " he said loudly.

" I know! "

" but let's pretend that it isn't ." he taunted.

" no, I was about to.. "

" what's wrong? " he lifted her head to meet her eyes.

" happy birthday " she laughed.

" you were like this at my last birthday " he smiled.

" you weren't " she wanted to hint him about things.

" what was I?  Your criminal?  "

" you still are " she wished he knew that it's not a joke.

He laughed and moved back, raised his hands in the air like a busted criminal.

" I admit my crimes " he said.

" you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can be used against you " she meant every single word.

" let's not talk then " he chuckled and move forward and kissed  , hands still in air.

He  moved forward to lean her against the wall , his hands were placed at the wall , trapping Bliss between them .

He truly was intoxicating, and desirable . Bliss would have held his face if she wasn't emotionally dejected . He laughed between the kiss and said "may I? " .

" no " she managed to speak with his lips on hers.

" gosh, I'm tired " he giggled.

And then he held down his hands and held her face gently.

He was always too careful and gentle, he never bit her or even his teeth never touched her, he was never forceful . Bliss never felt his hands holding her too tightly, even his fingertips never pressed against her skin . He was just a soft cushion that a lonely person would cuddle in bed.

Holding her face and resting his forehead against hers ,he said something Bliss didn't care about.

Between his face and hers, she introduced the leaf of pills.

Saiph moved back, looked at that, and held her raised hand, and put it down clearing the way between their eyes to meet.

" He used to hit you? " she said.

" what? "

" your...  step-dad " she whispered.

" why you do keep doing this to me? " his eyes again reflected the dejection, that used to pop up everytime she talked about his past.

" because it hurts me to see you like this "

She said sympathatically

" then stop it, then..  don't keep bringing up that...tha... " he covered his eyes with his hand and sighed.

She held his hand and face .

" ignoring is not same as letting go. "

He looked at her  blankly.

" That's how you got that wound? " she knew she shouldn't have said that  .

He pulled himself away from her .

" I'm done. You can't do this to me Bliss. That's it. It's enough "

And she knew what he'll do, walk away, go home, light some cigarettes ,get drunk and forget everything.

And so he did.