It was the nineteenth time she was reading Pride and Prejudice after her first encounter with it back in college. It was by far her favourite classic and it never got old. The fireplace would have been crackling softly had she not been too lazy to start a fire. A duvet would do. Anita closed the book and smiled at the memories the book carried. It reminded her of Tommy, a guy she jilted back in college.
She met him in a book club and they remained book club mates for the longest time, that is until after Pride and Prejudice. The romantic and heroic ending to the book set the pace for Tommy to ask Anita out. Anita however was having none of his advances and that was that. She said no and he never returned to their weekly meetings.
“I was quite something,” she thought and smiled.” A force of nature even.”
A slow draught of sandalwood creeped upon her, she loved the fragrance and ambience created by the burning candle. She was supposed to be studying but she could not quite seem to convince herself to do so. She stood up and watched as the rain fell outside. The raindrops beat furiously at the petals just outside her window, what an adventure they seemed to be having. Adventures of a raindrop, it was quite a peculiar book to her back in the day .
Mark was away for the week and she missed him terribly. Having him around, his jokes and his petty fights were a drug she had grown to love. As she thought of him, she hugged herself tightly and sighed. A need for journalling always stirred up whenever she was lonely. It always felt like a conversation with a younger and sometimes older self. Sometimes she would speak to her single self or her married self, to God or to Damaris from the choir or Alois from the church band. In essence, she never lacked an audience for her journal entry.
Grabbing her pen and book she sat down and addressed Mark.
Dearest Mark,
You are not near me today and I miss you terribly… I am really lonely today and you are the perfect company for me tonight, in paper. Your company will always be the best until we are old and grey. Can you imagine us old and grey? On a vegetarian diet with a million grand children running around? What a life I hope we will have!
I met my old friend Tabby in school. The poor soul was having an asthma attack the size of a hurricane. You could hear her wheezing in China. I was able to help out and got re-united with her.
It was the best thing that has happened to me so far in medical school. Just when I thought it could not get any better I found out she was going to be my classmate. The rest of the journey to being a doctor seems less formidable now. I cannot wait to rediscover our friendship and explore the times ahead of us. I attended my first anatomy laboratory session today. It was totally different from how it was when I was doing my nursing degree. For one, the numbers seem to have multiplied with the years. Can you imagine we stood eight strong around one cadaver? The laboratory seemed to be bigger than I last saw it, so many people in one place at one time made me shudder.
My table mates seem to be good people, five ladies and three guys. They all seem so young Mark dear, fresh and vibrant and carefree. I missed my twenties the whole three hours we were in there. Fadhili, one of the ladies was chosen to be table leader. From the look of things she is going to do a splendid job.
We agreed to name our cadaver. Yes, we actually did! He is our Rambo. This got us all excited and broke the last bit of ice that was hanging over our head. We chatted freely and got to know each other. Theo, Christian, Ian, Alicia, Barbara, Ingrid, Roselyn and myself are the occupants of table three. They are all so smart and clever.
We did very little in the laboratory today, serious learning will begin next week. The guys were all so shocked to know that I am pursuing my second bachelors degree. I was completely flattered and I was blushing like a teenager when they said I looked like a twenty year old. Mark, am I still young looking as they said? Do you think they were pulling my leg? I choose to believe they were sincere. I like them all a lot.
Was formalin always this pungent? I was completely bulldozed by the smell today in the lab. My eyes watered and my nostrils burned for the first few minutes of the session. I cannot seem to get that smell off of me. I took a long bath and I have lit my scented candles to ward off the smell. Sandalwood reminds me of you dear.
I got together with Tabitha after class and I managed to learn that she is divorced and has recently quit her job. I am not abusing her confidence in sharing this with you Mark, am I?
I do not know the details of the divorce yet but from her tone it must have been ugly. How I pray for longevity in our marriage Mark. I cannot imagine it any other way.
I have some work to study today, Biochemistry, but I feel so lazy Mark. If you were here I know you would have gotten me to study but since you are not, I will just eat and sleep.
I watched Bridge to Tiberithia in the evening and I cried buckets over it. A little crying is good for me once in a while, it does my heart some good.
See you soon dear.
Anita closed her journal and sighed. Mark would never get to see the contents of the journal yet in her heart she felt like she had spoken to him. She stood at the window again and stared at the rain beating against the window panes and smiled.
2 comments
The minute I read ‘Pride and Prejudice’ I instantly smiled. This is such a vivid piece Ndichû. Every description came alive in my mind ?
Alma….thanks