Dried Roses

I just finished my breakfast with my husband. Since I preferred to eat by his hand today, we ate in the same plate and he feed me with his hands only. I set the table and I just enjoyed his hand feeding. Then he started to office and I waved my hand to him from the lobby as his car passed slowly. Immediately I cleaned the table and utensils and walked out of our apartment and locked the main door. As I am proceeding forward in the corridor, I can hear the laughs of the english people from other apartments beside ours. After I passed two appartments, I stopped and knocked at the door. I heard no response. So again I knocked and waited. Sanjana seems to be busy today. When I knock at her apartment door every morning at 9.00 AM, she responds very quickly since she will be waiting for my company at that time. But today it is peculiar for me that she took time to open the door. Sanjana and Ajay are newly married couples and came to US for Ajay's onsite work and are staying just after 2 apartments beside ours.

When Sanjana opened the door, I found that she is very tiered and is busy with something in kitchen. She wore an apron over her and greeted me with smiling face, but not as cool as everyday. She just invited me directly into kitchen and directed me to help myself to find a chair unlike everyday. When I asked her if she require any help, she told no in a cool manner and opened the oven door. There is a cake inside the oven and she tested whether it is baked or not with a knife and closed the oven door and switched it off. I asked her whether anything special today. She told that it is Ajay's birthday. Then only I remembered that she told me about this two days back. I blamed myself for forgetting and apologized her and asked her why didn't she wait and start after I came so that I can be helpful by sharing some work. For that she gave me a very heart touching reply. She said, "Dear Friend, I don't want to make you work and just want to spend time leisurely with you sharing my thoughts and play and have fun. That is why I want to complete it before you come. Also I want to prepare the birthday cake and all dishes with my own hands." When I heard the reply, I thought I am lucky to have such a friend and Ajay is lucky to have such a wife. But, then I felt Sanjana is not lucky. Though she is not enjoying the company of Ajay as partner mentally, still she does such wonderful things to him. Also, I realized that I never gave such a surprise to my husband even though he is so loving and caring with me. Additionally he will be surprising me on my birthday, our marriage day, etc. So. this time I thought I too should do something surprising on upcoming birthday of my husband. As such thoughts passed my mind, I suddenly heard that Sanjana is calling from the living room.
I realized that I am lost in my thoughts and recovered myself and went to the living room. Sanjana is waiting for me with a plate full of snacks and two glasses of apple juice. She also has a pack of cards in her left hand which we daily play and the DVD player remote in other hand. When I am nearing her, she excitingly called me "Come On friend, lets start". I am very surprised seeing her enthusiasm and energy levels even on that busy scheduled day. I know she gives importance to friends very much. But today I am experiencing it. She is very eager not to miss the time with me even on this day. At the same time she hasn't failed to do all the arrangements to surprise Ajay. I am surprised to see the balancing and planned nature of hers. We played cards for 3 hours and had lunch. Then she took the cake from the oven and covered it with cream and chocolate flakes. Then she wrote the wishes on the cake and then placed it in a big box and covered loosely.
In the evening by the time Ajay came home, she has hidden the cake and all the dishes. After some time, slowly people started coming casually. They just came as if visiting to play cards as they do on all weekends. Even my husband came. After some time, Sanjana's cousin and her family came. She quickly passed the living room and entered the bedroom and hidden something in the cupboard. It is a bouquet of red roses which Sanjana told her cousin to bring. I am very much surprised again for her planning. Then after dinner, all started playing cards. The time ran so fast. When the clock stroked 11.45 PM, Sanjana slowly slipped from the group and went to the bed room and changed the dress and waited for the clock. When the clock stroked 12.00, she entered the living room with the red roses and handed over to Ajay conveying the birthday wishes. It seems he did not expect this sort of surprise from Sanjana. But still he has a vague expression on his face. Sanjana wished and gently patted on his head and started to set the table with cake and candles. A quick cake cutting followed by a long photo section happened. As my husband and me, both are interested in such surprising parties and has good hands on in photography, we involved well in taking photos and making fun. On the whole the party is a grand success. All efforts are of Sanjana. We people just enjoyed. Hope that her efforts touched Ajay's heart. Ajay is not that enjoying company. He doesn't share much with Sanjana, doesn't cooperate her in household activities, doesn't take care of her, he knew very less about Sanjan, etc. If I were Sanjana, I would die. She has great patience.
Again I would mention, If men understands how to behave with wife and care her, she is really lucky. To be frank, I am one such lucky person. But now a days, most men are behaving so and hence the percentage of suffering women reduced a lot, except for the few cases like Sanjana. Hope Ajay realized and Sanjana enters a colorful married life soon. This is a real time happening in my friend's life and I am posting it in the form of an article with her full permissions.

to be continued...