The Unseen Love

A Story by Maya Fadly

Even without hugs, kisses, and words. You can see the love.

This old couple had been married for almost 35 years. Once they were still young, they believed that their love would last forever, they believed they were meant to each other. They believed of the happily ever after ending. A few years after their marriage, they had their first child, it was a boy. And another little baby boy for another year. The little family was so happy. The kids were raised properly. The first son was married to a young lovely lady in his early twenty. And the second son was married to a simple country girl when he was 19 years old. The boys were finally leaving their parents and decided to face the world with their new family.

And now, here they are. Rachman and Camelia Malik lived in a small unit of an apartment in a busy city. Just the two of them. Each weekdays, Rachman would go to work and get home at late night. While Camelia would be just like another ordinary housewife. Their life was so ordinary with the same repetition every day. You could imagine that there was no eagerness between the two. There was no passion in their eyes and sometimes no talk nor hugs and kisses. There was no love. DId they forget about the belief they once had?

Rachman was almost 52 years old but he was still strong to go to work in the morning and home at late night. He just got home from work. He threw his tired body to the nearest chair he could see. He was too tired even to untie his shoestrings. But then he heard something from the TV room. A woman. She was giggling and he could hear the TV was still on. At almost 2 o'clock in the morning! He didn't like it when his wife were still up at this hour, especially if he found his wife was watching a pathetic sitcom TV.

He rushed to the TV room but Camelia was too busy on giggling that she didn't realize her husband was standing behind her with rage. Rachman was about to yell to her, but he couldn't. He was too tired to do that, so then he walked to the bedroom and slammed the door. Camelia was startled, she turned the TV off and went to check her husband. She peeked from the door.

"Hi..." she said.

But there was no answer from Rachman. He was just standing there while taking off his dirty shirt and then climbed to the bed without saying a word. Camelia was depressed but she tried to let it go. She climbed to the bed too. She wanted to say goodnight, but all she could see was only her husband's back.

It was still 4 p.m, Rachman had finished his work and was about to leave the office, then, his co-worker called him up and gave him a small parcel of fresh strawberries. They had a small talk about work then he thanked his co-worker and went home. He drove slowly on his way, he didn't want to be home. But he just didn't know why. He looked at the parcel. Camelia was a big fan of strawberries. When Camelia was pregnant, she would always have strawberries for dessert. She even accidentally swallow a strawberry without chewing it first. Rachman chuckled a bit when this thought crossed his mind. Then his face turned blue. He didn't remember when was the last time he bought strawberries for Camelia.

Soon as he got home, he put the parcel on the dining table. He secretly waited to see Camelia's reaction when she found the parcel. Yes, Camelia was so happy. She could finally eat her favorite fruit after a long time. She never had because her husband didn't like strawberries, he preferred apples or bananas because they are sweet. Camelia didn't want to enjoy a meal while his husband could not. But that day, she couldn't help herself.

Camelia brought the strawberries with her to the TV room. She enjoyed every bite while watching a sitcom. The husband gave a poker face when he saw his wife eating the strawberries. He turned around and just walked away.

"Women. Always love free foods, aren't they? And that pathetic sitcom... ugh..."

That morning was a little bit different. Camelia was helping Rachman to wear his tie. Just like a newlywed would do. Although, there was still an awkward air between both of them, no warm hugs, even a warm smile. But there was something, obviously.

"Take care." She said. And then Rachman nodded and went outside.

He finally got home after working through the night. Like usual, he would threw his tired body to the nearest chair, then he would untie his shoestrings. He already had dinner at his office, so he would just went to sleep. But then he saw something on the dining table. A plate full of sliced apple and banana! And there was a note near to the dish,

"Thank you for the delicious strawberries. I wish I could enjoy it with you.

Please have some, I bet you didn't have much good nutrition from the office's cafetaria...

And I'm sorry for staying up late and you have to find me watching those pathetic sitcom again.

I watched them so I could stay awake, so you would not be lonely when you got home late at night.

Because you will always have me.

We will have each other, just like when we were still young and stupid.

Eat well and plenty, honey.

Camelia."

Rachman's body was stiff as a tree, his face was red. He was stupefied. All he did was just hurting his wife without knowing her good intention. Then he grabbed a fork and then started to eat the dish, you could see that he was so happy and tears dropped from his eyes.

The next morning, it was Saturday, the air was so fresh. Camelia was cooking for breakfast in the kitchen. And Rachman Malik was sitting in the dining room while reading the newspaper. You could hear the sizzle of the delicious bacon, you could smell it too. Yes, there was no small talk in that morning. There was no hugs and kisses too. But you could see their faces were smiling through the day and feel their eternal love.