Ronnie is back ..... The Curse of Love 

 Three year later......the darkest moments of his youth. still a teenager then, he had heard about this Clairvoyant  Seer in the Sancoale village, who could see  through the torments, affliction and perhaps heal. He alighted  gingerly at the  bus stop of this village and  trudged his way to the villa  of the seer pausing at the local   store for directions. He finally managed to locate the green villa and the seer was in attendance. He slowly climbed  the brick  steps of the stairway to the balcaos (porch) of the villa to meet the seer for the first time. A greying figure with stub of mustache with a firm grip, shook his hand  to his surprise the Seer responded " I was waiting  for you Ronnie." 

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Ronnie startled 'How do you know me .. my name "  

the Seer Constance  responded,   half jokingly".. well . I am Clairvoyant. I will attend to you, let me finish with my other clients meanwhile would you like some  tea, soft drinks " 

No, thanks"  

"Ok then, I will call you as soon as I am finished, take a seat." 

 it was monsoon still fresh smell of rain on the muddy poodles and delightful chirping of the birds in the background calmed and soothed his frayed nerves.

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Ronnie glanced around the room and he could smell the burnt candles in front of the  wooden oratory. It was monsoon and heavy rains had spewed muddy pools and the haze from the pools misted the air  .and soon it was his turn  with the renowned Clairvoyant   " I was waiting for you Ronnie. You did an awful thing.  did you know what happened to her? but  

..go head Ronnie , it's going to be alright." soothing the nervous demeanor of his clients vexed by psychological issues., which he was accustomed to in his rare profession, the Clairvoyance gift he shared among his people. 

Ronnie straightened himself, cleared his throat, where to begin " Can you imagine me holding the golden school flag as a leader and the whole school spread out in front of me", he continued hoarsely pausing to draw breath " I was a  top ranker, with dreams of being a surgeon someday. I was their leader, it was like a dream, bevy of school girls would wave me off, at days end. I had it all.

 

Then after that summer vacation I lost it, mysterious illness gripped me, now I am a failure, mocked at, laughed at, taunted, repeating the crucial (XII std )  three years in a row, you know I wanted to end it all but I am only 19 teen. Do I have any future in me .That's the reason I am here. I have reached the end of my endurance". 

Ronnie paused again  "but  her? Who?" 

Seer Constance : "Ah you don't even remember, do you?" Nah, I am not going to tell you about her, even the  angels wept, she loved you deeply and truly our acts determine our future, it was a beautiful  romance Ronnie. I know you were young, you were scared, you should have left a note at least.  It's tragic the curse of Love, you've to bear for a long time. We Goans love deeply, sometimes when it goes all wrong, sometimes  it's difficult to heal, the hurt and the pain, the emotional scars  can last a lifetime, even Angels dread  to go so far, yet we never learn" .

 

.......Slowly, slowly like the dawn breaking through it dawned on him again  the memory of that summer in his school year and Audrey. It had been a while he thought about  her, he had managed to nudge it in the back of his mind, there was nothing much to hold on and it was over..                                                                          

                                                                                                                                        to be continued every week