Plucked
Does every emotion must be described?
CHAPTER-4 TRICK O TREATING IN MIDDLE OF JUNE
Someone once told me it’s always good to give back to society, the people in need. So, I have decided to give it all those things. It sure is a good thing to do. Right.
“So are you coming with me or not?” I asked Grant for the last time.
“yeah “ Grant huffed “ but who does such a thing anyway”
“I do” I said “meet me in an hour” and I hung up the phone before he could reply and went right back to the task at hand. I surely do have all the bags packed and ready to go but how will I drag them to my car? That’s the biggest question.
“Well Poppy” I sighed “ better be ready to do some exercise “ and with some pep talk I took these heavy boxes down to my car and placed them inside the car trunk carefully. While I was making my last trip, thank god for that and came face to face with my birth mother’s husband. Who looked at me and then the box in my hand and stood still watching my move. I have never seen him glance at me, not even sideways. Here we are having a full blown staring contest. From what I remember he never spoke to me, we never even shared the same room like ever. And what is he doing at home at this hour but nevertheless, bygones be bygones. So, for the very first time I smiled at him and went past him towards the door leaving him all confused.
I remember this quote I read online once, ‘the angry person always comes back after a fight but, those who smile never’, it’s surreal to know he never wanted me around his home or his family and which he got and now, he will never have too.
“So all set to go” Poppy felt proud that she without anyone’s help got these sorted out.
“To whom you are talking to little Poppy”
The voice startled her to core, holding a hand to her heart she turned around and hoax scolded the owner of voice “don’t spring upon me like that. I still had time to say “Hi to heaven” which made the other person laugh, which is none other than when she was little but sadly, not anymore though.
“Uncle Reeves” Poppy smiled “I don’t see you around much”
“That should be my line” Uncle Reeves replied “You young Miss hard to get hold too” which made Poppy a little shy and sad at the same time. “What keeps you so busy that you can’t come say hello to this old man”
That definitely made her sad because she wants to but she can’t. “ You know how it is,” Poppy muttered quietly .
Uncle Reeves’ eyes dimmed with pity yet he soon changed the direction of their conversation to the loads of the junk she just uploaded into her trunk. “Mind telling where are you going with that” and gestured to the cardboard boxes struggling to breathe in the small space they were strategically placed.
“Don’t tell me you robbed them?” Uncle Reeves asked alarmed
“Oh no, no” Poppy hurriedly corrected him “just going trick o treating”
Which made him confused “ in the middle of June” he questioned.
He definitely thinks I’m mad , Poppy thought to herself or robbed some random store. “ Oh well you know me, I do unusual things at unusual times” which doesn’t make any sense or convinced him but, before he could further ask her about her lack of convincing abilities her phone rang and she picked instantly.
“Where are you?” Grant snapped at her
“On my way” Poppy mumbled, a little too happy to know she won’t be further grilled about the boxes and cut the call not before telling him that she would be there in ten minutes.
“Well got to go” not even saying a proper goodbye and leaving behind a very perplexed Uncle Reeves behind. As promised she picked a very irritated Grant from in front of his house.
“Tell me why are we doing this again” Grant asked, buckling up his seat belt.
“Because we are good humans” Poppy randomly quotes .
“And what if I choose not to be a good human?” Grant asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
“Well…” Poppy trailed off a little too longer she intended
“Yeah….” Grant mimicked her tone
“To earn good karma” Poppy retorted quite proud of her “ you know karma is a bitch, if you don’t do good deeds you surely will kiss dooms door”
But Grant on the other hand didn’t look impressed actually he was supporting an extremely bored look. “Really , kiss dooms door” said after a minute long silence
“Sometimes you just leave me speechless” he mused
Though Poopy could reply to something smart ass Grant mentioned and pointed at something or someone “hey, look your dad” and automatically her eyes fixated on him.
Poppy saw him carry his youngest child in his arm radiating with pure parental joy. Sometimes such things make her question herself, did he ever do that with her? Was there ever the time he radiated such joy with her in his arms? A child in her, makes her wonder on the other hand of this cruel reality spectrum; she knows the ugly truth. No matter how much she wanted to correct Grant on his ‘her dad’ comment but more like a sperm donor. She didn’t. It doesn’t matter what he addresses or people link them as she knows what others don’t. The true faces behind these meaningless titles might be bonded forever. Sometimes it is better to flair in ignorance.
Atlast, he does love his true children.That’s good for them as a family.
“Don’t you want to say hi” Grant questioned when she zoomed past them, not sparing them a second glance.
“Trust me” she mumbled “it’s much better this way”
“Poppy..” how she hated that voice of pity.
“Forget that” Poppy put the biggest smile she could muster “aren’t you excited for this?”
“Only you can be excited for such things” Grant grumbled when he remembered what they are exactly doing today? “And any way, who does trick o treating in the middle of June. We are basically committing the crime”
“You are the second person who said this to me” Poppy huffed but her enthusiasm didn’t waver, not even an inch.
“Must be an intelligent person” Grant clapped back more sassily
“Whatever” Poppy sang “trick o treating here I come”
Then the rest of the day they spend at a local NGO of children giving back to them, even if it was not that much. Poppy could sense many questions swirling in Grant’s eyes but neither did he ask nor I wanted to explain something to him that I wasn’t ready for.
Poppy could feel a sense of calmness seeping into her and a weight lifting of her shoulders. It’s funny how the things meant for someone are not always meant to be theirs. Maybe that’s the meaning of life. Maybe nothing is yours.
Soon, Poppy dropped off a very tired Grant back to his house “thank you for doing this with me today”
“What and let you get all the good karma” Grant playfully bumped his shoulder with her “sharing is caring right”
“Maybe” Poppy sang, wiggling her eyebrows comically.
“Seriously though” Grant sighed “sharing is caring Poppy not everyone is out their to let you down”
Poppy understood his intention but, something she got to do alone and letting someone in something she rather avoid “you need to go Grant it’s getting late” and an understanding dawned on him after a quick goodbye they head to their opposite directions holding certain thoughts that would remain forever with them.
Opening her laptop she started to weave her emotions away.
Do we have to pin point every emotion we feel into words? Why does it feel lighter to let go of things? I might not fully understand the gravity of actions today or the calmness I support after giving all those things away. But, I will remember down the memory lane, I’m one step closer to letting go and it felt right.
To let go.
P.S. Letting go doesn’t mean it hurts any less than before but, it gave me courage to breathe more freely.
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