An unfulfilled passion......

"A manifestation of the divine" often would reiterate the mother of a five year old Riya while looking into her child's deep hazel eyes. Indeed,Riya's eyes were heavenly, so soulful. Those bushy yet arched eyebrows & dense black eye-lashes just added to the etherealness of her starry eyes.

As & when Riya grew up, she turned more tantalizing than ever. A glinting rotund face with rosy cheeks & subtle dimples engraved on them. Gradually, she attained her nubile age & she would love to adorn herself. Her mother with great zest would embellish her daughter with the finest jewelery & would drape her in a white chiffon saree, perfectly accentuating Riya's curves.

Bejeweled Riya, standing in front of the mirror would ask, "MA, how do I look?"

"Perfect Honey! You look like a princess."

Riya standing gracefully like a demure,reticent damsel would again ask "Ma,will anyone ever marry me?"

"Why not honey? You are such a beautiful soul!" pat would come her mother's reply.

On hearing this, Riya would simper & thrust her face against her mother's bosom in order to hide her blushing face.

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Riya's mother had put up an advertisement for a paying guest & very soon a man in his late twenties called Nikhil , moved into the upper-storey of their building as their new tenant.

On a fine morning,when he was whiling around in his balcony ,he saw Riya sitting on a cane chair in the courtyard. His eyes got fixed upon Riya's countenance for never in his life had he seen a prettier creation of God than her. He went downstairs to have a closer glimpse of that rare beauty.Tiptoeing, he proceeded towards the cane chair & stood for a minute or two savoring the fragrance of Riya's loosely knotted hair. Riya had fallen asleep by then. A whiff of wind went past her face ,her waist-long hair got undone & fell like a cascade . Her tresses lay across her face & Riya was sleeping like an innocuous child who knows nothing about the world.

Suddenly, Nikhil felt himself overpowered by a passion , a passion to protect & love that girl forever. He was lost in his imagination when Riya gently opened her eyes. Nikhil was startled to see those shimmering hazel eyes & he quickly moved away his sight from her.

Riya, pulled out a small white stick from beneath the cane chair,stretched it to make it longer & walked her way, tapping the stick on the ground with every step of hers.

Nikhil thought "What beautiful eyes but so useless. I wish she were not blind!" & heaved a sigh of disappointment.