Serendipity

“Serendipity? What do you mean? I never heard this word,” he asked. He was baffled.

She did not answer. Perhaps she had not heard what he was saying. She was lost in her thoughts.

“Did I ever tell you that my grandfather and his father were in the army? They had fought many battles and in many countries.”

“So what?” he was still not sure where it was leading to.

“Last week we sold our grandfather’s house.”

“…..” he looked askance at her.

“We were to transfer the house on 17^th. For no reason we decided to stay there on 16^th and spend a night in that house. That house was full of our childhood memories…… I was not able to sleep. Just to while away my time I started going through some papers I had found in an old box. In 1917, my great grandfather had helped a rich Belgian merchant who had been arrested on the false charge of spying. In gratitude, the merchant had given him a precious diamond. War over; great grandfather wanted to sell the diamond but someone told him that it was the missing Florentine diamond. He got scared and didn’t sell it. He hid it.”

“Now I see why you are looking so lost. You must be wondering where the diamond was; you do want that priceless diamond but you can’t find it?” he said in a crudely mocking tone. Something hurt him deep inside.

“No,” she thought she could feel his hurt.

 “What does that mean?” he asked impatiently.

“We found the diamond. It was buried in the lawn of that house; buried under a plant of yellow roses.”

“I can’t believe it,” his eyes were brimming with greed.

“I wonder if I had quickly gone to sleep, what would have happened to that diamond,” she asked.

“Where is that diamond? His suppressed desires were overwhelming him.

“What does serendipity mean? Did I mention that word?” she looked a bit lost.

“Where is that diamond?” he almost shouted.

She just could not look at him.

****

A post for ABC Wednesday

S for Serendipity