Kavya liked going to the park every evening. Today was awfully cold, but she walked to the park covering herself in layers of cloth. Her attempt to keep her warm in those layers of warm cloth was a failure as the numbing cold held her in its embrace mercilessly. 

If Nikhil saw her out in this freezing weather mindlessly strolling around, he would scold her. His scolding wasn’t the problem, she was used to it. He would lecture her forever. His memory is annoyingly excellent that he recalls the events that had transpired eons ago and effortlessly brings them all up into the current moment as if they have all categorized under a particular tag to be remembered as and when he wanted. He’s got a spectacular mind, she thought uneasily. 

Memories shouldn’t be used for taunting someone. Kavya thought memories as a savory to make her present moment delectable. Much like how someone discarded spoiled food, she discarded bad memories without a second thought. Why bother with the past and its nuisance when it can’t make her life better? That was her policy. 

Nikhil and Kavya were on opposite poles to say the least. Nikhil took pride in analyzing and coming up with foolproof plans for the future based on learnings from the past experiences. 

He never knew how to live in the moment, a sigh escaped from Kavya. All his plans couldn’t stop death from snatching his life. If only he lived when he was alive, she would’ve had some sweet memories to cherish now. 

Nikhil wouldn’t lecture her now, somehow remembering that failed to make her happy.

© Vinitha 2020

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This Flash Fiction is written in response to the seventeenth edition of Fiction Monday for the word prompt ‘Remember’ hosted at Reflections by yours truly. Do join in if you have a tale to tell.