Naziya wiped her tears again, though it felt futile as they continued to flood her eyes.
She knew that Riya was concerned about her, as her phone kept lighting up every few minutes with Riya’s name, leaving text messages or missed calls on the screen. Naziya didn’t have the strength to pick up the phone, let alone answer the call or reply to the unread messages. She knew Riya would be upset by such unkind behavior from her best friend, but Naziya couldn’t bear to hear yet another round of well-intentioned advice, urging her not to cry, as that was all her mind and body seemed capable of doing.
The loss of her boyfriend to a road accident was beyond anything she had ever imagined. What hurt her even more was the never-ending well meaning consolations and advice to ‘move on’ from her grief from her friends and family.
Her best friend showed her care by constantly showing up at her doorstep and calling on the phone, not letting Naziya be alone. But all Naziya wanted was solitude, to be alone with the memories of him and cry her heart out, because in those moments, those cherished memories were the only things that could make her smile through her tears.
This fictional piece is written in response to the one hundred and seventy first edition of Fiction Monday inspired by the word prompt – CARE hosted at Reflections by yours truly. Do join in if you have a tale to tell.
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Void Thoughts 
oh this is so heartbreaking. I am glad she has someone to check on her, she would need her support later. Beautiful narration.
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I felt sad reading this. Solitude heals. Good job writing this one Vinitha. It’s been long I have read fiction on this space.
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That last para, Vini. Silence and solitude are often what we need to cope with the our most painful losses.
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I am rudraprayaga, vinitha. I don’t know why comments loom as anonymous.
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Touching story, Vinitha. Loved it.
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Touching, Vinitha. Loved it.
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Silence and solitude are something that is both healing and painful. You have rightly expressed the sadness and pain of Naziya’s immense loss.
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Oh, that last para tugged at the heartstrings! Space and solitude is all one needs to deal with sorrow. But people who love you, seldom understand your need to be alone with your thoughts and tears. Very well crafted. Vinitha!
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When someone close to you is hurting it’s such a balancing act between giving them space and reaching out to them. I get both the girls’ point of view here. So well written Vinitha.
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