When We Were Perfect

The sun was shining despite the cold air that flew around indicating the beginning of winter. A nice cool breeze wafted his hair as he watched Ozan crawling on the grass slowly and thrashing his stuffed toy on the ground that Nadia brought him a week ago. He was infatuated with that elephant, always wanting to play with it. Daniel was totally happy because, despite Ozan's slightly weak health, he started to crawl early though he gets tired in the middle yet he was an active child. He smiled at his son who was too engrossed with his toys before reclining back on the lounge chair continuing to work on his laptop while glancing at Ozan now and then so he didn't crawl towards the pool or hurt himself. His mind drifting to Burak's words, should he give up on Amy or still try to reboot the forgotten bond between them? But how can he when she doesn't even talk properly with him or when he doesn't know how to move past her hostility. All the efforts he ever made went futile, it was like being her husband was the sole cause of her bitterness. Maybe just maybe she will come back because whatever happened the times when she cared about him when she used to share her every little secret with him and most importantly when she used to make him feel above those things the children at his school and orange said about him were enough to hang on the thought of her coming back to her old self. He just wanted his best friend back at the moment nothing more.

"Master!" His train of thought was stopped by Martha.

"Yeah!" Daniel replied looking in her direction. She reached out her palm to him holding something.

"Deniz gave it to me while cleaning she found it lying on the floor in Madam's room under the bed and I don't know where to place it!" She said giving him a bracelet. Daniel eyed the article and immediately a pang of hurt hit him. He slowly took it from Martha's hand with a grim expression.

"I will take care of it, can you please watch Ozan for a while!" Daniel said, standing from the recliner and placing his laptop on the table nearby. Martha nodded and walked to Ozan who was still happily playing with his toys laid on the ground. Daniel walked a little distance away and stood by the poolside, eyeing the bracelet in his hand. It was a thin gold bracelet with three sapphire stones beaded in a delicate yet exquisite manner. He specially ordered it from a famous jewellery shop in Hong Kong for their first wedding anniversary. A day he would always remember.

FLASHBACK:

Amy was perched on the comfortable sofa placed on the patio with her bulging bump watching some Netflix show while eating some popcorn. Since her due date was near Daniel insisted that she stay at home along with her doctor advice. Although she didn't wanted to but realising that how working in such a situation would be a waste of time and energy she agreed to take maternity leave. Amy was so absorbed in watching the movie that she didn't notice the presence of Daniel behind who was silently watching her. He was still wearing his two-piece suit indicating that he just came from the office. Amy seeing someone's silhouette on the laptop screen turned her face to the side but then returned to watching her movie learning who it was, not once even acknowledging him. Daniel smiled and went to sit near her.

"How was your day?" He asked admiring her glowing face. Amy plugged out one side of the handsfree from her ear still focused on the movie.

"Apart from being practically cooped up in this house, I am fine!" Amy replied crunching her popcorn with one hand.

"I care about you tesoro, we all do and that's why you must stay at home when you are this near to your due date!"

"For the last time, I am pregnant, not crippled but you know what I am too busy to argue with you right now!" Amy scowled again turning her attention towards the laptop. Daniel bit his lip in contemplation before he reached inside his suit pocket, taking out a slim white box wrapped beautifully with a red bow.

"Uhm- this is for you tesoro!" Daniel muttered nervously hoping that she likes his present. Amy squinted her eyes seeing the box, placing the laptop aside and getting into a comfortable sitting position.

"What is it?" She asked curiously.

"Why don't you see it yourself!" Daniel said holding her palm and placing the box gently on it. Amy eyed it for a moment before she begins to unwrap it, her eyelids blinked twice as she took the bracelet out amazed, her fingers tracing the delicate pattern. 

"It's beautiful," Amy said still eyeing the delicate piece in her hand. It had sapphire stones in it, her birthstone. Daniel beamed perceiving that she liked the bracelet.

"But why are you gifting it to me?" She uttered looking at him, his smile faltered a bit yet it was present on his face. He was a fool to think that maybe she remembered their anniversary.

" You didn't like it?" 

"No! I really did but what's the occasion. It isn't a casual gift?"Amy said with a frown.

"Uh-its our anniversary tesoro. So, I decided to give you something that you would like!" Realization dawn upon her as she internally gasped. An overwhelming emotion of sadness and anger took over her features, her eyes depicting the same. She clenched the bracelet in her palm before placing it back in the box.

"What's the purpose of gifting me something today!"She sneered her whole demeanour changing from a civil to mad person.

Daniel stared at her, was it that bad to bring something for her on their anniversary. Although it didn't mean anything to her but can't she show some respect towards it.

"I ordered it a while ago Tesoro! But I thought it would be better to gift it today, I don't see any harm in it. It's just a little gift from me!" Daniel replied with a dejected look.

"You brought this to remind me of the heroic gesture you did by marrying your best friend or you brought this to remind me about one of the miserable days of my life!" She sneered tossing the box on the sofa harshly just the way she tossed his emotions.

"Tesoro I-----"

"Take it away, Daniel, I don't want to remember anything about that day or anything related to it. I don't understand why you don't get it in your mind!". A lump formed in his throat which he harshly swallowed down, he was this helpless in front of her. He never in his nightmares thought that Amy considered their marriage a misery to her. It was even more painful than the fact that she didn't consider their marriage at all.

" I never realized that you considered our marriage a misery. Though I know it was just a compromise for you but whatever I did in the past was as your best friend, it wasn't pitying or favour that I did on you. I promised to be by your side always and that's what I did and will continue to do!"  He said staring disbelievingly at his once best friend who leaned back on the sofa grabbing her laptop and glaring at it with a hard expression. She didn't even pay heed to his words, instead, she started watching her movie.

"I -I am sorry tesoro, I didn't mean to hurt you or spoil your mood. I thought maybe you would like my present and be happy," he stared at the bracelet box with a crestfallen look before passing it near her.

"I brought this for you and I am not going to take it back. Take some rest tesoro, Good night!" Daniel mumbled as he stood from the bed half-heartedly, expecting her to say something but like always she ignored him, a grim expression plastered on her face. Glancing at her for one more time, he walked past her inside the house. Reaching his room, he halted his steps and leaned on the back of his door.

'I don't want to remember that day or anything related to it!' Her voice echoed in his mind pinning his head.

"Happy Anniversary!" He whispered to himself shutting his eyes.

FLASHBACK ENDS.

He clasped the bracelet tightly in his hand ignoring that the beads were boring in his palm as he aimlessly looked at the glistening water in the pool remembering the day of his so-called anniversary. He shoved the bracelet in his pocket. Unsure what was more painful, his anniversary or the thing that she discarded the bracelet he brought with so much love like a piece of trash. He chuckled sadly at his destiny that never grew tired of striking pain after pain in his life.