Love over a cup of tea
The cup of tea was warming my hands as I was snuggled in my boyfriend’s huge jacket. Sleeves long enough to cover my hands and the hoodie pulled up to cover my head from the cold gush of the wind. It was snowing lightly, and we were sitting on the balcony of our rented Airbnb, feeling the freshness of Alaska in its pure whiteness.
It is 4 o’clock in the evening. The perfect time for tea, whether it’s in winter or summer. Either way, tea is a beverage we couldn’t pass off, no matter where we were in the world.
The first chance of a vacation we got; we took it to explore the beauty of the Frozen North. It had been a dream of ours ever since we first discussed it and soon, it became our reality. We were sitting here, by the balcony, tea in our hands, biscuits on the table, admiring the untouched snow that covered the landscape.
Nathan came and sat beside me as I blew on my hot tea, a small puff flew from my lips, and I sipped on my beverage slowly. He smiled as he, too, joined our daily session. He had taken the saucer that had half the tea from my cup – a ritual that only lasted between us two. It was something we enjoyed doing as it symbolised those two perfect halves make a whole. Our small understanding of the symbolism is used to make us laugh.
Everything from that moment was etched in my memory. I could forget everything else but not this moment only because it meant everything to me. The warm liquid flowed down my throat, warming me up while crackers complimented them for snacks – the cold breeze whispering midst our silence.
The snowflakes were painting the scenery in front of us, covering all the wild trees while small rabbits scuttled around, still blending well. Neither Nathan nor I spoke a word as we silently admired what played in front of us. A picture was silently taken and frozen in our minds.
A small tear slides down my cheek as I remember it again. It’s been exactly thirty years since the first time we enjoyed our little trip, and the memory has been as ever. This place has seen all our firsts together. First I-Love-You’s, the first time I said yes to his special proposal and the first time we were expecting. All the specials reveal this spot has seen. It contains a piece of us. That’s why even though it’s been long since he’s been gone, I continue the ritual.
Every year, like today, I come here to the North, just to bask in the embrace of my husband’s love and feel his presence. Do our little ritual of tea, drinking in a cup and saucer as we admire the scene in silence. Just for a little while before I go back to the current life I am living.
Contributor: Sanaya Parkar
About our Writing Program Student
Why fit in when we were born to stand out and do greater things? A passionate writer for whose words come naturally as ants to sweet jaggery along with design running in the veins. An avid reader, researcher as well as a learner whose dream is to change the world with each step.
