Writing for Fun
June 2015
The Turn Of A Card - Maureen Rampersaud
Ravi and Paul lived next door to each other and had been friends as far back as they could remember. They met Jade at Nursery School. Dressed up as knights, they were fighting each other with swords.
'Are you fighting for me?'
They turned to see her dressed as a Disney princess, a silver tiara sparkling in her black hair. She studied their faces which showed expressions of amazement and incomprehension. Deciding an answer was not forthcoming, Jade explained that the winner would be awarded her special gold scarf.
From that day, the three were inseparable. The sight of them arm in arm, or carrying out Jade-directed play afforded great amusement to the staff and the other children. They couldn't understand why Ravi and Paul did everything Jade wanted, their relationship was a total mystery to outsiders.
By the end of Secondary School, nobody noticed anymore. The three of them rarely interacted with anyone else, they were happily self-contained, like a perfectly balanced three-legged stool. Jade got a job in a supermarket, Paul worked up the road as a mechanic and Ravi managed his Dad's shop.
All went well for a couple of years until Jade saw a girl, laughing and happy with her husband's protective arm around her shoulder. Ravi and Paul often put their arms around her, but they held their emotions back, aware of keeping the balance. Jade loved them both and they loved her. They had always known this. She realized that she needed to change things, the thought of the consequences caused her to cry herself to sleep.
She met them at their old haunt in the woods by the rope swing. They sat down silently, sensing Jade had something serious on her mind. She kissed them both gently on the lips.
'I love you both, but I want my own home with a husband and children . . . what shall we do?'
Ravi's brown eyes filled with tears as he hung his head and hugged his knees into his chest. Paul looked at Jade for a long time, quietly trying to work it out. At last, he pulled out a pack of cards from his pocket and tried to keep his voice from shaking as he turned to Ravi . . .
'Cut!'