An Emotionally Bankrupt's Odyssey by Shweta (classic book list txt) 📖

Then what, Joy just wanted to uplift this company ,make it grow and flourish.

Fortunately, Catherine also found a job in a private detective agency as a trainee in Boston. The company was going great.

Joy felt so blessed and thankful to God. Everything was in his own stride. His business booming and with Catherine by his side. What more he could want from life.

*****************


After a year of more courtship in Boston, Joy married Catherine. They were a pretty good couple in the neighborhood. Catherine had only a old granny of her own. Her parents died in a car mishap two years back. A younger brother Joyce Wilfred, still in college in MIT, Massachusetts.

They brought Granny with them in their mansion" Woods Eden". Joy grew tremendously busy in his business and prospered like bacteria dividing in a petri. Only 27 and going great. He was paragon of a young successful businessman.

But Catherine found a changed Joy now, not the same Joy back in Cambridge. Now he worked like there is nothing else to care in this world. He was crazy for money, chasing it for all materialistic desires this world possibly had to offer.

But Catherine thought he would ease down with passage of time. It's just his start, may be because of that he's so busy. She didn't take it seriously.

A year passed. No holidays, no vacations, nothing. Joy, even ruined Catherine's holidays. He didn't bothered to go anywhere, unwilling to part from his work. He was engrossed in his work. He even started his convictions. He now started to bring office work at home too. Late at night he would be doing some paper work. This made Catherine mad like hell. But what could she do. She loved him and she knew Joy loved him more than she does. Nothing seemed right. No change at all in Joy. Only time was showing a change as ever. Time is a ruthless thing. It never stops or have mercy on anyone.

Joy now aimed at buying a Rolls-Royce, his dream car, since he was a teenage. He already had two Jaguars lined up royally in the grand garage with eight compartments. He wanted to fill each compartment as he was crazy after cars. Catherine had a huge fascination for Jaguars. She liked its sleek and stylish body. What most she liked about this was its mascot, the Jaguar,which is put at the front hood of the car, a masterpiece. She liked the whole concept. She just adored it. She used to watch it for at least ten minutes in the evening after parking it with a great admiration in her eyes. Her eyes twinkled. Recently Joy bought two more four-wheelers: one Mercedes and the other a Land Rover. But his most treasured possession was Porsche. He called it his Baby with its sport car engine of 20200 cc. It just glided on the roads. It was thrilling to drive it. He was becoming a way materialistic. Catherine was more inclined to moderation which was a word not to be found in Joy's dictionary. She once even talked about it to Joy.

"Why are you so crazy about money, Joyee? There are a lot of things in this world to care about and which are more important, indeed."

"Yeah, Cat you are right. But these things are also important. And if I have the capability to buy then why not, Sweetie. Look, I pay the taxes. I'm a responsible citizen. And it feels so good...."

"Responsible??" she said in a utter surprise cutting Joy in between.

"Woowo, why I'm not, Sweetie?" he shrugged.

"You don't even know its meaning" Catherine sighed and went away from there.

Joy just couldn't understand what she pointed at. And with a who- cares- attitude,he again engrossed himself in front of the laptop.

Without any change in Joy,time passed. Sometimes, Catherine used to talk about Joy to her Granny, her last resort for some comfort. And, she did feel at ease after talking to her. But, Catherine could see in her Granny's eyes the same worry for Joy.

Moments turned into hours, hours into weeks, weeks into months, months into years.

And two years flew without even being noticed.

**********************


One day, late at night Catherine came out of the bathroom and with a smile on her face said," I'm pregnant."

"What? Oh my god, you don't know what your saying Cat. I'm so happy. I always dreamt of this day,Darling. Oh! wow! I'm gonna be a daddy! I just can't believe!" He was just staring at Catherine in awe.

"Yes you are! Easy baby, easy" Catherine said teasingly.

"Oh Cat! I love you so much." he wishpered it in her ears hugging her tightly.

From that night Catherine felt a change in Joy. He became once again caring. He now came home early. Spent time with Catherine. Happiness beamed in his eyes. One could easily notice it. He was really happy.

When the time was due, Catherine was in labor. Granny called Joy worringly at his office. Joy frenetically hurried from his office, reached home and carried Catherine to the best hospital in Boston. Granny came in another car behind Joy's. There was no hustle in the hospital, as he had booked a room for Catherine in advance. It was around 8 in the evening.

Both Granny and Joy waited in a frenzy in the corridor. At down, the doctor operating Catherine came outside and said," Congrats, Mr. Woodland. You have a lovely baby girl."

Joy couldn't believe it. He was still in bewilderment.

"Thanks Doc. You are genious! Hey, how is Cat..I mean Catherine?" He was not his self that moment.

"Oh! Both are perfectly fine. Go boy meet them."

Both Granny and Joy went inside. Catherine was still unconscious. Granny picked up the baby in her hands. Joy overlooked at the baby from behind Granny.

Granny kissed the baby on its forhead. She offered a silent prayer in gratitude. It was their happiest moment.

Joy was just shocked.

" Oh my God! Granny, how does such a tiny creature even breath?" he said beamingly in excitement.

To make sure, he touched the baby's fingers. Granny handed the baby to him.

He hold clumsily in his palms. He could see its perfect feature in a complete healthy state. A pious aura exuded from its face. He instantly chimed "Aurora."

Granny said," What?"

"Yes, Granny. I'm gonna name her "Aurora." She just sparkles like that of a Aurora, a phenomenon which arises in the northern or southern poles, due to earth's magnetic field.

"Ok, Ok, Ok. It's a lovely name. 'Aurora' ."Granny also chimed it.

All family together in the same vehicle this time, returned home at noon.

The same nanny who used to take care of Joy, took the baby inside. Joy helped Catherine inside. At "Woods Eden" mansion it was a happy and lively atmosphere.

Joy knew the news would spread like a burning fire in the morning through "Boston Daily" the esteemed daily of Boston. How much he hated it. He didn't like the whole concept of it. But this was the price he had to pay for being a successful personality in the city.

********************


home at midnight. Aurora would be fast asleep till then. He was getting obsessed with work. And, the worst, he even didn't realize it.

"You gonna regret Joyee one day. You don't realize it now. What is it Joyee which you don't have? Why are you still running after money so much? You are neglecting us. You are neglecting Aurora." said Catherine grimly one night.

"Come back Joyee" she said pleadingly. Her eyes almost glistened.

"What is it Cat? Whatever I'm doing is for our betterment. I wanna conquer every happiness in this world for you, for Aurora, for us." reasoned Joy with almost ignorance about the current situation in which he had put everyone.

"It's no use reasoning with you Joy. Goodnight. " Catherine covered herself under the sheet and shut her eyes. Now tears were trickling down her cheeks.

Joy didn't feel like working. He wasn't feeling good either. But couldn't really discern what was it. Was it Catherine, Aurora or themselves? He lied down and closed his eyes. He switched the light off. In the darkness he kept reflecting what Catherine has just told.

It was Aurora's seventh birthday. Aurora was just at the top of the world. She had made invitation cards for her friends on her own. She invited around 70 children. Most of them from her school, some of them from her music class, a few from her swimming class.

But the most important reason for her happiness was that she coaxed Joy in the morning and managed to exact a promise from him that he would be around the party in the evening.

It was seven in the evening. Most of her friends had already arrived. Her eyes were still searching for Joy. He told he would be there by 6 p.m. But there was no sign of him.

Around 7:30 pm Joy called. Catherine picked the phone.

"Hey, Sweetheart!"

"Joyee you still in office!"

"Yeah, baby. Ummm.. I won't be able to make it to the party. Tell Aurora I....."

Catherine put the phone down. What was more to listen. She went towards Aurora.

"Hey, baby. So guess your all friends are here now" said Catherine chirpy.

"Yeah. But daddy hasn't shown up yet. He said he would come." she said in a gloomy voice.

"Oh! He would come, later baby. Let's cut the cake. Your friends must be hungry."

"Nope" said Aurora stubbornly.

Catherine had to coax her a lot to cut the cake.

When the party was over. Aurora directly went to her nursery without even unwrapping the gifts. It was unusual.

*********************


Two years passed the same way. No change in Joy. Now Catherine was loosing her tempers every now and then. She was becoming impatient. She always kept thinking what she should do to bring Joy back to his usual self.

One time a crazy idea struck the gray matter of Catherine. Leaving Joy. She just feared. She loves Joy.

But destiny had the same plan framed.

Catherine couldn't take it anymore. After granny left for her heavenly abode last year, she felt utterly lonely. No one to guide in these matters. She was unable to cope.

That evening, Joy came a little earlier. The house was in complete darkness.

"Hello?" cooed Joy.

"Aurora? Baby,you playing with the lights."

No sound came in reply. The house was surrounded by an ominous silence. Joy didn't like.

"Cat? You around" by then he had switched the lights on.

No one was to be seen in the house.

Joy sat on the sofa. Waiting anyone to appear.

After around twenty minutes. The butler and the nanny came in from the main-door.

"Evan, where have you been? Where are Catherine and Aurora? I searched the whole house. No where to be seen. Where they are?" Joy asked as calmly as he could unaware of what