Jeff’s Evergreen Family

Rosina S Khan

Jeff’s Evergreen Family

Rosina S Khan

Dedicated to You, The Valued Reader

Copyright © 2018 by Rosina S Khan. All rights reserved. No part(s) of this eBook may be used or reproduced in any form whatsoever, without written permission by the author.

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Preface

This short fiction story is about a guy named Jeff. His transition from a bachelor to a married man, his love for his family and his passion for his career make him overall an excellent and unique man to get along with.

Going slow and step by step, he achieved everything he ever desired in his life and when his health failed, he was okay with it, leaving a good legacy for his ever-growing and evergreen family. As he succumbed to his illness, he had nothing to regret and his wife joined him up in heavenly paradise only a few years later.

My congratulations to you for downloading this short fiction eBook because you will get acquainted with an example man from the older generation and how he thrived in life taking good decisions, cooperating with his family all the time.

Jeff’s Evergreen Family

A man in his early twenties had just met the woman of his life. His family would be making all the arrangements. “Oh Boy! She is beautiful!” thought again the man named Jeff.

He tried hard to put all of his efforts to work. But every now and then her image would turn up and he would lose focus.

His family got busy with other stuff so that Jeff’s marriage was not being heeded momentarily. After a week passed by, Jeff nudged his family, “Come on you need to think about my marriage and take actions

accordingly.”

When Jeff’s family contacted the girl’s family again, they were thrown aback by the news they heard. This wasn’t something they were prepared to hear but nevertheless broke it off to Jeff. “The girl’s already married with another prospective guy.” “You will have to forget her”, they added.

Jeff was pretty shocked. So what the meaning held for the whole? He saw her image every now and then. But now that he heard the news, the image no longer bothered him, he mused. But he was too sad, much too, too sad. How was he going to bear all this?

He did not go to work. He took leave for a week. In the evenings, he talked about his loss with great sorrow and lament to his friends and they commiserated with him.

How else could he get over this? His family had the answer. They started looking for another beautiful girl. And soon they had a ‘yes’ answer for Jeff.

Jeff was pretty reluctant to see another girl. His family rebuked him. “That girl is not the end of your life. Change your mindset. Get prepared to meet

this girl!”

A few hours later, Jeff told his family, he was ready.

That was how he was going to meet the love of his life. So the girl, along with his family, came to his home one evening. Jeff counted one to ten and breathed. Finally he walked towards the living room. And God! Yes, this must be his soul mate. She was beautiful – elegant in a different way from the other girl. Jeff promised to himself he would stop all comparisons and make this girl his own. And he did. That was when the marriage clicked and everything started happening.

The invitation cards for the wedding and the reception party were invited. Guests promised they would join. At last the ceremony and party came.

They got lots of gifts. There was plenty of well-cooked and delicious food. The reception party took place at Jeff’s home while the wedding ceremony took place at the girl’s residence.

At the end of the ceremony, the girl cried so much that Jeff was touched. He held her hand in an effort to comfort her. That was the beginning of how love would start to blossom between them.

He went to work happily after two days’ leave. Everyone at his office congratulated and greeted him. Yes, life was gorgeous. He remembered his wife’s beautiful face for the ninetieth time and felt gratified.

At the end of the day, he bought a bouquet of flowers and on reaching home, he gifted them to his beloved wife. His wife came up with a smile and accepted them happily. She was busily knitting. Now that her husband was at home, she started to take care of what he would eat. She adeptly arranged for it with the help of the servants and brought in a tray of promising food. Her husband had refreshed and had a shower by now. He was happy she was already taking care of household matters into her hands. Yes, he was extremely happy.

In his happiness and gratification, he was thinking of taking a vacation to Cox’s Bazaar sea beach for a month. The next day he proposed it to his boss and he said he would consider it.

Jeff got the boss thinking. Jeff was a fine, hard working lad. If he was that happy with his marriage, he ought to get his treat. “Yes, I will okay it”, he decided.

The message got to Jeff right the following afternoon. It said they were ready to give him leave following the 1^st day of next month. The whole October month would be free for him. “We appreciate good, hardworking lads very much”, they added.

Jeff was over the moon. He couldn’t keep the message to himself and shared the news with his wife, by telephoning her. His wife showed great happiness and excitement. She had never been to Cox’s Bazaar sea beach and appreciated the honeymoon a lot. Jeff was full of bliss to be able to make his wife this happy and excited. It was going to be a good honeymoon, he mused.

October 1^st reached in full bloom. Jeff had ordered his driver to bring in the train tickets. There were not many domestic air flights in Jeff’s age. He never imagined there ever would be. All the same, Jeff and his wife were more than happy to go by train.

They started off early at 11 a.m to reach the station before time. They got their tickets punched and boarded the almost empty train in 1^st class. Life was going good. He and his wife were equally enthralled to start the journey.

The station clock struck noon. And the train started off. The window was open and lovely air was coming in. It was thoroughly enjoyed by Jeff’s wife. Soon Jeff ordered beef kababs , bon ruti and tea. They had them plentifully and the train sang on.

Trees, houses, lampposts, and what not went scampering by. They had dinner as well with rice, chicken masala, salad and begun vorta. Soon Jeff’s wife rested her head on his shoulder and fell fast asleep. It was not long before Jeff was wide awake. His wife slept on joyously. Breakfast was ordered and his wife awoke to the chatter of plates. She went ahead to refresh. She was back to her seat within a few minutes.

She began to enjoy breakfast with her partner. Poached eggs, jam, bread and tea were what she saw in front. She liked thoroughly her husband’s choice of food.

At 10 o’clock the following morning the train finally came to a halt.

Eventually, they went out of the train with their baggage and felt relieved to be able to walk again. They hired a rickshaw and directed it to a hotel’s address where they would be staying overnight.

By next morning, they were awake again, had a good breakfast and went by rickshaw to the nearest bus station and selected the appropriate bus to Cox’s Bazaar.

Both Jeff and wife weren’t spent out. Their hearts were pumping from thrill and excitement. What an obedient wife I have got, Jeff pondered. Am I blessed! He further reflected.

They reached Cox’s Bazaar hotel after another long six hours. They carried their baggage and booked the hotel for about a month. Soon they went to their room and walked into the balcony. They both chatted together and enjoyed it very much.

Time for dinner. They went to the dinner lounge and ordered good menus . His wife had no complaints about what he ordered so far. Jeff felt gratified about this trait of his wife and a million other traits. May God bless them both!

By night, they were too tired to talk and fell fast asleep clutching each other’s hands. When they were deeply sleeping, their hands fell on the bed and they slept on until morning. Jeff refreshed and was planning for the day. They would go to the sea beach and buy souvenirs from sea-side shops. They would eat somewhere outside at a restaurant for lunch. They would go to Buddha monk’s place for the afternoon and Burmese shops to buy his wife a Burmese dress. He would very much want to see how his wife would look on this dress. He still had his black and white camera. Colored ones were still very expensive but he was willing to buy it now just for the sake of taking his wife’s shots. They would visit the sea beach again and take lots of pictures. He intended to ask his wife if she knew swimming. As for himself, he didn’t.

At this point, his wife’s eyelids fluttered and was soon wide awake. She smiled sweetly and later left to refresh.

She got dressed in a light blue blouse and sharee. She wore white and light blue bangles with matching light blue earrings. She tied up her hair in a bun. And then she was all ready. It was fascinating to watch how women dress, Jeff observed.

As Jeff planned, they went to the beach first. They walked up to there. Jeff’s wife clung to him when the water reached up to their toes and it frightened him also. He knew instantly his wife didn’t know swimming. So they would have to be careful.

There were times when a tide would arise in the sea waves. They would have to pay attention to those warning signals.

Now there were lots of other people in light and colorful dresses on the beach. So they were okay. Jeff figured out his wife was looking the best in light blue sharee and blouse matching with the blue sea waves. He promised himself to buy a color camera next time. This was the last time he would settle for a black and white camera.

Now he took out his camera and got shots of his wife with the sea in the background. He took others’ help in taking shots of himself with his wife.

Altogether he was fast falling madly in love with his wife. And nothing could ruin it. He was in ecstasy.

After enjoying his high moments they walked to the shops at the side embedded in sea shells collected from the sea. They were all refined and polished. They were showpieces, malas and earrings. His wife chose several malas and earrings and Jeff happily paid for them.

For lunch they were heading off to a Chinese restaurant for a change in the vicinity of their hotel. There was music, and balloons were offered to them. They took pictures with the balloons. For lunch they had Thai soup, mixed fried rice, grilled chicken, sizzling beef and mixed vegetables along with ice cream and cold drinks. Altogether it was really fun.

Then they set for Buddha monk’s worship place. They had to climb a slightly steep hill and they spotted their desired place. They weren’t allowed inside. So they took photos on the outside only.

Next as Jeff planned, they went for Burmese dress shopping. There were lots to choose. A single colored T-shirt with a matching colorful lungi skirt. They chose two. A yellow T-shirt with yellow and orange flower prints with white as the background on the lungi. The other one was a red T-shirt with red and magenta flower prints with black as the background on the lungi. Indeed these were two wonderful Burmese sets.

Jeff meant to make his wife wear those back at their hotel spot and take shots before they ventured out for dinner to the lounge. And that was exactly what they did. And life felt wonderful.

At the dinner lounge, Jeff noticed his wife was not eating much. Jeff wondered why and finally asked her. She said, “I am feeling a bit feverish and I don’t have appetite”. “Looks like we have to see a doctor soon. Anyway I have got aspirin with me. You can have one when we reach our room.”

Jeff felt sorry for his wife. “Perhaps I led her to this without letting her enough rest and sleep”, he pondered.

When they reached their room, Jeff’s wife ran to the rest room and threw up. After a while she was okay, resting. In the morning she still had fever which was why Jeff insisted they go and visit the doctor. So they finally did, taking a rickshaw. After a little ride, they reached the doctor’s chamber. The doctor took her temperature and checked her pulse. Finally, the doctor said, “Yes she needs a little rest, Mr. Jeff. She is running a low fever. Give her time to recover. Enjoy the rest of your stay here once again. She will be okay.”

Jeff was feeling happy once again. It was nothing serious. She just needs rest. Today they are going to spend every minute in their room when they reach there, Jeff decided. Jeff ordered some light refreshment with cold drinks up to their room. They talked, remained silent and smiled. Her color was coming back to her cheeks and she was recovering, Jeff noticed.

They slept late into the following morning. And Jeff asked her if she was feeling okay to walk up to the beach and she said a happy yes. So they got dressed and finally reached the beach. They didn’t wet their feet, just walked on the sand and talked gradually. They rested under an umbrella and had some light refreshment they carried with them and went back to their hotel.

Jeff was still planning what to do for the rest of the day. He asked her if she would be willing to stay by the beach for some part of their life. She was slow to answer because she herself didn’t expect such a question from him and asked him what he had on his mind.

Jeff was pretty truthful. He said he met a man at the hotel premises who was working for land resorts near the beach at his nearby office. If Jeff were interested, he could show him off some good lands. But Jeff didn’t have enough money and if he cut off his vacation, it might give him the edge. But his wife was unwilling to cut off the vacation. She would never have enough of him when they would go back home, Jeff being so fond of work.

Jeff’s wife thought a little about how to best handle the situation, “You can write him a check”, she said, “I wouldn’t in the world want to cut off the vacation. Plus I am not sure I would always like to stay near the beach. The thrill and adventure of coming here would be lost, I am sure.”

Jeff was disappointed in his wife for the first time. So far, they agreed on everything. It’s true he could write the man at the land’s office a check but his wife was not excited about the idea. It broke his heart because his heart was all for buying the land.

The next day while his wife was sleeping and resting, he called from the hotel’s office and let the “land” man know that he wouldn’t be buying any land at the moment. But maybe in the future, he added.

Having settled this, he went back to the room to plan for the rest of the day. His vacation was going fast. He wouldn’t get this kind of vacation in a long time at his work. Yet, life was still great. His wife opened up his eyes for the opinion about the land. The topic wouldn’t rise again, he was sure and it didn’t.

The next day Jeff had a wonderful idea. Why don’t we go and spend some time at the sea shell shops and buy gifts for our families? There are lots of things you could choose as gifts. His wife agreed that it was an excellent idea because she was still not ready to wet her feet at the beach.

So came happy shopping. They bought lots of stuff made from seashells. His wife especially chose malas and earrings of different shades, colors and genres than before. Jeff chose them as well along with wallets, souvenirs and other stuff that would interest his family, colleagues and guy friends. They were happier today than yesterday because today was busy and there was no time for mismatch of opinions.

Jeff noticed at lunch that his wife gained her appetite back. She ate her portion of food already. Maybe we could try taking a dip into the waters by the beach again tomorrow? Jeff asked her. She said emphatically, “Sure!” So the next day, they spent a long time at the beach, playing with sea water and snapping each other. Fun time came and went and before leaving, they enjoyed the twilight time and started walking back to the hotel.

It was a great day. They ordered food in their room. Neither of them had the energy to go to the lounge. After finishing their meals, they held each other for some time and embraced together for pursuit of love and warmth because cool air was coming plentifully from the balcony. Jeff was sensible enough to close the windows and the balcony door to make the room cozy and warm again. And finally both drifted off to sleep.

The vacation was fast ending. Jeff planned to reach the city two days before his office days would begin so that he could prepare for it with ample rest and sleep.

So they spent the rest of the days reading, loitering around the beach, purchasing more by visiting more shops away from their hotel and dining at various places until they were homesick and decided to return home, sweet home.

The family of Jeff was worried sick about his wife because her parents and family were always inquiring about her. Finally when they saw her in one piece, they were relieved to see that although she had lost a little health, she was doing fine. Jeff assured his family and his wife’s family that she was fine.

Two days more with family. The fun days came and went and it was time for office. It was not that Jeff hated work rather he loved what he did at the ceramics industry. He was due for a promotion for his hard work, dedication and sincerity. People at his work adored him and some secretly thought him to be their idol. In a place such as this, how could he hate work? Yet on this special day, his opening office day, he knew he would miss his wife’s presence very much. He worked hard at his workplace, erasing thoughts about his wife as much as he could and got the boss happy as he was doing good again. The boss was initially worried if he would work like before again. In fact he did and the boss was happy. He was preparing secretly a letter for his promotion. Jeff knowing nothing about it, nevertheless nailed it and was happy when work hours ended and set off for home.

He spent some happy evening hours with his family and wife watching television until it was time to have dinner and retire to bed. The next day as his wife slept on, he came out of the covers and asked the servants for breakfast and was fast on his way to work.

Later when the wife awoke, she felt guilty about not being aware when her hus