Sweet 'Pair'

I am going to tell a tale of love. In the fruit-frenzy land, there lived Mr Peter Pear. He had a pretty tree for his house. His next tree neighbor was Miss Anna Apple. Peter Pear was strong and handsome. Anna apple was pretty and witty. She used to look prettiest, when she and her neighbour co-incidentally came out of the house at the same time, and she would turn into the loveliest shades of red. She was sweet and smart. He was nice and sour. Nothing in the world could have stopped their sweet and sour relationship from growing. It grew every day, little by little.

It grew over their good morning smiles while collecting the morning newspaper and milk. And over dinners with special dishes that they made for each other. It was mostly Peter Pear who cooked. He loved cooking and Anna Apple loved eating. They shared special moments when they ‘happened’ to tend the garden at the same on Sunday morning and of course while they fought about whose tree leaves are blocking the sun from the other’s window. Peter Pear always left for his work early so he could give lift to Anna Apple to her school. Anna Apple made sure to come out in the evening when he returned from work for some excuse or the other, so that she should get a glimpse of him. Both of them secretly loved each other but neither knew how the other felt. Thus they never told each other. Pear was too scared and Apple too shy.

Everyone in the village knew about their feeling. Granny Guava, little Sally Strawberry, her best friend Bella Blackberry, Johnny Jackfruit etc were eagerly expecting the good news of another celebration. So they could dress up and have lots of fun. Village baker Maria Mango was hoping to get the wedding cake order. Even visiting vegetable Bob Brinjal knew about this. Everyone was happy. There were only few exceptions. Very few. One was Pricky Pineapple who never spoke to anyone and thought being happy was crime. The other was Arnold Avocado.

He had a huge thing for Anna Apple and detested Peter Pear. He was the owner of the local Second-hand car shop and his business consisted of all kinds of swindle. He was unpleasant to everyone. He was sinister looking and very rich. He thought himself to be brawny. He was a big bully. No one liked him. But he thought very highly of himself and was sure to marry Anna Apple, even before asking her. So when he heard the village gossips about Pete and Anna he got awfully angry. He decided to go and propose to Anna and end all the confusion and nonsense of a silly romance which never existed.

The very same day of that grave decision, Peter Pear thought to himself, ‘I must muster up the courage to ask her to marry me or she might never know my feelings for her as they say, faint heart never won fair lady,’ And so Peter resolved to go and have a heart to heart with Anna.

It was a Sunday morning and Anna Apple knew nothing of all the decisions and resolutions. So blissfully she was debating on how to decorate her window box and which flowers to put. She heard a car screech and stopped outside her tree. She knew it was not Peter, as he did not drive so nastily. As dreaded, it was the old bully Avocado and he had run over the new seasonal flower plants she has planted.

‘Hello my lady, how is the bright morning becoming of you?’ greeted Avocado, trying to be cheesy.

‘I was doing quite well before you decided to come and spoil my pretty plants’ retorted Anna. She was one of the few people in the village who was not afraid of him and without too many pleasantries asked him his business around her tree.

‘My dear Anna, such temper makes you prettier than ever.’ ‘I just wanted to make sure weather you were free on next Saturday, so I could fix the date of our marriage’.

 Anna got disgusted with such imprudence and the same time shocked by such frankness. She raised her eyebrows and was about to say something, when she heard someone calling her from behind. She turned around and saw Peter come running towards her.

 Poor fellow was out of breath. He saw Avocado’s car passing by when he was in the flower shop down the street. Avocado has always made his intention clear towards Anna.  So when Pear saw him speeding towards Apple’s house he smelt something fishy. Thus he came in the quickest pace he could manage. By the time he reached Anna’s tree he was huffing and puffing like a dog in hot summer afternoon. The flowers he bought for her were in sad state.

Avocado did not like this interruption and got very angry. He shouted, ‘Can you not see that we are having a very important discussion. Leave at once and don’t disturb us.’

Anna might be shy at times but she does not take nonsense from bullies like Avocado. She put up a stern face and told him off. ‘Mr, I don’t like your tone. And we don’t have any important discussion. How can you even imagine I would say yes to such a proposal and that also by you? My affection lies elsewhere. So please leave my tree immediately and also take care not to cause any more harm to my pretty plants.’

Arnold Avocado was more surprised than angry. No one has ever told him off. He could not decide on what to feel. He did not know whether to shout or laugh or feel sad at the refusal. So he decided to keep shut and leave.

On the other side, Peter Pear also did not know whether to be happy that Anna refused Avocado or sad that her “affection lies elsewhere”. He looked baffled after the dramatic exit of Avocado.

Anna felt stupid, looking at his confused expression and lack of reaction to her declaration of love. ‘Do you not have anything to say? And for whom are those flowers for?’

‘For you’, replied Peter Pear. ‘I have brought this flower for you hoping to….. I mean… would you consider….would like to….”

‘Yes I would love to’ added Anna, while giving Pear a big bear hug. They both knew what they were talking about thus no more words said.

And as everyone wished there was a wedding in ‘Fruit-frenzy’ land soon. Everyone got their much expected party. Maria Mango got her biggest wedding cake order of the year. Bella Blackberry and Sally Strawberry got new dresses, even Pricky Pineapple joined in the merriness. Avocado got invited but he had to leave the town for some ‘important business’.

As for the wedding couple Pear and Apple, they had a little baby Papple after an year. Their cute little family lived happily ever after.