The April Fool

Rajat never wanted to settle down in a rural area but his wife Rita badgered him into staying away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. She would often say , 'Hell couldn't be my choice. Life is all about love and peace ; the rest is pomp. And a one-hour drive is not a big deal, is it ?' Eventually, Rajat decided to live in his ancestral village honouring the wishes of his comely wife. He is a junior engineer in the PWD. His office is situated in the downtown area of Jodhpur. He drives to work from his tiny village which is 50 KM away from his working station.
Perhaps that day was Monday. Rita had been anxiously waiting for her husband for over three hours. Rajat is usually back home by 6:30 pm but today he did not show up until 9:30 pm. She rang him up on his cell phone several times but failed to have any answer.
'So what could be the reason of being this late? Work load? Partying with friends? Chasing a butterfly? Stranding in a traffic jam? Accident? Rita grew a bit apprehensive. She dialed his office landline number but to her utter disappointment, no answer this time as well. Eventually, she tried to call one of his friends working in his office. He told her that Rajat had left the office around 6:00 pm as usual . The bit of information made Rita tense and jittery.
'God forbid.............' Rita was praying against the untoward.
Rita knew her husband did not marry a beauty queen; he nonetheless loved her from the core of his heart. He did everything he could to make her happy. He used to say 'Strange are the ways of love!' For Rita, he was her prince charming. Thiers were a perfect match with everything in fine fettle. The entire village was proud of the lovely couple.
The wall clock tickled ten. It is time when all the people in their village go to bed and the winding streets wear a deserted look. Rita got frightened. She kept her room's door ajar for her husband to get in. Suddenly, she overheard a man saying 'People say that there lives a ghost in a tailor's shop just ten blocks away. He looks likes a.....' The remaining part of the sentence could not be overheard as Rita went out of earshot.
'Looks like what? Rita murmured to herself with a feeling of shudder down her spine. She mustered up some courage and got out to inquire about what was going on down the street outside her home. She found a group of villagers talking in whispers about the ghost.
'How about visiting the tailor's shop where the ghost is rumoured to live?' A portly man, who was seemingly in his late forties, asked.
'Sure.' The crowd unanimously endorsed the idea and with this the people started heading towards the tailor's shop and got to there after a two- minute easy walk. Rita, too, began following the crowd out of morbid curiosity though she was trembling with fear and trepidation.
There sat a thirty-something man sewing like any tailor. He was looking like any ordinary man but he was never seen before in the village. In such a small village, how a stranger came and become a tailor overnight? He was exhibiting no sign to be a ghost. But then, who was he? The people were puzzling over the question.
'Better to ask himself'. A suggestion came from the crowd and acting upon which a man walked over to the tailor and asked,
'Excuse me, would you mind introducing yourself please? We've not seen you in this village ever before.'
The tailor gave the questioner a perplexed look. As soon as he was about to say something, the power went out and the entire village engulfed by the devouring dark right away. But the tailor's eyes were still gleaming. He seemed to ignore the question. The questioner got wrought up. He tried again, but this time sounding rather impolite.
'Who are you? People say there lives a ghost in this shop. So you are.....'
The sentence remained unfinished because the tailor cut in with a quick retort.
'Sorry, I don't know. How can I tell you who lives in this shop? I've died 20 years ago. '
As soon as the tailor finished, screams started coming from the crowd. The people got frightened and ran back into their homes. Rita stood in the dark numb with fear. She too ran towards her home, wobbling and trembling.
By the time Rita got into her home, her husband had arrived and waiting for her. The power was back on as well.
'Hey Rita, where were you at this time ? Why 're you trembling this much? What happened to you? ' Rajat sensed something abnormal .
Having seen Rajat, Rita heaved a sigh of relief. Still, she was a bit angry and upset over Rajat being late. She decided to discuss the ghost incident later on. First, Rajat should be taken to task. So, She cocked her head to one side and asked, 'Where'd you been this evening? You took no call. So what's up?'
'OK, I have fair reasons for this and I will explain. But the way you are looking is something to worry about. Darling, first tell me what really happened.' Rajat insisted fondly.
Rajat's caring words impressed upon Rita and she, though reluctantly, reeled off in a stammering tone the ghostly incident that took place minutes before.
'Oh my god! Life is full of pretty scary things. Who knows what makes such things happen. 'Rajat sighed into shock and began looking up into the star-studded sky.
'Forget the ghost and tell me what made you this late. You're normally back home before 7 pm. What happened today? Rita asked in a complaining tone.
'Honestly speaking, I went to buy a gift for you.' Rajat attempted to sound sober.
'Gift for me! But today is neither my birthday nor our wedding anniversary ......?' Rita got surprised.
'Yes darling, gift for you. Just take it.' A playful grin was visible on Rajat's face as he outstretched his right arm to hand Rita the gift pack.
Rita got excited over the gift puzzle. She instantly ripped the gift pack open. There placed a beautiful mask and a greeting card saying WITH LOVE, TO MY LOVELY APRIL FOOL inside the box. The message-text was written with melted chocolate using a have-heart-script-font.
Rita's eyes got dilated with shock and surprise. She flashed a penetrating look at her scheming husband.
'Oh ! So it was you gentleman who................'
Rita could not finish because the manipulated crowd of ghost-seeing people had got in, chanting 'April fool......April fool............Rita Madam April fool.............'
Rita hid her face in her hands yet she was in a state of total euphoria. The blood rushed to her cheeks when she thought of herself being fool and lovely at the same time. She had no idea about the day being the 1st of April today. She thought for a while how sweetly Rajat embarrassed her out of sheer love. The words, Rajat used to say more often, were constantly echoing in her mind.
'Strange are the ways of love.'