Fragile frames

 They frequently argued about the most trivial things at breakfast.

"Cilantros? In Uppumaavu?" she'd exclaim, wrinkling her nose. "Absolutely not!"

One morning, he found her meticulously removing chopped green chilies from the Uppumaavu he'd prepared. "But I like the heat!" he protested, feigning offense.

"Heat, yes," she'd counter, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "but not the kind that makes you breathe fire."

It was a silly charade, all in good fun; their playful bickering, a constant in their lives. But who could have known that this silly debate about chilies would be his last memory of her, with her infectious laughter echoing in his ears?

She was returning from the market that day when a car swerved out of control.

The aftermath was a deafening silence. He was left alone— no one to tease, no one to share a perfectly spiced Uppumaavu with. 

He tried hard not to dream about her, yet her face flickered in his mind's eye now and then.

This morning was different, though.

She appeared in his dreams, her voice animated as she lectured him, as she often did, about Uppumaavu toppings. This time, the forbidden ingredient was cashews.

"Cashews are for curries, not Uppumaavu!" she declared, her voice laced with mock seriousness.

Subconsciously, even in the dream, he knew it was just a dream. But when he tried to wake himself, her hand, warm and real, wouldn't let go. She kept talking, her eyes pleading. "I don't want you to leave yet," she whispered.

When he finally opened his eyes, sunlight streamed through the window. He was to anchor the primetime show in the neighborhood. He was late.

Shattered, he fumbled for his phone. A swarm of missed calls flashed on the screen.

"There you are! We were worried sick! Thank God you are safe!" His sister's voice crackled with panic. "There is a shoot-out happening on your street! It's all over the news!"

Panic surged through him as his trembling hands fetched the remote. The news van was broadcasting the chaotic shootout scene. He froze as he realized it was his neighborhood, just a few blocks away. 

He hoped to see her again in his dreams soon, just to tell her she was right all along, that some things don’t belong to the Uppumaavu, and cashews were definitely out with a certainty that defied logic! And maybe, just maybe, he'd thank her for teaching him that. Knowing her, he knew if he thanked her for saving his life, she'd just roll her eyes and laugh mischievously. A tear traced a path down his cheek, a silent “thank you” for the life he almost lost, the life they would continue to share, if only in his dreams.