TRUST IN ME

 

By Sophie McKenzie

Sophie McKenzie

A murder, a suicide, a killer, a best friend, a lost piece of faith, when all these  things get allied to Livy Jackson’s subsistence, all opinions she had about the world suddenly revolutionize. 

 Livy Jackson is just another middling European homemaker. Oops did I say is? Sorry, it should be she ‘was’ another run of the mill European homemaker until she found her husband Will Jackson cheating on her. Six years ago her life turned upside down. Conversely it was not that she had not confronted calamity before. During her college years she lost her exquisite, gullible, flaxen sister. No, no I don’t mean that Kara, Livy’s sister, died a natural death. She was raped viciously with a knife and then stabbed to death. This murder left Livy stunned. However by hook or by crook she muddled through to calm herself when Julia came into her life. Julia and Kara used to be best friends but after Kara’s death Livy and Julia got tied to each other. They shared the same grief, they shared the same sentiment and they even shared the same antagonism. For eighteen years they remained the closest friends and then Julia committed suicide. Livy saw red. She could not understand what had made the madcap, fun-loving friend of hers attain eternal peace. She just could not absorb the fact that Julia had committed suicide and with the help of Julia’s lover she plunges head first into a situation from where there’s no looking back. As the story goes on Livy Jackson finds out how true the quote from Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice is, “……..O what a goodly outside falsehood hath!”

Did Julia seriously kill herself or was it a cover for a murder? If a murder, who killed Julia? What was Julia hiding from Livy? Were they really best friends? Who could Livy trust now? To find the answer to all these questions one must read the book “Trust in me”.

Publisher- Simon & Schuster        

Price- Rs 299                                                    

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Rupkatha Mitra.is a student of Calcutta Girls' High School, Class X. Reading books, day-dreaming, speaking her mind through her writings are the only things she enjoys doing. She is also the youngest writer at Express Magazine!

The one true superhero in our lives!

         Slowly drifting, drifting away.


Have we ever stopped and wondered why our dad is up till late these days?
Why does he stare at us with a poker face when he sees us with our phones all the time?
Still whenever we ask for his help or support he is right there for us.

When was the last time you had lunch or dinner with him?
Or perhaps sat with him and told about your college life, your friends, your studies or simply about you?
When was the last time you hugged him tight without actually wanting anything in return?
When was the last time you waited for him to return home?
Or looked at him with love and a bright smile on your your face?
Yes, I know all of us love our father.
But is love only about words and feelings or can it be an art-form of actions?
Love demands more than words.

You can say you love him, but you don't have time to prove those lovely words.
He left his important meeting and rushed back home when you hadn't even come to this world and your mother had her first labor pain.
He still gave you all you wanted, that time when his business was going through depression.
He stayed up all night when you suffered with fever.
He was patient and loving when he taught you to speak and walk.
He bought ice cream for you that rainy night, when you were stubbornly wanting one.
He stood by you, guiding you through your adolescence.
He was there for you all the time. The times when you didn't even notice or realize he stood there, right there for you.
He never let you know about his depressions or bad times.
He always welcomed you with a smile, even when deep down he was all broken and tired.

Yes you are growing, and so is he!
Now he stays up late because he knows his young son is still up studying.
Or maybe his daughter is still up on her phone.
How can a father sleep when his young children are up?
How can he not worry when his children come home late or don't pick up the phone?
How can he not be scared about his child getting lost in the maze of the new "adult-world"?
Now you realize?  .
The conversations have reduced.
The hugs faded.
The laughter forgotten.
There are days when you don't even see him.
Because YOU are "too busy " or " too tired" to wait for him or to sit with him for a while.

He feels Estranged

                                                 You are drifting away from him.
                                                 "Slowly drifting, drifting away"

A close friend of mine shared her experience and realization - "For my birthday, he bought me my favourite phone, took me for shopping, gifted me the stuff  I wanted since the last few months but he still wore that old pair of shoes not caring to buy a new one for himself because he was too busy fulfilling my demands. Later on, I really felt bad when I found this out and gifted him a new pair realizing how selfish I can be and how generous he can be."

While another friend shared "It's been a rough patch with him. Out of all my siblings, I have faced the worst. I admire what you have written, but I just can relate the text to my life."

But it’s still not late. It's never late.
If we take out a little time for him we can still make him feel loved truly. Sit with him and talk about ourselves, our college life or him about his work.
The sooner we start waiting for him to return home, the sooner we stop drifting away from him.
He is our dad. And all of us love our dad. It's time we realize our love for him and make him feel how much we love him, how important he is to us.
The greatest gift we ever had, came from God and we call him dad. Let's not lose our great gift. Let's cherish every moment we have him with us.

"He holds us when we cry,

Scolds us when we break rules,

Shines with pride when we succeed,

And has faith in us when we fail."

         Let us all make him feel the love and respect we have for him.
                Because life is really short to live with regrets later.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR :- 

An English Literature freshman from St.Xavier's college, Kolkata, Hifza Abid is a workaholic. A fun-loving bibliophile, and a passionate writer, Hifza is the most dedicated and hard-working P.R.O of this magazine! Look out for this girl, she's sure to shell out some wonders in the future!