The Handmade Love

Sarah sighed at the sight of pile of medicines, vitamin supplements and hormone capsules resting on her shaking palm. An old woman at 70, she was well aware of the fact that those medications were the sole reason she was alive. After all human body had gave up centuries ago.

Ever since the use of supplements and medications sky rocketed in late 23rd century, human body grew more and more dependent upon the additional hormones, to the point where it stopped doing for itself what the supplements could do instead. The humans of that time weren’t fazed by the dreadful fact. After all the human body would always have enough, all thanks to the supplements! At present, the medications and supplements were part of daily meal for everyone and no person could survive for even a day without in taking them.

Sarah had lost her husband to a chronic disease almost 4 decades ago and had to raise up her two kids all alone. Both her children were already dead but there she was, alive and well, at an age others couldn’t even dream of reaching. In recent history, only a handful of people had lived for as long as she had. That mere fact had made her subject to envy and wonder from billions of people worldwide. Little did they know the struggles the old woman had to face? A few seconds of hesitation later (that almost felt like a couple decades), Sarah gulped down the capsules one after another. After all, no matter how mundane she thought her life was, she was not ready to die yet.

“Aji, come to my room!”

A robot came striding into Sarah’s room.

“Here granny!!!” said Aji just like her granddaughter would have said.

Sarah was still getting used to the new robot gifted to her by Jia, her only grandchild. The robot was the spitting image of her granddaughter. No wonder she was having a love-hate relationship with the robot. The kid had recently moved out from her grandmother’s home but was sweet enough to gift her grandmother her robotic counterpart to apparently ‘compensate’ for her absence. You see, life didn’t have just misery and loneliness in store for Sarah. She was one of the very few blessed ones who had the fortune to witness their grandchildren grow right in front of their eyes.

“Are there any messages from Jia? It’s about time she came to visit me.”

“Three messages from Jia. Opening..”

“Hey granny, I’ve finally settled down in my new apartment. This place is beautiful. I’m sure Jake is going to love it here. He’s boarding the spaceship tomorrow from Titan which means he’ll be here in just two weeks!! I’m so so so so excited!!!! I have so much to talk about to you. I am coming to visit you this evening. Please tell Sandra that I’m craving Sizzler for dinner tonight.”

“Hellooooooooo granny..why is there no response from you?”

“Aji just told me that you’re not replying because you’re taking a nap. Sleep well my dear grandmother! I’ll be home no later than 7, I am teleporting there directly from office.”

Sarah glanced at her wall clock across her. 5:38 displayed on the screen.

“Thank you Aji. Will you please tell Sandra (the maid robot) to prepare dinner for Jia and me? Sizzler for Jia and rice porridge for me.”

“Okay granny. Anything else?”

“No.”

[The robot strides out of the room.]

******

“How are you doing granny?” Jia chirped happily as she took a seat in the dinner table.

“Your granny is doing great as usual. You’re nearly half an hour late. What took you so long?”

“The usual traffic. The teleporting routes are too busy these days. I had to wait for nearly half an hour to get a good teleport room available.”

“Poor soul. Now get to the juicy details. Your granny is very excited about meeting her future grandson-in-law.”

“Granny!!!! Please don’t get too ahead of yourself!!!! He hasn’t even proposed to me. Nothing’s official yet.”

“If that’s the case, why don’t you propose him first? No fool moves to another planet for his girlfriend if he’s not willing to spend rest of his life with her.”

“What!!! Me???”

“Yes, you my child. I highly doubt Jake is going to say yes to Aji or Sandra.”

“Do you really think it’s going to be a good idea? How will I do it? Doesn’t the proposing kind of stuff take a lot of preparation?”

“Yes, dear. It’s a fantastic idea. Don’t you think Jake deserves something special? And when I mean special, I don’t think you need to do anything grand. A heartfelt confession of feelings or a considerate gift, anything small but intimate will work just fine. Trust this old lady. People call me ‘The Invincible Lady’ for some reason.”

“Granny that news article was about your age, not your matchmaking skills!”

“Age is experience my child.”

“Fair enough. Do you have any ideas in your mind granny? I really want it to be exceptionally special. Could there exist something that will make him feel as special as I felt when he told me that he’s going to move to earth to be with me?”

“I have an idea but you’ll have to make some effort for this. Are you up for the job?”

“Anything for Jake.”

“Whoa! I didn’t know my granddaughter was this romantic.”

“Grandma!!! Your idea please!!!”

“Calm down my child, I was just joking with my little one. It’s kind of fun to get on your nerves.” Sarah snickers.

[A dangerous glare is passed from Jia to Sarah.]

“Okay. I’ll stop. Do you think you’ll be able to make something handmade for Jake?”

“Handmade? Do you mean making stuff with my own hands as we use to study in history books?”

“Yes, I mean just that.”

“Is that even possible? Wasn’t that something our ancestors used to do..using their own hands to do stuff?”

“As much absurd as it sounds, it’s not completely impossible you know. There are still so many videos of DIY gifts that people use to make in 21st-22nd century on that old site called YouTube.”

“YouTube? The two dimensional videos of the past? Will I even understand those tutorials? Three dimensional videos would have been better..”

“I don’t think it’s going to be impossible. I had actually seen one my friends gift his girlfriend such a handmade gift. It was such a beautiful bracelet! I didn’t even have any idea that such beautiful thing could be made with our own hands until that time. His girlfriend obviously absolutely loved it. Imagine getting gifted something that no one else is going to have except you. Will that be anything less than amazing?”

“Hm…something that only he’s going to have. The idea does seem promising to me. Oh my god!!! Will I have enough time to make a gift good enough for him? He’s going to be here in just two weeks!” Jia freaked out.

“It’s not late to start right now.” Sarah smiled.

“Aye aye captain!! On my way to do it.” Said Jia running towards her room.

“It’s nice to be in love..” murmured Sarah as she felt the charm bracelet wrapped around her right wrist that her late husband had gifted her.