It was a cold evening in the month of December. Smitha had been waiting a long time at her balcony gazing to the end of road in front of her home. Her apartment was on the 2nd floor of a 4 storied building. She could see the board displaying “Jauhari Nagar” at the entry gate.Winter season having short days, it was already dark by 6 PM in the evening.. She looked at the clock and again to the gate waiting for her beloved brother. Samit(Sam) had promised to join her for badminton that evening . He was in the final year of his graduation at IIT Chennai. Smitha proudly boasted to her friends that Samit has already been placed in a good company and that she would make him get anything and everything that was in her mind...The list was already in place and she was waiting for the month of June in the coming year. Undoubtedly the whole family was proud of him.
The street lights were On and now she knew that there would be no fun to play in the dark and she hates that.
Her dad was back from office and both dad and daughter caught up with the Wimbledon tournament on Doordarshan..
Mom: Smitha, high time for your studies. If you finish with your homework and studies, we are going out for a movie.
Smitha: (Not so excited with the idea): mm Ok
Mom: What’s wrong? You seem to be down..Are you Ok?
Smitha: Am Alright mom…Chetan ditched me….I’d been waiting for him so long with the new bat and cork..He dint turn up.
Mom: He must have missed his bus. Should be coming soon.
Smitha(furiously): I don’t want to play anymore…Its already dark outside..I will never talk to him.
She was very much frustrated and tired of waiting. But still had a hope that he will be with her anytime and they would still play for sometime.
Smitha: I hate chetan….he never finds time to play with me.
Smitha was hollering from her room dwelling her face into a pillow. It was the poor pillow that had to suffer. She kicked and yelled at that.
Smitha(to the pillow): I hate chetan…
She then cockered herself with the homeworks and completed her essay writing which had to be submitted with her class teacher on Monday. She wants her brother to review and correct if there were any misatakes. But this time she was so much offended that, she thought will never show him or seek his help for anything.
Please Open the Door…Please Open the door
That was their Callingbell. Smitha saw her mom walking towards the door. If it was Samit, she was set to tear him into pieces. But it was not him.
She then opened the Maths text book to do the homework. She again cursed her brother who had promised her to teach the chapter – Fractions and Whole Numbers. They always did their studies in advance and her brother was a great teacher. She was very comfortable learning things from him. She believed that no one in the world can better explain as he did. He taught her all chapters well in advance and was proud of his little sis who was always the class topper. …The routine was so that, post studies all got together at the dining table for dinner. Post dinner, little girl would soon fall asleep on her brothers lap..Thats how her day ends.
Smitha with an egregious face had the Maths text book with chapter Fractions opened in front of her.
Bbow…
Smitha was frighetened for that second and found her brother stretching his hands to kiss his little sister. She dint move out of her place but was very happy from inside that he was finally with her. She walked away towards the window with a doleful face.
Samit: My sweety, what have you been doing all these while? Seem like you had been playing outside with ur new bat ah….Naughty girl, dint wait for me..thats so bad.
Smitha: I will kill you….I waited for you sooooooooooo long and you coming in this late..U never keep up your words.
The “so” was veritably lengthy that Samit burst out laughing. He was taken way by the innocence of the 10 year old.
Samit: Oo dolly, am so sorry….I couldn’t make it today…
Smitha not seem to be listening..
Samit: Okay shall we play now?…Gimme a second, will freshen up now.
Smitha: (feeling sorry): mmm chalta hai… …U must be very tired…We can play tomorrow.
Samit (with a question mark) : mmm???? Is that my sister who is speaking?
Smitha: hmm am Serious…Its Ok…
Samit: Am Sorry
Smitha: Its Ok…
Both of them giggled at each other.
Samit: Ok.. So Friends?
Both shook their hands and were chummed up again….They embraced.
Samit had umpteen incidents to share with her while having a cup of coffee. They had been busy chatting the whole day and watching Wimbledon..Steffy was their favourite player and they spatted and basked in her glory for her winning the Grand slam for the year.
Over the dinner table, they had been planning to make their weekend fun filled.
Smitha merrily welcomed the weekend. She was also feeling sleepy and was insisting her brother to quicken with his dinner, so that she can take her comfortable place over his lap.
Happy Birthday To you…Happy Birthday to you…
Clock struck 12..Smitha opened her eyes to find candles lightened and the room decorated.Parents and her close friends who resided in the same apartment were also present. She was surprised at the same time confused.
Mom: Happy Bday my little girl….
Smitha: Thankyou Mom!
Neeta: Smitha…Happy Bday…Do you want 10 bumps now?
Kripa: Many happy returns of the day! Here’s your gift…You will love it…
Smitha: Thankyou dear…
Smitha looked everywhere and nothing seem to be the same..Neither did she find her maths text book nor the bat.
Mom: Ok..so lets cut the cake and you can open all your gifts and enjoy them.
Smitha: Amma …but..
Mom: Yes, you have your favourite Pinapple cake..
Smitha cut her cake…She looked the calendar and it was Dec 15. Yes it was her birthday and was a Saturday.
She had made many plans with her friends to celebrate her birthday together. She looked around and her friends were there with the kind of dresses they had planned to wear. She had even got a Pink fairy like dress as gift from dad..
Smitha: Amma
Her mom was busy distributing cake to her friends.
Mom: Smitha, have it with your friends..I have another Chocolate cake coming for you!
Smitha: I love you mummyyyyyy
Kids enjoyed their cake and were ready to explore the gifts and games.
They were having fun. Smitha was fully involved in the funny games and enjoying them. But her heart was heavy as if she was missing someone close to her heart.
It was 45 minutes past 12 . Smitha and her dad accompanied her friends to their home and made sure that all reached home safely.
Neeta: Good night Smitha! Will meet tomorrow.
Smitha: Good Night!
She was back home.. She could not believe if all that was just a dream or a real…Through the whole event, she was searching for Samit. But did she have a brother? She was still confused and looked around to find that person. With grief she realized that it was only a dream and she was the only daughter for her parents. She longed to have a brother and this was the first time she saw him in her dreams. She was very happy that she clould atleast see him in her dreams but at the same time sad that such a person never existed. She leaned to the door of their balcony and was looking at the shining stars as if she was searching for someone there.
Mom: Smitha, its been very late…What are you doing there?
Smitha: coming..
Smitha squeezed and found her place in between her parents and lamentably looked at her mom.
Smitha: Ammaaaaaa
Mom: mmmm?
Smitha: why dint you give birth to a brother just one day before I was born?
Mom: Brother?
Dad: One day?
Smitha: I would have had a brother with me now.
Mom and Dad: What? What happened?
Smitha clinched her dad and soon fell asleep leaving a big Question mark their face.
-Shals
