Dear sister

 Thank you for everything!

 Time and tide wait for none. After discharge from hospital Asha kept me in her home. She accepted me as her brother and was very kind to me. She was the only child of her parents, so having someone to talk with was a good feeling for her. I liked her as she used to take care of me and she could understand what I wanted to say but couldn’t like I am hungry, I am bored; I was a shy kid. In a few days she became very much familiar to me, but still I used to feel bad as I knew I was an unexpected addition to the picture. There family album didn’t have space for a boy, who came from no-where and started to enjoy a share of their resources. Asha didn’t think like that but I could see this on her parents’ face. The very sight of me started to annoy them. But they were tolerating me just for Asha. But I decided that I would leave, no matter what!

One day I was playing card with her.

--- Bull dog 300 pound

I turned my top-most card and submit it sadly,

--- Only 230 pound

--- Ha ha! Your champs are on dieting I guess!

She takes out next card and shouted on my face in joy,

--- Raaaaaaaank 2

Without even looking at my next card I succumb to her blow.

Suddenly, I felt there was pause for a moment. I curiously looked at cards.

Yes! It was great blow for me, heavy blow.

Asha shouted in joy,

--- 520 pound, the giant, yahooooooooo! It’s bad day for you!

I turned my next card. It was rank 5 with 6’7” height.

I started praying inside mind,

--- Not this one! Please! Rank or height or even matches but not weight!

Asha tabled her card,

--- Mask, matches 281. Aaahha!

I looked at my card and submitted it sadly.

Asha looked at it and then looked into my eyes.

I said,

--- Hogan, 302 matches!

--- Okay, okay, you got it!

--- My reign starts, now just pin-falls, one after one! Ha ha!

--- Let us see!

Suddenly, uncle interfere,

--- Asha, me and your mom needs to talk with you. We are in hall.

She turned to me and said,

--- No cheating! I will be back in few minutes.

Few minutes passed after that. I was surfing through my cards. I wasn’t left with many good cards.

I went near door of hall to get water from purifier. I could hear the conversation between Asha and her parents as things were heating up.

Uncle was trying to convince Asha,

--- Listen it’s not about money. A kid means responsibility. We two are in job, you need to take care of your study.

Asha replied,

--- But I didn’t feel any responsibility. Many girls have brother. I don’t think it affects their life.

Aunt interfered,

--- Own brother is different thing! We don’t even whether his name is real or not! Now days, we can’t guess anything of someone’s character.

--- Do you want to say …

Uncle stopped her,

--- Look! Your mom is right. Who knows! On one morning we would find some jewelry missing and Naga would be gone! Why take chances! Besides there is thousands of orphans living in there and they take good care.

--- The only thing which is pricking you is that Naga isn’t your blood!

Uncle replied,

--- Look! You are growing up and God has given us all. So, if he is from bad background someday his past would find him and we would be in trouble. Don’t you read newspaper!

--- We are talking about a kid!

--- It’s not about a kid, it’s about where he belongs and we are having unsafe feeling about it.

It did hurt me, but I was not crushed. I knew, sooner or later, that day would come. Beside I didn’t have much packing to do, in fact I have nothing to pack. So, I just went back to table and start pretending nothing happened.

Few minutes later, Asha came. Her head was down and she was not looking at me.

I said,

 

--- My turn! I would finish the game.

And I knew, it was the last game with her and I enjoyed it.

Thanks for everything, big sister.