A DEAR REMEMBERED

CHAPTER - 1


I don't know when she came into my life. Perhaps, she was there even before I was born. I never really cared about her whereabouts; her belongings. The place she came from, the clothes she wore, never seemed to amuse me. All I wanted, though, was the presence of her warmth every time I cuddled with my quilt; refusing to stand on my feet in winter mornings.
Sheila, as mom called her, always ran after me. She bathed me, dressed me, prepared my breakfast, combed my curls, and accompanied me to the school bus. If that was not all, she was always there with that big smile on her face and her widened subtle eyes when I came back from school. She gave me things beyond what she was asked to. She not only nurtured a young girl but also enlightened her with the knowledge she needed to face this peculiar world of dreams.

Today, I lay alone in one of the lighted suburbs of Seattle; abreast with memories. All that runs through this mind are the days when Sheila Kaaki (Aunt) beamed me up; the words that lifted sorrow from my soul. Amidst the city hall lanes of this big city I always look for that old and colossal Banyan tree under which you oiled my hair and narrated those fascinating stories of a girl who went to conquer the sun. Guess what? I still believe in them; preaching everyone the prowess of true love.

Its hard in here, Kaaki, it's hard to get through. I don't know but my soul still looks for the warmth of your lap to rest my head; to cry in a slapdash fashion. The world here doesn't take offhandedness; it looks for perfection. I wish you could be here to say that I'm still the most beautiful girl in the world.
All this makes me think of you. All of the lights blind me; all of the darkness scares me. I wish you could be here to be my wall against the world. All I need right now is the feel of your fingers running through my long hair. I'm trying to untie the possibilities that shackle me. I want to feel your love.