TRUE FRIENDSHIP-Part 2

The results were displayed in form type format. First was the name field where her name was displayed. Then was her nickname, then was her telephone number and then was her address for which i was looking for.

I quickly took the print out of that page and then i started reading all the information carefully. It was in following type manner:-

NAME :- JESSICA WEINBERG
NICKNAME :- (N/A)
TELEPHONE NUMBER :- (N/A)
ADDRESS :- 8 Green river Apartments,
Near City Mall,
CANADA.
OCCUPATION :- SOFTWARE ENGINEER

That was it. I decided to go at this place right now and so i soon called my driver and told him to take out the car and i left. Just within 20 minutes i was below Green river Apartment. I quickly went to room number 8 as it was mentioned in her address. Room number 8 was on the third floor. As i reached there i rang the door bell.

After few seconds someone opened the door.

That was Pam.

"Yes, may i help you?" she said as she saw me.

I got very happy when i saw her and so was not able to say anything first.

"Yeah tell me, who are you?" she asked breaking my thoughts.

She didnt recoginze me.

"Hi Pam" i said. "Recognized me?"

"Well nope, sorry" she said staring at me.

"I am Ashley" i introduced.

"Who Ashley?" she asked as if she heard my name for the first time.

"Common Pam, try to remember" i said. "I am Ashley Jefferson, Jessica's old friend."

"Oh yeah right" she said excitedly. "Common in."

She allowed me to enter and offered me a seat.

"So how are you?" she asked with a huge smile on her face.

"Yeah i am fine" i said taking a seat.

"Well you have become a great author, right?" she asked.

"Yeah right" i answered.

"So how come you in canada?" she asked. "Opps sorry, first tell me what you will have? Tea, Coffee, Fruit juice, Soft drink?"

"Well no nothing, thanks" i replied. "I have come here to meet Jessica. Please tell me where is she?"

"Well Ashley" Pam began taking a seat next to me. "She has been settled down in Europe."

"Europe? But why?" i asked getting confused.

"Well she wanted to make her carrier as Hardware Engineiring there and so she went there some 2 years ago" Pam answered.

"Hardware Engineeir?" i asked getting confused as in the net information it was written that she was Software Engineeir.

"Well yeah" answered Pam.

"But net information says that she is a software engineeir" i said.

Pam looked little scared when i said that.

"Well aaa ya whatever" she replied.

"But then how come she has put this address on net directory?" i asked.

"Well aaaa she dont want anyone to know where is she" said Pam. "And so she havent put her real address."

"But you know her real address, right?" i asked.

"Well aaa ya of course" answered Pam.

"Then please tell me" i pleaded. "I am ready to go to Europe too."

"But aaa Ashley, how can i give her address to you? I am not suppose to" said Pam.

"Please Pam, i am requesting you" i said. "I have to meet her in any condition."

"Sorry Ashley" said Pam. "But i cant help you."

I lost all the hope here. This was the final decision of Pam. I didnt had any other option rather than leaving that place and i was about to do that when one small 4-5 year old cute, chubby boy with golden hair and brown eyes came to living room from inside with a toy in his hand.

"Mumma, where is Aunt Jessica?" he asked in his sweet little tone.

I was shocked here. How come he asked about Jessica if she was in Europe?

"Aaaa, Ashley" Pam called. "This is my son Steve."

"Son?" i asked. "It means you are married."

"Well aaaa. . ." she stopped.

"Your son is very cute" i said.

"Yeah thanks a lot" said Pam.

"Mumma, please tell me where is Aunt Jessica?" he asked again. "She was going to play with me today."

This five year old boy made my doubt clear. I came to know that Pam was lying and Jessica was present here itself in Canada. But i knew very well that Pam wont tell me anything even though i ask her anything now and so i decided to talk to Steve directly.

"Hey dear Steve" i said bending towards him. "I am your Aunt's friend, hi. Can you tell me where is your Aunt?"

"I donno" he said in his sweet voice. "I am looking for her only."

"Can you tell me when did you see her for the last time?" i asked looking at Pam. She seemed to be scared.

"Today morning" he answered.

"Ah Steve" Pam interrupted. "Why dont you go inside and play dear."

"I want to play with aunt Jessica" Steve replied.

"Steve, just do as i say" said Pam.

"Ok mom" he said and went inside.

"Pam whatz going on?" i asked.

"Well Ashley" she began. "Jessica is in canada."

"She is? Then why didnt you tell me?" i asked.

"Well i am sorry but she told not to tell you anything" she answered.

"But how does she know that i am looking for her?" i asked confused.

"Well aaaa like she just said general" replied Pam. "Like few years ago, she said that if i meet you anywhere i wont tell you anything."

"This isnt making any sense Pam" i said angrily. "Please tell me where is Jessica right now?"

"I cant" she replied. "Please Ashley, dont force me to loose me temper please."

"Alright then" i said. "I am sure that she stays here. I am gonna wait here till she comes."

"Well try doing this too" replied Pam. "But it wont help you."

Pam went inside. I sat there on the couch waiting for Jessica. All past moments were coming in mind when suddenly i heard one sound and my thoughts were broken. I think it was the ringing sound of cell phone which came from inside. Pam must have got a call i thought.

After some time Pam came out with some milk and cookies and kept them in front of me.

"Have it Ashley" she said. "Tell me if you need anything else. I will be back within few minutes. Just putting Steve for sleep."

"Ya sure" i replied.

"Have it" she said and once again and started walking towards her room inside when i stopped her as something i suddenly remembered.

"Well Pam" i interrupted. "Are you looking out for a job?"

"Well yeah but how you know that?" she asked.

"Actually my dad told me" i answered.

"Your dad?" she asked.

"Well yeah, he saw you when you went to his office for the search of a job" i answered.

"Well maybe, i have been going to many companies since last few days" Pam explained.

"But why?" i asked. "Why do you need job? Your dad is quite rich and even though you are facing some problems after your marrige you can ask your dad for help."

"Well Ashley" Pam began. "First thing is that i am not married. Steve is my adopted son and second thing is that my dad is not anymore now."

I really felt bad when i heard this.

"Oh i am really very sorry" i said.

"Doesnt matter" said Pam.

"Why didnt you marry then?" i asked.

"If i would have married then Jessica would have been left alone" she said. "And then who would have looked after her? We dont have anyone in this world."

"Oh i c. But then how you adopted Steve?" i asked.

"Well actually he is the son of my best friend who died after giving him a birth" she explained.

"Then what about his family members?" i asked.

"Well his dad is still alive but he doesnt look after him. He is busy in his own world." she said.

"Oh i see but thatz really sad" i said. "So you brought him here?"

"Well yeah" she replied. "I only look after him now and since the day he started talking he started calling me mom."

"Ok but you have really done a great job" i said. "Dont his father ever try to ask about him?"

"Nope" she answered. "He is settled down in USA and i dont think that he would ever come back here now."

"Ok" i said. "But Pam what about your dad's property? He must have surely kept it for you two right?"

"Well you dont know what happend in these years" Pam said. "One of my dad's business patner cheated him by taking away all his money and nothing was left for us then. Dad died due to this severe shock and we both were left alone. Jessica was working in one company first where she had a very good income but unforntunately that private company got closed and she lost her job and now after many days she has found a new job but this income is less as compared to the previous one and so its possible that we would face many money problems and so i am looking out for a job too."

"Pam, well so many of the things have taken place and its really sad to hear all of them" i said. "But if you really want job then i can help you out."

"How?" asked Pam.

"Well as you know i am a writer and i have my own creation group called 'Ashley's Creations' and till now i was working alone for that" i started. "But now if you want you can help me in it."

Pam seemed to be thinking something for few seconds.

"Well but what would be my work?" she asked.

"Well whatever writing work i do i always put it on pc so that the readers can view my work online too and so i have to scan all my work and i always have to take out some time from my work to do that and so if you can help me out in scanning process my work will be done and you will also get paid" i explained.

"Well yeah but then why dont you do your writing work on pc itself?" asked Pam.

"Well i used to do this before when i was in USA but then after coming here for job my whole day gets spend in office itself and i hardly get time to write as compared to the previous one and this job of editor is so good that i dont want to leave it as here also i get a chance of thinking, writing and creating attractive news daily" i explained.

"Well ok then how do you cope up with your writing work?" asked Pam.

"Well in then evening after getting home i take rest for sometime and then i start working till 2 or 3 am" i said. "And then as i also scan my work now a days my novels are taking time to come out and in my feedback my fans are telling me to write more than more and so i thought that if you can help me my work could get a bit easier."

"Well yeah why not" said Pam. "Done. Tell me from when i have to start my work?"

"Well why not from tomorrow?" i said. "You come at 7 am st my place and i will give you all my writings and then you put it on pc."

"Well yeah ok fine" she said. "Thanks a lot Ashley."

"Anytime" i said. "And i will pay you 150$ per month. Is it ok?"

She didnt reply at that moment. I waited for few seconds for her reply but she didnt give any and so i asked her again.

"Is it ok?"

Again she didnt say anything and so i thought that 150$ are less for her and so i decided to pay her more.

"Is it less?" i asked. "Ok fine then how about 200$?"

"No Ashley" she said suddenly. "You are paying me much more than the work i have to do."

"Common Pam there's nothing like that" i said to make her feel better.

"Well 150$ is fine with me" she said.

"Ok fine then its done" i said and we both shook our hands.

"Now atleast you can trust me and tell me where is Jessica?" i asked. "Please Pam, i have come here to apologise for what i have done 10 years back."

"Well i know Ashley" she said. "But according to me it wasnt your fault. You were doing a right thing. My sister was a bit rude and i accept this fact."

"Well ok but it was me because of which you guys left USA right?" i asked.

"Well that was Jessica and i just came with her as she was alone" Pam replied.

"Well ok but trust me Pam, i will apologise to Jessica and soon we will be best friends again. Just once you tell me where is she please?" i requested.

"Well ok fine then" she said. "See i wont tell you directly anything about her but i will give you some hints."

"Will do" i said.

"Ok then listen" she began. "After coming here she joined a school here to complete her education and after her school when she started doing her software engineering course once while playing some game with her group members she lost the game and so was forced to recite a poem as an punishment."

"Ok then" i replied.

"She recited that poem and since then everyone named her as one of the characters of that poem" said Pam. "And so today no one knows her by the name Jessica. Everyone knows her by her artificial name itself and she also likes that name and so even in her company where she is working she is known by this name itself."

"Which is that poem?" i asked.

"Well that i cant tell you" said. "If i tell you everything you will surely come to know who is she and where is she? I am sorry Ashley but you will have to find out everything further now."

"Well ok fine then" i said. "I will only find her now. Anyways thanks for your help Pam."

"No problem" she answered. "So 7am tomorrow right?"

"Absolutely" i said and then after sometime i left.

All my way to the home i was thinking about Pam's words. I was trying to think if any of the well known poems had any names or charecters. But there were many poems and many of them had characters too and so i was not getting exactly that which poem should i consider and which one must have Jessica recited as there were uncountable ones.

After sometime i reached home. As i opened the door i saw Richard sitting now the couch watching Tv with popcorn in his hands.

"Hi Ashley" he said as he saw me entering the house.

"Yeah hi Richard" i replied. "Whatz up?"

"Well nothing much" he replied. "Where have you been for such a long time?"

"Well just had some important work to do" i replied. "Why?"

"Well no just wanted your help in studies" he said. "I am not able to understand some matter."

"Well yeah ok" i said. "Come upstairs after 15 minutes. Till that time i will get fresh."

"Yeah ok fine" he said.

Richard was 20 years old now and was doing MBA but still whenever he used to have some problems in studies he used to come to me and i used to help him just as i did when we were small.

I went to my room and got fresh. After sometime Richard came to my room and i helped him in his doubts. After my dinner as usual i started doing my writing work but was somehow not able to concentrate on it as my mind was full on Jessica.

I had to find her anyhow and so i was thinking about all the poems but didnt gset any idea. So i went off to bed but wasnt able to sleep for the whole night. I just kept on thinking about the different ways of finding Jessica. Then suddenly a thought of Jill came in mind and i decided to talk to her about this matter and i was sure that she would surely help me out in this matter.

Next day i hurried to my office one hour early as i wanted to meet Jill and talk to her. I reached office but unfortunately Jill was not reached there and then i realised that i was one hour early here. I waited for her for next few minutes but she didnt turn up and so then i started doing my work. After sometime my phone which was kept on my desk rang.

It was my boss who called me with today's report which i and Jill made yesterday. I went to his cabin and submitted the report. At that time i thought that atleast now Jill would have come and would be waiting for me in my cabin but when i returned to my cabin she wasnt present and so i was sure that she is not gonna come today.

So i sat down and again started working. It was late afternoon after lunch time when i was gonna give some articles for publishing when Jill opened my cabin door.

"May i come in?" she asked in a little scary voice.

"Yeah come in" i replied.

"Sorry Ashley for being late" she said.

"Well yeah its ok, have a seat" i offered. "So why late today?"

"Actually i had little work to do yesterday and so i got tired and wasnt able to get up early in the morning," she explained. "Really sorry."

"Well no its ok," i said to make her feel better. "Then you should have taken rest today for the whole day."

"No Ashley, acutally i was gonna come in the morning itself but somehow . . . .,"

"Its ok," i stopped her. "Actually i was waiting for you since morning."

"Why?" she asked. "You need my help in any article?"

"No no not for this," i answered. "Actually i got Jessica's address and i went there yesterday."

"Really?" asked Jill.

"Yeah but wasnt able to meet her as she wasnt at home and her big sister. . . . " i stopped as something stuck in my mind.

I totally forgot that i had called Pam for work at 7am in the morning.

"Hey whatz wrong?" asked Jill. "Any problem?"

"Well i totally forgot that Jessica's big sister was gonna come to my place today at 7am" i explained getting tensed. "Actually i provided her with a scanning work at my place to improve her financial conditions."

"Oh i see" said Jill. "Now what?"

I immediately lifted the reciever and dialled my residential number. Richard picked up the phone.

"Hello?" he said.

"Yeah Richard," i said. "Has someone come to meet me?"

"Oh yes" he answered. "Her name is Pam."

"Is she still there at home?" i asked.

"Yeah she is. You dont worry, i have explained her everything" he said.

"What you told her?" i asked.

"I told her what to scan and what things to put online" answered Richard.

"Oh thanks a lot" i said. "Is she working?"

"Yeah she is there upstairs in your room" he replied. "Should i call her?"

"No no dont" i answred. "Let her work and just see if she needs anything."

"Yeah sure you dont worry" he assured. "Bye."

"Yeah bye" i said and hung up.

"What happened?" asked Jill.

"Yeah nothing, my brother explained her everything" i said.

Just as we were talking our boss enterd my cabin.

"Ashley, we have an very important meeting tomorrow" he said. "So be there at 8am sharp and you too Jill."

"Yeah sure sir" we answered in chorous.

"But regarding what?" i asked.

"Its regarding the new coloumn for kids which we are gonna introduce after next 3 days" he explained.

"Yeah alright sir" i said and then he left.

I didnt knew that this new coloumn was the only one which gave me the answers for all my questions.

After going home i mate Pam as she was still working there. I really got happy when i saw how nicely and properly she was doing the work.

I told her to stop the work at that time as she was working for the whole day. We then went down and had some coffee. After sometime she left and i didnt even ask her anything about Jessica.

Next day in the meeting all the information of the new coloumn was provided to us. It was especially for the kids who were under 10 years of age. This coloumn was to introduce their writing work. Whether original or fictious, both the entires were allowed and they were gonna get publish in the same way as they will be sent by the children.

Next day itself i gave the advertisement of the new coloumn and demanded for more and more enteries. We got a very good response in first week itself from small children and the coloumn was working successfully.

Just one day as usual i reached office at 8am. After sometime i got a call from Jill that she isnt feeling well and so she wont be able to come today.

On my right hand side many envelopes were kept. They were actually the enteries for Kids's Coloumn. As i had to select the best ones and publish and so i took one envelope in my hand. It was sent by one 6 year old kid.

I opened it and i saw one poem written in it with a messy handwriting. The poem was:-

"JACK AND JILL WENT UP THE HILL,
TO FETCH A PALE OF WATER,
JACK FELL DOWN AND BROKE HIS CROWN,
AND JILL CAME TUMBLING AFTER."

It was written very sweetly and so again and again i was going through the same poem. It gave me the idea how cute that kid will be and so i decided to publish that entry first. To see the other entries i kept that entry aside but that poem was coming in my mind now and then. It reminded me about my preschool years.

"Jack and Jill went up the hill . . . . " i stopped.

"Jack and Jill went up the hill . . . ." i said again and stopped.

It reminded me of my friend Jill whenever i recited that poem.

"She is named after a poetry character" i said to myself.

"Jack and Jill. . . " i started and stopped again. This time some serious thing was stuck in my mind.

Jill was a poetry character and Pam said that Jessica's pet name was also based on one poetry character. First i neglected this thought but then it started troubling me and then my heart itself told me the truth.

Yes i was right. Jill was Jessica. Yes she was the only one.

I quickly gave a call at home.

"Hello?" said Richard.

"I wanna talk to Pam right now" i said hurriedly.

"Just a second Ashley" he said.

After few moments Pam came on the phone.

"Yeah Ashley" she said.

"Pam, is Jessica's pet name related with the well known rhyme Jack and Jill?" i asked.

She didnt say anything for a moment.

"Please tell me fast" i said.

"Well aaaaa, who told you this?" she asked.

"Please Pam just tell me yes or no" i requested.

"Well yes" she answered and i was revealed.

I quickly left all my work and hurried to Jessica's place. Few minutes later i reached there and rang the door bell. No one opened the door. I again rang the bell and waited for few minutes. Again there was no response. After waiting there was sometime i remembered that i didnt ask anything about Jessica to Pam like whether she was at home or not and so then i thought of going home and asking everything about her to Pam.

I turned back to climb down the stairs when i saw Pam climbing up the stairs in hurry.

"Ashley listen" she said holding her breath. "Jessica is not here."

"Then where is she?" i asked. "She didnt come to the office today as she isnt feeling well."

"Ashley, Jessica has left this place forever" said Pam. "She will never come back here."

"What? Where she went?" i asked.

"USA, in the morning" answered Pam. "I think you should go there."

"Yes of course i am going there" i replied. "And will bring her back here."

"I dont think so she will come" said Pam. "And so i am thinking of going there tonight as she is alone there."

"But why she went to USA?" i asked. "She didnt knew that i was gonna come to know about her today."

"Yeah but she knew that you were looking out for her" Pam commented. "And so she got scared and left."

"But how did you guys came to know about me and how did Jessica joined Canada News Agency?" i asked.

"Well actually when you became a writer and got popular, Jessica used to read all your articles and novels and she even read your "TRUE FRIENDSHIP" which you wrote on your real life. After reading it she got very emotional and it was the time when she came to know that you werent cheating her and so she wanted to apologise to you but was little scared as she didnt knew that how would you react as she had behaved so rudely with you. But when you shifted here the news got spread all over Canada that the most popular author of USA was shifting here permanantly here for the editor's job and so Jessica first thought of meeting you on the airport itself and she went there too. She saw you but couldnt come forward and talk to you and so she got upset and at that time i suggested her to join the Canads News Agency and told her to register herself as Jill as she is known by this name here and forntunately she got the job in your company and so she helped you in your work in all the possible ways" explained Pam.

"Then why didnt you allow her to tell me the truth?" i asked.

"Well even i was scared a bit" she answered.

"Ok tell me now where she has gone in USA?" i asked.

"At the same place where we lived 10 years ago" Pam replied. "Well we dont have that house anymore but Jessica has got a chance to become a writer too and so she went there" said Pam

"Oh thatz good" i said. "So along with software engineer she is gonna become writer too."

"Well yeah but whatz the use of her being software engineer? She lost that job of software engineer" said Pam.

"But like how she has both the talents?" i asked.

"Actually after completing the high school while doing software engineering she was doing english literature also side by side and so she got the hobby of writing" Pam explained. "And so she started writing short stories which were published in magazines and newspapers and so now she has got the professional chance" she explained.

"Ok thanx Pam" i said. "I am going to New york right now."

"Yeah ok fine" she said.

"But where will she meet me?" i asked.

Pam opened her purse and took out a small piece of paper and gave it to me.

"Address is there in this paper" she said.

"Oh thanks a lot Pam" i said. "And no need of coming there, i will get her back here."

"Are you sure Ashley?" she asked. "Call me up if you face any kind of problem."

"Yeah sure" i said and left the place.

I reached international airport within few minutes and quickly took the flight for USA and luckily got it too. I reached New York in few hours. After reaching there i took a cab and quickly went to the written place. I was happy as i was gonna meet my best friend after so many years and now there wont be any problem in our friendship and i was sure that Jessica will forgive me.

As i was travelling in cab i was able to see the city in which i was born after so many days which was really helping me to feel better. After sometime as reached my destination. It was a kind of huge apartment.

I opened the piece of paper where the floor and room number was written. I quickly reached the top floor as per it was written there and rang the door bell. After a second it was opened.

Jessica opened the door and got stunned when she saw me standing in front of her.

"Aaaashley" she mumbled in a scary voice. "How come you are here?"

"Jessica, i wanna talk to you. I have come to know that your are Jessica, not Jill" i replied.

"Please Ashley, i dont wanna talk anything with you" she said.

I entered the room.

"Please Ashley go from here" she pleaded.

"No Jessica first listen to me" i requested. "I am really sorry for what i have done 10 years before. I honestly apologise for my behaviour."

"No Ashley please dont say that. It was my fault. I was the one who acted rudely with you and insulted you" she said. "I should say sorry not you."

We both were quiet for a moment. Then i was about to say something when i saw tears rolling down on Jessica's cheeks.

"Please Ashley, i am not worth of your friendship" she cried. "You really cared for me and wanted to improve me but i considered you wrong and broke the friendship just because you were poor and i was rich."

"No Jessica, it was my fault too" i said. "Even i lied you, didnt i?"

"Yeah but just to improve me" she said. "It wasnt your real intention and you were going to tell me the truth later, didnt you?"

"Yeah but its ok now" i said. "Letz forget everything now and be friends again. Fate has given us one chance to improve. Now letz be honest with each other and continue our friendship."

"No Ashley" said Jessica. "I should be punished for what i have done."

"Please Jessica dont say this" i pleaded.

"No please" she said. "I will surely continue the friendship but only after i repent for my behaviour and if you feel that you have done something wrong too then you too repent with me."

"I am not getting what you are saying" i said.

"Ok listen then" she started. "I will stay here in USA and you will stay in Canada. We will never meet each other nor will call up. You will be busy in your work there and i will be busy in mine. And once a time will come when we will coincidencely come in front of each other again and at that time the journey of our true friendship will start again and that will be the time when our punishment will be over. This is the test of True Friendship from which we will both have to pass."

"But how can you say that we will meet again?" i asked.

"Well if our friendship is true, we will surely meet" she answered.

I kept thinking on Jessica's words for sometime and i dont know how but i somehow felt that she was right and i have to do exactly what she says.

"Yeah ok as you say" i agreed. Tears started rolling down my cheeks too. We both then hugged each other and i left from there taking a last glance at her.

I came back to Canada and started with my work. I started writing the second part of 'True Friendship' and completed it withing few months. The ending of the story was just as it was in my real life i.e with the hope of meeting each other again.

Once i was called for the television interview when the second part of my book was published. Many questions were asked to me about this story like how i got the idea and how i wrote it and i answred honstly that i wrote the book on my real life incidences.

As Jessica was also struggling to become a writer her first book was published in November 2004. I got one of its copy and read it. I realised that she was much better in writing than i was and so i was really happy with her success.

It was 15th december 2004, when i was working on my new novel. My new novel was based on fantasy and i was thinking about its story to make it attractive when i just dont know how but Jessica's thoughts started coming in my mind.

I got up from the desk and went to the window and stood there. It was dark moonless night and as it was winter, the snow was falling. I was feeling much sleepy but wasnt able to go to bed as i was missing Jessica so much that i was feeling like going to USA to meet her but i didnt. This was our punishment and the test of true friendship but i knew very well that our friendship was true and so i had a full hope of meeting her again.

"We will surely meet again Jessica" i said.

And somehow in my mind i knew that this was going to be true one day or the other and so i closed the window and went off to sleep.

THE END

ADITI'S CREATIONS. . . .