Chương 8: Abha's past -II

Before sending her, the brother-sister had a talk in hospital.

"Abha, I am sending you far away. You have to keep a hold on yourself. Don't be sad. I want to see you more cheerful. I have lost my all family member, now only you are left. I don't want the only member to leave me too." Rick was trying hard to control his tears.

"Are you trying to make me cry, brother? I am feeling bad. Brother can I..?" She poked on his shoulder wanting to put her head.

"Okay. What do you feel bad about? Tell me."

"Everything brother, no one loves me and now even these scars and my eyes are being the reason. Will I ever be able to find someone who loves me unconditionally in any situation?" She spoke slowly.

"Nonsense, never ever think like that. The people who truly love you, won't look for your outer appearance but your heart. You certainly will find what you wish for. Never say you are alone, you have your brother Rick whenever you need. At least I can lend my shoulder to put your head. Hehe...." Rick tried to ease the conversation.

"Yeah, yeah...Brother, do you have someone you love?"

"No, I don't have time for it"

"Why don't you find a partner too?"

"Why do you need a sister-in-law?? okay, my sister has demanded then I will try."

"Okay, after I leave from here you won't be lonely--"

*****

The environment of the monastery was peaceful and relaxing. She wasn't treated like a monster but as a normal human being there. Her true self was exposed without the glasses and her hair was turned bald. The surroundings and the teaching slowly turned her better.

But some sad memories of her past began to blur in her mind. It was good for her.

Thanks to Rick sending her there, she had a lot of changes like self-love, and self-acceptance. She turned confident and kind. The way she looked at the world started to change and she was ready to face the problems she could have. She turned optimistic.

After three years of her stay, she decided to leave. She went to meet Rick in-country M. She had got the address of Rick's apartment, so she went towards it by inquiring with peoples and knocked on the door. A beautiful woman opened the door.

"Oh, are you searching for Rick? But sorry to say, he traveled to Pliuca yesterday to visit his family grave. You are his sister, aren't you?" the woman spoke before Abha could speak.

"Oh!! okay, and you are?"

"I am Tia, Rick's girlfriend. Please come inside and have a talk."

After half an hour of talk, Abha walked away.

***

The next day Abha reached Pliuca and directly went to the cemetery. She could see Rick mourning in front of his parent's grave so she watched from far and didn't disturb him for twenty minutes.

Next, he walked to the right side about fifty meters away and kneeled between two graves. Abha then knew that could be their grandparent's grave so went forward without making a sound and kneeled too. She didn't announce her arrival to Rick.

Rick was telling his thoughts and feeling to his grandparents, so Abha quietly listened.

"Grandma, grandpa. Sorry, I couldn't meet the previous year. Everything is good with me. I have been appointed as head doctor of my department. You guys don't have to be tensed about me. I hope Abha will be good too. It has been three years that we didn't have a talk or met. Please bless her to have all her wish to be fulfilled. I don't want to see her sad again--" he turned quiet.

"Bro, why don't you tell them about your girlfriend?"

Rick was hell shocked by the sound that he sat on his butt. "Abha...when di..d you come?" he stuttered a little.

"Before you started to kneel"

"You heard everything...Umm...that's fine too. If you didn't cut my words I would have told them," he replied scratching his head.

"You see grandpa, she is fine. I will take her whole responsibility and will never leave her alone. Don't worry I will take her with me."

"Hold on brother...I am not going anywhere. I have decided to join University here and live in our old house. You can't foil my plans..."

"Okay, whatever. If you need anything inform me."

"Sure and grandma, grandpa sorry for visiting only now. Please...please forgive me. I am living here so I will often come to accompany you. Miss you guys."

Both walked away from the cemetery to their old house. "Abha did you notice you have started to form longer sentences? You are glowing with radiance after accepting yourself. Tell me about your three years."

"Before I say, tell me first about sister Tia." Abha insisted.

"I will tell you later. First, tell me about yourself."

"Sure..."

Later, Rick brought whatever Abha needed for her stay and returned back to country M.

*****

After Rick left Abha rested for two days and on the third day to experience the life she first began a job hunt. As she didn't have prior jobs after, so with a lot of difficulties, she found a job as a helper in a pastry shop.

The shop was quite famous, the money she got paid wasn't enough but she could meet different people there, so she joined. In the morning she decided to teach exercise and yogas in the nearby park to the old age people and in the evening to help in the shop.

In such a way she started to interact with people. Later she joined Pliuca University to study business and medicine together. Secretly she herself learned about computers.

She made some friends at University and at the pastry shop. Even so, she used to wear glass that made others unable to see her eyes and a skin mask to cover her face. It was not because she was afraid to show her true appearance but some people acted afraid seeing her like that.

Her professors, her boss, and the elderly liked her very much. She became a favorite sister of the children in her communities. Pliuca was like the countryside, so she never felt alone.

She could do social work like helping the communities be clean, health camps for the needy, and working to help orphans and old age people on her leisure days. Everything was going well, so for the first time in her twenty years, she was satisfied with her life.

Rick used to visit her with his girlfriend Tia occasionally and she also used to travel to country M to celebrate festivals, some important days, and sometimes on weekends.

But can Abha's life go smooth?....was unknown. She herself didn't know her life was going to experience a big twist and turn very soon.....

*****

A year later after her return to Pliuca,

As usual, Abha was working in the pastry shop today too. She was checking at the time on the wall watch periodically. She was hoping the time to move fast, so she could end her duty time and return back to her home. It was the first time she was hoping so.

Rick had returned from country M, two days ago. Today Rick and the elders were ignoring her from the morning as if she was invisible. At midnight, she was going to turn twenty-one, so she knew Rick and the elders were planning to give her a surprise. She also acted as if she didn't know.