We all know life and time are the best teachers in anyone’s life. But does it also make us strong enough to face the circumstances? This is a story of Raju and Chinnu, Raju who has been a protecting brother hides the truth of his mom’s illness from his sister, but no sooner Chinnu finds the truth. How would the young Chinnu react upon knowing the truth for her mom’s illness?

 

“Plash……”,

Chinu: Bhaiyu, you’ve broke one more kiddy bank today, but why?

Raju: That’s my saving, and I can do anything I want to from it.

Chinu: But bhaiyu we’ve planned to buy a new saree for mom, isn’t it?

Raju: I’ll make enough money by that time, and don’t say this to anyone else.

Saying this Raju left from house. Chinu was left sobbing, she was worried. She had been planning to gift a saree to her mom since past few months. She got really angry upon her bhaiyu, but she believed in him.

…After few hours

Raju: Mom I’ve got the medicines, make sure you check the list again and do let me know if I missed anything.

Mom: No Raju, you’ve almost got everything. Don’t worry I’ll check the prescription once again.

Raju: Okie Mom, I’ll leave now.

Mom: Take care of yourself son, and don’t stress yourself too much everything would be fine one day.

Raju: Bye maa. Take care of yourself.

…In the evening

Chinnu: Bhaiyu, where have you been all day. Even mom isn’t a home, I get worried staying alone the whole day.

Raju: Relax Chinnu, Mom will be back soon, and see what I’ve got for you. Your favorite Chocolate Ice Cream.

Chinnu: Thank you so much Bhaiyu, I’ll get the bowls right now.

Raju: You go and eat dear. I’ll have it later.

Raju went back to his room. He managed to have a pasted smile in front of everyone but for when he’s back in his room, he could never control the burst of his tears. He was a tough guy, a mentally strong person but could maintain this identity only in front of the world. He was worried about his mom’s deadly disease, his sister’s responsibility. He stood firm during the crises but deep inside he could his hope crumbling and shattering. Various thoughts occupied his space, their he spent another night worrying about the upcoming day.

….Few days later

Raju: Chinnu I may come late today, you don’t worry about me. Just finish your dinner and go to bed. And don’t forget to lock the door. I have a master key, so you go to bed, don’t wait for me.

Chinnu: But Bhaiyu, today is mom’s birthday. We’ve planned about gifting her saree today only na. But why isn’t mom back home. I thought she would be back by her birthday.

Raju totally forgot about his mom’s birthday amidst his worries. All he could do is nothing but giving a false hope to his sister, and moved on.

Raju: Mom can’t come today dear, granny’s health is deteriorating. She can’t leave her mom for her birthday.

Chinnu: But Bhaiyu…

Raju: Chinnu am getting late, will talk to you tomorrow.

Raju left the place, but chinnu kept wiping all throughout the time. Chinnu never saw her brother behaving so rude to her, she was really hurt but at the same time she knew her brother wasn’t like this before. He was really sweet and caring person, even her mother has never been away from her for such a long time. She knew something was not right, but to find out the truth she had break her promise and she did it. She followed her brother, she wanted to see what circumstances have been haunting him that made him behave so rude to her.

Chinnu saw her brother entering a hospital, she thought for a moment and then she remembered that he told her granny wasn’t well. So she assumed that he was going to visit the granny.

Chinnu wondered “If granny is here, mom would be here too, I can go and wish her on her birthday. Mom would be too happy to see me here”, the innocent heart never imagined what was awaiting her inside. She walked inside and followed her brother’s footsteps. But chinnu kept herself bit far so that she can surprise both her mom as well as her brother. She watched him entering a room 401, she then went to the door, and peeped through the see through glass. Her brother was speaking to someone, she moved herself to see her granny. And then, she saw her mother. For a while she couldn’t believe her eyes. She rubbed her eyes and tried to peep again. But I was her mom, she realized it was her mom admitted in the hospital, not her granny. She cried a lot but couldn’t dare to step in the room. She just sat near the door, and was waiting for her brother.

After a while…

Raju came outside and was shocked to his little sister sobbing and worried.

Raju: Chinnu what are you doing here?

Chinnu: Bhaiyu, why did you hide the truth?

Raju: Chinnu I didn’t want to worry you, and mom is fine. She’ll come back home very soon.

Chinnu: Bhaiyu if mom couldn’t leave her mom for her birthday, how could I leave my mom just to keep myself away from worries which won’t even last long. I know she’ll be fine and she has to be because she has promised me that she’ll take me to granny’s house after she comes back.

Raju that day realized that his younger sister is no more a child. She’s grown up, situations have made her learn everything. Sometimes we never know what life has got for us, the very next moment. One must be prepared to face any circumstances, else as well know

“Time doesn’t heal anything, it just makes us strong enough to live with the pain”