This is what I've got!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Big Brother



He was 9 yrs old when she was born.

It was his summer holidays.

The moment he set eyes on the adorable baby, he decided that he would let nothing –absolutely nothing in the world - get in the way of his little cousin sister’s happiness.

He never left her side. He wouldn’t let even a teeny-weeny ant get near her.

Many-a-time, he threw tantrums to sleep in the baby’s room. He dreamt her innocent eyes and toothless grin.

He couldn’t express his happiness. But what really surprised him was that new weird feeling. Was it...responsibility? Well, big brothers were supposed to feel that way, weren’t they?

He couldn’t stop crying the day had to leave her and go back to his parents for the school year.


*******


He saw her again after 3 years, on her 3rd birthday.

He couldn’t suppress his amazement. She could run and talk now!

He played with her, tickled her, pulled her hair. And every time he did, she laughed, laughed and laughed.

One day, she fell down. The sight of her bleeding forehead almost made him cry. The cut was so deep. But no, big brothers console little sisters. They aren’t supposed to cry.

He held her hand while her mother cleaned her wound. He made funny faces to make her laugh, while the doctor stitched her wound.

That day, he promised her that he would protect her for the rest of her life.


********


It was her 13th birthday. She couldn’t control her excitement.

Her big brother was coming today.

She hadn’t seen him for years. Last time they met was 2 yrs ago, during their cousin’s wedding. But all their meetings were so brief and hasty.

Brother was older, so he had really complicated stuff to study in school, and now, in college. That had kept them apart for so long. But today, he was coming to see her, after completing his college education.

She couldn’t contain her happiness.

She remembered all those times when she used to be jealous when she saw girls of her age with their big brothers. But she needn’t worry anymore. From this very day, it was their turn to be jealous.

Like she did every time she thought of her big brother, she ran her hand over the scar on her forehead. She had heard stories from granny about how he had felt worse than her when he saw her wound. Of course she couldn’t remember anything properly. But the stories were enough proof of her brother’s love
.
When the doorbell rang, she ran to the door. She would be the one to receive her brother. 

She imagined his face with a big grin. He would definitely give her a bear hug, for which she would be prepared. And what gift was he going to give her? Most probably something really cool, like a book or an mp3 player.

She almost banged into the door and yanked it open.

There he was, with luggage and all.

She waited for him to cry out with joy. Oh boy, and then she would hug him.

But instead of the “you’ve grown so much!” she was expecting, a “move please” rang in her ears.

She stood aside, stunned, as he walked in with the luggage.

He glanced at her and smiled.

That one smile spoke the unspoken.

She was looking at a stranger.








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