16 December

Reeta was all ready for her customer. When he entered, she started to unclothe herself but he told her not to do anything.

"What happens? You didn't like me?" asked Reeta.

"It's not like that. I am not here for this. I am a truck driver. Whenever I have to stay away from my wife and I feel like talking to someone, I come here", said Ranjeet.

"Oh really, seems like you have a lot of money to spend like that. If you love your wife, then what are you doing here? Don't be so dramatic. Do for whatever you are here", said Reeta getting irritated.

"It seems like you are happy in this place and doing such kinds of things", asked Ranjeet.

"Why don't you go to some hotel instead of wasting your money here", said Reeta getting angry.

Ranjeet said, "You are getting your money and you don't have to do anything. Why are you irritated?"

"I am not used to people like you, Who want to talk only", said Reeta.

"Let's talk only today. Tell me how you end up here. Do you want to get out of here?"

Reeta laughed and said, "Where will I go??

Sir, it's been more than 15 years since I am here and doing all this.

And how I came here, I don't remember. But yes, I remember one incident.

It was on 16 December. Yes...I still remember this date. The date changed everything in my life. That was last winter, which I enjoyed with my family. I was a pampered girl. I had one sister too. She was of dark skin and I was like a doll. Everyone would praise me and I would feel like flying in the sky. My sister used to get jealous and I used to enjoy that too.

I still remember people saying, "How beautiful she is.. she has born with great fortune."

But on that freezing day, my whole fortune got lost. We were traveling in the car. There was fog outside. Nothing was visible. Suddenly our car moved to one side and got stuck to some tree and there was a big sound. Everything fell apart. Glasses were broken and we got injured and then I fell unconscious.

When I woke up, I was at a small hospital with unknown people around me. I was injured very badly. I could not walk for 2 months.

During those months, I never saw my parents and my sister. When I tried to ask someone, I was told that all died in an accident. I got panicked. Then why none of my relatives appeared to take me.? My grandparents, my uncles, and my aunts. I told them their names and places where they live, but nobody helped me.

After 2 months, the night before the plaster from my legs was to be cut down, Someone put some handkerchief on my mouth and I fell unconscious and when I woke up, after how many days, that I don't remember, I was here.

What is a life without parents, I got to know here.

Whenever I think about that foggy day, chills run down my body. I hate winters.

I never go out in winter. Whenever I see fog, I get scared. I keep myself in this room without looking outside.

Sometimes I miss my sister. Perhaps I could see her one last time.

Sometimes I laugh at how fortunate I am!! This beauty.. is cursed."

Reeta's heart had turned to stone but she had not told anyone her story till now. She felt at ease after vomiting out her story. She could feel her eyes well up.

Ranjeet's cell phone rang.

"Yes, Sir. Have you people come. Okay. I am coming out", said Ranjeet.

"Get ready, wear these clothes, you will go with me. I am a police officer. This place is being raided", said Ranjeet to Reeta giving her one dress out of his bag. Ranjeet went outside.

Reeta thought it was a joke but when she heard a few voices coming from outside, she also got panicked.

"Get ready fast, I told you, otherwise you will also go to jail with all of the other girls here ", said Ranjeet, again entering to her room.

Reeta looked at him in shock and confusion. She had never thought of leaving that room.

"I will be back within 2mins", said Ranjeet waving his hand in front of Reeta's gaze. Reeta came to her senses.

Reeta changed her dress and covered her face with the scarf. Ranjeet came inside and took her outside and dropped her in his hired truck.

"Wait here for me, I will be back", said Ranjeet.

Reeta sat down inside and closed her eyes very tight.

It was 16 December again.

Ranjeet came back, but she refused to open her eyes.

Ranjeet took her to his home.

He brought her inside the home and called his wife.

"Naina.. see who has come? Your beloved hubby has completed his task today", said Ranjeet with happiness.

Naina came outside. She looked at Reeta, who was still closing her eyes and covering her face. She removed the scarf from Reeta's face and shouted, "Sunaina...Sunaina... my sister."

Reeta opened her eyes and looked at Naina in shock and wide-open eyes. She could not believe her sister Naina was standing in front of her.

Both sisters hugged each other and cried for a long time, without speaking anything.

Naina told her about how their parents died on the spot. When someone took unconscious Sunaina from the accident spot and afterward they were unable to find her.

"When I got married to Ranjeet, I told him about you. He started searching for you and it's been 5 years since we are looking for you. Today, finally you are here with us", said Naina.

Sunaina(Reeta) opened the window to feel the cold wind. She wanted to feel her childhood winter again that was taken from her. Suddenly Naina came and put on the woolen shawl on her shoulders. Sunaina looked behind and she saw it was her mother's shawl. She grabbed the shawl around her tightly and a drop of tear ran down from her eyes. She could feel the warmth... The warmth of her mother's lap and her hugs.

Winters can be harshly warm sometimes but they do return the warmth.