Travelling With A Stranger

''Two different tales

Two broken hearts 

Travelling the world together 

Strings attached.''

           Chapter 1

''We are like books, We wait for someone to find us and open us to see what's inside.'' 

My dad was an International agent who used to work around the world. Despite being an travel agent he used to random jobs. Being an travel agent does not seem to be eye catching to my eyes or in particular it does not seem glamorous. As amazing as it is to jet around the world. He had to keep in contact with clients 24/7365 number of days no matter what timezone he was in.

Since I was little all I could remember was waiting for my dad to return because I knew he would bring me back from the country he worked in. 

I didn't see my dad a lot, so I basically stayed with my grandmother. When my dad would return he would spend his entire time with me. At night before bed he would make sure to tell me a bed time story, normally it was about all the places he had visited. I was always fascinated with his stories and I desired to travel around the world when I would grow up. 

My grandmother passed away so I had to move to my aunt's place, which was immensely sad for me. She was a cruel witch, but portrayed herself to be as beautiful like the shinning moon in the darkest night. She hated me as much as the comparison between the upper class and the lower class and another reason she couldn't bare that my mom gave birth to a beauty like me. She couldn't stand my mother but she was pleased with the fact that my mother had abandoned me when I was only two years old.

I always compared my life with Cindrella. I was Cindrella with two evil sisters and a Step mother. In my case, it was two evil cousins - Jade and Janice and and evil aunt. Her name was Julie but she resembled herself as the love of jewels. 

I stayed in a small room which seemed horrible but it was completely fine as I stayed away from those evil witches. I always cursed myself for being this unlucky or should I call myself the black sheep of my family. Looking back at my past only brings me tears each passing day as only the heavenly knows if it's going to be forever or it will be worth this pain. 

It was the 17th of October. My birthday but it still seemed like an ordinary day to me. I just wished my mom would have never abandoned me and my dad would have been here. I would wake up to a birthday call and hugs and gifts but unfortunately I could only dream of that . Suddenly I hear a knock at my door and guess who it was ? It was my Dad. I jumped out off bed and ran to him with tears rolling down from my eyes. I couldn't stop crying at all. I couldn't hold back myself but this was just a miracle. I was extremely happy and my heart danced with joy. It was my 4th birthday and I couldn't ask for anything more apart from my dad just being here. I looked up to my dad but he looked very pale and sick which made me feel a bit upset to see him like this. I had hugged him tight not wanting him to leave me and go by any chance. He bought me a box full of chocolates and gifted me a big teddy bear which had a letter stuck to it. I pulled out the letter to read but my dad insisted me to read later.

Normally like every year my dad would take me to the park, we would have my favourite ice cream and he would tell me stories of his adventures, but not this time. He was sick and was unable to walk two feet. As I held my dad for the second time his body froze and he fell to the ground. I screamed and shouted for help. Tears kept flowing from my eyes like the waves from the sea. My neighbours had called for the ambulance and they took my father to the hospital. 

He was admitted at Woodlands Hospital. I had to spend my birthday with my dad at the hospital. 

It was about 12 pm in the night when my father's breathing got heavier. I can still remember the time because I was lying next to his bed on a small couch and I woke up when I heard him call my name. Papa had called me close and held my hand tight and said, 'Isabella, My sweet daughter. I am so sorry for the life I've put you through. I am sorry for being such a bad father and that I was never around.'' 

I can still remember these words that he said between his heavy breath. 

Tears rolled down my face.'' Dad you've never been a bad father to me .You've been a good father that didn't abandon me as mother did .'' 

He had tears in his eyes and and softly wiped my tears away . His hands had turned cold as ice where as his hands use to be so warm .

My dad looked at me with pain and said ,'' Isabella, my loving daughter never give up on your dreams , go explore the world and live well, be strong and find a man much better than me and who would treat you well . Live happy and healthy and always keep me in your heart . 

My dad took my hand and put a fabric wristband on my wrist that had words 

'' love life and travel the world .'' 

He placed a key and an envelope in my hand . 

'' The day you turn 20 go to the bank and show them your identity and this envelope . They will take you to a safe and the rest will be handled to you . I caught his hand tight and said,'' Dad, why are you giving this to me ?" He held my hand more tighter and said , ' Happy Birthday my little princess, I am sorry that due to my irresponsive body behaviour you had to spend your birthday in the hospital .'' 

'' It's okay papa , as long as I'm with you . I don't care where we are.'' 

Tears began rolling down from his eyes.He burst out crying harder . I stood there still looking at his face with my heart breaking slowly bit my bit . I have never seen my father cry before . It broke my heart seeing him cry. I climbed up onto the bed , lay my head down and tapped my tiny head on his chest . 

He struggled to breathe and I could hear how fast his heart was beating . He stroke my hair softly and whispered . 

'' I love you my princess , don't forget me.''

I grabbed onto his shirt and whispered with tears flowing . 

'' I love you too papa, I will never forget you .'

I placed my ear where his heart was beating . I could hear his beat getting slower and slower . His heavy breath stopped . He went quiet . I couldn't hear his heart beat anymore and his hand dropped down from my head . 

I called out softly . 

'' Papa !"

'' Papa, Wake up !"

''Papa...........''

I placed my hands softly on his chest , shaking him trying to get a respond out of him but he didn't wake up . 

I cried out with so much of pain not understanding what to do .' papa , Wake up!" . I cried so much that I couldn't breathe . ''Papa please wake up you can't leave me.'' 

My father did not respond . I quickly ran to one of the nurses and told them my father isn't breathing . They ran to my father and tried to get his heart beat back.

I could see the look at the nurse is face . It seemed much in despair and there were so many nervous faces as I stood there in the corner of the room sobbing in pain. All i heard was '' Clear'' After a minute I heard the machine go '' Beep " and that's when I realized I've lost the only one person who was like a treasure in my life and that he was the only person who my life revolved around . Just like the Earth and the Sun . But this ended far scary than my mother abandoning me . I felt like someone just snatched my heart out from by chest leaving me to live in flesh. I felt like a dead living soul living in a world of unfairness and that you don't know what's next . I was lost wondering what's happening.

A nurse walked up to me and knelt holding me tight .' What is your name love?' She asked softly while she wiped my heavy tears off my red face. Through my breathless voice I managed to answer . She held my hands and said . '' I am sorry for your loss love .' I couldn't keep up anymore longer and burst out crying . I wished I could have just died with my father . I wanted to scream at him and say , 'How could he leave me like this all alone like an orphan. I knew my life is going to be hell as a new clock will tick while i have to spend by years with my aunt who is not good as chaste but is evil as a witch . 

I held the nurse tight and said , ' I don't want to go home as my dad is my home.' I could see she felt sorry for me . She hugged me and said , '' Don't you have any family members?" 

I didn't reply . I just kept on sobbing while looking down. She stood up , took my hand and started walking . 

 '' Do you have any identity of you love ?" She asked as I could barely answer her because of the pain I was holding in my heart . I nodded and gave her my identity card that I always carried with me . She looked at it and I saw her quickly wipe a tear that escaped her eye . She looked at it and was quickly going through it . 

' Was it your birthday yesterday ?" 

I slowly nodded with my hair covering my face . She knelt again , pulled off the hairband that was around her wrist and took my hair slowly out of my face and tied it . She wiped my face with a tissue and asked while smiling with her eyes.

'' Do you want to get some ice - cream ?" 

'' No !" I want to see my father . I want to hug him and ask him if i could go with him . The nurse grabbed my hand and said, let's go and have some yummy ice - cream , then I will take you to meet your father . I nodded . Just when we were about to leave my aunt appeared bursting in crying out acting like a real pathetic drama queen who was constantly throwing around fake tears .

'' Where is my brother ?" She screamed running from one end to another throwing off her fake tears . I quickly hide behind the nurse grabbing the fabric of her dress , hugging her in fear and peaking around her . The nurse looked at me over her shoulder and looked back at my aunt . My aunt saw me hiding behind the nurse and furiously screamed out throwing her looks and pointing at me . 

'' You ! " '' You little brat !"

She grabbed me away from the nurse and slapped me , yelling ' It's your fault he's dead .' The nurse was terrified with my aunt's ruthless behavior that she quickly pulled me away from her . 

' What's wrong with you woman ?' 

My aunt smelled of alcohol but she wasn't that drunk she was perfectly in her conscious and knew every word she replaced. She yelled back at the nurse saying ,' That's my brother's daughter, the black sheep of our family . ' Give her back as I have to take her home for the burial ceremony so she could sing the black sheep song for being unlucky to each and everyone of us . The other nurses had phoned the security and asked them to throw her out as she created a dramatic scene and her exit was much in need.

Come on let's go home my aunt said politely this time . She's not leaving with you ma'am said the nurse with so much confidence . ' Where is she going to go .?' I am all she has left . 

' I think you need to leave ma'am .' said the nurse again but my aunt seemed to have changed her personality . She seemed calm and sweet but I knew it was all in vain . 

The security ran in , grabbed my aunt and pulled her out . I felt a bit of a relief . The nurse smiled at me and said , ' Don't worry you'll be safe with me . ' At that moment I was scared as I had no where to go . I was glad that i could rely on this god sent nurse . She was my savior and uninvited guest in my darkest plight and ever since that day she was my only home and the reason for my living fine . After my father's death I refused to celebrate my birthday every year as that seemed to be my mourning day . Where the light of happiness were created to cherish new growth there i was cursed to lose hope that was none other day than my life filled with immense sorrow .As every birthday took me back to the 17th of october where it turned out to be the anniversary of my father's death . I was scared of attachments thinking they would die just like my grandmother and father and I would be alone .

I lived with Nurse Mary for the past fourteen years . She was not just a nurse but also a mother to me who took great care of me . She let me study from home and i did distant learning . I was afraid of being around people and i didn't want to discover anymore hardship. 

      CHAPTER 2 

I woke up from the wrong side of the bed wondering whether its Christmas Eve but unfortunately i realised that today was my 20 th birthday and I finally graduated. Nurse Mary decided to take me for lunch and fix my arm band that my father gave me . Sometimes i felt he lived in and he's always with me . I couldn't get over the fact that how i accused myself of being the black sheep of my family but over the years I've gained much over that I have lost . It was a really nice day and for the first time in 14 th years I decided to celebrate my birthday with nurse mary . 

I celebrated my birthday in a simple way . We went to visit my father's grave which was at malick bazar cemetry at park street . The cemetry looked beautiful as each and every grave had a rose on it as a symbol of love . I just wished if God could grant me one wish I would have gone to the after world and bought my dad back. I wished i could hear him once say , ' Happy birthday my princess.' I never thought that my happiest day would be my mourning day . Once again after all these years I realised how unlucky and burdensome i was to my family that my step into this world seemed to bring the bridge between my family. My mother had lost her job after she gave birth to me . So i guess she had every right to abandon me . She never gave me a name but had first called me the black sheep of the family. I calmed myself down and burt a candle for my dad's soul to rest in peace with a letter to him . If he could only read. 

Dear Dad , 

        I know your doing fine up there and roaming around heaven's tour as you roamed several countries. I wish you were here at my dwelling step to see me purchase my every goal. I wish you could hug me tight in your warm arms and never let me go. In the twilight i run to see your face but I am left with ashes of smoke . In the memory of your smiling face i sold my soul to your grave. We will always be connected through life's unexpected ways . 

 Love your Daughter whose already dead! 

( The Black sheep of the family ) 

After placing the letter and flowers on his grave nurse mary and myself had left . She took me to a small cafe which was at the back of Quest mall namely, la letezia Cafe . This cafe seemed beautiful . We ordered for some pasta and shakes. It was getting late so we took a bus to head back home . We walked down the ally where our home was , laughing and talking but we weren't drunk even though we seemed like we were. Mary noticed that someone was following us so she grabbed my hand and walked faster. We were ten feet far from our house when suddenly two drunk men had appeared in front of us saying, (Tumi du'jana sundari mahila kothaya yaccha ?' ) which meant where are you two lovely ladies going ? 

Let's just overlook them and walk ahead to our destination I whispered . Just don't utter another word Nurse Mary said, and pulled me towards her and glared at them.'' I could see how annoyed nurse mary seemed that she took of her shoes to hammer them. I was impressed to see this side of her . They still blocked our way. ' I need shelter for tonight , said one of the men who seemed to look as pathetic as an owl. Mary refused to hear a single word that they uttered until one of those men pulled a knife . They grabbed our bags and took everything we had which wasn't much. We were horrified and I could see mary was trembling . I held her hands tight and we quickly ran home but mary seemed to be off. She looked pale on her face and she seemed to feel terribly weak. I asked her if she was okay but she refused to say a word and just nodded. I knew something wasn't right but i choose to remain quiet. I made us some sugar water for the unexpected shock meanwhile mary went to take a shower . I waited for her to finish but she was taking extremely long. 

I walked to the bathroom door and knocked , but there was no response . 

' Mary , Is everything okay ?' Are you okay? Still there was no response . She didn't even utter a single word . I had to call for the plumber as I only had his number saved . We broke open the bathroom door and I was shocked of what my eye caught. Mary was asleep in the bath . I woke her up but she looked weak , the trauma got her so bad that her body completely went into shock . I had to rush her immediately to the hospital and this was just amazing that once again I'm here after fourteen years at the same hospital where I bid my final goodbye to my dad and some old memories we left behind which will be a mark of a pure love between a father and his little princess who died with him the day he died . Even over these years my heart hasn't felt light . I wanted to run a hundred miles to get the answers to my questions . But you see Life's really funny , that no matter where you go , your path will always bring you back to your roots . I prayed to the heavenly above that this time history should not repeat itself . 

I was sitting next to Nurse Mary when she finally gained consciousness . I was so relieved that I burst out crying . She looked at me with tiny eyes and caught me tight .Slowly, she softly touched my cheek and whispered , 'I am sorry you have to come to this place again on your birthday.' I hugged her tight with tears in my eyes . I couldn't imagine my life without her . She hugged me even more tighter and said , don't cry you know how my heart breaks when I see those tears .' I looked at her and whispered . ' Please don't leave me , you're the only one I have. My only mother who never gave me birth but gave me a new life . She slowly sat up straight and took my hand cupping it between her two hands. My head was facing down as I felt her hand softly removing the hair in my face like the first day on my sixth birthday where we met as complete strangers . 

' You won't get rid of me that easy.' 

I looked up and my eyes met her soft smiling face . ' I promise I won't leave you soon.' You know sometimes the human body does get tired and sick sometimes and it tends to shut down but it doesn't mean I am going to die .' I smiled and nodded . Since mary seemed to feel better i got her discharge slip to take her home . We were home finally after a hectic day . I told her to rest as i bought our favourite biryani for dinner . What could be much better than this . My love for biryani and mary was just limitless to the end . We had a lovely dinner and we both head of to sleep. Time had passed and mary was doing perfectly well. She never had a boyfriend or went out on a date since I've met her. Sometimes i feel bad because i feel she's sacrificing for me. I noticed many a times that jealous look when she saw married couples and envies them with her eyes . My wish for her is to get a good man who will treat her the way she deserves to be treated and love her endlessly . As she also needs a family of her own . 

We were sitting at one of the coffee shops and mary had her eye on the manager. His name was Anurag Basu with a perfect body and a height of 6'2. I wondered if he was married or running single just like Mary . He had cute smile and a sharp feature which makes him look extra attractive . He really amuseds me with his royal greet towards mary whenever we dropped in . I am no expert in these kind of judgemental situations but I am pretty sure he must have had his eyes on her as well but both of them acted off . I just want to see her happy like she has always kept me happy . Our bond grew stronger each passing day . I left my seat and sat on her lap asking her to feed me . She laughed and said , here's my small little baby . We feed each other and laughed at our silly jokes and clicked as many pictures with each other just to build memories . As we were leaving Mr. Basu ran behind us and asked us if we enjoyed , even before I could say a word , mary answered shyly, ' Yes we did and it was great .' I left them both for a chat and moved out to inhale some fresh air as i just wanted my me time . Looking at the deep blue sky and the echoes of distant voices that ran through my ears and the cool breeze hitting on me was just wonderful. Lost in my own imaginary thoughts I saw a cute guy with a 6'2 height walk passed me. His after shave lemon smell was extremely mesmerizing that i felt the urge of inhaling it again. I couldn't notice him well as he had a black nose mask on . He walked in to the cafe like a boss as if he owned the place . I removed my focus from him and was impatiently waiting for mary to head out so we could go home and watch our favourite show together with some yummy popcorns and chilled beer. Finally mary headed out saying we would be going to dominos with Mr. Basu . I agreed, as i wanted to have a taste of some chicken saussage pizza . Mr. Basu had greeted me with his charming smile and asked how old I was turning . I laughed and said, I'm 20 . 'Ah!' that's wonderful , my son is turning 25 tomorrow.' I didn't even know he had a son . Mary face had turned red , with her eyebrow up she replied ,' Really?' That look was enough to kill a live man spot dead. Mr. Basu nodded and responded with , ' We all should have dinner together tonight.' What about your Wife ? Mary asked softly sounding impatient to hear the response . Mr. Basu looked at her and said , she's in a better place looked after by the angels above . It was clear that his wife passed away and he was living a single father life with his son . ' That would be great ,' Mary said blushing and liking the idea. Whereas I didn't like the idea much . 

' See you later , Mr. Basu ,' Mary said patting him on the shoulder . He did say something but in the din all i caught was babe . Mary had realised that too, especially she couldn't her smile up for long . ' Yes that will be great dinner for four, I said interrupting them without absorbing my words, all my attention focused on them. They kept exchanging smiles and were locked into each others eyes. Mary realised the award movement she immediately turned towards to me. ' let's leave?' She said , looking at me straight in the eye. I knew She wanted to rush out fast . I gave a slight laugh and said, ' Okay ?" 

Mr.. Basu seemed to be in a good mood. "Can I drop you both home?" "Sure!" I replied immediately and then wondered if I had responded too quickly. Mr.. Basu seemed to be the nicest and kindhearted man I've ever meet after my Dad. I could just a picture a new family together and I only wished that this remains . Always and forever. "Can we go now?" Mary asked looking at both of us in a cheerful and positive way. I looked at Mary and gave out a deep sigh. We got to the car . Mr. Basu went ahead and held the car open for us. "Don't worry, I am not used to this. "Mary said, rubbing her hand on his back. He left the door and strode aside. 

"Do you have any music?" 

'Yes!'

Mr.. Basu turned on the player . He had Lata Mangeshkar CD in the system. I fiddled with it until I found a track that I liked and let it play. 

We drove in relaxed silence and I gradually got lost in my thoughts with the song "AJIB DASTAN HAI" as the background. I gazed off into the distance.