The mail

It was the summer Saturday morning; everyone was doing their usual work. The work of the weekend such as the mother watering the plants, father with her helping in her gardening. Tarika and her sister are nowhere to see, maybe sleeping. Everything was calm and silent, the couple enjoying their time in this silence.

Suddenly they hear a shout "Wooooohhhh!"; from inside. It was Tarika's voice, the couple was bewildered by this sudden disruption in the silence. They both came inside the house where they heard another shout, rather a call "Mummy... Papa…Wake up Anu". Although there is a sense of happiness in it, the call made them worry. As they know their daughters, especially the younger one is a cheerful and merry spirit girl, but they never shout like this and that's also in the morning. They started to go upstairs to see what is happening, but their movement was paused as their daughters themselves were coming down. The younger one enthusiastically running through the stairs taking the lead of the elder who was coming slowly still in her sleep.

Watching the enthusiasm of their daughter, the mother asked: "What happened Tarika?" "Hey you monkey walk slowly, otherwise you will break the floor." commented her father.

Ignoring his advice, she jumps from the last second stair to the ground and then to them. Reaching them she hugged both and started to jump making them jump with her.

"Does something good happen? Did you get a lottery?"

"You bought a lottery? When?"

Interrupting in between these question Anamika answered in place of Tarika who, at a moment, is so happy to speak anything and is only looking on her phone. She said sleepily "She got the mail she was waiting for a month. The one about her international research."

"Hey can you speak it enthusiastically, or at least with some excitement and happiness?" demanded Tarika leaving her parents. "Mummy, Papa it is not like what she said. This mail is from the university in Seoul. You know they not only allowed me to do my research their but also accepted my application for a lecturer. It means I can do my research along with a job."

She held her mother's arms and again started to jump.

"Mummy, I am so happy. At last, my hard work is been paid off."

"That's alright but are you going to go alone?"

"Uhh!" with a teasing smile she said, "do you want to come along my love?"

"Nah, if it would be someplace like America, Europe; I should have thought about it but here I think you have to go without me."

"Why, what's wrong with this place?"

"Nothing."

During this chit chat, the mother-daughter duo forgets about the other duo of father-daughter sitting on the couch. They both have different expressions one is slightly sleepy while the other is quite bothersome. Looking at the expression on the face of her father Anamika asked about the thing that is bothering him.

Listening to the question he replied "Nothing, it is just the thought of sending my child alone out of the country and that's also the first time. This somehow worries me."

"Don’t worry Papa, this stupid daughter of yours is not that much stupid. She is capable to annoy me, which means she can do anything in the world."

"I know. But…you know that going into such fields like this, that your sister is going to step on, is risky. It is not that I am not happy but I just wished for both of you to have a government job. Which will be more secure and will promise a good future."

Sensing her father's worries Anamika said with some calm in her voice "Your worries are valid, papa. But they are not worth for you to think about. You know how much talent she is" she said pointing towards her sister, "she can do anything if she chose to do that. And of course, the result is in front of us." she continued with a surprise in her voice, "I mean, other than her none of us was expecting it and that’s why we were so calm about this matter, right."

"I know. But still, somewhere, deep down my heart I feel a government…"

"Don't be apprehensive, papa. Who says there can be no risk in the government sector? Life is uncertain and unpredictable at the same time, we can't say what is going to happen next moment lest in future, so we should focus on the thing we know about."

She looked towards her mother and sister and said to her father, "Now look there, see how happy she is. You know what, if a risky future is going to give her or us such happiness than that future should not be a problem, but a blessing."

Watching his daughter on the seventh heaven he replied "I do agree with you and that's why I didn't stop her or you for anything. It is just a fatherly feeling that makes me a bit worrisome. But this doesn’t make me ignore my happiness and proud I feel for my daughters"

"Moreover, it is something that she wishes to do to not wants to. She has much more for her future."

"And I am sure she will achieve everything that she plans to do in life."

Watching her father and sister looking towards her Tarika asked them "What are you both talking about?"

"You." replied his father.

"Ahh! I knew that but about what?"

"Like how this event was unexpected, at least for me." said her sister dramatically.

"Oh! what a disaster" replied Tarika in the same histrionic way "So like a wise woman learn from this mistake of yours and better not try it again in future"

"Yes, I was just planning to do so. Well, Papa, you see she makes it obvious that she is going to give many surprises in future."

"Uhuh! you just wait and watch!"

"Well, sure."

At this point, their father interrupted them and asked Tarika "So, when are you set to go?"

"The mail said that the semester starts after a month, so, I have to reach by then, I suppose. But I am thinking to go before that, let's say, as soon as the documents' work will be over."

"But how? Do you know how the government department works? It will take nearly a month to get a passport. And then you…"

"Don’t worry about that, Papa?" said she proudly "I have already applied for my passport, a few weeks ago."

"Really!"

"Yes, when I thought of applying for all these institutions. This was the first thing I focused on. And you know what it will be ready in a few days."

"Hmm, Impressive. Look how determined she is to go. I never knew you were so overconfident…"

"Self-confidence, my dear sister. It is known as self-confidence."

"And why will she not be confident, she was working hard since her graduation." supported her mother.

"And you know what, I am also learning the Korean language."

"It shows your determination, beta. I am proud of you."

Listening to her father realizing something Tarika said "Don't be proud of me. It is so early for that! Wait for the time when my name, Tarika Somani, daughter of Mr and Mrs Somani, will be a famous one."

"I will eagerly wait for it" replied her sister instead of her father.

To this, their mother replied that "Parents don’t need high achievements to be proud of. Even small things that their children do makes them happy and proud."

"And this is not even small" continued their father.

After a silence of few moments, he continued to ask "Will you be able to live in another land all alone. It is not going to be easy and that's also all alone."

"Don't worry papa, I will be alright as I am going with a positive mind and attitude. And remember, you only used to say that one can tackle everything with a positive attitude. Because if we have hope in our hearts, we can sense hope in everything around us, which will lead us to happiness and then we don't have to find happiness because even a little thing around us will grant happiness to us."

To this, her father gave him a sweet smile. The smile shows his love and proud in her.

"Oh again, please show some mercy on us and stop these talks of yours in the morning."

"Hey!"

"Okay, enough of talks" interrupted their father "aren't you hungry? I am going to make breakfast, Anyone up for help"

"I do captain." volunteered Tarika.

"Good. Now let us move to the kitchen, my fellow."

"Aye captain." saying this they both went to the kitchen leaving Anamika and her mother in the drawing-room.

"I will go and fresh up myself before breakfast," said Anamika and leave for upstairs to her room.

Behind the mother spoke to herself "Thank you, God, for granting my daughters what they deserve. Please give them the happiness that they deserve. It is only that my daughter is so naïve. I fear how will she face the world in a foreign land and that's also alone. I wish her to be safe and happy."

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