An ugly duckling..

(Wednesday, 10th May, 2006)

It's almost 2 week, she have been reading that story book, in the afternoon Ralph return home from his duty. He spotted Angelina alone, sitting in the garden patio set while he was parking car.

He noticed, she was holding the book but deeply lost in thoughts, staring onto the sky.

"So, you finished the book?" He seated next to her chair.

She got out of her thought and slowly keeping her eyesight down replied, " I read till 12 or 13 page of this book and I know this story is amazing but on the 14th page I forgot everything what was on starting. I don't remembered. Then again started from the beginning and I am on 9th page now but again forgot what was on those previous pages."

He thought maybe this is the right opportunity to talk her about her treatment he leaned forward and said," I know this all is too hard for you....umm , I wanted to talk to you about this."

"About what ?" she confusingly asked looking him.

"Doctor Carter, under whom you were treated, wants to do a thorough mental examination of you and complete your treatment, I too want the same."

"Examination !?"

"Yeah ! kind of some tests and a session of questions and answers. "

Her brow raised and she asked nervously, "What types of questions ?"

"Something about your previous life, something about your family."

"Everything about me !". Her heartbeat raise

"Don't panic kid, it's just a part of process. After that everything will be fine, you will be fine."

"If they found anything wrong about me, they would give me electric shock ?" she wrap her arms around herself.

"Wow.. COP great job.. such an insane you are, told her everything" he mused. "No, it's..... it's not necessary." he said.

"B-but they c-can !" She tremble with anxiety, "I.... I can't t-tell them, I-if I tell them....nothing w-would be fine, n-nothing....would go back to n-normal.... nothing would be n-normal." as she said, Tears fall from her eyes. She stood up, keeping the story book on table, to leave from there. "then w-where would I r-run." she hum quietly to herself.

As she stood up he tried to calm her, "Alright! wait. Listen to me."

She kept on walking, humming herself, " t-they would never let m-me run again, what will i....I do ?"

"I am asking you, not forcing you." He said in a loud voice as she wasn't listening him and she stopped. "If you don't want, you're not going anywhere."

She turned back.

"Trust me." He said pointing to the chair, "Sit here, we won't talk about that. Okay ! !"

She slowly came back and sat on the chair as she was.

" I guess...That right opportunity would never come",he mused again.

Neither he nor she spoken a word in next few mins, but she continued crying.

He was worried about her, he had nothing in his nature that could please any child and then for him pacifying a criying child was so far. A rough personality of him was troubling him today.

He glance around to see how he could get attention and stop her from crying. Looking at the story book, lying on the table, he asked, "It's a storybook."

She sniffed and nod.

"What is it about? " he asked.

"I-I don't k-know." She still sobbed.

"You are angry with me, huh. Don't wanna talk."

"N-no ... m not !" She sniffed.

"Then will you tell, what this book is about ?"

She think for a while, wiped her tears pick it up and hold, "The ugly duckling." She sniffed again, "It's... it's about a grey, dirty duckling."

"Oh ! a duckling. So what's he doing? "

"A mother duck's egg hatch." She clear her throat, "All duckling were normal, as they should be. One... One of the little duckling is different from other.... umm.. this one.. is grey and dirty looking. He tried to fit in with the rest.... but the other rejected him and is perceived by the other birds and animals.. ... everywhere as an ugly little creature and suffering much verbals and... physical abuse from them."

"Seems miserable ! hmm ! What happens next."

"That's all I remember right now." She replied quietly, "As I told you, I am just repeating the beginning. I don't think I'll be able to compete it."

"And I don't think you should give up. Come on ! this' just a story book."

A smiled appeared on her round face remembering something.

"Won't you tell me what's making you smiling." He asked.

"Maa said the same thing when I was I grade 1st. That day again i scored less." She paused.

"Then ?"

She glanced at his face with a slight smile, " I think this ugly duckling is just like me. I scored least most of the times. So, that day my classmates made fun of me. This was what I was telling to Maa and requesting her that I don't want to go school anymore."

"What did she said ?"

"She said nothing but next morning, She took me to the playground and asked me to climb the slider. I'd never tried that before." She stopped remembering that moment.

"You climbed? " He interrupted.

She looked at him, giving a tender smile, " She said if I love her I will do that."

He chuckled.

She continued, "and that was really difficult for me. Then the same thing happened as the class. I became the center of everyone's joke again, because then I was afraid of sliding down. I was on the top feeling like a depressed clown.Almost all the people there were laughing,seeing me. Was about to cry but holding myself from crying infront of her. Then many children making fun of me slide down very easily, from my back."

"Did she climbed up to get you down? "

She smiled, "No. She stayed down there and spread her arms to hold me. She was sure, I can let anyone make fun of me but not her. And so it was. I went down sliding for her and she held me tightly in her arms. I was very happy but she was more. She told me, she wasn't happy because I came down, but because I didn't leave it in the middle. Best moment of my life. "

He was smiling all the time she was tell him about.

"Later I realised, that wasn't as difficult as I thought." She chuckled.

He smiled. "So, that was just a slider and this is just a book. Will you finish ?"

She nod giving an affiliative smile, " Yes, Ofcourse. "

"Will you tell me the ending, when you'll finish ?"

"You didn't read this book ?"

"No, I didn't. "

"Ok ! I'll tell you the ending. I promise."

They both looked at the main gate, as they were distracted by the entrance of a car. The guard opened the gates and the car parked in parking area.

A driver came out and open the door for his Sir.

He was David Cooper, younger brother of COP Ralph Cooper. Seeing them in patio, he approached them. "Good noon, COP." and sit beside them on third chair, then looked at her, "Hello ! little lady."

She politely smiled and replied, "Hello, Sir."

"Dear ! you go in and read. " said Ralph.

She replied, "Ok" and walked inside.

After she left, David asked, " Who's she ?"

"She's Sarah's daughter."

"What ?..How is she here ? How did Trevor let her come to you ?" He asked shockingly.

"She ran from him, he don't know she's here."

"What ?" his brows got tensed and his tone changed. "Do you have any idea what you're doing ?"

"I'm doing what he did to me, he snatched the one i loved.",he replied in a harsh voice. "And, she herself fled to me, as Sarah should have done. I gave her many chances."

"He didn't. You left her, thinking she might not be appropriate for your alleged high class society. You were wrong then, and now as well. I don't think this is the right thing your doing." David interjected.

"Don't tell me what's right or wrong, you are not that capable yet." he groaned.

A brief silence overtake.

"Fine.. ! leave it ",David breathed deeply. "I'am here because I need you. Our family businesses Is growing faster, I need your help in the capital."

He to exhale deeply and replied without looking at him, "I want to stay here for some more time."

"Brother, please think about it. I am alone there."

Ralph kept silence.

"Ok ! as you wish, but think about it." He stood off the chair, "I must go, then."

"After dinner." Interjected Ralph.

"Can't refuse your order, Sir." and sat back.

Ralph smiled with a corner of his lip but not more, a smile nobody could notice.