A Blessing

She looked at her watch. Another 2 hours to go. Her heart was racing. 2 more hours and then she would finally be able to hug the person she loved ever so much. It had been too long. Far too long. The separation. They spoke to each other almost daily and chatted online but it was not the same as being there together. Physically present. Talking. Laughing. Sharing. Just enjoying each other. 8long years. The last time Ambujam met her sister, Ambika, was when their father died about 8 years ago. Ambika made a special trip from Scotland to be with Ambujam who had settled down in Thailand. Now, they would finally be together again, albeit for 2 weeks only.

Ambika had always been the perfect elder sister. Loving, caring the works. They were never close in the growing years but as they entered adulthood, their mother's teaching of unconditional love must have triggered off within themselves and Ambika stood by Ambujam in every way imaginable. Marriage and other commitments had driven them away from each other physically but even a splinter could not put a wedge in their emotional bondage with each other.

When they were younger, Ambika never showed how much she loved her little sister. Not the way, Ambujam wanted. But on hindsight, Ambujam realised what a fool she had been. She realised that Ambika had always looked out for her. When Ambika received her first pay, she came home with a tennis racquet. This was simply because she found out that Ambujam's friend's wanted to play tennis and Ambujam did not want to go as she did not have a racquet. Ambujam was thrilled. She had always looked up to Ambika who was gorgeous .the super-model type, in Ambujam's eyes.

Another time, Ambika came home with a guitar because she heard from their mother that Ambujam was interested in playing the guitar. Thinking about all this, Ambujam laughed to herself. She was truly blessed to have Ambika as an elder sister. Ambujam was always the one doing all the taking. She never sent presents on special days, not even cards. Ambujam tried hard to think about what she had done to show her love to her Chechi. Nothing. Diligently, she sieved through the archives of her grey matter but could not find anything at all, let alone something that would match the things her Chechi had done for her.

Ambujam was suddenly jolted out from her reverie with sudden violent air turbulence. The passengers were advised by the stewardess to fasten their seat belts. Within split seconds, the captain announced something. Ambujam could not make out what he said but there were screams and she felt the airplane take a nose dive.

"This can't be happening. No! No!" She grabbed the safety gear as advised by the stewardess and for the first time, she prayed. She prayed. "Please Lord. Not now. Please not now. Let me see my Chechi. Let me hold her and tell her how much I love her. Let me thank her for all the things she has done. Please Lord. Not now. We made a bargain. Remember "

"Ambujam ..Ambujam " Faint sounds. Ambujam stirred. "Someone call the doctor!!!! She moved her hand!!" Ambujam slowly opened her eyes and saw the most beautiful thing on earth. "Chech ." Ambujam tried to move but she could not. She did not recognise the surroundings. But she felt safe. Her Chechi was with her. She could not be dreaming. She could feel her warmth her scent .her Chechi. Nothing could go wrong now.

When Ambujam gained her strength, Ambika told her that the plane had crashed in the sea and there were a few survivors, one of them being Ambujam but she only gained her consciousness 4 days later. Ambujam was eventually discharged from hospital and stayed with Ambika. They talked endlessly. Ambika remarked about how Ambujam has lost her chubby frame and was so thin now. She teased Ambujam about the diets that Ambujam tried. Ambujam laughed it off .feeling over the moon that she was finally with her Chechi.

Time flew by. They had so much fun. On the eve of her departure, Ambujam held Ambika's hand tightly. She felt it was time that she finally told her sister what a blessing she was. And she did just that. Ambika felt uncomfortable and told Ambujam not to be silly but Ambujam pursued, this time with greater strength in her voice. "Chech, I need to say it to you. Only then, I will be at peace with myself. You are truly a blessing in more ways than one. I don't believe in reincarnation .but just in case I am wrong I hope God will be kind enough to let us be sisters again". Then, Ambujam, true to herself, never wanting to be mushy, joked about this and that and they spent the rest of the night laughing their heads off.

As she lay in the bed beside her sister that night, Ambujam prayed again "Thank you Lord. Thank you for giving me this final opportunity to let Chechi know before my final goodbye to this earth. I have never been happier. I came here to die in her arms. There is no other place on earth that can give me greater comfort and peace than in her arms. I know my days are numbered. Pancreatic cancer is the worst.. they say .Thank you .In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy ."

"Ambu. wake up my arm is numb with the weight of you head. Can't believe someone with so little brains can have such a heavy head ..Got to get ready for your flight .Ambu Ambu!!.Ambu!!!!!!"