ETHEREAL

2.

She made her way to the restroom and closed the door behind her. Glancing at the mirror, she almost gasped at the sight. She look horrible. But again, it's not an unusual thing, she look horrible almost everyday. She had always been very insecure about her appearance. She never seem herself as pretty and classy. She consider herself more like an under average girl ... Short girl. Her not so perfect smile and dull skin definitely bring her confidence every time she look in mirror. Yet, fixing her hair in a ponytail and splashing cold water on her face and eyes several times she felt refresh, if not pretty though.

Wiping off the moisture she left the restroom and glance at the office door which was still locked from inside. The guests are still here most probably. She decided that she can mark her presence later. Then she went towards the hall where all the people and she works everyday.

And by the work, she meant the actual work. She loved her job but she always felt underpaid. There is never enough you can pay her to lying to those old cute angels on daily basis.

One of the lie she hates most is...

Your son called, he misses you.

Or

Buying a lot of flowers and fruits to give to them with a smile and telling them. Your daughter won't be able to make it but she send these for you.

And then every night she felt guilty for implanting that fake hope in their minds that their son or daughter doesn't gives a fuck if they are alive or not.

People rarely visit or give a call here. They dump their old parents here like they were the trash in their house. But then every next day she wakes up again and imagining the next lie she would have to say when any of the old person will ask if they had any message from their family.

It was disheartening at first when she joined it. But now as she is getting used to if it, she realise that she is not doing anything bad by making them hope to get their family back. Honestly little bit they all knew they have been trashed here but still there is always a change of heart. They all hope that one day their children will miss them and need them.

Some of them haven't got any visitors from years. Yet they hope their family will come one day to take them back.

Rarely. Once in a million times.

It's the possibility that one day they will be called back. But it never happened in front of her.

So she make it a part of her job to keep all these old angels busy all the times. So busy that they won't have time to miss their family. Thats what she tried but she never succeed. Always in the end of the day there is always a person asking if he or she could give their family a call. How are supposed to tell them that they ask us not to call them back ever.

Even after She tried everything. She celebrates everyone's birthday like it's a huge party. She keep them busy in gardening, art and craft, pottery, poetry. She sits with them for hours where they would just talk about random things. She was always there to provide them what they need, emotionally.

She loves everybody here. She tried not to be biased at all. She loves everyone. Equally.

Liar.

Liar. liar. liar.

She cursed herself mentally. For having a little special place for someone.

More like a pair.

It's an old couple who have been living here since eighteen years. And only God knows how much sanyukta love to talk to them and spend hours and hours in just their presence.

Every morning it's like a routine for her to meet them first and check on them if they need anything or want to eat anything special today. Almost everybody noticed how she put extra efforts in the wedding anniversary they celebrated few weeks back. But nobody complained. Because they are everybody's favourite.

The couple is so sweet, nurturing and always smiling. They are always there for each other and I loved seeing them together. Everybody did.

They had a terrible past before they came here. More like discarded here like garbage. The day sanyukta came to know about the abuse and harrasment they both went through before their family dump them here in old age home, made her blood boils. She wanted to curse every single member of the family who have hurted them back then.

But not anymore.

Sanyukta swear that day, she promised herself she won't let any sadness or sorrow reach them. She is going to make the rest of their life so good that they will forget about their bad past.

She sigh with a determination before opening the door of their room.

Only only she had known that the owner of that red Ferrari was going to make her bend her every promise to herself.

Thank you so much ...

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