She was expecting a surprise.
It was her birthday.
Her sister had asked her to be prepared for it.
She was prepared for a surprise.
She opened her drawer.
She wore her favourite earings.
She only had two.
She recently had a haircut.
They were chopped like a boy.
It was easier to comb through.
They were easier to maintain.
She looked in her mirror.
There was no trace of the skin rash she had developed.
The homeopathic medicine seemed to be working.
There were no marks on her face.
Her face had aged.
She felt young herself.
It was her birthday.
She put on her best kurta.
She only had a few.
She never shopped.
She always got them as gifts.
Her friends came round together at tea.
They cut a birthday cake and sang songs for her.
She was all smiles.
Her eyes darted towards the stairs.
No one came through.
She glanced at the hallway phone.
It did not ring.
She was expecting a surprise.
She waited.
She had her dinner.
She evaded stares from her friends.
She stared at the stairs.
She strained her ears for footsteps.
She went back to her room.
The phone in the hallway rang.
It was for her they said.
She knew it.
It was her surprise.
She was called down.
She saw them.
They were family.
They hugged her.
It was her birthday.
They got her a small cake.
They got her a small cookie.
They got her a new kurta.
She liked all three.
They told her about their jobs.
They told her about their child.
He had started walking on his own.
They told her about their busy schedules.
She looked at her wrist.
There was no watch.
Time had her.
They asked her nurse about her progress.
The nurse said she was interacting with everyone.
The nurse said they had taken them to the zoo last week.
The nurse said they also watched a movie every Sunday.
The nurse said she was improving.
She touched her new dress.
They stood up.
They took selfies.
She smiled for all of them.
They said they would meet her again.
She did not ask when.
She had got her surprise.
They hugged her.
They said goodbye.
They walked down the stairs.
The guard locked the gate after them.
She said Goodbye.
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mrtanmay.com 
Some people touch your lives in a way you can never imagine.
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