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A Trip to Remember.....

by Asha Jha
(Tampa, Florida, USA)

Exams are over and yet again Anya's favorite time of the year has come i.e. summer vacations. After a long year filled with studies, tests, projects, assignments, functions, and tension...now is the time to relax and enjoy every moment with the family and friends.

Anya is overexcited about this summer especially because she is going to visit her cousins and her uncle and aunt who live in Japan. Although she has met them many times when they were in India, but now she is more excited about her trip to Japan. She has been daydreaming about this trip for many months now and she has also made a long shopping list of her toys and clothes. Of course her parents and her little brother is also very happy about their upcoming Japan trip. Anya's family have already finished packing and are all set to leave the house and suddenly Anya's Dad receives a phone call after which both Anya's mom and her dad looked worried and tensed.

For few minutes following the phone call neither of them uttered a word and their faces looked sad. What happened mamaa, papa? said Anya! why are you so sad, We were about to leave for the airport, right, why hasn't the taxi come yet, I am so hungry...she kept on asking questions after questions as obvious for the kids her age.

Her dad called her and her little brother, "Come here both of you," he put each of his hands on both the kid's cheeks and said...."Don't worry everything is okay, The taxi is just about to come, kids, don't get upset, but we are not going to the airport, as we are not going to Japan. This was a phone call from your grandmother, she is extremely ill and could barely talk. Your grandmother wants to meet us all as she thinks that she might not be able to make it until we come back from Japan.

"Anya!" her dad said,-"Dear, I know you understand that we urgently need to go to your grandmother.. right?"

Anya was in tears, although she nodded her head in a yes, but she was feeling like all her dreams of getting into an airplane and flying, then going to Japan, buying new and fancy things have shattered. What will she say to her friends, whom she had already told about her trip and her plans.

She felt like she is drifting away from her dreams and happiness, which she will never be able to achieve again. Hours passed by and Anya and her family reached the grandma's house, which was situated in a very small town, surrounded by trees, bushes and similar small, non-fancy houses, where people come out of their houses every time some big vehicle comes inside the locality. This is not the first time for Anya over here, she used to come here every year in summer vacations and she actually loved visiting her grandmother, but this time she hated it.

Few days passed by and Anya's grandmother started getting better. She regained some of her energy and was now able to return to her usual routine. Anya started feeling little bit less sad as she and her little brother played in grandma's little garden; Anya loved doing that whenever she came here, one of her most favorite thing was the little bamboo swing in the garden, which was grandma's favorite too.

One day when Anya was sitting quietly in that swing, her grandmother came and sat beside her. Anya's grand mother held Anya's hand and started running her fingers trough Anya's silky hair; "I'm sorry Dadi-said Anya, I have been so upset about not going to Japan that I forgot how much you love me, I am so sorry."

Anya's grandmother looked into Anya's innocent eyes and said, "Its okay my dear, my love for you would never change even if you don't feel like seeing or meeting me. I was also dying to meet you all," said grandma, "as I have not seen you, your father, little brother, and your mother for over a year and I wanted to meet you all so desperately that I fell ill. But now I am perfectly fine and I have told your father that he can now take you all to Japan, as your holidays will be over soon. I know how it feels when something you are planning for so long gets cancelled, that's why you and your family will be leaving tomorrow so that you could go for your Japan trip."

The next day Anya and her family were ready to leave Grandma's house, suddenly Anya and her father entered grandma's room. "Lets go daadi-we are getting late."

Anya's grandma was puzzled by Anya's call and her father smiled, "lets go Maa", said Anya's dad, "All of us want you to come and stay with us, especially Anya."

Anya's grandmother was surprised as she always was afraid of leaving her old house and going to the city, and she never wanted to trouble her son and his family by staying in the city with them.

"What happened grandma," continued Anya..."let's go...we will go to Japan in our next summer vacation, and I don't want you to fall ill again, I know you always think about us and always so desperate to meet us, so why don't you come and stay with us?"

Its been over a year now, and Anya and her family have lived happily with her grandmother and now they are planning their trip to Japan with grandma. How awesome is that?