Jai was trying to find his remote-controlled toy car in his room. He could not find it, so he went to the store-room to look for it. He was making his way through dust covered boxes and cartons on the floor. He found his car, cleaned it and was happily making his way back. Suddenly his foot landed on a paper. He turned and picked it up. It was a photograph- also covered with dust. He came towards light and cleaned it. Wow, it was he as a baby; and his then young parents. But who was this other child wearing a frock in their arms? A twin? No, he was the only child. He was puzzled. He came to the room and placed the photograph in the bedside drawer. He kept thinking, thinking. Who could this child be? A cousin? His own sister? Where was she? Why was he never told about her in all his eight years of age?
Confused and tired, he fell asleep. He dreamt of the girl in the photo. He was playing with her, laughing with her, fighting with her. He was still lost when he went to school the next morning. His parents were wondering what had happened to him. Finally, he decided to tell his parents about his problem. At night, he called his parents to his room and took out the photograph out of the drawer. The parents were surprised and hung their faces in shame when Jai asked them about the baby. They were puzzled and confused regarding what to tell their son. Jai asked them what the photo meant. They sat near him, patted his head and said, “ Jai, the girl in the photo is your twin sister.” His mother paused to think what to say and how to say. Then she took courage and said, “Jai my boy, she is your twin sister. When you both were 3 months old, you both fell sick. Your grandparents made us take you to the doctor while she was not given any medicine. As a result she died and you survived. Your grandmother said that the girl would be a big responsibility. It is best that she is left to die.”
She stopped. She could not say anything more. Jai was crying, “But why didn’t you think about me-all alone, playing alone, and and and ….” He started sobbing and drifted off to sleep.
His parents thought that they would leave him alone for a while. Jai was again dreaming of his twin sister. He could see her alive in his dreams. His parents in the other room were thinking. His father thought of a plan and said, “Why don’t we adopt a girl and tell Jai this is his new sister as his birthday comes the day after tomorrow.”
And Sunday came. It was Jai’s birthday. They went off to an orphanage where his parents had already fixed a meeting with the manager Miss Tanvi who was a kind, generous and decent person. They told Jai where they were going and what he was going to get. He jumped with joy. Miss Tanvi told his parents that they could adopt a girl ofJai’s age. Jai and his parents waited in the office. Jai was very excited.
After some time, she came with a sweet little girl with a sad face, “This is your new brother and these are your parents, Chahat.” Chahat came towards Jai and Jai shyly hugged her. They both were crying with joy as if they had been separated and had now met. Their parents signed the forms, thanked Miss Tanvi. The little girl hugged Miss Tanvi and said bye to her friends. Then she went shopping with her brother and her parents. They bought beautiful clothes, a school bag and books. Chahat’s dream of having a doll house was fulfilled. They came home, cut the cake that said “Happy Birthday”.
It was Chahat’s new birth, and Jai’s too.
Jai went out in the lawn and shouted, “I have a sister.”
