“Don’t worry dear. We are always there to help you,” his neighbors assured them to help him further.

  “Thank you very much Aunty. Don’t forget to bless us and please don’t forget to bless my sister. We need it very much.”

  “But Aunty, what you have brought along with you?” Priyaka asked to that lady with an enthusiasm. She guessed something.

  “Nothing Priyanka. That was for you. A small gift from your neighbors. There are so many gifts like…for you. Hope you will like it. ”

  “Thanks a lot to all of you.” That helpless was smiling.

  “Dears, we have to leave now,” his neighbors said to Neeloy.

  “But don’t forget to bless us Aunty. We need it very much,” Priyanka had a request.

  “Sure Priyanka, you don’t have to mention. We are always with you all and our well wishes.”

  “Thank you Aunty.” Priyanka had a huge salutation to all of them.

  “But one thing Priyanka?”

  “What aunty” Priyanka asked to that lady.

  “See Priyanka, we are from a very small village. We are very backward and you both have to help your neighbors and you both have to guide our children’s,” they had a request.

  “Sure sure. You don’t worry. We will try to help them.”

  “Let’s go. It already late. God bless you both. ”

  “Priyanka, let me see those gifts,” Neeloy requested Priyanka to open those gift boxes.

  “No brother, you have to open it. I am dedicating those to my cutest brother.” She had a demand.

  “Don’t say like that. That was for you only,” Neeloy replied.

  “Okay sister, we don’t have to do any quarrel. We will together

  open those boxes.”Priyanka agreed on that proposal.

  “Priyanka, it’s a NOKIA handset, a cute key ring and many more…………yes.”

  “Really brother!” she triumphed.

  Their neighbors were very helpful. They gave her a new handset, key ring, one lord Ganesha statue and one statue of Lord Jesus, two tops and a big soft toy. It little bit disheartened Priyanka.

  “Hey Sister! What happen?” Neeloy asked to his sister.

  “Nothing brother. I am really thankful to them but they should at least give a single one to my brother.”

  “He he…you so cute,” Neeloy smiled.

  “Brother, take a leave on tomorrow,” Priyanka requested to Neeloy.

  “But why sister?” Neeloy asked to his sister.

  “But sister, it’s my new job. I have to ask my manager.”

  “Then ask him now. I have a plan for tomorrow,” Priyanka was requesting.

  Neeloy asked our manager to give him a leave for a day, but the manager did not allow Neeloy to take a leave. As a person, our manager was good, but he had a workload and some burdens. Neeloy realized about his trouble. Actually, Neeloy had one demonstration on the next day and that’s why the manager disallowed him for a leave.

  “Neeloy, even I am blessing you and blessing your sister. I want to visit your place to bless your sister, but tomorrow’s demonstration is very important. So, you have to be present and represent it alone. I can give you a leave on day after tomorrow.” Neeloy’s request disappointed our Manager, but he was bound by his duties.

  “Yes sir, you don’t worry. I will represent the demonstration.” He had no more objections.

  “Did I disappoint you Neeloy?” his manager asked to Neeloy.

  “No way………….how can I mind you Sir?” Neeloy replied.

  “God bless you Neeloy.”

  “My demonstration was satisfactory. They fully satisfied on my demonstration and after that I came to home by an auto rickshaw with ½ kg chicken and some green vegetables.”

  “Sister, tomorrow we are going to market and tonight I will prepare a special dish for you?”

  “Yee…I love you brother.” Priyanka cheered.

  “By the way brother, what special dish you are going to cook?”

  “Nothing sister. Just my special chilly chicken, mixed salad and pumpkin fry.”

  “Wow! Great brother.” Neeloy and Priyanka were enjoying their homely party.

  I had to ask something about his love life…

  “Neeloly, did she call you further?” I asked to Neeloy about Pratiksha.

  “Yes She! Several times.”

  “So, did you talk to her further?” I asked to Neeloy.

  “No.”

  “Why Neeloy?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You should attend her phone calls. You should meet her,” I suggested Neeloy to save his love.

  “It was not being possible to contact her any more. I totally tied to my duties.” He was angry on me.

  “Okay Neeloy.”

  “Please don’t misunderstand me. I can understand your troubles.”

  “See brother, I don’t not know whether she ever remembered me or not, but I can respect my love. I loved my love and was remembering it at my each step. My hands were being locked and no one even tried to open that lock. Still I don’t know whether her family accepts our relationship or not. I am in a big dilemma. I am very much tense for my sister. I don’t know how I can afford her studies alone.” Neeloy had a brief explanation.

  “Brother, my entrance is on tomorrow and you have to go with me.

  “Don’t you suggest anything brother?” Priyanka asked to Neeloy.

  “I have no words sister. I gave you a very little time. I am really sorry Priyanka.”

  “No brother. You helped me lots. Your little help was sufficient to me. I wish all sisters have a cute brother like you, a cute and adorable brother like you.” Priyanka was praising his brother.

  “Sister you don’t have to buttering me and my words. You should concentrate yourself on studies and tomorrow I will wear that new T-shirt.”

  “Yes brother you can check for a trial now,” Priyanka was requesting to his brother.

  “Really brother, you are looking very young and very smart. Brother, girls can tease you. So, be careful brother,” She had a fun with Neeloy.

  During her examination day, Neeloy stood alone near about six to seven hours and was very scared. That day was a Saturday. He took a leave.

  “Sister how was your paper? Did you answer correctly to all questions?”

  “Yes brother. I can score more than 70 in each paper.” She is becoming very confident.

  “Are you sure sister?” Neeloy asked to Neeloy.

  “Yes sir. I can score. I answered correctly to all known questions but the boy seated beside me, disturbed me disturbed me lot.”

  “Don’t worry sister. It’s very common. Try to score better in the next examination.” Neeloy had an encouragement.

  “Yes brother. I am trying my best and I have to score good marks.”

  “Yes sister, you have to score good marks. Try to attempts good marks on tomorrow’s examination.”

  “At last, god helped my sister. I was not sure whether she will select for a medical college or not.” Neeloy had a pain behind, but had a positive confidence on. Priyanka.

  I noticed that he was acting like a guardian, a very responsible one. It is obvious. Once you maintain a family, you have to maintain so many responsibilities. I observed it on his face and was a good spirit.

  Her name was among the selected candidates. She was in a dilemma, whether have to chosen Engineering or Medical.

  “Brother, what to do? I am very much confused,” Priyanka asked to Neeloy.

  “Yes sister, I am thinking about that.”

  “See sister, you have to select either engineering or medical. I can just help in your studies, but you have to select. Remember, you have to fulfill your dreams. Think for it. We have enough time. I am with you.”

  “Brother, Engineering.”

  “Really Priyanka?”

  “Yes brother.”

  “Sister, you are so cute.”

  “But sister, before the class started, you have to clear
your all doubts in physics, chemistry and mathematics.”

  “But brother, you have to help me. I have no more interest to any tuition classes.”

  “Okay sister, you don’t have to go anywhere. I will help you. So, be cool.”

  “Priyanka, please close your twinkling eyes?” Neeloy had a surprise gift for Priyanka.

  “Why brother?”

  “Oh! I can understand. There may be something for me. Am I right brother?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Please close your eyes once…”

  “Nothing for you. Who said?”

  “Who said means? Am I not your mother? I am not your mother, but I am a sister cum mother. So, you have to respect and obey me.”

  “Yes mom…you are right. I will obey you. He he...”

  They had a very friendly relation and on the other hand, they had a good mutual understanding. Priyanka was enjoying her new classes with newly making friends and both of them were becoming busy with time. Neeloy did not allow his sister to any homely works. He even washed their cloths and on the other hand, Pratiksha was searching a good job after completion of her MBA. First day at the college, Priyanka had a very formal dress. She was looking just like her mother.

  “Sister, you are looking like our mom. I am getting her smile in you?”

  “Really brother! I often miss my parents. Once they alive…”

  “Sister, don’t forget to give your salutation to them before going outside and college. They will protect you.”

  “Okay brother. How can I disrespect them?”

  Pratiksha was eagerly waiting to meet with Neeloy. She informed her mother about Priyanka’s success. Pratiksha mother was very anxious to meet the lonely couple.

  She had a phone call to Neeloy……………..

  “Hi Neeloy, how are you? We are coming on tomorrow at your place. Will you be there?”

  Neeloy was being very tensed and scared when he received her call. Next day was a Sunday. Both the couple was at home and enjoying their holiday.

  At Sunday evening, when the couple was alone…

  “Brother, Is there someone knocking the door?” Priyanka asked to Neeloy.

  “May be sister. You don’t have to go. Let me see.”

  “Hi! Please come. Please aunty…” Neeloy welcomed Pratiksha and her mother.

  “Priyanka come here; Let’s see who has come to meet.” Neeloy had a loud sound.

  But Neeloy did not disclose anything about his love life to his sister.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi Aunty, how are you?”

  “I am fine daughter and congratulation Priyanka.”

  “Thank you Aunty.”

  “Brother, still you remember her? Till now? Why? Do have…”

  Priyanka had a doubt.

  “Yes sister. How can I forget her? I love her Priyanka.”

  “But brother, you did not say a single word about your love life.”

  “But Priyanka, I silent due to some circumstances. I will explain you later. Please don’t quarrel now?” Neeloy had a request to Priyanka.

  “Take this Priyanka. This is for you.” That lady offered a gift to Priyanka.

  “But Why?”

  “What is this Aunty?”

  “There are wrist watches for you both.”

  “Thank you aunty.”

  Neeloy was scared about their shelter for that night only and scared to share his trouble with his sister.

  “Yes Neeloy, you are right.” I said to Neeloy.

  “Priyanka, I want to tell you something?” Neeloy asked to Priyanka.

  “What brother?”

  “See sister, she is my best friend and I love her very much, but it’s being already late and I am not sure whether they will go back by tonight or not. There are no more buses at this time and tomorrow is a Monday and you have your classes too.”

  “So, what can I do brother?” Priyanka asked to Neeloy.

  “What sister?”

  “Okay brother, the let them stay tonight at our place. I have no more objections.”

  “Are you sure sister?”

  “Yes brother, I am serious.”

  Actually that lady visited their place due to some reasons and she had a good proposal ahead.

  “Priyanka, I was eagerly waiting to meet you. You are really a very good girl. You are very much strong and adoring.”

  “Thank you aunty.”

  “You are my younger daughter. Now, I have two daughters.” That lady accepted her as her daughter.

  “Priyanka, I want to ask you something?” that lady asked to Priyanka.

  “Okay aunty, you can ask me anything, but before that I want to say you something.” Priyanka had a request.

  “What Priyanka?” that lady asked to Priyanka.

  “See aunty, it’s already being late. Stay tonight at our cottage and let me cook for you all.” Priyanka requested to that lady.

  “No cute, you don’t have to cook. I will cook for you all,” She even requested to Priyanka.

  “But aunty, you are our guest. Let me do. Let me do that holy work.”

  “No Priyanka let me do it. Give a chance to serve and care my two daughters and a son.” She already accepted Neeloy as her son.

  “Okay aunty.” Priyanka agreed.

  “But aunty, it already late. She has to attend her classes on tomorrow. Please aunty, do it soon. We are very much hungry, I think you both too,” Neeloy said to that lady.

  “ Let us talk and enjoy such a wonderful moment with Pratiksha sister,” Priyanka said to that lady.

  “Okay Priyanka. You can enjoy.”

  “Brother, she is a very nice woman and a good fellow,” Priyanka was saying to Neeloy.

  “Hmm….”

  And by time, she had some nice Indian dishes and one Chinese dish. I missed it.

  “I think you are very hungry and sleepy,” that lady said to Priyanka.

  “It’s all right aunty. I am not sleepy at all but hungry.”

  “But aunty, we will take our dinner together.” Priyanka had a wish.

  “ Sure Priyanka, you are so cute.”

  After their joint dinner, Pratiksha and her mother seated differently on a different chair, Priyanka was being busy with her books and Neeloy was leaned against a wall on their bed.

  “Dear, I want to give a good offer.” That lady said to Neeloy.

  “What offer aunty?” Neeloy asked.

  “Neeloy, I can understand your condition. You are so young and still struggling and that’s a good job.”

  “But aunty, I am asking you something.”

  “See Neeloy, me elder brother has a well established business in USA and he is still unmarried at his seventy years of ages”

  “So what Aunty?”

  “See Neeloy, you both are very alone here, at his seventy years of ages, he needs a support and care and he needs one helping handed person to handle his business. My mind strikes, when he was offering us and I have suggested your name. I trust you very much. Please, don’t misunderstand me.”

  “But why me aunty?”

  “Yes you, we have a distant relation with our relatives. I can offer you to go there. He will help you sure and even I am going with Pratiksha. He was agreed. I have no faith on my daughter. She is still like an immature and a very lazy one.”

  “But aunty, I have to discuss with my sister. Although, she is very alone here. I am not sure whether she will agree or not.”

  “Neeloy, I think you are very worry about her studies.”

  “Yes aunty. She is alone without me. I can’t leave her alone and she can’t leave me alone. She already promised.”

  “She has to give some English proficiency tests. Although, she is good at studies and a very serious student.”

  “Yes, I know it very well. Let me tell her first, but I am not sure and let see, what she suggest.”

  “Neeloy, you want to go there?” that lady asked to Neeloy, but that lady was not a selfish one.

  ?
??Yes, I want to go there, but I don’t want to go there alone.” Neeloy had an objection.

  “But Pratiksha become silent, when we were discussing about that matter,” Neeloy said to me.

  “How she can offer you? Try to understand Neeloy,” I replied.

  “See aunty, truly speaking, I am very much happy here with my sister. I respect that offer but I don’t know why are you giving me such an offer?” Neeloy asked again to that lady.

  “Dear son, don’t misunderstand me and don’t think that I am very selfish and greedy. I can give such on offer to our relatives and even to my cousins, but I have noticed that you are the only one who deserves that job, an offer. That offer was from my soul, not from my mind. So, you decide what to do next.”

 
Animesh Dey's Novels