Eyes Behold

”Come on kid !!!! How long do you think you are gonna take? ”

Not even seconds later.

”Oh god !!! Did you remember to pack your toothbrush… ”

Seriously Aunt Avi?Out of everything you could ask, a toothbrush? Mused Rose

” Tell me Davs why am I not shocked? ” The girl asked her cousin. He just snickered and continued with his game.

” And what about your pink underwear, thats your favourite… ” ”Yeah Aunt, ” she plunged back into her world. I can never survive without it. Sarcasm dripping in her thoughts. David just rolled his eyes very well knowing his mothers nervousness levels during these situations.

Seriously at times like these, she wouldn be surprised if she unpacks all her things again an hour before they had to leave for the airport right in this hotel room just to confirm if everything is right at its place.

”And oh!!! How could I forget? Did you … ”

” Don worry Aunt. Everything is in its place and ready to leave. youve already checked it twice . ” a sweet voice cut in before she could embarrass her any further.

Don take her wrong. She was a very sweet girl with a kind heart filled with more love and care than anyone else you would have met in your life . She loved her with all her heart could offer. After all, she was one of the closest person left to her in this world. but sometimes it just became too much.

Thats when the owner of the voice popped her head inside the room. With glossy eyes, she strutted over to the girl taller than her by a few inches and titled her head upwards to look lovingly into the eyes passed on to her by her father, a rich mixture of sea green and light blue with flecks of mustard yellow flannelling the bottom, a beautiful sight to behold. Anybody could plunge deep into them and get lost in the love, innocence with a tinge of mischief and the depth of many emotions that the eyes held making it difficult to believe that they belonged to a girl of 18.

She put her hand lovingly on her soft white cheeks and let it linger there for some time caressing it slowly while breaking the eye contact moving to her cute red nose which often gave various colours of red whenever the girl was excited, shy, or embarrassed; to her small lips giving a cute hue of pink as if to memorise each part of her face.

Rose seeing these emotions knew immediately she was going to have a mini-breakdown again. Who could blame the lady now? After sending her son to Edmonton for studies just a few years ago, now sending her daughter figure out there away from this place which was practically her home was breaking her inside.

It was impossible to never love such a sweet girl who cared for others before herself and had this loving aura radiating from her making people look in awe towards her wherever she went. Yet she was here standing in front of her getting her ready to board the flight in just a matter of hours. She loved the girl with all that she had and never wanted to leave her behind. But how could she not let this golden bird out of her broken cage ? No, she couldn be this selfish.

” My girl has grown so big in these few years. Look at her towering over me and telling me its time to leave. Ill miss you so much my mutto. I love you. Don forget this old hag. Keep calling and eat well. Take care of yourself. My only daughter is leaving now . ” And thats when the dam broke flooding her cheeks with continuous waterworks.

Roses heart broke at the sight. She had been trying to be strong for everyone around. If she cried then everybody would break down. This was the immense amount of love they had for her. So she let the sheen of unshed tears retrace their path and brought her beloved Aunt in her embrace.

”Ill miss you too Aunt. I love you a lot and Ill definitely keep calling you. But now if we don leave then well miss the flight. Lets go Davs. ” She hollered her cousin.

She loved her cousin who was just a year younger than her. They had this bond from their childhood. Always formed a team to prank anyone in the house. From faking ghosts to running away to hide from the elders for a while frieking the whole house out. Just name it. The duo was unbreakable and naughty as hell.

David loved her equally if not more. She was after all his best friend and his cute sister. He rarely showed emotions but Rose knew him too well. She could see sadness and vulnerability swimming in his eyes. After all, after his elder brother Jacob left the country he always looked up to her. Now he would be alone again. He hated to be left alone but knew next year he would be there with them too. He was determined to go to Canada like his brother and sister. Just two more years.

They left the hotel with all the luggage to go to the airport for a late 2 a.m. flight. They reached at 1 a.m. and finished off all the necessary formalities. It was time for goodbyes. The time that the trio had been dreading all along.

”Your uncle Ben loves you, dear. You know that right ? He would have come if it wasn for that emergency case at the last moment. He had to stop behind. They would not have been able to manage without him. ” Avi looked at Rose expectantly with a tinge of guilt. She knew Rose would understand and couldn help but feel that she was misusing her kindness.

” I know Aunt. I love him too. A lot. But the social service he does is a noble deed. I can stop him from helping the needy. Ill die of guilt instead. He has a heart of gold Aunt. Im so proud to be with him. Tell him Ill miss him and I love him a lot. ” . She understood, Of course, she always did.

Uncle Ben had a special place in her heart. She respected him a lot and he earned it well. He was a selfless person spending most of his time and energy to help out the poor and needy. Even after spending a large portion of his life savings on unknown needy people, he still strived to make their lives better with all the efforts he could muster. He loved little Rose a lot but even after the immense love, his sense of responsibility held him back to help a poor family who had met with an accident. She was really inspired by this father figure in her life.

All the passengers of the flight to Alberta, Canada please check in the security panel … I repeat.

”So I guess this is it. Its time to leave Aunt Avi, Davs. I love you both and Ill miss you a lot ” and the sheen of tears threatened to fall but she held them back as usual. holding her emotions inside felt safe, not easy, but just safe ” Tell uncle goodbye and I love him too . ”

With that said the poor girl plunged into a much-needed hug and stuck to her Aunt like a koala bear. Then she hugged David and said her goodbyes. She walked into the security panel getting all her things checked. With a small thank you and a polite smile she went through but not before giving a last glance back towards her family or what was left of it .Catching a traitor tear she willed her feet to move forward towards a new turn of her life. A new beginning not knowing what fate had planned for her.