As I sat down on that huge wide window pane after surviving that nightmare, I had only one thing to remember. “Believe in me and I will take care of the rest”, I had heard Him telling me last time.

~

I had forced myself to sleep that night. I was still trying to understand who could’ve sent me that letter. At an unexpected hour. After 16 long years. Should I open that letter? Should I wait for some more time before I open and read what is written inside?

It is only 10:30 pm. I have been trying to sleep from 9:30 pm after a few spoons of soup and half a bread. Although I stay alone and I survive the nightmares on my own, I felt I needed someone to feel not so scared. I had kept the envelope just next to me so that I could read it whenever I was ready. I didn’t have the courage to face another life altering truth again after having accepted what had happened last time.

~

As I sat to open the envelope, I could feel my heart beating faster. I started cutting the edge of the envelope so that the letter stays intact. I looked through the impression again and cut open the envelope and took out the letter. It was addressed to him.

We had stopped getting letters on his name once we announced his death. People reacted and all communications stopped afterwards. Then who sent this letter to him?

I opened and started reading…

Dear Sir,                                                                                                                               Date: 27.2.2000

I am writing to you with regards to the performance of your wife as a mother towards your daughter. Although we have discussed this several times in person, there has been no action taken from your side. This has prompted me to write a letter.

You wife, i.e. my mother, is an extremely nice woman. She wakes up early in the morning, prays and starts cooking for us. She ensures that we all eat and go to school and office on time. But her entire persona changes the moment I come back home from school. Although she cooks some snacks for me, she is more interested in what I studied in school, my exam schedule and which chapters are still pending for me to study. I do not understand why can’t she keep my studies and my scores confidential and has to discuss the same with you every time there is a slight dip in my scores. None of my friends’ fathers are known to have a clue about their scores. Then, why should she involve you?

The matter is getting out of hand now and you need to talk to your wife about it. You will be kept informed about my exams and necessary details the same way you tell us about your performance ratings in office and your critical meetings with the boss.

I am hoping to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Your daughter

~

I stared at the letter for some more time. Was this really written to my husband by my daughter 16 years back? How did this letter get delivered now?

The next morning, I called the post office and asked for the postman who delivered letters yesterday. When I told him about the letter, he said, “I found this letter while cleaning the old storage section. I saw the date and immediately understood that there might be some mystery. I enquired with our old post office managers and someone from them, happens to be your husband. Since there was no mention of the sender’s name, we decided to deliver the letter. Luckily, it was kept in a box, that’s why it looks all clean and new. Hope everything is ok, Madam?”