The present environment seems like a nuclear bomb has landed on the table. Everyone is staring at Tarika as if she is the one to do so. Though, she has not bombarded the table with a bomb but just a single piece of simple news. The news of her expedition. It may be a tensed situation but it was not unexpected. Tarika knew that the reaction of her family members was going to be more or less the same. Even she was preparing herself to convey this information from at least the last two weeks and it is today, just a day before, that she is telling them.

Initially, she tried the best way to escape from their gaze, by looking at her plate as if the food in it is fascinating to her or maybe saying something. Although she doesn't want to speak anything, she is not comfortable with the silence around her. She wants them to speak none the less to enquire her. Aware of the stares by others, finally she looked up.

The look on their faces is making her perplexed. She is not sure of the coming time but for now, what she is sure of is that this silence is killing her and it is to be ended. Maybe her thoughts are reflected by her expression, and to her rescue, her sister Anamika asked.

"When did you say you are going?"

"Tomorrow!"

"And you are informing us now?"

"I thought about not bothering you with this." Partially, she thought. Partially because she knew that they will surely be able to pursue her not to go.

"It's okay. You know better late than never! And I think the more important thing is the destination. So where are you going?" Asked her mother who seemed happy by this news.

"Umm. The same place as the last."

"Same? You mean where you went for your research"

"Yes"

Hearing this her mother's mood changed a bit and she look towards her father. And then both of them looked towards her in confusion.

"Why?"

"I am going to attend a function."

"Ahem!" said her father "Is it… is it really necessary for you to go there?"

Tarika knew that this question is going to coming and today she is prepared for this. She looked towards her father and said "Papa--"

Her father cut her in between and resumed "Look we are not trying to stop you from travelling. You are young and, well, even an independent and successful girl. Even we both were going to suggest you for a tour somewhere. But this--- Let me be clear, is a bit worrisome for us. You know what I mean, right?"

"Yes, Taaru" exclaimed her mother "Even I am not convinced in sending you there." for some reason she put more emphasis on the last word.

Getting the point of her mother, Tarika appealed "Please, Mummy! Papa! the place has nothing to do with anything. It is just that my friend seems to exit there and he is organising a function where I am supposed to be a part of. … You are saying as if that place is jinxed!"

"Yes! that place is a jinx. And, how does the place have nothing to do with it? Did you forget what happened to you last time? You escaped from that accident also don’t forget what happened to him…" stopped her mother abruptly.

After a few minutes, very calmly her sister Anamika continued "Do you think we don't notice, uh? Since you came back from there four months back you have changed completely. We no more see that cheerful, happy and chatty Tarika. Do you think we are blind?"

"Who knows the situation gets reversed this time," said Tarika in a very low sound.

"Do you still think like that?" Asked her father.

"I don't know. But then who can?" I can't even know whether I will enter the airport well or not, forget about the whole journey, thought Tarika.

"Watching you, I can make it that you have decided to go. And to be true we don't have a right to control you. But we are still worried about you. How will you manage everything alone? You know you will not be able to ignore the bad forget about the worse."

"As if I had it here," murmured Tarika.

"What?"

"I won't be alone there. Everyone will be going to gather. … And don't worry too much I will be alright there. I know how to handle myself well and will handle myself just I have in the last months."

"Are you sure you handled yourself well?"

Tarika was quite surprised by this question. It was indeed an unwanted question. More than that she was shocked by her disability to answer this question. As of now, she was sure that she had handled herself well and didn't allow herself to break herself. Then, also, what is she sure of about?

She looked towards her sister, who was listening to this whole conversation silently. Tarika knows that she is filled with more questions than her parents. And she is going to seek answers for all. It seems like she has understood some unspoken words by her as she spoke "Well, I think so she had, more or less. Speaking of which, I read parts of your latest book."

"Your book is published! Weren't you working over it?"

Tarika is thankful to her sister for changing the topic. She said "It was two months before, mummy. And it got published two weeks ago. Didn't I tell you?

"Maybe you did, just like you did today."

Tarika was not willing to talk on the topic anymore. She decided to let go of her father's remark.

And speak to her sister "You read it? Do you like it?"

"Without doubt, after all, you wrote it. Of course, I noticed that your writing skills changed. It contains a completely different persona of yours."

"Yeah! many people have commented on this to me. Although I don't know whether this change is for good or bad. What do you think?"

"Well, it just likes the change in your personality."

"Will you elaborate?"

"Well, I don't want to. I know you are intelligent enough to understand it. As for now. I think you should finish your dinner and go to sleep. As you have to go tomorrow."

"But--"

"Saying anything will be of no use Papa. It is clear that she has decided to go and you know if she has decided on something then no one can stop her."

Tarika felt a little betrayal but she doesn't want to say anything. Anyway, she speaks seldom now. Also, deep inside her heart, she knows that whatever her sister said was true. And the only thing she finds suitable to do is to go and lay on her bed as sleep is something that rarely bothers her. It never fails to embrace her as it comes to her without any difficulty. And she doesn’t have any problem with it as it escapes her from reality. It never haunts her with any nightmares and if it ever does, according to Tarika reality is more haunting than that.

She raised from her chair and stated "Then it is final that I am going tomorrow. And I will go to the airport. Good night!"

As she was going to her room, she can hear whispers from her back. She knows that they are still discussing her. She knew that this will happen and this is the only reason that she avoids visiting them. It is her second visit in the last five months. She knows that she has changed. She knows that she does not live like she used to do in past.

The last five months have transferred her into a different person just like her writing. Strange! that her more than 20-year personality transformed like that just in a few months, she thought. But what can she do now, after all, it is not her mistake but that of the situation? She didn't ask for it. And she can't bear people commenting on it continuously. Moreover, she knows that her family deeply worries about her. And it is this worry of her family that makes it difficult for her even to talk to them.

Only if she would be able to change everything. If she would be able to prevent that incident, she would not be like this now. The incident is still fresh in her memories, even after five months. She thought she will be able to move on but she was wrong, and the present is the proof of it. If she had moved on in her life today would be as happy and exciting as she were two years ago, when she was going to visit the place for the first time.

It was the summer Saturday morning; everyone was doing their usual work. The work of the weekend such as the mother watering the plants, father with her helping in her gardening. Tarika and her sister are nowhere to see, maybe sleeping. Everything was calm and silent, the couple enjoying their time in this silence.

Suddenly they hear a shout "Wooooohhhh!"; from inside. It was Tarika's voice, the couple was bewildered by this sudden disruption in the silence. They both came inside the house where they heard another shout, rather a call "Mummy... Papa…Wake up Anu". Although there is a sense of happiness in it, the call made them worry. As they know their daughters, especially the younger one is a cheerful and merry spirit girl, but they never shout like this and that's also in the morning. They started to go upstairs to see what is happening, but their movement was paused as their daughters themselves were coming down. The younger one enthusiastically running through the stairs taking the lead of the elder who was coming slowly still in her sleep.

Watching the enthusiasm of their daughter, the mother asked: "What happened Tarika?" "Hey you monkey walk slowly, otherwise you will break the floor." commented her father.

Ignoring his advice, she jumps from the last second stair to the ground and then to them. Reaching them she hugged both and started to jump making them jump with her.

"Does something good happen? Did you get a lottery?"

"You bought a lottery? When?"

Interrupting in between these question Anamika answered in place of Tarika who, at a moment, is so happy to speak anything and is only looking on her phone. She said sleepily "She got the mail she was waiting for a month. The one about her international research."

"Hey can you speak it enthusiastically, or at least with some excitement and happiness?" demanded Tarika leaving her parents. "Mummy, Papa it is not like what she said. This mail is from the university in Seoul. You know they not only allowed me to do my research their but also accepted my application for a lecturer. It means I can do my research along with a job."

She held her mother's arms and again started to jump.

"Mummy, I am so happy. At last, my hard work is been paid off."

"That's alright but are you going to go alone?"

"Uhh!" with a teasing smile she said, "do you want to come along my love?"

"Nah, if it would be someplace like America, Europe; I should have thought about it but here I think you have to go without me."

"Why, what's wrong with this place?"

"Nothing."

During this chit chat, the mother-daughter duo forgets about the other duo of father-daughter sitting on the couch. They both have different expressions one is slightly sleepy while the other is quite bothersome. Looking at the expression on the face of her father Anamika asked about the thing that is bothering him.

Listening to the question he replied "Nothing, it is just the thought of sending my child alone out of the country and that's also the first time. This somehow worries me."

"Don’t worry Papa, this stupid daughter of yours is not that much stupid. She is capable to annoy me, which means she can do anything in the world."

"I know. But…you know that going into such fields like this, that your sister is going to step on, is risky. It is not that I am not happy but I just wished for both of you to have a government job. Which will be more secure and will promise a good future."

Sensing her father's worries Anamika said with some calm in her voice "Your worries are valid, papa. But they are not worth for you to think about. You know how much talent she is" she said pointing towards her sister, "she can do anything if she chose to do that. And of course, the result is in front of us." she continued with a surprise in her voice, "I mean, other than her none of us was expecting it and that’s why we were so calm about this matter, right."

"I know. But still, somewhere, deep down my heart I feel a government…"

"Don't be apprehensive, papa. Who says there can be no risk in the government sector? Life is uncertain and unpredictable at the same time, we can't say what is going to happen next moment lest in future, so we should focus on the thing we know about."

She looked towards her mother and sister and said to her father, "Now look there, see how happy she is. You know what, if a risky future is going to give her or us such happiness than that future should not be a problem, but a blessing."

Watching his daughter on the seventh heaven he replied "I do agree with you and that's why I didn't stop her or you for anything. It is just a fatherly feeling that makes me a bit worrisome. But this doesn’t make me ignore my happiness and proud I feel for my daughters"

"Moreover, it is something that she wishes to do to not wants to. She has much more for her future."

"And I am sure she will achieve everything that she plans to do in life."

Watching her father and sister looking towards her Tarika asked them "What are you both talking about?"

"You." replied his father.

"Ahh! I knew that but about what?"

"Like how this event was unexpected, at least for me." said her sister dramatically.

"Oh! what a disaster" replied Tarika in the same histrionic way "So like a wise woman learn from this mistake of yours and better not try it again in future"

"Yes, I was just planning to do so. Well, Papa, you see she makes it obvious that she is going to give many surprises in future."

"Uhuh! you just wait and watch!"

"Well, sure."

At this point, their father interrupted them and asked Tarika "So, when are you set to go?"

"The mail said that the semester starts after a month, so, I have to reach by then, I suppose. But I am thinking to go before that, let's say, as soon as the documents' work will be over."

"But how? Do you know how the government department works? It will take nearly a month to get a passport. And then you…"

"Don’t worry about that, Papa?" said she proudly "I have already applied for my passport, a few weeks ago."

"Really!"

"Yes, when I thought of applying for all these institutions. This was the first thing I focused on. And you know what it will be ready in a few days."

"Hmm, Impressive. Look how determined she is to go. I never knew you were so overconfident…"

"Self-confidence, my dear sister. It is known as self-confidence."

"And why will she not be confident, she was working hard since her graduation." supported her mother.

"And you know what, I am also learning the Korean language."

"It shows your determination, beta. I am proud of you."

Listening to her father realizing something Tarika said "Don't be proud of me. It is so early for that! Wait for the time when my name, Tarika Somani, daughter of Mr and Mrs Somani, will be a famous one."

"I will eagerly wait for it" replied her sister instead of her father.

To this, their mother replied that "Parents don’t need high achievements to be proud of. Even small things that their children do makes them happy and proud."

"And this is not even small" continued their father.

After a silence of few moments, he continued to ask "Will you be able to live in another land all alone. It is not going to be easy and that's also all alone."

"Don't worry papa, I will be alright as I am going with a positive mind and attitude. And remember, you only used to say that one can tackle everything with a positive attitude. Because if we have hope in our hearts, we can sense hope in everything around us, which will lead us to happiness and then we don't have to find happiness because even a little thing around us will grant happiness to us."

To this, her father gave him a sweet smile. The smile shows his love and proud in her.

"Oh again, please show some mercy on us and stop these talks of yours in the morning."

"Hey!"

"Okay, enough of talks" interrupted their father "aren't you hungry? I am going to make breakfast, Anyone up for help"

"I do captain." volunteered Tarika.

"Good. Now let us move to the kitchen, my fellow."

"Aye captain." saying this they both went to the kitchen leaving Anamika and her mother in the drawing-room.

"I will go and fresh up myself before breakfast," said Anamika and leave for upstairs to her room.

Behind the mother spoke to herself "Thank you, God, for granting my daughters what they deserve. Please give them the happiness that they deserve. It is only that my daughter is so naïve. I fear how will she face the world in a foreign land and that's also alone. I wish her to be safe and happy."