Once again Sissel looked into her sister's phone startingly. It was only a day before that she bought a new phone and took a new connection. Ever since she started using mobile phones, whenever she bought a new phone, she always made the first call to her parents or her sister. This time, it was her sister that she called first. She wanted to let her know her new number also. Her sister was busy when she had called her but still Sissel couldn't quite understand why Suzan, her sister, hadn't saved her number in her phone. She looked at her sister dejectedly, who was driving their car and they were going to a relatives place to celebrate Christmas eve!
A cool breeze gently tapped her cheeks and Sissel stared outside. She saw the street dressed in Christmas outfits. There were stars twinkling in various colors, and shivering like Aspen leaves in the wind. She felt elated. She always loved Christmas season. She knew that Suzan also loved it. As kids, they never missed any chance to celebrate the festival at their house. They would make sure to come to their house during Christmas, help their dad in decorating the tree and hanging stars, cut the Christmas cake with family, and savour the sumptious meals that their mother used to cook. As a kid, she heard about the story of Santa Claus who had a list of all children in the world, gave candies and toys to good kids and coal to naughty chidren. She wondered whether the flying reindeer who pulled his sleigh will deliver the gift to her without losing it's way. Those were ineradicable moments and indelible memories.
Sissel looked into the rear view mirror with painstaking attention to details. She felt she looked beautiful in her white top. Angels wear white, thought she, with a naughty grin. She furtively looked at her sister. Suzan was lost in her own world though driving the car. Suzan looked extremely beautiful in her purple shirt. Sissel fondly recollected her sister's penchant for purple right from a very young age. She knew very well that her elder sister was more beautiful than her, but she only felt proud of that. After all they were of the same flesh and blood.
Sissel observed Suzan's hair swirling merrily in the wind. Suzan rarely tied her hair. Often her black tresses tumbled about her face. Those long locks that fell shimmering like cascades complemented Suzan very well and Sissel always admired them. Sissel couldn't help traipse down the memory lane. As a kid, while playing or fighting she used to pull her sister's hair. She vividly recollected her sister's face, wincing with pain. Those were the days when Suzan often carried baby Sissel in her arms. Many a time, Sissel bit her sister, often in her shoulder. Sissel was really naughty but still she always got candy from Santa Claus. Sissel looked at her sister nostalgically. Instantly she was swamped by an alienated feeling, something that harrowed her tranquility completely.
The chime of Church bells from a distance took her again to her childhod. She could clearly hear the carol songs sung at choir and she could also recall the days she and her sister stay awake on bed waiting for the Santa Claus to come. She could also remember the unexpected gifts she got from the Santa claus in her house courtyard, right under the sparkling star that her father had hung and the night drowning in the tune of "Jingle Bells". She aways treasured her Christmas gifts. There was nothing more beautiful than receiving unexpected gifts from loved one's during Christmas. She also adored those Christmas cards she used to get. She felt the E-cards lacked life compared to those cards, a sentiment very much echoed by Suzan also. She could see everything in her bleary eyes, with the sluggish precision of images from a slow motion film.
Suzan observed the melancholic nature of Sissel. She could perceive the silent sadness that emanated from her sister's eyes. "Sissel", called Suzan and bestowed on her the most warmest, caring and affectionate smile that she ever offer her. Sissel closed her eyes to avert her sisters gaze. Suzan was surprised to see tiny tear drops on the eye lashes, like pearls strung on a priceless necklace. Almost immediately Suzan pulled over and placed her hand on Sissel's shoulder. Sissel pushed her sister's hand violently and flung these words across to her. "You didn't even save my new number in your phone. So I mean only that much to you. What if you want to call me urgently? You can't even do that!" Suzan was totaly shocked Sissel gazed outside. She knew very well that she acted immature. There was a part of her that refused to grow up, and that part perennially remained a juvenile in her sister's presence. Sissel was surpised by the lack of response from her sister. Each and every time she behaved silly, her sister used to come up with words of wisdom. The ringing of her phone, with the tone that she had set for her sister, brought her back from her thoughts. She stared at her sister with disbelief. Suzan looked phlegmatic and with a brittle smile she added, " I thought I store it here", keeping her hand on her heart.
Once again Sissel looked into her phone poignantly. It was only moments ago that she thought her sister didn't have her number. Now it has dawned onto her that her sister memorized her number, which she couldn't herself do it yet! She leaned to her sisters shoulder like a child, listening to the rhythmic cadence of her sister's breathing. They didn't speak anything, their hearts were bursting with love and they were basking in the glory of those splendid moments. Sissel no longer wondered whether the flying reindeer delivered the gifts to her without losing it's way. Still the seasonal visitor from North Pole had bestowed on her one of the best moments of her life.A naughty wind pulled her hair rudely as if jealous of Sissel enjoying the true gift of love. Sissel looked radiantly beautiful. As she took her phone to take a photo with her sister, she knew very well that this time she could rival the beauty of her sister.
