Thoughts . . .

"Sammy.. don't let mom get even an hint abt this...Keep this with yourself"

Danny hooked the phone, as the tears tried to push its way out of his eyes...

He succeeded in keeping the tears out...but couldn't get rid of the heaviness he felt in his heart...

The thought of how his mom would feel if she came to know about what happened to him...choked him to the core....

"Sam.... whoz on the phone dear?"

"My frend mom...." he lied...

He hated lying to his mom...he knew that one day he would tell the truth to his mom ...he cant keep it for long...the guilt would kill him...even it is a petty lie...

It was dinner time, and this is when sam and his mom used to have long chats about the things that happend during the day..... sam wanted to quickly finish and get back to bed... he was afraid that he might tell the news about danny to his mom.....

"So how was your day sam...."

"Oh..it went good mom...had a bit of rough time @ work...but was ok...and haan...i met prithiv...in office ....was surprised to c him @ my office....he joined last week it seems....."

"oh thatz nice.... u got good company....now " his mom smiled...

"S mom.....felt nice to c him there...u remember..he was struggling to get a job a few years back...and you kept on praying for him.... he still remembers that ....he wanted to come and meet you mom..."

"well....its god's grace sam.... " her face drooped as she told this and soon she was lost in thoughts....

"Mom? are you okay? " ....before he could get an answer from her...tears came rolling down....

"What happend mom....?

"Sam...i spoke with....danny's friend rajiv....today..he has come here on vacation.....danny's lost his job again sam.... he got fired from his office for no mistake of his.... it hurts a lot to see him struggle this much in life.... " she controlled her tone....

"well...yes itz all god's will and we got to accept that everything that happens has some good thing in it...." ....she comforted herself by these words...

Sam was stunned to know that his mom already knew the news....danny has been finding difficult to get settled in life...he has been shifting over half a dozens concerns in the past 16 months.... nothing has worked well for him....

All the time when he called up home...he would sound very happy n he wanted to keep his mom happy at all times....he never told or complained abt the struggles, bad things that happened to him...

Sam knows them all....Sam was more than a brother...he was his closet companion ....he was the one with whom he shared everything.

Danny's words were ringing in sammy's ears.....sam didn't know whether he should tell his mom that he knew it already....

"Sammy dear.. don't ask danny about this or let him get even an hint that i know this...Keep this with yourself ...he can't digest the fact that i know...i dont want to add on to my child's struggles there in the alien land..."

With tears... he nodded, "Sure...mom!"