A SURPRISE GIFT

I came home from school. A number of papers were scattered everywhere. My family members are nowhere to be found. I find a note dangling on a hook stuck to my fridge. There was a phone number written on the note and said “CALL IMMEDIATELY (YEAH, IMMEDIATELY 😠).”

I couldn’t recognize the number. It wasn’t of anyone I knew. But I knew that apart from me, only my parents and brother has the keys to the house. But I also knew that I’d have to take immediate action.

After assuming my brother was playing a prank on me, I wrote beneath “Please don’t disrupt my routine. I have to go to the English Class.” He wasn’t really disrupting my routine. I had to reach the class half an hour later. However, as I finished writing, the note fell off to reveal another one.

“I’m not your brother. And do not even dream of ignoring that note.”

After mustering my common sense, I concluded that the note and the fact that my family was missing was linked somehow. I decided to call. The person received the call nearly immediately.

‘Hello’ I said with a trembling voice.

‘Hi, there’ll be a knock on the door. Please don’t open it. Bye.’ came the reply. Although the voice seemed familiar, I couldn’t place it correctly. I also suspected the speaker, as I could make out some laughter in the voice.

‘But wait...’ I said. But the call got disconnected.

A sturdy knock came. I knew this was the knock the person told about, because the person at door could’ve easily pressed the doorbell. After much of thinking, I ended up deciding not to open. However, curious as I was, I decided to peep through the eye hole. I saw darkness. The person most probably covered the hole with his/her finger. Then the cover was pulled off, revealing that nobody was there. I was totally confused.

There was a tumbling noise from the garden. I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten to lock the glass door. But before I could even move, the door opened and the curtains were pulled off; it was my mother! A noise of rotating a key on the keyhole came. The door opened and entered my brother and father!

‘Hahaha! Ahahahaha! Hahahahahahahaha 🤣!’ laughed my brother.

‘What’s going on?’ I asked with confusion, surprise and anger.

‘Let me explain.’ said my mother, not wanting any arguments between us, ‘Your teacher called me and told that you had ranked first in class. That time I and your father were returning from the hospital with your brother. I asked your brother whether you wanted anything and told him or not, and he replied you’ve been requesting for a phone lately. That’s why we bought you a phone. The number you called right now is the new number of your phone. We came home and your brother suggested this idea, and we accepted it.’

It took me a lot of time to process whatever she said. When I calmed, I said, ‘I understand it fully, but I do not want to attend today’s English class. It’s already late. 😢

‘Maybe, you can call your English ma’am and tell it yourself using your new phone 😉?’ suggested my mom with affection and love.

-- Atreyo 😀,

19th August, 2020