stranger in a strange land

Pam realized she had been too pushy...she might have asked for it..she grieved at her fate now. Bill had become cold..and very distant...she suspected he had another woman. The beautiful house and all the money and cars she owned didn't seem enough any more. Her ego could not take Bill's interest in another woman. How did Bill..the fat cowardly man that he was think of having having an affair?

Not that she cared for Bill at all, but it had been a great 14-15 years of having so much of everything. Little did she realize that all expensive clothes, gadgets, jewelery that meant everything to her, gave her little pleasure now. She became violent and slapped Bill in front of her teen aged daughter over nothing. She planned of catching Bill red handed and demanding more than he could give in alimony.

Bill woke up, a happy man. He had lived a cowardly life, working like a dog and hearing abuses from his beautiful society wife. Now he felt free. He had secretly married a woman who loved him. His wife had no clue and he felt love after years and years of being alone, desperately alone. He was scared..a man doesn't get courage from hiding and pretending. He had to tell his secret to someone. His dad, would be hopping mad and might remove him from the family business. He pledged to never tell his dad till he died.

He decided no harm in leading two separate lives.

A foolish man Bill, his absence on weekends and frequent trips did not go unnoticed by anyone in his family. They just didn't think Bill had the guts to do anything..so let it be.

Till one day his brother David found out. David and Kate had been a loving couple and led simple lives amidst all the glamor surrounding them. They had beautiful kids and were in shock..David was supposed to go to a far away land for a year and Kate had no clue what would she do when all hell breaks loose at home. She feared for the health of David's father. Pam's phone calls had become more frequent. She could not bare Pam's harsh words and realized her desperate sorrow. She could not tell Pam what she knew, Pam was capable of murdering all in the family..she had a history of being an abusive woman.

Yet Kate felt guilty. She could not bear the thought of such blatant stupidity and cowardice on Bill's part. She made David talk to Bill to come clean. If it meant divorce...so be it..but leading a life with two wives seemed unthinkable of to her.

What must Kate do...close her eyes and mind her own business like what everyone does? She knows she has always stood up for what she felt right. However neither Pam, nor Bill were close to anyone she would want to stand up for. She only feared for the health of David's father and Pam's kids. David must go away for a year. There is no way he could stay back. Gods timing had been funny.

So readers what would you do if you were a stranger in Kate's strange world?

Kate and Anna

Once upon a time there lived a pretty young girl called Kate. A little saint, who was very happy to be by herself and loved reading about everything from Abraham Lincoln to the truths about the 2nd world war to Mills and Boons. A quiet little dreamer who seldom shared her dreams with anyone but made few and good friends. All she wanted from life was to make a mark, an ambitious dreamer was she. She loved her little sister Anna. Now what can I say about Anna, the center of all mischief in school and town. Poor little Anna got blamed even for the mischief she never did. Fear was not known to Anna, so open was she that she easily became the favorite of all her teachers.

They loved their school - Kate for her books and friends and Anna for all the fun. Kate struggled with her studies while Anna used to easily top everything she touched. Little Kate was the captain and center forward of the hockey team while Anna the defender more interested in basket ball for the captain of the boys team was so very cute. She didn't even have to try too hard, just got into the team with ease. Such was Anna.

Kate tried hard to get over stage fright, but failed miserably while Anna easily danced, sang, acted and debated on stage. But Anna picked up everything from her sister. She read all her books, saw all the movies Kate enjoyed and didn't ever need to spend a penny of her pocket money on all the music Kate collected.

Time passed by and they lead separate lives under the same roof. The saintly Kate helped Anna all she could, protected her from the wrath of her parents in all her mischief and Anna had all the fun she could.

In college by a stroke of luck they became room mates. Two gawky grown girls, one who wanted to be something big and the other who didn't know why she was there.

Again Anna this time got into trouble with the college principal, a wicked man was he. For the first time in the principal's office, Anna noticed how passionately Kate defended her and something in Anna changed. She realized how magnanimous a person her sister was and was moved to tears with love for her sister and regret for taking her for granted always.

Their relationship changed and sisters they became not by birth, but from the heart. Anna passed by happily and Kate met her prince charming. No looking back for Kate, who for the first time overcame all her fears and became a woman. Anna never liked prince charming and seldom wrong was she. Not one to interfere, Anna fiercely helped her sister marry who she wanted facing all the anger of her parents.

Anna went on to experience all that life had to offer with all her passion. She made friends, had crushes, cried, laughed and this time on her own. Till one day she got a call from Kate....

...... to be continued