One- This is my life!

"Keep calm and don't worry Mrs. Dhananjay." she says reassuringly.

"How do I keep calm, Sameera? Raj bought such an expensive car for me! He wasted so much money! I told him that I don't need it but he never listens to me." Mrs. Dhananjay is annoyed.

Adira smiles to herself and says, "So, you tell me that your son bought a car for you.. with a driver so that you can go anywhere you want without any discomfort and you are annoyed about it? "

"I.. I.. " Mrs. Dhananjay is at a loss of words and sighs.

Adira squeezes Mrs. Dhananjay's hand and says, " Mrs. Dhananjay, your son knows that you have arthritis and how difficult it is for you to walk. He loves you so much that he bought a car for you so that YOU could be comfortable. He didn't let the money come in between his love, you don't let it too."

Mrs. Dhananjay smiles, "Sameera! I always feel so good talking to you. You have the solution to every problem! How?! How do you always manage to solve everyone's problems and rid them of their worries? "

"That is my work, Mrs. Dhananjay." she answers cheerfully. "I am happy that you feel better."

"I remember that I was shattered after my husband's and daughter's death." she shivers. "I am thankful to Raj that he brought me to you.. you helped me cope up with the loss and regain my happiness and courage.. Now me and Raj live happily in each others company. Even though I keep telling him to marry, but he always says that he wants to stay with me and will never marry." she smiles through her tears. "Sameera... you are like my daughter.. these past five years with you have been ABSOLUTELY fantastic.. If my daughter would have been alive, I would have wanted her to be exactly like you." her voice breaks. Sameera gets up and hugs Mrs. Dhananjay.

"Sorry.. I became emotional. Anyways, I think our one hour session is over." she asks questioningly. Sameera smiles and nods. "Okay, I will go then. Bye" she gets up and kisses Sameera on the cheek and leaves.

Meanwhile Sameera smiles, she looks around her room, various degrees abound her room, positive and motivational paintings cover the walls. Those files in the cupboard and on her desk. Then, she opens her desk drawer and takes out her id. 'Sameera Shrivastav. Clinical Psychologist.' She caresses it and looks at it intently. 'This is exactly why I love my job so much. This is my life!' she says to herself.

Suddenly, there is a knock on the door and Sameera jerks. "Come in." she says calmly after keeping the id back.

A small girl of about 10-12 years enters the room. She has a teddy in her hand which she is holding extremely close to herself. She is visibly nervous.

Sameera smiles when she sees the little girl and asks her to take a seat. She walks slowly towards the chair, looking around the room with terrified eyes, her teddy close to her. "Don't be scared.. come child, sit." Sameera gets up to help her. However, the girl gets extremely scared, drops her teddy and falls down to the floor, shivering. Sameera frowns and goes to her, however the little girl is filled with fear and doesn't let Sameera touch her or come close to her.

Sameera hurries and calls her assistant to bring in the child's parents. Her parents enter hurriedly with worried looks. They see their child on the floor and try to console and calm her. After a while, she regains her composure and hugs her teddy. Sameera tells her assistant to take the child away and give her some ice cream. The girl goes, still a little scared.

Meanwhile, Sameera motions them to sit. They oblige.

"Let me introduce myself. I am Sameera Shrivastav and I am a clinical Psychologist." she extends her hand to the parents.

"Yes.. Ms. Shrivastav... we have heard about you. Nice to meet you. I am Sushila Reddy and this is my husband Anil Reddy." Sushila half- smiles and introduces them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Reddy... your daughter.."

"Anamika."

"She seems extremely disturbed... like she has been through some trauma that has had a large impact on her." Sameera says carefully.

Mr. and Mrs. Reddy look at each other and Mr. Reddy sighs and says,

"Actually.. Anamika is not our actual child... we have adopted her. Her real parents.. died in a car accident when they were with her. So... she witnessed her parents death. We.. we were their neighbors and didn't have a child of our own.. so we adopted her. She was already close to us so didn't have any problem accepting us. However, after that incident- she started saying quiet and unsocial, her grades dropped, she was being bullied, never talked to anyone and had these constant panic attacks. We gave her all the love we could, everything she wanted, took her to doctors... but nothing worked." he takes in a sharp breath. Mrs. Reddy squeezes his hand and continues,

"Finally, one of our doctors suggested you.. so we decided to come here. Please help our child Ms. Shrivastav! You are our final hope!" she pleads.

Sameera listens to all this patiently and finally says softly,

"Don't worry Mr. and Mrs. Reddy... I promise that I will take care of Anamika and she will become absolutely fine."

She squeezes her hand. Mrs. Reddy smiles and squeezes her hand back. Then she looks at Mr. Reddy who half- smiles too.

She calls her assistant and asks her to bring Anamika in. She comes in with that same fear on her face and hugs her parents. Sameera smiles cheerfully and says,

"Hi Anamika, I am Sameera. Nice to meet you." She extends her hand forward.

Anamika keeps hugging her mother, looking apprehensively at Sameera. Meanwhile her mother says caressing her hair,

"Anamika, dear don't worry. Sameera aunty is here to help you. Come.. don't be scared now. Go to her."

Anamika still looks a little reluctant but on the insistense of her mother she goes to Sameera and extends her hand too and says softly,

"Nice to meet you too Sameera aunty. "

Sameera smiles widely and carefully keeps her hand on Anamika' s head.

"You are a very good child! Sameera aunty would love playing with you. Would you come to play with me everyday? " she asks glowingly.

Anamika's terror returns for a split second, however she calms down and nods her head.

"Pinky Promise. " Sameera extends her pinky finger expectantly.

Anamika half smiles and tightens her finger around Sameera's.

"Pinky Promise."

.................