Chapter 2 To a New Beginning Part II

'Hm...what a lovely day!' thought Tracy as she looked at the clear blue sky. The gentle morning sun and the cool breeze made her feel so much alive. She was welcome by the refreshing sweet scent coming from the flowerbed under the shaddy red palm tree in the garden. The double-storey linked house coated in pastel peach paint with white pillars and slightly washed-off red roof seemed to be quite appealing.

'Welcome home Tracy!' said Daphne as she stepped into the livingroom. Then she continued,'This is your elder brother, Vincent; this is your eldest sister, Yvonne; and this is your elder sister, Sandy. '

Tracy could not believe her eyes. She had three siblings and she knew nothing about them until now. How disappointing! All the while she thought she was the apple of her father's eye and her mom's only sweetie. The idea of sharing her parents' love with these three other creatures was simply unacceptable.

'Urgh! Look at those dumb smiles on their faces. Hey, stop grabbing my legs! Don't touch my head! Let go of my hand! Just leave me alone....!' exclaimed Tracy in frustration but they were deaf to her pleas.

'Mom, why is Tracy so tiny and ugly? And she's almost, bald, too!' asked Vincent who was overwhelmed by curiosity.

Yvonne who was equally curious added excitedly, 'And her eyes are so small; I can hardly see them! Thank God I've such big and beautiful eyes.'

Those words pierced right through Tracy's heart. She was both angry and upset with their mean and thoughtless comments. She began to wonder how she would live in harmony with such creatures!

'Hush! Don't speak ill of your little sister. She's such a lovely baby. I'm sure she'll grow up and become a fine lady someday,' said Daphne to the children who were listening eagerly.

Unfortunately, the harm was done as Tracy had already started to distant herself from them, especially Vincent and Yvonne. Sandy, who was only one year old, appeared rather approachable. When their eyes met, Tracy knew instantly that they would get along fine. Her intuition was a gifted asset which very few possessed; and she was grateful to God for being so generous.

'Have all of you said hello to your little sister?' asked Charles, the children's father, as he came into the house. He was all smiles when his three older children greeted him cheerfully. He put his arm around Daphne's shoulders, looking straight into her eyes and sincerely said, 'Thank you for making me the happiest husband and father in this world...'

When Tracy looked up, she saw her mom smiling happily without a word. She realised that the bond between the couple was so strong that they could communicate with mere gestures. However,this touching moment was broken by Yvonne who was trying to attract her father's attention. She whined, 'Dad, I'm hungry!'

In a loving tone Charles said, 'Okay, okay, I'll cook your favourite pasta with minced chicken and mixed vegetables.'

Lying cosily in her new cot, Tracy felt at ease. She liked the fact that she was part of this family now. It was a sense of belonging she should not take for granted for there were many homeless children scattered all over the world. She promised to herself that she would try her best to be on good terms with everyone.

To be continued......

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"Count your blessings and live life to the fullest!"

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Chapter 2 To a New Beginning Part I

It had only been one day since Dylan was discharged; and yet, for Tracy, it felt like ages.Life in the hospital was boring without Dylan around. It was no longer fun playing pranks on the nurses, making them run up and down, trying to calm the babies down. Tracy would rather spend time observing what others were doing. Some of the nurses were really kind and gentle, just like Florence Nightingale; but others were absolutely rough and mean, tarnishing the good name of 'The Lady of Lamp'. How disheartening!

Tracy was so engrossed in her observation that she did not realise someone was observing her. Then their eyes met. Tracy thought those eyes looked familiar, she was certain she had seen them before. Suddenly, the image of the man in the photo next to her mom's bed popped up out of nowhere. Her heart stopped for a few seconds. There was a lump in her throat. At that very moment, she wanted to shout and let the whole world know that this tall and gorgeous guy was her dad!

After the long wait, he finally turned up. Tracy was emotinally disturbed. On one hand, she was absolutely elated to meet her dad ; but, on the other hand , she was furious with his could-not- be- bothered attitude. Just when she was about to throw her tantrum, she suddenly realised that it's better late than never and so he was forgiven.

Soon Tracy found herself lying in her comfort zone, next to her mom. Then , without any warning, the door swung open and there stood her handsome dad. Slowly, he walked towards her mom who was already in tears. They eventually found themselves in each other's arms. It was surely a classic scene, one that was played in old movies over and over again. Nevertheless, Tracy was relieved that her worries were unfounded. Her dad and mom were still pretty much in love with each other. Smilling cheekily to herself, Tracy continued watching the passionate scene between the two lovebirds. Oh, how they made her blush!

'Where've you been? I was worried sick about you! Did you know how hard it was when I couldn't reach you!' blurted Daphne who was still sobbing.

'Hush, my dear. I'm so sorry, I'm really sorry....but, it was impossibe to call you.. there was no line at all!' he explained while kissing her tears away, gently and lovingly.

'Don't you ever dare leave me alone without a trace or I'll ....I'll,' cried Daphne. Before she could finish her line, her husband planted another kiss on her sensuous lips.

Then he lifted his head, looked straight into her eyes and said, 'Let's go home, shall we?'

'Yes, dear. I really miss home,' replied Daphne without any further complaints.

As for Tracy, the mere thought of going home was great. She began to imagine how her house looked like and wondered if she would have a room of her own. The three of them left the hospital and headed home. Tracy looked at the tall white building for the last time and said to herself, 'Home sweet home.....'

To be continued.....

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'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.......'

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Chapter 1 Born to be Alive! Part V

On the fifth day, Dylan noticed a sudden change in Tracy. He was aware she no longer smiled or said hello to others, including him. As a friend, he felt uneasy about it,and he was quite certain something was troubling her. Instead of playing the guessing game, he had chosen to ask her face-to-face.

'Tracy, what's on your mind? Is something bothering you?' asked Dylan who was lying in the cot next to hers. He was genuinely concerned about her and sincerely wished that he could help her in everyway he could.

'Nothing, nothing at all...,' replied Tracy who was down in the mouth. She was trying very hard to hide her disappoinment and unhappiness, but her gloomy eyes betrayed her. Whenever someone's father drop by to see his child, Tracy felt a sharp pain in her heart. She could not understand why her father had not turned up at all.

Dylan , who would be going home that very day, felt sorry for Tracy, but he could do nothing about it. He knew Tracy had to deal with it herself; the question was, could she do it alone? The thought of Tracy having to face the problem all by herself, with no one beside her made him feel guilty.Besides, he might never see Tracy again once he left the hospital, and this could be the last moment they spent together before they said goodbye.

With a heavy heart, Dylan said,'Listen Tracy, no matter what happens, I want you to be strong. Don't you dare giving up life, okay?'

'Okay, okay, I promise. Well, Dylan, it's been great knowing you. We had so much fun together! I really enjoyed your companionship. I wonder if our paths would ever cross again....' said Tracy with a tinge of regret as she realised they could not prolong their friendship.

'Who knows? Nothing is impossible in this world,' said Dylan with a cheerful smile on his radiant face. Deep inside him, he knew the chances of meeting her again were almost zero, however, he still secretly wished that they would meet again someday.

Suddenly, Tracy heard a woman's voice said, 'Come on darling, let's go home.'

Before she knew it, Daylan was already in his mother's arms, getting ready to leave. His dear father was bag and baggage, and yet he looked so happy and excited. As Tracy was watching them leave, the back view of the father and the mother with the child in her arms, gave her a warm feeling. At the same time, she could not conceal her envy of her dear friend, Dylan. The three of them surely looked good together .

That was the last time they spoke to each other. Their friendship was indeed brief but innocently pure. It was undoubtedly genuine, with no hidden agenda.

'Friendship is like a silver chain that links two hearts together......'


To be continued.....

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Chapter 1 Born to be Alive! Part IV

Another eventful day had passed. Tracy was really thrilled with her new found friend; and life was getting more and more interesting. She had no regrets coming to this whole new world. Almost everything she encountered had stirred her mind provocatively, urging her to find out more so as to ease her curiosity.

For a couple of days, visitors came with bouquets of carnations, baskets of fruits and cartons of chicken essence. They were there for different reasons. Some came because of family obligations while others were there out of curiosity as to whom the baby looked like. Tracy could hardly remember their faces except for their shapes and sizes; and it was a real a torture for her to be in someone else's arms especially one who smelt like a skunk!

'Urgh....! Who are you? Stay away from me! Oh, no! Let me go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' cried Tracy frantically as she gasped for air. For a moment, she thought she would die of suffocation. She wished she could tell her off in her language, but she knew perfectly well that it was only a wishful wish. Tracy had lost the will to protest as all her attempts were futile. The louder she cried, the more attention she got from her. At last, Tracy realised that she had to change her strategy; she did not turn a hair and waited patiently until her "enemy" thought that she was sound asleep.

This woman ,who was in her early thirties, gently put her back into the cot, and proudly told Tracy's mom that her niece was already asleep. Little did they know, Tracy was actually wide awake, eavesdropping to every word they uttered. Yes, her plan worked out well. No more smelly armpits!

This particular incident had triggered Tracy's mind on why some adults could be so ignorant about their own body. How she wished she could give these people a simple lesson on "The Secret of Sex Appeal"using the following philosophy:

BODY ODOUR = REJECTION
but
BODY ODOUR + PERFUME = SEX APPEAL

'If only I could get the message across, then the world would smell wonderful....,' said Tracy to herself.

While thinking about this, Tracy discovered that someone important had yet to pay her a visit. He was none other than the person who was also responsible in bringing her into this new world-her dearest father. She had seen other babies' fathers visiting them every day; not once a day but at least twice a day. There were times when she noticed Dylan's father came by about three times a day! She began to imagine how he looked like, picturing him as someone tall and fit, with a squarish face and dark brown eyes that sparkled just like hers. She yearned to see him and to be held by him , but how long would she have to wait?

As time passed by, Tracy began to feel more and more anxious. It had gone into the fourth day, and yet there were still no signs of him. Where was he? Tracy could not help wondering if she was an unwanted child. She did not feel good about it and soon lost her appetite. Her poor mother was so worried about her condition that she too had lost her appetite. There were tears in her eyes each time she held her in her arms for she had no idea what had gone wrong with her beloved Tracy. The doctor on duty came round to check on both the mother and the child. He decided to contact Mr Chia to inform him about the problem they faced - post natal depression......

To be continued.....

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Chapter 1 Born to be Alive! Part III

It was only seven-thirty in the morning and the babies' ward was already full of activity. Tracy was awakened by the sound of running taps and her inconsiderate friends who were screaming their lungs out while having their morning baths. 'How annoying!' she thought.

'Good morning ,Tracy. It's time to take a shower!'

Everything went on well until the after-shower morning exercise. Now, it was Tracy's turn to join in the SCREAM! All hell broke loose! She cried the loudest and the longest and this had led the others to scream simultaneously. Every nurse on duty freaked out! They were in a daze as they had never encountered such an incident before. Needless to say, the" newborn choir" had alerted the matron and patients in the maternity ward, causing such a commotion along the corridor. With anxiety written all over their faces, their mothers made a beeline to the babies' tight security ward.

Together with the security guards, the matron tried to calm everyone down and ensured them that their babies were fine. She then explained that it was just a false alarm. At first, they refused to go back to their respective rooms, but when they saw that their babies were all right, they obediently headed back. Meanwhile, something amazing was happening in the babies' ward....

'Hi, my name's Tracy, Tracy Chia. Nice to meet you.'

'I'm Dylan Rajendran, nice to meet you ,too. By the way, why did you cry just now?'

'Well, I disliked the way the nurse handled me during the so -called morning exercise. Ouch! My shoulders still hurt! What about you? Why did you scream?' asked Tracy in curiosity as she stretched her arms to loosen up the muscles.

'That's unbelievable! You must have read my mind! I felt exactly the same way as you did,' replied Dylan excitedly.

Tracy smiled and said,'Well, great minds think alike!'


To be continued........

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Chapter 1 Born to be Alive! Part II

On the night before she moved out from her cosy nest, something weird happened. She felt restless staying there for the very first time. She had never experienced anything like this before. She felt as if her entire body was overpowered by an invisible force. She tried to break free but to no avail. The harder she struggled to fight back, the stronger the force became. Out of the blue, she heard a woman crying in pain. Then she heard another lady's voice giving her some encouraging words. She said,'Push harder; it's almost here. Yes, that's right! Let's do it once more...Take a deep breath....One , two,......'

Just when she had almost given up fighting an impossible battle, she managed to free herself from the monstrous grip. She could not help wondering if God had sent an angel to save a poor life like hers. At that very moment, she saw a bright light, so bright that she had to close her eyes a little, at least until she got used to it. Then, without any warning, she was turned upside down and someone in a white robe smacked her buttocks. She let out a cry and heard the lady said,'Congratulations! It's a girl!'

The woman was in tears, but she was smiling from ear to ear. Wrapped in a piece of white cloth, she was then placed on the bed next to the lady. For some reason, she felt attached to her. There was a special bond between them and this marked the beginning of a relationship.....

When she opened her eyes, she found herself lying in bed. On her wrist was a tag which wrote:
MOTHER'S NAME: MRS DAPHNE CHIA. She was still illiterate so she had no idea what it meant. It did not matter because she thought the white tag looked cool on her. She later found out that those women in white uniforms were nurses who had been assigned to take care of her and others like her. Oh, yes! One more new discovery- she and other similar creatures sharing the same ward were actually called BABIES!

While she was busy looking around, she overheard the nurses talking about Mrs Daphne Chia's daughter. One said that she was so fair and lovely; and another said that she was active and adorable. Then, she thought to herself,' Hmm... too bad I'm not your boss; otherwise, I'd give all of you a raise in your salary and double your bonus!'

Soon it was feeding time. She had been observing with great interest how the nurses feed her friends in the same ward. She thought her turn would come soon, but a nurse named Raziah pushed her little bed to another room. It was Mrs Daphne Chia's room, someone who was overwhelmed by her existence, was waiting anxiously to meet her again. Soon she found herself in her arms, close to her bosom.

Mrs Chia gazed at her lovingly and said,'My darling Tracy, how are you feeling today? You seem to be very hungry.....you suck well, too....'


To be continued.....

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Chapter 1 Born to be Alive!

Part I

'On your mark! Get set! Go!'

Off she went, with all her might. The competition was stiff, but it did not dampen her spirits. She began to overtake the other swimmers, one by one. She knew she had to strain every nerve to be the champion and win the exclusive prize for the event. It was her only chance of survival; the only way she could get freeloading for nine months!

In the final lap, the rest of the swimmers were already far behind her, except one. She started pushing herself even harder, with one powerful stroke after another, in unison with her one and only rival. At last, she heard the buzzer. She turned around and saw her name appear as number one on the score board. Yes, she made it!She could not believe it! It was too good to be true!

After her victory, she had done nothing but had a whale of time. It was like a long vacation at a resort hotel. Good food was abundant and she was never short of entertainment. She had already got used to the free-and-easy life, lazing around or doing what she liked with no interruptions from others. Life, during this period, was surely a bed of roses for her. She always said to herself, 'Come what may, I'll live life to the fullest!'

Finally, the dreaded day came. She had been forced to leave. Having had such a wonderful lifestyle, it was obvious why she was reluctant to end it. Now, she had to move out to another place which was totally alien to her. Deep in her heart, she was afraid of meeting new faces in a new environment. Would she get accustomed to the whole new world?

To be continued.......

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