"Come on, Mr. Frank Lobo, this is not a hotel room for you to check in and check out as you wish. The institution has it's own rules and regulations,. you can't make your rules or take your own decisions. You haven't even completed two weeks at the rehabilitation center and you just want to leave without any prior notice. Not even any of your family members or near ones have called up to support your decision. Sorry sir, we can't leave you unless we get your reports. The tests are being conducted at a regular basis and you would soon see the difference. So it's a request that you please have patience and cooperate with us." The rehabilitation centre's hostel warden started at me. "It's an urgent requirement mam and I need to immediately leave" I requested her. But that made her more angry and she picked up the phone to call up the main office" If you are free, could you bring me the reports and data of Mr. Frank Lobo. Oh, so kind of you, thank you, I will wait." Within few minutes the office door flew open and the office lady entered." It's so kind of you Sarah, I really needed these papers or wouldn't have bothered you at this hour. I know you must be busy with the hectic work." "That's completely fine Mrs Sandrea, I am always glad to help you any time. Anyways, right now I am really busy so I will take a leave. And she closed the door behind me and left, leaving me with the fierce warden who was busy going through my daily reports.

Finally after an hour, she raised her head out of my reports, which in real were only five minutes. She gave her verdict in obviously a harsh voice as she was the chief warden and her voice clearly stated that she didn't want any further arguments."So, Mr. Frank, I want you to understand that your reports show an excellent improvement and you are cooperating very well. Therefore please stay patiently till we are able to give your family an assuring response about you." I understood there was no point on sitting and arguing with her, as she would go on with her lecture without letting me out of the prison. I came out of her office and walked towards the reception to make some urgent calls as my mobile connection was having a network problem. I found a lady was on the phone so had to wait for my turn. At last she kept the receiver and turned towards me,  "oh hi! Miss Sarah, it's me Frank Lobo, whose reports you just brought into the warden room." " Hello Mr Frank, how could I help you?" "Miss Sarah, if you could just help me to get an early discharge from here. I tried to talk with the warden but she was too cruel and rude to even hear my problems." "Excuse me, Frank whatever your problems are but the warden is my aunt."

"Oh! I.... I am really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anyone, it's just that I was too caught up at this place and the words fell out. I only want someone to help me get out of this place." I said. "I am not free right now but you can meet me in the afternoon near the main office and I will see, if I can help you out." "Ya, that's completely ok but I would having my counseling session in the noon. "And with whom is your session?" "Dr. Brian is my counselor and therapist. So I don't know if he would give me a leave as he is strictly against it. What about this evening? that is if you are free" I asked. " Ya, that's fine, and I will inform you if suppose my plan changes. Ok then I take a leave, see you in the evening near the sports ground." Sarah said and left.

My complete afternoon was spend in Dr Brian's counseling session. He was considered one of the best in the rehabilitation center. I was completely tired by evening but somehow I couldn't avoid the need of meeting Sarah. I dressed up and moved towards the sports ground. I couldn't find Sarah there and then suddenly I saw her waving from the parking lot next to the ground. I waved back to her, she looked fresh since I saw her in the morning. She threw a bunch of keys at me and asked," Can you drive? this is my aunt's car. She gave it to me for the evening."I was shocked and asked her,"Did you take the permission of me going out of the premises." She smiled and said," What do you think, would I?" I didn't reply, I just winked at her and we both got into the car. "I have no idea of this region, so please if you are to give me instructions, I would drive you out." She agreed and we slowly drove out of the premises and onto the silent roads. The rehabilitation center was located on the outskirts of the city so there was so much hustle like the city roads. It was too calm and peaceful outside the centre.

All through the way, we did not have much conversation except that she had to guide me through out the drive. At last we reached a small restaurant and we headed in for the evening dinner. It is she who gave the order so I needn't had to worry about the menu. "So how did you get the permission from your aunt to take me out?" I winked and asked. Again with that same welcoming smile she replied," I didn't had to work hard, I think so she knows your family very well and was happy to send you out with me. Ya, she asked me how did I get acquainted with you. I said I met you in the lobby and you looked to frustrated here. I filled her with your part of the story. She told that he knew your family and that's how you ended up here with me. She is told you were not willing to get admitted here but just because your dad admitted your name here, you had no other choice." "That's amazing, so you must be having a short report about me from your aunt" said I. "No, not much except that you would be here for a brief period. You are not a bad drug addict but a very bad alcoholic. Your dad wants your behaviour change more than your deaddiction. Though someway both if possible." The food arrived and we were silent until our dinner finished. She paid the bill as her aunt wanted it so I agreed. We left the place after a while. "Would you love to visit the woods, it's too beautiful over here." suddenly Sarah asked. I didn't have any work back in the room so I willingly accompanied her. Dad was strictly against my office work here and had taken away my laptop. After a short drive we reached the woods and walked through it in search of a peaceful place to sit. We stopped when we reached near a small branch of rivulet.

 None of us spoke as we sat quietly and enjoyed the fresh breeze and the crystal clear waters. I kept on watching the free birds as they enjoyed their freedom among the lush green trees. But then she broke the silence, "You know Frank when we go through the dark, we fear the unknown, we fear what is around us, what should we search for, the light or the path. But when we walk in the light, we are confident about the path. We think that it's easy to confront what's about to overcome. Our confidence about light makes us think that whatever road we take we can handle the destination or the journey until we face the truth. We never think whether it's light or dark, we are still open to obstacles of life. We are visible to accessible or vulnerable." then she again went silence. Her words made me a little uncomfortable so I asked, " why so serious right now!?" And she again continued," Aunt said your dad is going through cancer. I didn't wanted to discuss this topic but sorry dear, I couldn't stop myself. I know though he's not at a serious stage at the moment, but I wanted to tell you that he called up this evening when I was about to leave home, to meet you. He seemed to be worried about you and your future. He's worried about his absence in your future." " Ya, I know that, But you didn't tell me all this at the restaurant" I said. "Cause, I didn't want to discuss this at food time, that's why I brought you to this quite place."

"Life gives us many chances but is after you lose the game or your life. We mostly think after losing that, why did we ever stop, what makes us to back away from thinking before hand. Your dad doesn't want you to be remained confined between the walls of rehabilitation center. Maybe he wants you to learn the importance of the absence of relations, the value of togetherness in relations. The missing love, warmth and sharing between relationships. Don't you think your dad wants you to search for what's missing in your life or losing in life" saying this she stood up and started walking towards the car. I didn't feel like calling her back so I followed her back. We returned remaining silent all through the drive back to the centre. She got down from the car and wished me good night. I felt silence was a better option for the moment and gave back her keys. She walked away towards the staff quarters leaving me alone in the parking lot. I felt like taking a walk but I had to inform that I was back though I was sure Mrs. Sandrea would do it. 

Our meetings became twice a week then thrice and almost regularly. We became too fond of each other. Though I wasn't permitted to the staff quarters. This went on for a long time but once Sarah found me in an heated argument with her aunt. " I need to go home, do you understand mam" I was shouting at the top of my voice just when Sarah entered Mrs. Sandrea's room. " What's going on" she asked but I ignored her and continued arguing with her aunt not bothering to lower my voice. "Will you shut up and lower your voice" she lost her patience. " This is not your bar to behave in an unethical manner. Either behave or empty the room right now." I just stared at her and she repeated," right now". I left the room angrily and we never met until I got discharged.

None of us tried to contact each other though our eyes met each other whenever we passed through the corridors of the centre or the grounds. But it was mostly as if one reason was enough to change our ways. And then after a completion of two months I left. He did not try to call me neither did I. Time passed by like wind but we never contacted each other.
One evening, Sarah was with her aunt , helping her with segregating all the office documents. "Sarah, did you call Frank after the incident." asked Mrs. Sandrea seeing her silent all through the work. "No aunt, I didn't feel the need" she replied. "But why, it wasn't his fault that day, he just wanted to go home." her aunt told. "So, that wasn't the way to talk with someone." argued Sarah. "Ya, I agree with you Sarah, but that was because his dad was admitted in the hospital and he wanted to see his dad. But his dad had given strict instructions that Frank shouldn't be sent home until we give in a positive report. It was I who was stuck between him and his dad. And that day he just wasn't ready to stay back. But thankfully maybe just because you got angry, he never came back with the same topic again. The rest you know how sincerely he completed his period here." informed her aunt. Sarah didn't spoke anything and left from her aunt's house. Months passed by Sarah still didn't contact me.