#AtoZChallenge – Letter Q – Quid Pro Quo

Gulab was stunned to see a fixed deposit receipt for a large sum of money. There was no return address on the envelope. This was strange, she thought. As she flipped the receipt, a piece of paper fell down. She picked it up and opened it. A letter? The day was certainly getting mysterious by the hour.

She began reading the letter:

Dearest Gulab,

Do you remember the summer of 2005? I was in the doldrums desperate for a job. You had helped me find one in the local bookstore. You don’t know how happy and elated I was. Not just at the job, but by your kindest gesture as well. We didn’t meet much after that, did we? You might have wondered where I had disappeared to. The bookstore job helped me find my feet, Gulab. I worked there for two years before jumping ship. I didn’t tell you because it would have pained both of us to be in different places. Besides, I wanted to start my own bookstore and make you proud. I had developed a few contacts while working the bookstore and it helped me.

Today, I’m proud to say that I’m the owner of a bookstore that is increasingly popular. You may have heard of the bookaddictilitious chain. That’s what I started, Gulab. It’s yours too. I don’t know how to repay the faith you had in me.

You will find a fixed deposit receipt along with this letter. It’s in no way a measure of the help you provided. That’s infinite, immeasurable by money! I heard that you are having some struggles of your own. Hope with this you will be able to provide the injection to cure your husband’s cancer. Consider this quid pro quo for what you did to me that summer of 2005.

You will find an email from me containing all the details you want to contact me. The day is full of surprises, eh?

Look forward to receive your phone call. We have lots to share.

With gratitude unlimited,
Your dearest friend and well-wisher

Nihar

Gulab was moved to tears. She had missed Nihar all these years and had tried to contact him with no success. Yet, he knew exactly where she was and her situation. She was extremely proud of Nihar.

With a spring in her heart, she attempted to check her email.

Written as part of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge – http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/