Stella

She drew her chair closer to mine, and opened the album... the first page had a picture in the center of the page, a family photo... how many people it? four...
She didn't look up, softly said pointing to the people in the picture, "My mom, my dad, my younger sister and that's me...
They all looked happy... smiling faces.
"I Love my family... I miss them..."
I didn't know what to say or how to respond, i couldn't understand... where was her family! What ...

I was waiting for her to return, meanwhile I sat in my chair and looked around the living room, beautifully done, a shade of peach and the orange lights gave it the effect of a sunset… the scanty but bright furniture and the maroon carpet on the floor made the room look redder. The small round dining table with just four chairs around it was where I was sitting… the white china cups were simple but looked expensive. I looked out of the big glass window-wall the only but sufficient source of natural ...

She smiled, got up and walked towards her bedroom without saying a thing.

Stella entered the room; everything was in place like always. A room with three walls painted navy blue and white on the roof, the fourth wall covered with a big mirror made the room look bigger than it actually was. Against the wall that faced the mirror was a double bed with three white pillows at the head, the white bed sheet properly spread and tucked in the corners, a blanket folded into half and covered ...

Over a cup of tea one evening at Stella’s place I asked her about her family. We had discussed a lot, about various things, but never really about her family.
She fell quiet for a minute or two, sighed and said, “It’s a long story…”
Was I imagining a momentary dazed look in her eyes? If I was not, then she was quick enough to veil it behind an intelligent firm expression on her face.

A long pause after that left me wondering what to say next. I tried giving her a look ...

Stella 27, a journalist also works as a social activist supporting women's rights and fighting against sexual harassment and assault on women. She's happy the way she is, single, lives alone in an apartment, does not plan to marry. I met her at a gathering, a friend introduced us and gradually we became friends, very good friends infact. She invited me to the meetings her group had, i found her to be an amazing orator, a strong woman and her words were such that they'd leave you thinking forever. ...