Received

 Shama was walking to and fro on her verandah anxiously, every now and then, she would poke her head outside the door, and look intently to the west, as if eagerly waiting for someone.

"Leave it Shama, it won't be coming", said her husband.

"No, I'm sure it will", she replied biting her lower lip, "Oh! look, he's here", she squealed in excitement as the postman appeared at the west corner of the village.

"He comes here nearly every day, but never delivers at our door" groaned her husband taking a sip from his teacup.

The postman came up in their lane.

Shama stood eagerly in her doorway, waiting for the postman to reach their house, finally, a minute later, the postman reached their door, shuffled between the letters in his hands, and then passed forward, soaking down all of Shama's hopes. She stared at the postman as he went on delivering letters.

She withdrew herself from the door reluctantly.

"I told you, he would be diluted in the fast and modern culture fast enough, even forgot his own parents," said her husband heaving a long, cold sigh.

Shama stormed into the kitchen to resume her preparations for lunch, which she had put at a halt whilst she waited for the postman.

Thoughts of all kinds were racing in her mind as she half-heartedly pulled out pots and pans. 

''Why hadn't he posted till now", she mumbled to herself. It had been three weeks since his departure when he had promised that he would write to them as soon as he would reach his destination. But what had happened to him that had prevented him from writing to them.

She had heard about train accidents or trains being late, had by any chance, he too had encountered any of these catastrophes.

A soft knock at the door hauled her out of the whirlpool of thoughts. 

"Who's there?", asked her husband.

''The postman'', came the reply.

Before her husband could answer the door, she stumbled out of the kitchen, hastily pulling up the shawl over her head that had slipped down to her shoulders, and threw open the door.

The postman smiled at her, "Sorry, I forgot your mail, he said handing her the white envelope.

"It's okay", she replied returning him the smile.

Her heart leaped with joy, as she returned with the envelope, beaming from ear to ear. She tore it apart desperately and pulled out the letter.

It was a small piece of paper, not the long one she had expected, but still, she seemed content. She could feel his warmth in the paper, and a sense of familiarity issued from the letter.

Smiling, she read out the letter, her expression changing with every line.

"What's written", asked her husband impatiently as he noticed the expression shifting.

She quietly handed him the letter, he read it out and then sighed, "I warned you, but you were so obstinate on your decision, go on, send him to the city, then these are the outcomes".

Shama herself was totally flabbergasted, how could he forget about his old values so soon, how could he mix up with the fast rhythm of the city so early.

She sighed and leaned her head at the back of the chair as she tried to gulp down the sudden shock and disappointment that reigned in her mind, unaware of what other disappointments life held in store for her, choosing to reveal at appropriate times.