The raindrops were falling heavily on the window panes, it seemed to be trying to barge itself in "Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds", that's what the weather forecast had been, sadly they had not been able to predict the duration. It had been hours since Nina had dedicated herself to her favorite couch. It faced the large windows of her bedroom. The room had a very soft touch to it. Every color, furniture and texture of the room was carefully designed to suit the world that she now belonged to. A world that had been delicately nurtured and one filed with small dreams. And that too lots of them!

Somehow the atmosphere around her seemed to bring back memories to Nina. Memories of a past that she owed a lot too. She remembered her childhood. Well there did not seem to be anything too unusual about it. At least she did not feel that way. She used to be an average student at school. Parents had high hopes on her as any parent would! It had passed off without too many adventures.

Life in her teens, yes again there were the usual peer groups, gossips, crushes, school projects and PTA's. College life had been enjoyable. But somehow Nina started feeling a sort of loneliness in her life. During her college period she a few friends and one or two flopped romances. She started getting a feeling that she needed a friend. Someone whom she could call her own. Parents, friends, and relatives everyone was there but still she started feeling something missing. As if there was this someone who was special to her but she didn't know whom. She was sure she'd recognize the person if she saw him, though she didn't know his name or anything else about him.

As years passed bye she met quite a few people and many a times she had mistaken it to be that special person she was searching for.

Then one day when Nina was about to get out of her house … she saw him. Just a glimpse of a blue shirt, jet-black hair and a perfect smile. She didn't know who it was, but she knew it was him. She ran out into the street to have a look at him again, but he had gone, vanished. She tried to keep that face away from her mind and kept reasoning with her self. How can she just waste her time thinking of some chap on the street? How silly of her! But still somewhere in her mind she dearly hoped to see him again….just once more!
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Almost a month had passed since that incident had happened; Nina had managed to get herself a job in a local company. Not anything too ambitious but a job to keep herself busy.

It was one of those hectic days when she had her manager dancing on her head! Nina was just trying hard to keep her work in order; suddenly there was a faint knock at the door. A head popped in and asked " Excuse me madam, can I come in". There was that usual executive voice. She expected it to be one of those pesky marketing agents trying to push into every office selling one of their outrageous products, and right now Nina had no time for it. Without looking up she said asked him to take a seat! He sat down and said that he was from the advertising firm which was supposed to be doing an ad campaign for her company. She looked up from her pile of files that she was so immersed in.

For a minute all that she could do was to keep staring him. That face, perfect smile! Was this a miracle? The person whom she hoped, wished and dreamt of meeting was here right in front of her and all that she could do was fumble. She took a minute before she could bring herself back to reality. She tried to think hard, what was it that she had to say, what was it she longed to say. 'Nina wake up!' her mind was trying to force her.

"Uhh! Well….what…oh…Hi….I am Nina…am sorry …a bit lost….How can I help you?" She somehow managed that much. He smiled. A magical smile, a perfect one. " Hi I am Rohan. Am from Prographics. Your manager had asked me to get in touch with you regarding the ad campaign."

He explained that he had been a fresh transfer to his office and that was supposed to handle all the current projects.

Nina had a tough time keeping her self in order and in explaining all the details to Rohan. Half the time she caught herself gazing into his small brown eyes or at the way his lips moved when he spoke. Somehow she completed her task and about an hour later he left from her office.

For the next few days she had a tough time concentrating at her work. She kept smiling all the time and there was an unusual sparkle in her eyes. Her colleagues teased her "Nina who is the lucky charmer?" Did love really show? She wondered and smiled to herself.

He'd phone quite often and keep updating her on the ad work. The calls were mostly brief and formal though he'd never miss out on the "Hi, am Rohan here, how are you doing?"

Nina was eager to know more about him but she didn't know how to start a conversation with him on a more informal note. At times Nina could see him stealing glances at her but then she wondered was she making it up!
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One day after almost all her work was done for the day, Nina had planned to get out from office a bit earlier. When was just about to get out of office she saw Rohan come in. It had been almost a week since she had seen him. He had a few papers, which he wanted to drop off at her office. But Nina felt something missing on his face. That smile. It somehow looked drawn back today.

Though she hesitated at the beginning she asked if everything was all right with him. He said that it was fine. He said that he had been home for a few days and that's why he couldn't drop in at her office earlier. He said that he got engaged.

Nina didn't know how to react. She felt numb for sometime. How can this be….I had waited all my life to get him….and now I lose him even before I know! Quickly she brought herself back. She gave a faint smile and congratulated him. He smiled back at her but somehow there was emptiness in his eyes. He left silently.

Nina was fighting a storm in her. It hurt her a lot. She tried to convince herself that she shouldn't long for something that never really belonged to her. She had no one to open her heart to. She didn't want to tell anyone and she was sure no one would understand. She gathered up her dreams and decided to carry on. Maybe if she had told him that she loved him, it would have been different. But then what if those feelings weren't returned. She thought she'd slowly try to forget him.

A few days later Rohan came to her office, for the last time. He was leaving the place. Got a better job at the place where his parents lived. The place he would be with his wife! He held out an invitation card to her. It was his marriage invitation. She took it with a pasted smile and read it in front of him, though the words didn't actually mean anything to her. He shook hands with her for the last time and left. Nina was breaking inside but at least she managed to hide it and smile. He didn't seem so happy either…. was he not happy about the marriage? She wondered and then shun her thoughts.
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It was Friday and it was raining heavily. Today Rohan would be having his wife next to him, a picture she had loved to dream of once…. But now it made her sad.

She dragged herself through office. Still somewhere deep in her heart, she hoped for a miracle to happen, in spite of knowing it couldn't!

By around twelve in the afternoon she heard a faint knock on her door. The brown eyes, the perfect smile. As if nothing had ever gone wrong. She looked up and smiled at him.
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All of a sudden the door opened and a tiny pair of feet ran up to her…Nina was brought back from her memories. The little girl was holding a photo. That familiar face, brown eyes and perfect smile. "Mummy, look how nice daddy looks in this". Nina smiled at that lovely face and thought…" Miracles do happen…dreams do come true!"

Hi there, I am HAPPY …..well Happy is my name if you are wondering…and well I guess my little Missy named me that b'coz I seemed to look like a very happy puppy from the time I was born. I belong to a family of Champion Retrievers. And I have heard my humans say that my great grand father was a royal treat to look at and my Missy stresses that I too have borrowed some of those royalties. I have a nice golden coat and the right measurements to easily qualify for any dog show anywhere.

But sadly for me I guess there had been something wrong in my genetics coz I just don't even want to try to get a full array of medals like my predecessors. And I'll tell you why… there is this hospital for kids next to my home. It's a specialty hospital for children with some huge illness. Small children with huge illness, doesn't that sound quite unfair. In my doggy heart it does feel quite unfair!!!

My little Missy seems to have a huge heart. A little girl with a huge heart….ok now that's not unfair…that's a blessing….anyways as I mentioned…the specialty hospital….well one day my Missy went to that place for a visit and as always I went along too.

The hospital was beautiful…not scary like the one  I am taken to for my shots. This was a very friendly colorful place and u know what…even the doctors and nurses wore dresses with pictures of my favorite cartoons. There was a Pooh bear nurse…and even a Micky mouse Doc. …hmm wonder if I can get my shots there too….

Oh…back to my topic…there was a doctor who took me and my Missy to meet the little patients staying there. All most all of them seemed to welcome me around. And oh my little doggy heart did go out to all of them.

I felt good in those little hands touching my nose, touching my ears…those little bodies which were withering in pain seemed to have a glow on their beautiful faces when they hugged me. I just couldn't stop loving them. If only they understood my doggy thoughts … woof!

My doggy heart wanted to play in leaps and bounds with those kids…and I guess my tail forgot how to stop wagging!!! I almost even forgot that my little Missy was even there.

Going back home was a tough thing … and that was a surprising doggy feeling coz I had never felt like this before.

After being there that one day I always long to go back again. It felt good in a very doggy way to bring a smile to my fellow humans face…

And now I sit wondering, how do I let my little Missy know that's what I want to do. I want to be with those kids and bring a smile to their face instead of being a champion dog in some boring dog show!

But I don't know how to make my Missy understand my wish.

Can anyone tell me how can I put-up my doggy thoughts across to my fellow humans? …hmm…wonder if those doctors would let me have a cartoon belt for working there…whine…