“Ask mom also to give a similar promise,” Angel insisted. My wife didn’t hesitate  to slap her hand on Angel’s palm, assuring her promise, without any emotion.

Now I became a bit serious.  How can  bring the moon to her plate?

“Will you insist on getting a computer or any other expensive items. You know your dad doesn’t have that much money right now. OK?”

“No, dad. I don’t want anything too expensive for you”.

Slowly and painfully, she finished drinking the whole quantity though frightened vomiting. .

I was rather angry with my wife and my mother for forcing such a nice child to drink something that she detested. 

The bitterness of the medicine was in Angel’s eyes and face. Somehow the ordeal was through. Angel  came to me with her eyes wide open with expectation. It is her turn now. 

“OK dad, now do my promise”

 I was expecting an atom bomb from her.  

‘Dad, I want to have my head completely shaved off!” It was her demand.

“What? head shaved?” Is she kidding? Everyone was curious. 

“No Angel! It is not nice for a girl child to have a shaven head.”

“Impossible!” shouted my mother. “Where did she learn all these queer ideas? From the TV?”

“Ask for something else sweetie,” Priya was insisting for a change. 

“But dad, you have promised. It is possible and simple. I don’t want anything else” Angel was very particular about her demand. There should be reason in her demand. I was sure.

“We will be very sad to look at your head clean shaven. All will mock at you. Please ask for something else” 

“No, dad. I don’t want anything else,”  It was her final verdict.

“Please, , Angel, can we bear to see you like that?” I tried to plead with her.

“Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to drink that medicine” She  was in tears again.

“Remember,  you promised to give me whatever I ask for. Now, you are going back on your words. Was it not you who told me the stories that we should honor our promises no matter what happen?”

We were caught terribly in our own words. Our promise must be kept by all means.

“OK darling, we will keep our promise”. My mind was still hovering what made her to this decision. 

With her head clean shaven,  with big marble eyes on a round face, Angel looked beautiful doll.

Next day morning, I dropped her at her school. It was a sad sight to watch my hairless  queen walking towards her classroom. She moved only a few steps. 

Just then, a boy climbing down from a car, ran after her shouting, “Angel, please wait for me!” 

What made me wonder was the hairless head of that boy. May be, that is the modern style, I thought.

“Hello, your daughter  is great indeed!” Without introducing herself, a lady got out of the car, and continued, “that boy who is walking along with your daughter is my son Aneesh. He is suffering from…incurable leukemia.” She paused to hide her sobs and wipe her tears.

“Aneesh couldn’t attend school for the whole of the last month. He lost all his hair due to the side effects of the chemotherapy treatment. He refused to come back to school fearing the unintentional but cruel teasing of the schoolmates bullying at his hairless head.  Angel visited him last week, and promised him that she will do something for the teasing issue and asked him to come to school. 

“But, I never imagined that she would sacrifice her lovely hair for the sake of my son! Surely you are blessed to have such a noble soul as your daughter.”

I stood there unmoved. And then, I wept.

My little Angel, are you  teaching me  how love can go beyond all boundaries?