It was a windy and cold night, and Kitty's sister was slaving away at the shop she worked at, leaving Kitty at home. She had not noticed that Kitty was sick, as she was rather busy then, so Kitty's fever worsened in the night. It was lucky that Aunt Lilly came to check on Kitty that day and found her lying in bed, not even having the energy to move a muscle. Waves of pain swept over her now and then, making her fidget in her bed. She rushed Kitty to the hospital without delay and just managed to save Kitty's feeble soul from the Gates of Death. Aunt Lilly had scolded Kitty's sister so loudly that their neighbours could relate to you the exact details of the incident and Aunt Lilly even gave her a slap that she would never forget. After the huge dressing down, Aunt Lilly started to pack Kitty's things, as she left Kitty's heart-broken sister crying her heart out as she slumped on the floor. Aunt Lilly then left, slamming the door behind her, hired a taxi and made for her home.

The knocking at the door broke Aunt Lilly's train of thoughts. She wiped her hands hurriedly on her apron and strode towards the door, with Kitty scampering close behind. Aunt Lilly opened the door, and Kitty suddenly gave a shriek of joy and surprise. She ran up and hugged her sister, who had come to visit Kitty and Aunt Lilly. "Hi, Kitty! Hi, Aunt Lilly." she said as her eyes scanned around the luxurious house and finally coming to a rest in Aunt Lilly's direction. "Hi, Fyon, what a surprise. " Aunt Lilly answered. Her eyes had a stony expression and there was no look of surprise to see Fyon on her face, only hints of scorn. Fyon dropped the bags she was holding and lifted Kitty up. Kitty then nuzzled close to her elder sister affectionately. "How can Kitty be so close to her after what she had done to Kitty...?" was the question that had lingered in her mind everyday.

  

  "Are you going to stand there and cause Kitty to catch a cold or fever?" Aunt Lilly asked icily. Fyon put Kitty down gently and apologised meekly. She picked up the bags she had dropped on the floor and held one up to Aunt Lilly. "Fruits......for you." She started hesitantly. "You shouldn't have bothered. I won't starve Kitty, don't you worry." Aunt Lilly murmured. Hearing that, she blurted out, "I didn't want to leave Judith..." she stopped midway, lost for words as the words stuck to her throat. The silence stretched between them until Kitty finally said, "Sister! Here¡¯s something...for your birthday tomorrow. I saved everyday and got you this...hope you like it..." and from behind her, she produced a package wrapped in a colourful wrapping paper. "Oh, That¡¯s so sweet of you to remember! I have one for your birthday tomorrow too..." Blushing wildly, she fished out another package wrapped in soft pink wrapping paper. "Oh, thanks! Lets open each other's present together!" beaming widely, the two sisters carefully unwrapped the wrapper to reveal two identical teddy bears, each bearing each other's name on the big heart sewed into the bear's chest. Kitty shouted in surprise and hugged her sister tightly.

  "Have you done visiting? 'Cause its way past Kitty's bedtime, and she needs her sleep, too." Aunt Lilly said, breaking the heartwarming scene. Moving forward, she opened the door and stood beside it. "Bye, my little kitten! I love you!" Fyon said, with longing in her eyes. Heaving up the bag of fruits and some other bags, she stepped out into the cold rain. As she turned around to have a last look, Aunt Lilly slammed the door shut as Kitty screamed, "Bye, sister! I love you too!"

   It was a few weeks later. Holding a wrapped package tightly to her chest and a plastic bag in her work-roughened hands, Fyon made her way through the busy streets as she fought against the storm bearing down on the town. Aunt Lilly had finally agreed, reluctantly, to allow Kitty to meet Fyon. Standing outside the ice-cream shop door where they had agreed to meet, she hugged the package and waited patiently. " Sister!!!" someone yelled, and as she turned her head, she saw her beloved Kitty on the other side of the road. Following close behind, panting, was Aunt Lilly. A tremendous sense of dread swept past both Aunt Lilly and Fyon as out of excitement, Kitty had rushed across the road, not noticing the car steering fast towards her. In a flurry of movement, Fyon, not worrying for her own safety, rushed forward out of instinct......

                                                              ***

"Aunty Lilly!!! What is sister doing lying on bed? I want her to play with me now... What happened just now?" Kitty whined in her small voice, with a forlorn expression on her face. Aunt Lilly stood rooted, a frozen expression on her face, as she sat on the bed beside Fyon. The complicated machines on the other side of the bed beeped threateningly. "I'm sorry, I have done my best..." was the only reply of the doctor when Aunt Lilly frantically asked him after he stepped out of the emergency room. A lump started forming in her throat as she was bitterly reminded of the quick things that happened right before her eyes earlier. "What happened?? Why is sister..." Kitty implored again. Aunt Lilly turned her head away from the bed. Her eyes fell on the package and plastic bag she had seen Fyon holding on the other side of the road. Picking them up, she saw the neat handwriting of Fyon on a small paper pasted to the package. It read "Aunt Lilly." Opening the package, she found a knitted jumper and a letter. She opened the letter and read the contents inside. " Dear Aunt Lilly, I know you hate me for causing Kitty to fall sick. I just want you to know that I still love you. I will be going away to work, and might never return. I will send money to you and Kitty from overseas, so please don't think that I¡¯m deliberately doing it to desert Kitty. This will be my last gift to you. I knitted it myself by hand and I hope it fits. The things in the other plastic bag are for Kitty. Farewell, and I will love you and Kitty always. Fyon." Aunt Lilly broke down, and tears blotched the letter. Shocked, Kitty tried to console Aunt Lilly as she herself started to cry. "Aunt Lilly... Why did you cry?? What is sister doing??" Aunt Lilly pulled herself together and wiped her tears. "Your sister will never come back again¡­¡±