C12 Why Are You Crying?

“Ma’am? Ma’am, are you alright?” no response. Sarala went to the crying woman and slowly placed a hand on her shoulder. Sri Latha stopped crying and raised her head finding a kind, elderly face looking at her with concern. The face didn’t register in her mind though it seemed familiar.

“Ma’am, are you alright? Do you need assistance?” she simply shook her head no but made no attempt to do anything. Sarala decided to take charge and do something before the young woman caught a cold. She swiftly closed the door and came back tucking her saree and draping a waterproof cloth round herself. She then proceeded to help bathe Sri Latha prompting a sigh from her.

Sri Latha didn’t protest when the older woman started bathing her as if she were a child. She somehow felt this woman was friendly. She relaxed and let herself be lost in her memories again. But she was interrupted by the older woman.

“Ma’am?

“Yes?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Hmm.”

“Why are you so sad and afraid? Is anything bothering you?” Sri Latha shot the older woman a serious look making the latter nervous. “Why would I be afraid?”

“Ma’am, when you were crying a few moments ago you were saying, “I will not bother you mom.” over and over again. Sri Latha softened her expression. “Did I say that?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“I remembered an incident of the past. It was the first time I had seen my mother angry, and I was afraid.” She remembered the day very clearly.

Mamatha was furious. Never had she been humiliated so much by anyone as that pervert of a principal. He needed to be punished badly to set an example to others. She needed to show him what women could do if they were angry.

“Mom, drink this water.” She shot a murderous look at the five year old child who shrank back in fear. She put the glass there and ran into her room. Mamatha cursed herself. She had scared her darling daughter unnecessarily. She was about to go after her daughter when her husband came home at that moment distracting her.

“Anything wrong?” he asked as she took his lunch bag from him. He could always sense her mood and would not give up till she told him what troubled her. He was as stubborn as a wall in that matter. So, she would end up sharing everything. Today was no different but she wanted him to be happy when he came home; not be burdened with her troubles too. As a senior scientist in the nation’s prestigious Space Research Organization, he already had a lot on his plate.

He pulled her to himself hugging her closely pecking her cheek and then noticed something was amiss.

“Where is Srilu?”

“I-I-I scared her!” she bent her head in regret. He raised it so that she could look at him. She kept her eyes lowered.

“Look at me.” He commanded making her look at him in alarm. “What happened? Why were you angry? Did she do anything dangerous?”

“No. I wasn’t angry with her. I can never be angry with her.”

“Who is that moron who insulted you?”

“How did you know?”

“I am your husband remember? My wife is not easily rattled and the person who managed to make you scare your own daughter must have been a maniac. Tell me, what happened?”

“It’s the new principal.” And she narrated the whole bizarre incident at the school. His face changed colors as he heard the harrowing tale of male chauvinism. He let out a deep sigh. “Leave him to me. Wait for a few days and we shall go meet that psycho and teach him a lesson. Okay?” she nodded her head in agreement. She had full faith in her husband. “Till then, be as normal as you can with Srilu. No use scaring her.”

“Yes.” She hugged him again placing her head on his chest feeling reassured by his presence. “DAAAAAAAADDDDDDDYYYYYYY!!!!!” She blushed at being caught at such a delicate moment. He smiled mischievously as he bent down to scoop his daughter up in his arms.

“How are you my little angel?”

“Very happy daddy. Now scold mommy!”

“Why munchkin? What did mommy do?”

“She scared meee!! But she gave a hug to youuuuu!!!” Mamatha blushed even more at the naughty girl shaking her head at her audacity.

“Ooooooo! Reallyyyy?” he asked tickling her making her giggle in delight. “Yes daddyyyy!! She didn’t even kiss meee!” She pouted, her mouth a perfect ‘O’. He gave a peck on her cheek and chuckled when she tried to turn away her face when her mother tried to do the same.

The next few days seemed like ages dragging by at a snail’s pace. If not for her husband’s support and her daughter’s love, Mamatha would have gone mad with the endless wait for the day she could have her revenge.

She imagined and re-imagined the principal’s face as she slapped the ego out of his system. That would be so satisfying. Though she had not said anything to her daughter, the kid could guess that she was going to do something big and she was also waiting enthusiastically for her mom to do something “legendary” was the word she used. She just hoped she did not end up disappointing her daughter.

A few days later Mamatha had driven again to the school with her husband. The change in behaviour was spectacular. The principal behaved as if nothing had happened. He was so polite that her husband fell into the trap of the wily principal’s honeyed words.

“As you can see from the video footage sir, the incident you speak of never happened at all. It is unfortunate that such an allegation has been made against me.” He said. She was about to protest when she felt her husband’s hand stop her. She looked at him in disbelief as he apologised to the principal for the misunderstanding and led her out of the chamber.

To add insult to injury, the principal accompanied them to their car speaking sweetly to her husband and even offering apologies for causing a misunderstanding in her dreams. What the heck was he talking about? He had made her the villain by suggesting that she was hallucinating. And what made her grind her teeth in frustration was her husband agreeing with the principal!

“Is this what you made wait all those days for?” she burst out as soon as they stepped in their house. “Is this how you defend me? By getting trapped by the honeyed words of a pervert?”

“Even I am confused my dear. The video footage he showed me has nothing that can support your claims. And as a Government Employee, I can’t assault or insult a fellow Officer without solid evidence. In Bharat, I could be jailed or at the least suspended till the enquiry was over; but here in Sourabha Rajyam, our family could be targeted for what they would see as treachery and disrespect towards a colleague. We need to tread carefully, Mamatha.”

That had snuffed out her anger in an instant as her husband addressed her by her name only when the situation was critical and every one of them were in danger. She wondered what else she would have to endure in this land.