Behind the rigidity

Sweet gum now fears the chair

"Ved,go and freshen up. I'm going to wash the fruits for you ,come fast okay?" Samarth said after he and Vedant returned from school.
"Papa,mumma kahan hai?"
"Mumma has gone to meet Kalyani tai beta.She'll come by night, okay? Don't worry"
"Okayyyyyy" little tornado ran towards his room.

Ved had finished relishing his favourite Mosambis and was busy flying paper aeroplanes since the last half an hour,when his face fell hearing his father
"Vedant it's time for discussion regarding the not so little stunt you pulled at school today,come here."

He didn't move,instead threw another one,but this time towards his father dear.
Samarth raised his eyebrows at his son's audacity
"Achcha?That means you want me to come and fetch you.I have no problem,but,would you like the consequences?"
Ved quickened his steps and stood 2 hands away from his dad.
"Further!"
1 step ahead,head down.Samarth shook his head but let it slide.
"What did you do at school today?"
"I threw a chewing gum at Tanuja mam and it got stuck in her hair"
"Hmm,and it was very correct of you to do such a thing,haina?"
"No Papa,wrong."
"So you knew it but did it anyways .Which was again a wrong move.Very good.And, wrongdoings deserve what?"
No reply this time.

"Wrongdoings deserve what?" this time the pain in his left earlobe, stuck between his father's fingers,made Ved open his mouth
"Aahhh papaaa"

"Wrongdoings deserve what Vedant?" Samarth asked for the third time.
"Pu..punish.. punishment papaaa " mission ear rescue accomplished.

"What punishment do you think you deserve?"
No answer.
Samarth took a step forward to hold his ear again and Ved immediately moved backwards to the wall behind him.
"I'm giving you a last chance to choose your own punishment"
But Ved didn't budge.
"You like sticking to the wall don't you?Okay fine then.As you're choosing this, I'll offer the same to you."

Ved finally eye contacted his father with a confused look.
Samarth with a pointed finger-
"Yes,mister. You'll be sticking to this same wall in a chair position,same as the chewing gum that got stuck to your teacher's hair because of you"
"Papa,no Papa I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Ved helplessly held his father's pointed finger giving him the best puppy eyes he could.

"You need to go through the consequences of your actions Ved.Either this or do you want to do the same thing to yourself as well,what you did to Tanuja mam?"
"Nahi nahiii, I'll be good , I'm sorry, please"
Even the thoughts of a chewing gum sticking to his dear hair horrified Vedant,as began shaking his head.

"Then, assume the position" Samarth pushed his shoulders slightly to the wall chair pose.

"You'll stay here in this exact position until I tell you otherwise.No complaints nothing.Am I clear?"
Ved slowly bowed and nodded his head in response.

It was not even a whole minute when he started moving,and had to be corrected twice.

As Bhavani would come only at night,Samarth decided to make arrangements and cook for the dinner.
He was being interrupted quite a number of times with the chants of "Sorry Papa" "Please no more" "My legs are hurting" , within a span of 20 mins,and he had to reprimand him with several "Back straight" "Fold your legs" "Not a single word now"

When Ved's complaints increased to the level of shouting,Samarth had had enough and stormed towards his son.He dragged him to the kitchen and made him stand by the nearest wall.
"Down"
Ved knew he had crossed enough lines,and obeyed instantly, assuming the previous position,this time perfectly.
"Hands above your head"
When he started with his whining again,two light spatula swats on his legs made him comply then and there.
"Be a good boy.Last chance" Samarth warned and resumed his work.
Ved didn't dare to throw anymore tantrums as he stayed still in his position for a good ten to twelve minutes.But,his eyes slowly started watering this time and the tears spilled down his face.

One look at his son and Samarth couldn't punish him anymore.
He went towards him and slowly wiped away Ved's tears.
"Will you again do such mischiefs ?" he asked in a soft stern tone, holding his son's hands in his after lowering them.
Ved shook his head
"Words Vedant"
"No Papa, I'm sorry"
"You know,how a small chewing gum can be dangerous as we even have to cut our hair if it doesn't come out instantly.You love your hair so much na? Then how will you feel if somebody does the same thing to you and you're forced to chop it ?"
"I'll never let anyone cut my hair without my wish"
"Then,think how Tanuja mam must have felt?Now you'll never repeat it right ?"
"Never ever"
"Good boy.Also, you'll be saying sorry to mam for your action okay? And no more chewing gums till you can learn to enjoy it respectfully without harming anybody.Alright ?"
"Papaaa, please" Ved whined
"You want me to make it lifetime?"
"No no no" he shook his frantically

Samarth finally made him stand and kissed his forehead.
"Ye lo,have this"
The two smiling cream biscuits lightened him up as he hugged his father tightly and said numerous I love yous. He snatched it from his father's hand and ran towards the couch in the zest to have his treats.
Samarth adored his child while he dusted his hands and went away to play with his friends .

It was late in the evening when a tired Bhavani knocked at the door.Vedant got up like a spring from the chair and rushed to open the door.He flung himself towards his mum with such a force that Bhavani had to take the wall's support to prevent both of them from falling.

"Haaye mera bachcha missed me so much" she ruffled his hair and kissed his head lovingly,multiple times.

"Arre maa-beta,Bharat milap done?chalo ab,come inside"
Ved held his mum's hand and literally dragged her inside.
"Mummy is tired beta,let her sit down,and ,what about the questions I gave you ? Are those solved?"
Samarth asked knowing his next reply very well
"Papaa,no more studies today please. Please please please please please"
Samarth folded his arms across his chest, raised his eyebrows and fake glared his son down.
"Pleaseeee?" the world famous puppy eyes making a comeback.
"Okay baba fine" his facade couldn't work anymore.

Bhavani chuckled at both of her dramebaaz boys.
No sooner did the words leave his father's mouth,all his books went inside the bag magically.

" I'll change and come.You want to have something before I go and make dinner?" Bhavani asked Samarth
"You want to cook dinner?"
"Yes,or else khayenge kya?"
"But the food has already arrived"
"From where"
"Your favourite Masala bhindi and royi straight from the great chef Samarth's kitchen" he said raising his imaginary collar.

It took two seconds to digest what she just heard and she couldn't help but sneak a quick tight hug with her husband and ran away before Ved came back after keeping his bag;while the blushing statue stood frozen in his spot.

The family was having dinner.
Ved had demanded his mother to feed him the meal so he sat on her lap while chewing upon his food.
"Kya baat hai ? My baby koala is not ready to leave me at all today ?Seems that he missed me kuch zyada hi"
"Of course, because today his saviour was not here at the right moment na" Samarth answered on his behalf
"What do you mean ?Did something happen about which I'm unaware?"
He went on narrating what all happened the whole day.

"Beta, what you did was wrong,you realised it right?"
"Yes mumma"
Ved snuggled some more to avoid the upcoming scolding.
"Mumma I'm sleepy"
Bhavani took the hint and decided to let it slide,as his dad had already explained to him, instead she started running her hand through her kid's hair.
When sleep took over Vedant after a few minutes, Samarth carried him to his room and tucked him to bed after kissing his forehead.

"You have talked to his class teacher properly right?"
"Yes we had a conversation"
"Other guardians had said about the same instances too, we'll have to stay more aware about both,our childrens' and the school's , behaviour now"
"Don't worry everything will be fine"
The couple smiled and retired for the day.

~ ✿⁠ ⁠♡ ✿⁠ ⁠♡ ✿⁠ ⁠♡~

Part III is here,hope it was worth reading.
Please let me know if you liked/disliked a certain part and want me to improve it.
Suggestions are welcome and I'll be back with a fresh chapter.
Till then,stay safe and smiling 💖