Naina, was in the kitchen making Methi Paneer Paratha for her daughter. She was determined to feed her daughter healthy food in a new restaurant-style, hoping to bring a smile to her face. However, She was feeling ashamed of herself for what happened yesterday. She had misunderstood her daughter and scolded her with sharpness, leaving a bitter taste in her heart.
Radhika narrated the whole story that took place at school -- Enaika had helped Aradhya and bravely fought for the unfairness happening around the school. Naina was filled with pride and admiration for her daughter, but at the same time, she wanted to embrace her little sweet girl and apologize to her for all the stinging words she launched at her in the heat of the moment. Her eyes were still blurry with soft droplets, her heart swelled up with both pride and guilt.
As a mother, She had failed to comprehend how her daughter's mind works and how compassionate she was for the innocent people around her. She realized that she hadn't been acting polite and affectionate off late with her daughter. Her behavior had become toxic day by day, and she had begun to reprimand her daughter for minor mistakes she made out of inattentiveness. It wasn't her daughter's fault. At this age, no normal child can acknowledge the hard work a mother puts into making food and cleaning the house. Their young immature mind doesn't permit them to understand someone's unspoken pain due to internal issues or depressive thoughts, reason behind anger, relentless hard work, and frustration over trivial matters.
Naina wished she could go to her daughter right now and sleep by hugging her tightly, longing to whisper continuous Sorry in her tiny ears to mend her little girl's gloomy mood and compensate for the bitter scoldings.
She felt a deep urge to shower Enaika with affection and love, to make her understand how much she meant to her.
Naina promised herself that she would be more patient and understanding towards her daughter, and would never let her daughter feel unloved or unwanted again.
The serene surroundings were suddenly interrupted by the sound of an innocent voice "Mumma" causing Naina to jump in fright. For a few seconds, she was lost in a deep valley of confusion and self-introspection, until she realized that it was her daughter's voice that echoed in the silent environment. Her moist wood-brown eyes lowered to the young girl staring at her with a cute expression, nervously licking her lower lip.
"Kya hua baccha?" Naina asked her gently with worried eyes, as she knelt to pay attention to her daughter's anxiety.
Enaika was uneasily fiddling with the hem of her baby pink frock, her soft ash-brown eyes blinking rapidly as she struggled to utter the words that had been weighing heavily on her heart. She had always accepted that her mother could be rude and grumpy at times, but she knew that her love for her was immeasurable, unconditional, undying, and real. Her mother's love for her had always been unfiltered. So now, it was her responsibility to apologize to her birth-giver for the disrespectful attitude and all the indignant words she used that might have pierced her heart into numerous pieces.
Adorably tugging at the sleeve of Naina's chikankeri red kurti to feel at ease. Enaika slimmed her round small lips and said in a deep regretful tone - "I Am Sorry."
Naina smiled warmly at her daughter for finally learning to apologize for her mistake, saying in a thick voice coated with mammoth emotions - "Nahi Baccha, Mumma is sorry for scolding you and making you cry." She fondly ran her fingers under Enaika's soaked eyes to wash away her slow-cascading teardrops, softly kissing her forehead.
"Enaika isn't angry at Mumma." The little girl assured her overwhelmed mother with a toothy smile, pressing a quick feathery kiss on her right cheek.
"Shona, mujhe bahut bura lag raha tha kal se...I know main bilkul acha behave nahi kar rahi hoon aapke saath aaj kal. But Mumma ko bhi accha nahi lagta jab aap good baby hone ki jagah bad baby banke zid karte ho, tang karte ho...baat nahi mante." Naina lovingly made her little girl understand, her voice persuasive.
