THE MAN HELP - By Ocean Singh

- CHAPTER 2 -

- CHAPTER 2 -

SWEET LITTLE DOLLY

One day, Kritika was sitting with her mother playing with her doll while her mother, Kavita, was combing her hair and making plates. They are having conversation about Kritika's Barbie doll.

Kavita - "What are you doing with it!? Keep it aside for a while and sit steady." (She says a little irritated.)

"But Mamma, I'm playing." - Kritika all lost in her game tells.

Kavita asks - "What are you playing?"

Kritika starts telling - "I'm making a big house for Dolly. See, this is her bedroom. This is the hall where she'll dance with her husband. Here they have dinner as a family. This is the garden, I have made a swimming pool also Maa, see!"

Kavita - "Yeah! It's a big house! What are these big rooms for?" (Kavita starts taking a little interest in her daughters' game.)

Kritika - "These are for her children. Dolly and her husband will have two kids, like you Mamma!"

Kavita - "and they will play all the time like you and Gautam do!" (Kavita teases her and Kritika keeps giggling.)

Kavita asks confirming - "What?"

Kritika - "No mamma, I'm not his sister! I'm his best friend!"

Kavita - "yeah! But you guys play together all the time, doesn't matter how much me or your dad tell you not to."

Kritika - "mhmm."

Kavita - "mhmm!"

Kritika - "Mamma, when will I get married?"

Kavita - "what?"

Kritika - "Tell na! When will I get married?"

"Why are you asking?" – Kavita wonders and asks.

Kritika speaks - "I want to live like Dolly. I want a big house. I want to dance. And you know mamma, who will be my dance partner! Gautam. I will dance with him in the big hall. We'll live together in our house."

Kavita stays silent.

Kritika - "Mamma? You're listening?"

Kavita speaks - "yes! Yes, I am. And you'll live in the big house like your sweet little Dolly." She tries to make her little child understand – "And you know what, for that, you need to study better in school and get good grades, get a nice job. And when you'll be settled properly, you can find a good man also and marry him and live in your big house. But you know, for that, it's a long way. You need to go step by step. And the first step baby, is working hard in studies."

Kritika - "And the last will be getting married!"

Kavita - "Yes. Last will be getting married."

Kritika being curious now asks - "When did you get married mamma?"

Kavita - "I got married very soon baby, I didn't go to college. I didn't have any job. So, I got married in early age, to help your father manage his job, his family and this house. But Kriti, you need to go to college and learn something good, make yourself better and your future bright. You don't need to get married early like me. Okay!?"

Kritika - "Okay mamma."

"Yes! And when you'll do all this for me, I'll find a nice man for you and you'll marry him and then you guys will live happily in your big house!" – Kavita says putting a loving hand on Kritika's head after finishing with her hair.

Kritika - "Gautam!"

"han!?" - Kavita being confused asks.

Kritika - "You don't need to find Mamma, I'll marry Gautam!"

"Kriti! You don't have to think about him or any marriage with him. How many times I have told you not to be with him!" Kavita couldn't control her temper and again tries to make her daughter understand with a firm voice this time.

Kritika innocently replies - "But Mamma! We're bes.."

Kavita - "I don't know anything. You need to take me seriously. Your father doesn't like it neither do I. You have to stay away from him. You're not a child anymore so that you can play with him! You guys are getting older and need to focus on your studies!"

"But.."

"Enough! Play as much as you want to play with your doll. But no Gautam anymore!"

Kavita gets up and leaves the room. Kritika sadly sits there.

******