D for Daddy

13. Decisions

Rohit put the application of Armaan Goenka in another file and kept it aside.
That day he could not contain his happiness. Naina's taunts and overwork did nothing to bring his mood down. The fact that the baby was still alive somewhere was the source to his happiness.

Rohit had decided that he would reject the application. Armaan could apply only for two more years. He would not be able to apply once he turns seventeen. since he was fourteen now, he had two more chances to apply. If Rohit rejected his applications, there was no way he could come to Rosewood High.

He wrapped up checking of four sets of applications and sighed. Two more to go. It was noon already and he looked up when the knock resonated on the door of his cabin.

"Yes?" He asked the canteen boy.

"Should I serve the lunch, Sir?" The boy asked.

"No. I will go back home for lunch. Did you ask Naina Ma'am?" Rohit asked flipping a page and the boy did not reply.

Rohit looked up to meet the silence and pursed his lips. He gestered the boy to leave. It was very obvious that Naina had again created a havoc in the school and he was unaware of what had conspired.
He did not know what to do of his sister. There was no humanity left in her. She dominated everyone under her and everyone melted like wax under her hard and emotionless gaze.

He closed the folder and walked out of the cabin to see what exactly had happened now.

When he knocked on the cabin of the Principal's office, no one responded. Not that Naina easily responded, he pushed open the door to find the cabin empty.

He came out and realised that no one was around. All the classes were empty too, since it was lunch break.

"Govind?" He called a Helper and the man in his late forties looked at him and greeted.

"Where is Principal Ma'am?"

"Everyone is in conference room." Govind replied.

"What? Why?" Rohit could not recall any pre-scheduled meeting.

He shook his head and walked away to the conference room. When he knocked lightly on the door and pushed it open to walk in, he was greeted by grave silence. Naina sat on the high chair, with her cold moving from one teacher to another and all the teachers sat quietly, praying in mind that she does not call out their name to answer her questions.
Rohit silently took a chair by Naina's side and gently asked her about the agenda of the sudden meeting.

"Are you not aware of what happened?" She asked in her sharp voice. Accusation was evident in her tone.

"Five students are down with cough and cold. And the teachers have no answers to it." Naina replied.

Rohit widened his eyes. Five kids in a huge number of 1000 were sick. Looking at the situation, it was not something to be worried of. They had a good team of inhouse doctors to handle the kids. But Naina, as usual, was ina bad mood and had got a point to bring out her frustration. Rohit rubbed his eyebrow. He did not know what the teacher s would say in this matter. He looked up to the co-ordinator of primary wing and she blinked at him, indicating to help somehow.

Rohit cleared his throat and Naina gave him a challanging look.
"Did you meet the kids, Naina?" He asked.

"Yes. The kids are down with cough and cold." She immediately replied.

Rohit nodded in understanding. "Let us give it a day or two. Let be kids be under observation. We have good doctors around. Please give it a thought."

Naina gave him a hard stare. There was thick tension that had everyone on the edge of their sanity. Naina was capable of firing everyone and put a halt to the smoothly functioning school. But when she nodded lightly, everyone could feel a breath of relief.

Rohit took no time to take the reings in his hands.
"Teachers, please go ahead and enjoy your meal. You all have 20 mins to do so, before the classes begin."

Naina sat like a statue as the teachers hurridly dispersed. They did not want to extend the time of their lunch and face another interrogation with Miss Naina Wadhwa.

"Naina?" Rohit gently tapped her shoulder and she looked dead in his eyes.

"What was that?" He asked again.

"What was what, Rohit? I was trying to understand the reason behind sick kids and you had to ruin everything. Cant you keep ypurself to your own business?" She snapped.

Rohit was taken aback momentarily. He sighed.
"Aren't you hungry?" He asked out of nowhere, sending Naina in another wave of frustration.

"Come on, Naina. The kids just have some cold. I will make sure that they recover at the earliest. Don't worry." He tried to assure her.

Naina averted her eyes and silently got up to leave. The broken soul was visible in her sad eyes and empty eyes. It might be a small trivial thing for the world, but it was highly disturbing to Naina and she had no answers to her feelings. She always thought that her heart was dead already. But she could not hold back when she went for a regular round and found a boy near a washroom, coughing vigorously.
She immediatly took him to the infirmary anf found four other students, down with cough and cold. Her heart went out to the students.

When Naina sat by the pond that day, she wrapped her arms around her knees and let the cold wing play with her free flowing hair on her back. She had her mood sour the entire day and it was a part of her daily life now. There was hardly a day filled with joy in her life.
She had hardly known her mother. She did not know how it was to be taken care by a mother in sickness. She did not have anyone to hold and say soothing words when she lost her child. Her heart moved for the kids that were staying away from their parents in the boarding school.
Though the school had all possible facilities, it could not give the warmth that a mother could provide.

She hated the parents to the core and never met any of them, ever. She hated the fact that they had the privilege to be with their precious kids and still chose to send them away. She always wondered what made them part with the innocent kids.

If she had her own child, she would never allow herself to be away from him or her. Sho would love them like it was the last day.

But... it was just limited to 'IF'. This was something that could not turn to reality. She never had a child, and had no chance to get one.

She wondered if Kian had any kids by now. She was sure he took would never like to part with the kids. He would keep them with himself and love them unconditionally.

Rohit walked back to the office that night and pulled out the folder that had the application of Armaan Goenka. He carassed the small photograph and a smile threatened to slither across his lips. He had finally made up his mind.

Even if he rejected the application for two more years, he would not be able to stop once the boy turns eighteen and comes back looking for what is his. Rohit did not want to imagine himself in the bad books of another stubborn-head. He smiled at himself. He found himself eager to meet the little chipmunk and see for himself if he was worth to be Naina and Kian's son.

Rohit pulled out the official letter head and wrote down an acceptation cum invitation letter for Armaan Goenka to officially be guest for Diwali Vacation at Rosewood High.

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