It's All You... [Arshi]

V - Perceptions & Changes

My forever perfect Kiddo_Star 😘😘I love you Baccha!! No, I only have you to say it to.. 😎😎 I'm late by just few minutes.. 😝

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|| V - Perceptions & Changes||

"Chotte, you should count properly again. What is 87 minus 34? Do it again?" Ratna sat with her son to complete his math homework. While Anjali on the other side of the room sat completing her own.

"Mamma, it's coming 64." Arnav pouted but his mother denied.

"That's now how you do it, Chotte. Come on, now show me seven fingers." Arnav lifted his finger counting from one to seven. "Good boy. Now take down four fingers." He again folded four fingers from one to four. "Now count how many fingers are left up?"

"Mamma, it's three."

"That's correct, Chotte. Now again, lift 8 fingers and then fold 3 and count again?"

"It's Five."

"Correct! My son is very smart. Now what's the answer?"

"It's 53!"

"Well done. See, now you know subtractions."

"Yes Mamma, I understood very well. My teacher never taught me like this. Why aren't you a teacher Mamma? You teach better than my teacher does." Little Arnav didn't know what his words have made his mother feel like. She felt very passionate about teaching. In fact she wanted to become a teacher and share her knowledge with kids. But after marriage, complying with Arvind's wishes, she stayed home with her degree crying in a corner like a trash.

"Let's start with the next problem, Chotte. It is 56 minus-" Ratna stopped her words as she heard the sound of footsteps. It's her husband who came back home. And as if a different person had entered into her body, the demeanor of the mother was completely replaced by a dutiful wife as she told Anjali to look after Arnav's homework as she walked away to fend for her husband's needs.

Anjali's protests on completing her homework died down as their mother walked away not listening to her. The kids heart didn't understand the hot and cold behaviour of their mother. It didn't make sense to them. They never had father to show as an ideal, and all they get is from their mother and seeing her going cold to them once she is with their father made a different impact on their minds.

"Wish he wouldn't come home." is what their young minds could wish for.

--

Arnav brought the bed stand forward to rest on Khushi's lap as he placed the food tray on it. Khushi just looked at Arnav silently as he arranged everything after placing a towel over her lap. Tearing a piece of roti and dipping it in the Paneer (cottage cheese) curry, Arnav forwarded the piece for Khushi to eat.

"Eat." He told her when she took no move from her side. She just kept staring at his face. The roti piece touching her lips brought her out of her stupor as she opened her mouth suddenly feeling conscious.

"Arnavji, what about you? Did you have your food?"

"Khushi," he sighed as he knew he couldn't lie. Hence the smart option would be to cover the truth, "first you have this. You need it." Or maybe not.

Khushi silently tore another piece from the plate and dipping it in the curry, forwarded for Arnav to eat. "I know everything. I can read it in your eyes. Have this along with me."