Entwined Lives

XII

The answers sheets were stacked in increasing roll number, the report cards had been entered into, and the teachers had thought of remarks for every student- good or bad. The PTM was ready to roll.

Poso's mother had come and after the rituals of the PTM, along with her he left. Tela's mother had also come, checked with the teachers about her daughter's behavior in class and then, they too left. That way, parents came, spoke to the respective teachers, checked the report cards and then left, with their children. Just like it was meant to be.

The timings for the PTM were from 10:30am to 12:00noon. Sivi's mother had promised to come early this time, sharp at 10:30. Of course, Sivi didn't expect her to arrive that early, granting her her strong unpunctual tendency but Sivi did expect her mother to turn up. Sivi walked around the corridors crossing fingers to hope to see her mother entering the school building, she sat staring at the sky observing the speed of the air moving the clouds, silently watched as her class crowded with people of reactions vast, or sat in her class with her attention dwindling between the parents' emotional performances as Mrs.Mytla honestly announced the issues,solutions regarding their children's attitude towards academics and her replay of her conversation with Poso.

She felt nice, filled with pride at the almost first time that she opened up, did what she felt like,ignoring unnecessary thoughts and doubts. It had turned out well for her.

Mrs.Mytla and Sivi were the only ones left in the class at 12:30pm. Parents had scooped up their children either wanting to bash them or throw a bash for them, but what was important was that they came. And the rest whose parents were not to come, smartly left the campus, leaving behind Sivi whose mother was to come but didn't show up.

Sivi was helping Mrs.Mytla arrange everything, the report cards, the answer sheets again, all roll number according.

''Did you call her up?''

''Yes ma'am. The line was busy.''

''Are you sure she knows about the PTM today?''

''Very. She even received the text message from the school about it.''

''So what will you do now? Stay and wait or go back home?''

''I'll stay.For all I know she might be on her way right now... But it's alright ma'am, you can go on. I'll ask her to come and meet you some other day.''

''That's fine but what if she doesn't come? Do you have money to go back home?''

''If she doesn't come even by 2 then I think I'll leave. I go by the metro daily, so I have a pass.''

''Thats good.''

Mrs.Mytla was 44yrs old but she didn't have children. Not that she wouldn't love to, she just couldn't. And like that, she never had a close relationship with any coming-of-age young man or lady or any other child. It killed her to see other couples growing families. She secretly hoped Sivi would be that fulfillment. A partial fulfillment of the entire dream. 'She and Sivi could spend time together now that they were by themselves, get to know each other and she could also become Sivi's adviser/support/confidant/well wisher/ and an eminent person in Sivi's life, a child's life.' Mrs.Mytla told Sivi that she would stay with her until her mother came.

''What do you want to do after school,Sivi?''

''I'm thinking Architecture but my father wants me to do computer engineering.''

''What do you think you will do?''

''Architecture.''

''Determined. But why Architecture?''