The Gospel Truth

IV. THE BIRTHDAY MONTH

High atop the steps of the school building, the mathematics teacher was holding the test results. The students were standing down the stairs and waving their hands to know about theirs'. The teacher announced the name of the only failed student and that appeared to be Amy's. Amy couldn't believe in her ears. She tried to reach the teacher pushing her ways through the flock of students but she felt her legs stone tied and then all students made the environment vociferous for no reason. Amy was unable to cop up the situation and in this chaos and confusing condition, the teacher called her name again and again.

'But why is he bellowing at me? I have heard him; it will take some time to reach there. And Gosh! How harsh his voice is?' Amy thought and waved her hand signing him that she was coming up the stairs. And, her waving hand found the mobile that was ringing. This was the alarm set by her. This cacophonic morning alarm of Amy's mobile was always set to be dismissed in the morning.

Amy found it really hard to step into the serious mood of study after the enjoying holidays of Saturday and Sunday along with the leave of Monday. It was her father's birthday on September 30. So, they were in Shimla and Kufri on the weekends and extended the trip by a day and then got an additional holiday of October 2...But October 3... it was Wednesday and not a holiday.

'Oh God, why did you allow these sapiens to create these horrific schools? ... There shouldn't be any school anywhere in the world and if necessary, it should be only for the interested, that too on their freedom of selection of days; but not for all at least. How cruel subjects wait for us, open-mouthed... That dreadful Mathematics...Trigonometry... sineθ, cosineθ, height and distance, Calculus... integration, differentiation, Algebra... Binomial expansion, series, Pianos Axioms, AP, GP, HP.... Oh, how boring it is! ... Then the Hulk Physics... electric current, electromagnetic waves, optics, modern physics and the semiconductors, the gym of our mind and finally the devil, Chemistry, ...all of them always go two millimeters above my brain at first go.'

The lethal Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics; what a deadly combination to drag me into the slumber at any time! Mum and Papa say I have a sharp brain, so I should study PCM but why my sharp brain blunts when I make myself ready to study Mathematics?......'

With these very thoughts Amy left the bed at 7:00 a.m., got ready within 30 minutes.

She was at the breakfast table at 7:30 a.m. October 31 was her birthday and hence the month was the favorite of her parents; every passing day of October took them closer to the day which made them winsome when it had become almost impossible to endure the pain of being childless. Amy was born as a ray of light at the time when all the hopes of having a child were approximately diminished in the fog of dejection. Her mum would make this month special for Amy in every possible way. Nearly every dish offered in this month would be the Amy's choice.

The ground floor of Prakash' home was quite spacious. At the entrance there was a big hall cum living area, well decorated, a coffee colored cozy couch and the center table; this hall was extended to the dining area, on the right, was a modular kitchen with a waist-high platform separating the kitchen and the dining area. Amy and Om used to sit at the platform and had the conversation with Soma whenever she was in the kitchen. Sometimes, especially on Sundays, the scene was reversed. There was a bedroom opposite the kitchen, usually for the guests. On the first floor, the two bedrooms with their one side opening in the balcony were used by the family only and the third was left for the guests.

Amy came down the stairs, "Mum, what's the breakfast today?"

"It's rava-upma with coconut chutney."

"Great." She was delighted. "And what is the lunch by the way?"

"It's Manchurian and fried rice, baby."

"Wow! ...yummyyyyy...My super mum" Amy said ecstatically and she ran and embraced her mother from behind and said, "Love you, mum."

"Love you too, child," Mum replied smiling.

"Amy, have you taken your breakfast?" Om entered the kitchen.

"About to....." Amy replied with the first morsel of breakfast into her mouth and felt pleasantly surprised when she saw her father in the jogging suit, "Wow. Today you went for a jog papa?"

"No, darling; actually, I decided to go to the park but the mood didn't accompany my decision." He took a rusk and tea from the kitchen and came out on the dining table. "You are getting late, Amy. Get ready as soon as possible. We are leaving for your school within five minutes."

"Sure Dad."

Amy finished her breakfast hastily and lifted her bag on her left shoulder; her dad put on the slippers, took the keys of his Honda city from the key stand and they started for the school. On the way, Amy opened her mouth many times and then closed. This was not her nature, especially when she was with her father.

"Do you have any issues?" Om sensed, there was something dangling in her mind.

"Ummm yes....." Amy replied smiling.

"Your smile implies this is not that big. Yet there is something about which you are not sure, how to start or where to start."

"Right, my papa the great; you caught the nerve."

They both chuckled.

"Actually, I want to ask a question." Amy became a bit serious.

"I am all ears."

"Leave it. This is not the right time to discuss."

"What's the problem baby? Do you have any issues with academics or any of your subjects or any of your friends or teachers? Be frank."

"No Papa, you both are there for all of my subjects. Also, this is not concerned with academics or my friends or teachers. They are all fair for me by the grace of God. This is related to you both."

Driving Om shot a questioned glance at her daughter.

"Yes. As a matter of fact, it is related to you." Amy said.

"Related to us? It shouldn't be." And after a moment he asked, "I am waiting."

"Not now, in the evening; after my classes and your classes, at the dining table, we will have a spicy conversation today."

"Ok. But in the meanwhile, I would be thinking about your problem and its intensity and I am sure as hell, all the rubbish thoughts would come and stay in my mind until you don't express."

Amy smiled, "It's not that intense. Don't worry. Everything is fine. We will have spicy chitchat in the evening about all these."

This conversation brought them to school. Amy smiled again and said, "Oh my sweet Papa, just relax. We'll meet in the evening."

Om's thoughts started diving in the ocean of all the possibilities as his daughter left.

'Does she know about the calls? But how can she? I have instructed Soma not to tell anything now. We will tell her at a proper time. What else she would have observed if it is not so........NOTHING?' Om arrived home engulfed in his thoughts.

He parked his car there, made the mood and went to the park adjacent to his home. He joined his friends' laughter club there but thought all the time about Amy's concerns. Om came home at 9 a.m. and drove to his coaching after half an hour continuously thinking about Amy's concern. He wanted to be damn sure that Amy didn't hear the call but the subconscious wasn't permitting the same and there was a good room for this doubt.

Even after the assurance of Amy, Om carried the weight in his mind for the whole day. He bundled up all his work before 7 p.m. and shot himself towards the home.