The boy felt so happy when he was asked to go home in the middle of the class. The class teacher said some body has come to took him to home. "No need to attend the rest of the class, I am going to play" he thought happily.
But he some what worried, as he was going to miss the rest of the class. Even though only six years old, studying first standard, he was very fond of his books. 'Anyway it's past lunch already, they won't teach anything hereafter, only allow us to play' he thought relieved.
On the way home, he started thinking about his mom, his mom is such a beautiful woman, whom he liked the most than anyother thing in the world. She also likes him very much and always says to him "You are my life". She is very kind and always feed him with tasty tasty foods, plays with him whenever he wants, tells so many stories about lion, deer, Mickey mouse, ancient Kings, angels and even sings at times while he goes to sleep. To his memory she haven't said 'No' to any of his requests and she never got angry on him even once. A smile arrived at his lips when he thought about his mom like the way his mom smiles warmly whenever she looks at him.
When they reached his home, it was crowded with so many people, some of them he knew, most of them he didn't know who they are. So many chairs were placed in front of the house, a big colourful bedsheet was tied up high to bring some shadow over those chairs, most of them were occupied by men, they looked like discussing something seriously.
"Why all of them gathered here?! What's going to happen?! Is it a function or something like that?! Why mom didn't tell me about this earlier?! Anyway function means he would be getting more sweets and his buddies to play with", he thought happily.
With so many questions confusing his little mind, he entered inside the house. Inside also many people, most of them were women, he heard some of them were crying. "Why they are crying?! And where is mommy, and grand pa?!" He thought with much confusion.
Then he saw, there's a big transparent glass box kept in the middle of the hall, covered with full of flower Garlands over it, some women were around that box and were crying.
Some body caught him by his hand, and brought him near to that box, suddenly murmurs arised all around him, the women surrounding the box, paved way for him, when he got near to that headend of the box, he saw his mom was lying inside the box with eyes closed, he didn't understand why she was lying like this, suddenly somebody hugged him tight and was crying aloud, saying "Oh baby... your mother is dead, she is gone, like your father your mother is also gone to stay with god, leaving you all alone here....."
*******
Today
It's early morning, Ramya was busy preparing the food and with all the house hold activities, her daily routine. "It's past 7, already getting late, the school bus will be here soon", she thought. She is having 'independence day celebration at her school today, she has to make ready her class kids for the drama. When she finished all of her works and started locking her apartment door , the bus horn sound came from below.
She hurriedly rushed to the next door grabbing all the bags in one hand, and her two year old child on the other hand and pressed the calling bell button.
Chitra sister, her very kind, sweet, helping neighbor will take care of the baby until the arrival of baby crutch van at 9'o clock. Since she's no issues even after ten years of her married life, she was happily looking after Ramya's baby while Ramya was at work. Ramya informed her yesterday itself that she has to go early today.
The door was not yet opened, she waited for another 2 minutes before pressing the button again. In the meantime, the school bus driver gave another horn sound.
She pressed the button for the second time thinking that "Is she still sleeping?! Not a kind of woman sleeping after 7 in the morning", she got a bit nervous as the bus driver wasn't a kind hearted person, he will say something harsh if delayed.." while she was thinking, her baby started sleeping by hugging her legs, she put her hand around the baby's shoulder protectively and gently patted her.
Still the door not yet opened, her tension raised a bit more, "Oh God.. what is she doing?! pls sis come quick...." she thought of pressing the button one more time, but hesitated to do so. After few minutes, When she placed her hand over it, the door swung open, she got relieved and withdrew her hand.
When she about to speak, and stopped short seeing that instead of chitra sister, a teenage boy was standing at the door step, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
Ramya was startled as she haven't seen him here before,
"Who is he?! ... where is chitra sis?! ....and what is she going to do now?!..."
To be continued.....
