Amora - Chapter 2

Aisha was busy chopping the vegetables for preparing lunch and that’s when her watch received a signal.

She checked the time. It was 11.30 am.

She immediately packed the lunch for Adhira and kick started her bike.

She searched for her everywhere and found Renu walking towards the washroom.

"Renu, why do you look tense? Where is Adhira?", she asked.

She hugged Aisha tightly and starting weeping.

"Aunty, Adhira doesn’t seem normal. She isn’t talking with any of us since morning."

"I will talk to her, where is she now?", she asked

"She is in the sickroom aunty. She had high temperature since morning prayer. We told her to take rest and when our principal touched her, she pushed him away angrily." 

This isn’t my girl, Aisha thought.

"Mom!" Adhira came running as soon as Aisha entered the sick room.

"How are you feeling now dear?" Aisha asked

"I am good mom, take me home. I hate this place," she said, looking on the floor.

"Sure, let’s have lunch. You need some energy".

"Feed me mom", she said.

Aisha opened the lunch box and fed her slowly. She didn’t talk a word.

"Did you come because of the watch mom?" she inquired.

"Yes, dear".

"Thanks mom."

After submitting a written letter to the Principal seeking half day leave, they both left.

Adhira rested for a while whereas Aisha told what happened to Gowtham on phone call and urged him to come soon from his office.

"Mom", she called out.

"She got up Gow, please stay on the line",Aisha said."Tell me dear".

Adhira got hold of her mother’s fingers and came nearby. She kneeled down and started sobbing.

"I am sorry mom. I did a big mistake."

"What happened dear, get up. Tell me, I am here for you forever. Tell me without crying. Use your words, Aisha summoned."

"Mom, I loved going to the Maths tuition because of two reasons. One is the bike which dad promised me and two, its Amora, sir’s daughter. Though she finds difficult to hear words and talk like us, she is an inspiring girl I knew! I liked her a lot and we started studying together and spent more time after tuition. Whenever I am with her, my sir appreciated me. He also gifted me few books mom."

"May I know the book names?", Aisha asked calmly.

"It was few classic and romantic English novels mom. I am sorry I didn’t tell you. He made me promise not to share it with you."

"May I know why is that?", Aisha asked.

"I don’t know mom. I placed them on our reading shelves the day he gifted me"

"Hmmm". Aisha listened patiently.

"And, then he started spending more time with us mom. I liked the way he spent time with Amora. I wanted dad to be so", she wept.

Gow was heartbroken on hearing it from her little princess’ mouth.

"Few days back, when I got periods in the tuition, he went to his home and got me napkins. And, he dropped me at home", Adhira narrated.

"Hmmm"

"I felt secured with him mom. He was similar to dad when it came to looking after me."

"Hmmm"

"On teacher’s day, I gave him a card saying I love him, mom. From then on, he started touching me while taking classes"

"Where did he touch you?", inquired Aisha.

"He used to pinch my ears and also tap my shoulders when I gave the correct answer. I thought it as normal gestures mom", said Adhira. But, one day when I went to shopping along with his family.

"When was this?" asked Aisha

She bit her tongue.

"Last month mom. He invited me for shopping or Amora’s birthday dress.I didn’t tell you about it. I am sorry."

The conversation became tense.

Adhira was sweating but Aisha just switched on the fan to make her feel comfortable.

"He asked me if I want something. I told a NO. But he took me to the inner garments section and showed me the rainbow braces."

"Where was his wife and Amora?" asked Aisha.

"He didn’t bring them mom. He told it’s a surprise for them. I told no and then we bought a skirt and a top for Amora and came out."

"So that’s why you got upset when I called you for buying inner garments" asked Aisha.

"Yes mom", Adhira replied.

Aisha started connecting the dots by now.

"And, once he gave me few practise sheets before exams. In the middle of it, it had few stories terribly written. The next day when I asked him, he said he gave by mistake".

"What stories were those?" asked Aisha

"Mom", she hesitated.

"Speak out", coaxed Aisha.

"Sex stories"

"And, then what happened?" prodded Aisha.

"As my exams were approaching, I didn’t concentrate on it much. But after the last exam, when everyone left, he held me tight and started saying he is unsatisfied with his wife as she is spending more time with Amora and came near to me. I kicked him in his balls and came out running.He had locked the main gate and I was helpless. He tried kissing me and I used my compass to attack him on his eyes. He cried in pain and I jumped out of the main gate and came home."

Aisha turned cold. She couldn’t control her tears.

"Why didn’t you tell me all this before Adhira?"

"Mom, I was scared and I didn’t know how to tell you and dad. But, today he came to my school and blackmailed me saying that he will show my card to you and dad and say I proposed to him and when he didn’t accept, I attacked him with compass."

"Asshole," Gow came inside.

"Gow stop using that word"

"How dare he misbehave with our girl"

Adhira hid behind her mom.

"Gow, we must solve this issue now. Please be patient" said Aisha

Gow came forward and called Adhira.

"I am sorry Adhira. I will spend more time with you henceforth. I was busy expanding my business and didn’t realise that you needed me more by your side".

"Daddy, don’t say like this. You’re my superhero. Thanks for teaching me the self defence skills. It was my mistake that I compared you with him" apologized Adhira.

Adhira has become mature, Aisha thought. She felt proud at the way she had protected herself and also bad about how she trusted an unknown person. But the potential abuser does all this. She recollected the lines from the materials his husband gave her.

"Now what can we do," Gow asked.

"We must put him in jail. Just because you know him I am not going to excuse him. He is a bad human being", Aisha declared.

"I want Amora and his wife to know about him daddy" Adira said.

Aisha stood still.

"Perfect! Let’s do it" Gow said.

"But how, we need evidence. No father or daughter will believe it and Amora is young, she needs him Gow", Aisha said.

"No Aisha, his bad behaviour must be known. What if he abused Amora or other children?" Gow asked.

"Yeah, but I want to hit him", Aisha repeated burning in fumes.

Gow converted the recorded call into an audio file and asked Adhira for the gifts he gave. 

She gave the books he gifted and printouts of A rated stories.

The next day, the couple went to meet his wife Priya.

She welcomed them warm heartedly.

"Do you prefer tea or coffee" she asked. She seemed to be happy but it’s not going to remain forever, Aisha thought.

"No, it’s okay. We just had our breakfast", Gow said.

"I want you to teach Amora self defence", Priya said.

"Definitely, I will teach her", Gow said. She will need it as she has a potential abuser at home, he thought in mind.

"We came to talk about your husband", Aisha began.

"About my husband", she looked surprised, her smile slightly fading away.

Aisha showed her the gifts he gave and told everything in detail.

After listening patiently, she got up and showed them the door leading out.

"He isn’t like that and you need not send your daughter to us anymore", she closed the door.

To be continued....