Who Is The Real Mother?

"Buddy, I feel that you did not like my house," Akshay reacted by looking at the emotional expression on the face of Samiksha who had entered his house with him.

"Who is this?" Without responding to Akshay’s reaction, Samiksha asked pointing at the woman sitting in the house and cleaning the rice.

"She is my mother”

"Well, now I'm leaving."

"Hey, why do you want to go? You came to meet my mother, didn’t you?"

"Yes, I have met her. What else to do?"

"Wait a minute, let me ask my mother whether she likes you or not?"

"You can do this after my departure, can’t you, why do you hold me unnecessarily and waste my time?"

"Why do you talk like this? If you do not like my home or the way we live, tell me clearly so that without taxing my brain, I can easily reach to the conclusion that both of us are not meant for each other as our paths are different. "

"You must believe that we have separated in our ways, but it is not because I did not like your house or the lifestyle of people. The reason is that I do not like people who wish to start the relationship on falsehood."

"What lie did I tell you to start a relationship?"

"You mean that you did not lie?"No."

"Did you not tell me that your mother is employed as a teacher at Vidya Niketan Public School?"

"Yes, how do you feel it a lie?"

"I shall tell you the truth and the lie will come out by itself. Actually, the truth is that your mother does a job in Vidya Niketan Public School, but she works as a maid, sweeping, mopping and giving water to the students. I do not mean to say that these jobs are trivial or poor. But I would definitely say that to see a girl not refuse the proposal; It is wrong from every angle to fool her by telling that the mother works as a school teacher when she does the job of a maid. Before my brother got employed after his education our mother too worked as a maid, sweeping, mopping, cleaning utensils and clothes, to manage our family when she could not succeed in getting a better job. But I did not hide the fact because I did not want to enter into a solemn relationship by laying a foundation of falsehood. Whereas you have tried to suppress the fact by hoodwinking our family in order to start the relationship.So goodbye to you.”

“Daughter, listen to me patiently for a minute. Thereafter you may reconsider and stay upright on your decision. I may not like to force you or allow my son to do so”. Being engaged on her work and listening to the conversation of both, suddenly Akshay’s mother Ganga broke her silence and requested Samiksha to listen to her when Samiksha was about to step out of the house.

"I will definitely listen to you, but be clear that if you have stopped me to convince that you do not work in Vidya Niketan Public School as a maid but as a teacher then it would only be a waste of time for me because three days back when I went to the school for a teacher’s job I had seen you serving coffee and tea to the interview panel” Samiksha turned and coming near Ganga reacted to her request.

“Daughter, even if you had not seen me working in the school, I would not have told that I did not work as a maid in the school, because I too do not like to speak or hear lie like you”.

“Then why did you keep telling me from my childhood that you worked as a teacher at Vidya Niketan Public School?”Hearing Ganga’s second statement, Akshay asked this question.

“Son I never told you that I was a teacher in that school. I had been telling always that your mother was working as a teacher in that school”.

“Are you and my mother different persons? From your statement, it looks that it is not you but my mother is a teacher in that school”.

"Yes, and I have stopped your friend only to tell this secret."Mummy, please do not lie to prove your lie as a truth." “Samiksha, you go, because she has nothing to tell.”I'm so sorry for it, that because of me your emotions were hurt."

"Akshay, you may think that she lies, but I see some truth in her statements. So let her tell whatever she wants to say” Aunty, please tell me what you want to say. " “Daughter, the fact is that Akshay is my son, but I am not his mother. I have not given birth to him. His mother who gave birth to him is Shanti Verma, the principal of Vidya Niketan Public School, When he was one and half years old she, being a teacher of the school, gave him to me. So whenever he asked me about his mother’s job I told him that his mother worked as a teacher. Till she became principal, about fifteen years back, he kept on asking. Afterwards, he stopped asking. So I could not tell him that she became a principal from a teacher. He asked me about my job thinking that I was his real mother. Since I was not his mother I used to tell him the job of his real mother so that he did not feel depressed before his friends, being the son of a maid. Now please let me know whether I have told him a lie or truth or has he told you a lie or the truth. "Akshay, you may find her words confusing, but I feel there may be some truth. So let us know what she wants to tell. Anty, please tell me what are want to say. "Daughter, actually the thing is that Akshay is my son, but I am not his real mother. I have not given birth to him. Srimati Shanti Sharma, the principal of Vidya Niketan Public School, who gave birth to him.     

“ I shall reply later. But let me know why Srimati Shanti Verma left the child with you ?”

"The reason for this is quite long, but I would like to tell you briefly. His mother was a daughter of an affluent family, but she had married an orphan boy, with love, against the wishes of her family, He had this small house inherited from his father. Both lived in this house for nearly two years and worked as teachers in Vidya Niketan Public School. When he was born, the mother left her job and started taking care of the child. But when he was six months old his father died of a road accident. So the mother had to take up the teacher’s job in the same school... I was doing the same job in the school at that time. As there was none to look after the child at home he was being taken by mother to school where I use the take care of him after finishing my job quickly. A year passed like that when a suddenly a situation developed which prompted his mother to decide t between the two alternatives-to lead a miserable life with the child or be happy with remarriage...

During this one year, the principal’s only son lost his wife. From out of all young lady teachers his mother was found suitable to be his life partner as a second wife. Being a daughter of an affluent family she could manage three years with great difficulty. She agreed to the proposal of the principal and also the condition that the child would be given to an orphanage. After hearing this I asked for the child and she gave him along with this small house of his father. My in laws, thinking that I was sterile when I could not produce a child even after three years, turned me out of the house two years back. My brother and his wife refused to accommodate me considering me as a burden. So consider this as a gift of God I strived to achieve my life’s goal by nurturing the child. This is the only reason for me being with him and his being with me.”

Aunty, I am giving my reply to your question now. Actually, Akshay has not told a lie to me as he was not aware of all these. But being aware of the truth you were telling lie to him by saying that his mother was a teacher in Vidya Niketan Public School. I consider this as a lie because you and his mother are not two different women but the same woman. His real mother is not Srimati Shanti Verma who for the sake of marital happiness disowned her child but the one who didn’t care for her family life realizing the responsibilities and love for bringing up an abandoned child. You under the shadow of your maternal love did not allow the orphan and helpless child to feel any shortcoming. This is commendable. But for the lie which you had told you must get punishment. So you are to leave the job from tomorrow and bear this talkative girl as your daughter in law for lifelong. Tell me whether you are prepared to undergo these two punishments?

“ Yes I am ready”

“Thanks”

 “ A mere thanks will not do”

“ So what should I do ?”

“You must get a cup of tea for me and my son.”

"OK, but I shall also get a cup of tea for me. Is it alright?”

“If I refuse, will you not prepare tea for us?”

“I will not refuse and seal my fate of becoming the daughter in law of this house. But I may not put as much effort in preparing tea as I would put when I am allowed.

"So you make it for yourself. I shall help you in making. I do not know whether you know how to make tea".

“Don’t ever think like that. I am the daughter of a maid. So I have the skill for making anything and everything. And whatever little shortcomings are there will go as I am going to be the daughter in law of a maid”.

"Whether you are an expert in household work, I may be able to judge only by seeing your work. But I can say now that you are an expert in talking".

“This I know very well because had I not been one I would not have succeeded in hooking a handsome person like him.

"Samiksha, you have probably forgotten that the person with whom you talk is not your friend, but my mother. I think that you should say sorry to my mother for your childish prattle"Akshay warned Samiksha and gave advice too.

"Daughter, you are not to say sorry because I do not feel bad if someone talks assuming me of the same age".Agreeing to the words of Ganga, Samiksha didn’t say sorry but could not check herself from giving thanks for her kindness.