Chapter 4

Dhruv woke up early that morning to shouts and screams, and sounds of things breaking. He stumbled out of the room and saw his mother dragging out two suitcases. His father was throwing things which landed near her feet and shouting incessantly, 'Take this! Take this! Take this, too! Go away and don't ever come back!' he shouted, his voice breaking, his eyes full of tears. He had never seen his father so disturbed before. Mom dragged the suitcases out of the house but Dad kept on shouting. The next-door neighbour peeked through the grille door.

Tears streamed down Dhruv's face, his feet felt bolted to the ground. He wanted to scream but his throat ran dry. 'Take me!' He wanted to shout. He could hear the suitcases tumble down the stairwell. He ran after his mother but Dad caught hold of him.

'She doesn't want you,' he said.

'NEITHER DO YOU!' He broke free from his father's embrace and ran behind his mother. She hadn't even bothered to wake him up before leaving.

'MUMMA! WHERE ARE YOU GOING? WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' shouted Dhruv and ran into Mom's arms as she lifted him up; he was crying, slamming both fists into her shoulders.

'You woke up? I'm so sorry. I'm so . . . so . . . sorry, Dhruv. I didn't mean for this to happen. I will come and get you. I promise I will come and get you.' She bent down and kissed him all over his face.

'WHEN! WHEN! WHEN!' cried Dhruv, his mouth open, the words barely audible.

Mom took his face in her palms and wiped away his tears. She tried to walk away but Dhruv latched on.

'We will come and get you,' said a man's voice and Dhruv felt an unknown touch ruffle his hair. 'There's nothing to worry about now.' Dhruv lifted his head to see the principal of his school staring down at him, smiling. So it was true.

His mother was leaving him and Dad for the principal.

'SIR!' gasped Dhruv.

His mother clutched the principal's hand. Dhruv felt the insides of his stomach turn to mush and rise up his food pipe.

'Mumma! NO!'

'Dhruv, you have to understand. I'm not happy in this house,' said Mom and bent down to talk to him. Not happy? What did she mean? She wasn't happy with Dhruv? What had he done? What?

She tried holding him in her arms but Dhruv fought free. 'Everything is going to be alright, Dhruv.'

'You're lying. YOU ARE LYING! NOTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT.'

'Trust me, Dhruv.'

'YOU'RE LYING. LYING. LYING. LYING.'

'Listen to your mother, Dhruv,' the principal said sternly.

'SHUT UP! SHUT UP! You took my mom away,' bawled Dhruv and kicked the principal on his shin and ran towards the stairs of his house and then into the arms of his father who had already poured himself a drink.

'I'm never going back to her. I'm never going back to her,' cried Dhruv.

'You don't have to.'

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