2

.......... I didn't understand anything. It felt as if my happiness had died along with my mother. I spent the entire night crying, remembering my real mother. From that very first night, I began to resent my new mother.

I cried myself to sleep at night without even realizing when sleep took over. Early in the morning, I was woken up by my father's voice. He was trying to wake me up. As I opened my eyes, I saw my new mother standing beside him, smiling. Seeing her laugh made me burn with anger inside.

Without saying a word, I went to freshen up. After my bath, as usual, our housemaid, Chanda Mausi, helped me get ready, and then I left for school.

Even at school, I remained sad the entire time. Noticing my gloomy face, my friend Mehul asked:

Mehul: "I heard your father brought a new mother for you?"

Me: "Yeah, he did, but she's not good. As soon as she arrived, she threw me out of my father's room. Last night was the first time I slept alone."

Saying this, I burst into tears. Mehul tried to console me and then said:

Mehul: "Listen, Punnu, stepmothers are always bad."

Me: "What is a stepmother?"

Mehul: "When someone's real mother passes away and their father brings another woman as their mother, that woman is called a stepmother."

Hearing this, my curiosity grew. I asked him:

Me: "How do you know that stepmothers are bad?"

Mehul: "There's a boy named Ramu in my neighborhood who also has a stepmother. His stepmother made him quit school and forced him to do all the household chores. She gives her own children delicious food but feeds Ramu leftovers. Sometimes, she even leaves him hungry."

Me: "Doesn't Ramu's father stop her from treating him like this?"

Mehul: "At first, he tried to stop her, but after she had her own children, he started loving them more and began scolding Ramu for not adjusting with his stepmother and half-siblings. Poor Ramu was left all alone. Eventually, his maternal grandfather took him away, and now he lives with him."

Hearing that Ramu went to live with his grandfather made me oddly happy.

Me: "Is Ramu happy with his grandfather now?"

Mehul: "No, he isn't happy there either. His uncles and aunts trouble him too. The only difference is that his grandparents love him a lot, so he doesn't want to return."

Mehul's words made me feel hopeless.

Me: "Mehul, what should I do now? My new mother is also a stepmother. Will she treat me like Ramu's stepmother treated him?"

Seeing me worried, Mehul tried to reassure me:

Mehul: "Don't be sad, buddy. I will find a solution."

Mehul's words gave me some comfort, and after that, we both headed home.

When I reached home, my new mother was sitting in the living room watching TV. Seeing me return from school, she called me over and asked:

New Mother: "What time did your school end?"

Her question made me nervous. I thought she had caught my secret. In a low voice, I replied:

Me: "School ended at 1 PM."

She glared at me and asked angrily:

New Mother: "Then why are you coming home at 2:30? Where were you and what were you doing?"

I hurriedly defended myself:

Me: "School ended at 1 PM, but I was talking to my friend Mehul, so I got late."

New Mother: "Alright, this is the first time you've done this in front of me, so I won't scold you. But this won't happen again. From now on, come home on time. Now go, change your clothes, and eat your food."

Me: "Okay, new mother."

Saying this, I quickly ran to my room, which had been newly prepared for me just the night before.

At dinner, my new mother told my father about my late arrival from school. My father got very angry with me, which deepened my hatred for her even more. That night, I again went to sleep cursing my new mother.

The next day, I told Mehul everything. He said:

Mehul: "See? Your stepmother is already showing her true colors. You need to stop being scared of her and teach her a lesson, or one day you'll suffer just like Ramu."

Mehul's words struck a chord with me. I asked him:

Me: "What should I do to teach my new mother a lesson?"

Mehul explained:

Mehul: "First of all, stop being scared of her and start answering her back. After all, this is your house. She isn't even your real mother, so why should she boss you around? Just like she complains about you to your father, you should start complaining about her too."

Children's minds are small, and I really liked Mehul's idea. I started following his advice. Within a week, the tension between me and my new mother increased even more. Then one day, something happened that my little mind hadn't anticipated.

My father had planned a birthday party for my new mother. He had never thrown a birthday party for me, and now he was organizing one for her. This made me very upset. I refused to attend the party and locked myself in my room, pretending to study.

My plan worked because, after a while, someone knocked on my door. I opened it to find my new mother standing there.

New Mother: "There's a big party downstairs. What are you doing here in your room? Change your clothes and come join us."

Me: "New mother, I don't like parties. I won't come. I have to study."

New Mother: "Look, we have organized this party, so all family members need to be present. You can return to your studies after a while. Now, hurry up and get ready."

She left, but I still didn't go. When she came back later to call me again, I outright refused. This time, she tried to explain:

New Mother: "All the relatives are here. If you don't come, they will talk, and your father won't like that. He might take out his anger on you. It's better if you just come for a while."

She left again, but I was determined to defy her and humiliate her. So, I ignored her and didn't go to the party.

Late at night, when the party was over, my father and new mother came to my room. I pretended to be asleep.

New Mother: "See? He must have fallen asleep while studying. I told you he must have been studying, but you didn't believe me."

But my father was very angry. He said:

Father: "This boy has become too stubborn. The only way to discipline him is to send him to boarding school before it's too late."

Hearing this, my new mother tried to calm him:

New Mother: "He is still too young. Sending him to boarding school at this age wouldn't be right. He will mature with time and understand things on his own."

Father: "No! He's becoming too defiant. If we keep him here, he'll get even worse. It's best for him to stay in a boarding school."

Saying this, my father and new mother left. But their conversation had shaken me to the core. I cursed the moment I had refused to attend the party. I had created a problem for myself. But now, there was nothing I could do. My mind was blank, so I decided to seek Mehul's help.

The next day, I left for school without facing my father and told Mehul everything during lunch. He said:

Mehul: "This is a big problem. Only my mother can help now."

I said, "Then let's go home and ask Aunty for directions."

After that, we skipped school right after lunch and headed toward Mehul's house.

Mehul's mother, Richa Aunty, was a very beautiful 26-year-old woman. Ever since my mother passed away, she had showered me with love. Whenever I visited their house, she never let me leave without eating something. She would always send food for me through Mehul as well. Because of this, I liked her a lot and loved her just like my own mother.

When we reached Mehul's house, Richa Aunty opened the door. Seeing us, she was surprised and asked,

"How come you both are home so early?"

Mehul replied, "Mom, Punnu is worried, and we came to you to find a solution to his problem."

Aunty said, "Alright, but first, both of you eat something. After that, I'll listen to Punnu's problem and help him find a solution."

Saying this, she took us inside the house, asked us to sit down, and went to the kitchen to get food for us.

She made potato parathas for us, and after we finished eating, she finally asked me,

"So, dear, tell me what's troubling you that you need my advice to solve?"

I told Aunty about how I didn't attend my new mother's birthday party last night and how my father wanted to send me to boarding school. After listening to everything, Aunty said,

"When your new mother invited you to the party, why didn't you go? That was your mistake, and your father's anger is not entirely wrong."

Hearing this, I felt very disappointed and became sad. Seeing me upset, Aunty came closer, gently stroked my head, and said lovingly,

"Don't be upset, dear. Whatever I say will only be for your own good. Now, answer my questions truthfully so that I can help you."

I liked the way Aunty patted my head and spoke to me. Feeling happy, I said,

"You can ask me anything, Aunty. I will answer honestly."

Aunty asked, "Alright, then tell me, why didn't you go to the party even after your new mother kept calling you?"

I said, "Because I don't like my new mother at all, so I didn't listen to her."

Aunty asked, "Why don't you like your new mother?"

I looked at Mehul, and he understood that it was now his turn to explain. Then, he narrated everything that had happened from day one until now. After hearing it all, Aunty said,

"How did you assume that what happened to Ramu with his stepmother would happen to Punnu with his new mother? Ramu's mother was not a good woman, which is why she treated him badly. But Punnu's new mother is a good woman; she will never mistreat him."

Even after hearing Aunty's words, I found it hard to believe. I said,

"Aunty, you have never even seen my new mother. If you don't even know her, how can you say she is good and won't trouble me?"

Aunty laughed and explained,

"Who told you that I don't know your new mother? I have seen her, and I know her well. She is my friend's younger sister, so I know she is a very good person."

Even after hearing this, I wasn't ready to accept that my new mother was a good person. I asked,

"If she is so good, then why did she make me leave my father's room?"

Aunty replied, "You're still young, so you might not understand this now, but let me explain in a different way. You and Mehul are the same age. Earlier, Mehul used to sleep in our room with his father and me. But as he grew older and started school, we gave him his own room to sleep and study in. You didn't have a mother to do this for you. But when your new mother arrived, she did what I did for Mehul. Now, if doing this makes her a bad person, then does that mean I'm also bad for doing the same for Mehul?"

Aunty looked at me after saying this. I started to understand her point, yet I still wasn't ready to accept my new mother. I asked again,

"If that's the case, then why did my new mother get angry at me for staying late at school with Mehul?"

Aunty explained, "That was her first day at your house, and when you didn't come home on time, she must have been worried about you. That's why she scolded you. Even I scolded Mehul that day. You can ask him if you don't believe me."

I looked at Mehul, and he confirmed, "Yes, that day Mom scolded me too."

Even after hearing this, I presented another argument,

"Alright, I'll accept that she scolded me out of concern. But then why did she complain to my father about it? Because of her complaint, my father got very angry with me. If she had already scolded me, what was the need to complain to my father?"

Aunty replied, "Look, dear, she is new to your home. She might have thought that if she didn't tell your father and something happened to you, people would say, 'She's a stepmother, that's why she didn't care.' Since she is new, it will take her some time to understand you all."

I said, "Alright, I'll accept this too. But then why am I being sent to boarding school? This is exactly like what happened to Ramu! His new mother came, and he had to go live with his grandparents. Now my new mother has come, and I am being sent to boarding school."

Saying this, I looked at Aunty. She asked,

"Was it your new mother's idea to send you to boarding school?"

I replied, "No, it was my father's."

Aunty asked, "Then what did your new mother say about it?"

I said, "She said I am too young for boarding school and shouldn't be sent there."

Aunty smiled and said, "See, dear, the very thing that is troubling you, your new mother actually stood up for you. I agree that you may not fully understand right from wrong yet, but at least you can see that someone who thinks about your well-being cannot be bad."

I said, "Aunty, I accept everything you said, but please stop me from going to boarding school. I don't want to go."

Aunty reassured me, "Don't worry, I won't let you go to boarding school. But first, you have to try on your own. If you can't do anything about it, then I'll talk to your new mother and stop it from happening."

Hearing this, I started thinking. When I couldn't come up with anything, I asked,

"Aunty, what can I possibly do? Who will listen to me?"

Aunty said, "First, stop thinking of your new mother as bad. Just like you listen to everything I say, start listening to her as well. Then you'll see, she herself won't let you go to boarding school."

I said, "But Aunty, she always talks to me angrily, and that makes me angry too."

Aunty explained, "She has always been short-tempered. But if you start listening to her, she won't get angry with you."

I said, "But Aunty, she must still be upset with me over yesterday. She won't even talk to me, so how can I listen to her?"

Aunty smiled and said, "First, stop calling her 'new mother' and start calling her 'little mother.' When you get home today, the first thing you should do is apologize for yesterday and wish her a happy birthday. All her anger will disappear instantly."

I said, "Alright, Aunty, it's time for me to go home now."

I said goodbye to Aunty and Mehul and left for home. But now, my fear of boarding school was gone. The image Aunty had painted in my mind of my new mother seemed nice. As I walked home, I kept thinking about it.