Chapter 5
Akansha worked hard for the upcoming Annual Day function.
She finalized almost all the participants and performances in that one week.
She also spoke to the choreographer Richa had referred.
He would start teaching the kids from the next day.
He first wanted to take auditions of the kids and then select the ones who could be trained, and Akansha agreed, knowing it was necessary to avoid any mess-up during the performance.
She was left to plan the rest and was waiting for the guest list. The principal came to check on the preparations and Akansha briefed him about the progress.
"Sir... I would need the guest list to plan further things..." Akansha reminded him when he was about to leave.
"So as I told you earlier, you'll be welcoming the chief guest..." Akansha nodded, but froze when she heard his next words.
"That is the Chief Minister. It's a very big responsibility, but I am confident you can do it..."
Her mind stopped processing for a second.
"Chief Minister? Of which state?" she asked, recovering quickly.
"You must be kidding, Akansha. Which Chief Minister would we be inviting to our Annual Day function? Of course it's the Chief Minister of our state, Mr. Shaurya Singh Shekhawat..." Mr. Joshi finished.
Akansha stood up abruptly.
"I am sorry sir, but I don't think I can continue taking this responsibility," she said firmly.
She could never come in front of that man again. She couldn’t let him see her daughter either. Siya was too much like him—what if he recognized her? No… she couldn’t take that chance. In her fear, her mind went blank and she couldn’t even form a proper excuse.
"What? What are you saying, Ms. Akansha?" the principal asked. But seeing her lose color, he stopped pressing further and quickly handed her water.
After she drank it, she calmed down slightly.
As if she had finally found a reason, she decided what to say if he insisted further. But looking at her condition, the principal didn’t push her. He clearly didn’t want any risk during an event involving the Chief Minister. If she panicked on stage, it could turn into a disaster.
So, he accepted her decision quickly. She also told him she was stepping down from the planning committee, and he agreed, though reluctantly.
That surprised her. She had expected resistance or at least a request to manage from the backend, but the principal seemed more focused on avoiding trouble with the director Parth Goyal.
Whatever the reason, she was just relieved she didn’t have to explain anything further.
The principal instead asked her to manage the issues inside the school during the event that day, and she gladly accepted the task.
While everyone would be busy with the Annual Day function taking place on the huge stage in the school ground, a couple of teachers stayed back every year to look after things inside the school and manage the nursery, Junior KG, and Senior KG classes.
Akansha willingly took that responsibility this year, as it would easily keep her away from the function.
She also knew her daughter would stay back, because only the participants from those three standards were allowed there, while the other students were asked to remain inside. So Siya too would be staying back.
She felt bad for doing this to her daughter, but it was far better than letting her meet that man.
After handing over all the responsibilities to the principal, she left his cabin. She saw her colleague Bharti, who taught the higher sections, walking towards the principal's office. She understood who was going to head the planning committee now, but did she care? Not at all.
After school, Akansha took Siya to a cafe with cartoon-themed interiors. Not just the interiors, they also served less spicy and customized food for kids. Akansha normally wouldn't let Siya eat outside food, but this restaurant was an exception, and the little girl loved the cuisine there.
"Mama bear... Are we here to celeblate (celebrate) my per...." Siya struggled to pronounce.
"Performance?" Akansha helped.
"Yes... Perfo...." the little girl tried again.
"Per. For. Man. Ce," Akansha broke the syllables, teaching her daughter. She had completely gone on her father. Every new thing intrigued her, and once interested, she wouldn't rest until she learned it. But if she wasn't interested, no one could make her learn anything.
"Siya... Mumma wants something from you. Will you do as mumma says?" Akansha asked softly.
"Yes mumma... Anything for you," she said in swag, just like Richa had taught her, making Akansha smile.
"Baby... You can't dance for Annual Day..." Akansha said.
The little girl's smile vanished instantly, and tears welled up in her doe eyes. In that moment, Akansha hated Shaurya more than anything for being the reason behind her daughter's tears.
"But why mumma? I don't dance good? I'll learn mumma, plomise (promise)," Siya pleaded softly.
"No baby... Actually it's the opposite. You danced very well in the audition, so your dance teacher selected you, but the other kids couldn't dance as good as you.
This is a group performance and they need many children, so they picked them instead of you.
Don't worry, in the next school function, we'll have Siya's solo performance.
It's mumma's promise to Siya," Akansha said, trying to cheer her up.
She hated lying to her daughter, but she had no other reason to give for not letting her perform.
"Okay mumma..." Siya said meekly, but Akansha could hear the sadness in her tone.
"Siya... Mumma is so sorry," Akansha said, holding her daughter's hand.
"It's okay mumma..." Siya replied with a small smile.
Akansha wiped her daughter's teary eyes.
How could she be so understanding at this age?
Akansha felt lucky to have her. But she also promised herself that she would never let her daughter become another Akansha, someone who sacrificed herself for family the way she had.
Her Siya would get everything she deserved.
Akansha promised herself she would try to give her daughter every rightful wish she had.
.. except meeting her biological father.
The mother-daughter duo finished their food.
Akansha noticed Siya didn't enjoy it the way she usually did, and she knew the reason.
Nothing she did was lifting her mood. It must have hurt the little girl deeply, because normally Siya forgot things she was upset over within minutes and bounced back to normal.
That was the blessing of childhood, Akansha thought. Children forget easily and move on to new joys. Adults carry pain on their shoulders for years, and even then, it never becomes lighter.
She thought bitterly of her own life and family.
"Akansha... How can you forget such an important thing? Do you even care for your family?" her mother shouted from the kitchen as soon as she saw her enter home after working the whole day.
"Ma... Let her at least come in and settle," her brother Akash said, but he was silenced by a glare from their mother and sister. Well, this was nothing new. The men in her family were always shut down, especially when they took her side.
"Concentrate on your studies first..." her younger sister Suman told Akash.
"Ma... I'll get the medicines tomorrow. The salary wasn't credited yet, and my stipend also got delayed this month.
.. I'll pay the tailor for your suit directly, don't worry," Akansha said dejectedly.
Working the whole day and then staying up all night to study and finish her thesis was taking a toll on her.
"Akansha... It's okay beta... I have medicines for today and tomorrow as well. Don't worry. And coming to your mother's suit, it can wait," her father said. He had barely gathered the courage to say something against her mother and sister.
"Oh! Really? Now you want to make me a villain in my own daughter's eyes?
You portray me as if I'm the bad one while all I do is worry for my family and children.
I know you are taunting me for getting that suit stitched against your wishes.
I agree it was expensive, but I'm doing it all for our family.
I don't want anyone to look down upon you in the function, but why would you understand? " her mother started ranting.
"That's not what I meant, Jaya... I'm sorry if you felt that way," her father said and walked away, not before giving Akansha an apologetic look. Akansha gave him a tired smile that said, I understand.
"I'll freshen up and come," Akansha said, but her mother walked back to the kitchen without responding.
Akansha walked to the room she shared with her brother and sister, placed her bag on the table, and freshened up.
"Akash?" she called, seeing her brother sitting on the desk chair.
"Di... Let's buy medicines with this money," he said, handing over a small bundle of cash—the same money she had given him that morning to pay his fees.
"Are you out of your mind? This is for your coaching fees. I'll get the medicines tomorrow, don't worry," Akansha said.
"But di..." he started, but she cut him off.
"Akash... All our financial problems are temporary, only till you crack UPSC and I complete my Ph.D and get a permanent job. So let's focus on that, okay?" Akansha told him, and he nodded.
"Financial problems would end, but what about other things di? Till when would you act ignorant to the pain ma and Suman di inflict upon you with their words... and papa and I with our silence?" Akash questioned.
Akansha had no answer.
Honestly, she had grown used to that pain, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. It did. She had simply learned to hide it better.
"Use this brain in achieving your goal, not in petty things like this," Akansha said, and both of them walked to the dining hall.