The Binding String

E I G H T Y - E I G H T

YEAR 1995

PULICAT

"Ishu have you finished your lesson?"

"Yes Amma. It's done. I am studying for the next exam."

"That can be taken care later kanna, you should focus on your current exam."

"Amma I am well prepared for the same, and those are just half yearly examinations nothing else." Ishita shrugged her shoulder trying to solve the mathematics sums. Ishita Iyer, eight years old bright student of Pulicat Govt School. She is a constant rank holder of her school, breaking records made by her own with each passing year. Ishita Iyer closed her mathematics book after solving the chapter she was trying and looked at her mother who was arranging her bag and stationary she need for next day. She uncovered the lid of the thaali and started eating her dinner. She and her mother only get food to eat if it remain but she stopped bothering from it. A lot has changed in these two years, no her grandparents and father didn't changed but she became more resilient and stubborn for the sake of her mother. She decided to prove herself with her caliber and hardwork instead of pleasing anyone with her efforts. The materialistic things like birthday celebration or new dresses stopped appealing her long back, she is even alright if she and her mother are allowed to live in peace. She finished her share of rasam rice and forwarded remaining half share to Madhavi with an encouraging smile.

"Don't you feel hungry?"

"No." She replied and came back after washing her face. Ishita sat back on the old mattress spread on the floor and started reading a story book she got issued from the library. Madhavi wiped off her tears and went to kitchen to wash the only dish remained. She came back to the room and found her daughter reading an English story book with fluency making her heart swell with pride. All the efforts she is been taking to educate her daughter are proven worthy. Her Ishita is a hardworking and strong willed girl leaving no chance to prove her excellence in her studies. She is been awarded with best student award from the last two years, she know Ishita is stubborn and strong headed but she has a pure heart.

They heard some noise coming from outside and the mother daughter walked towards the source of the noise only to find drunkard Vishwanathan trying to walk back in his room. Before Madhavi could go and try to hold him, he lost his balance and fell on the floor. Ishita chuckled on the scene and shook her head, internally laughing on her so called father.

"Bloody b****es, I saw you and fell down. Both mother daughter are reason of my downfall."

"Maybe you're the reason of your own downfall Mr. Iyer." Ishita spoke nonchalantly helping her mother to get up from the floor.

"Ishu behave." Madhavi scolded Ishita still trying to adjust her husband.

"Like he will change his attitude, you go and help your husband. I have other works to do." Ishita walked back in her room and turned off the lights. She laid down on the old mattress, she calls as her bed and started to recall the last two years which created a downfall at Iyer family. The family surprisingly stopped misbehaving with her, the price they paid was heavy to learn their lesson. Her grandmother stayed at lockup for two months and Mr. Iyer lost his well paying job. He deserves to lose that job, imagine a wife beater and girl child hater was handling projects related to girl child education awareness programs.

Ishita spoke to herself, the sounds coming from the next room were of her mother crying, who was crying on her husband state who is literally wasting himself in the alcohol everyday.