Reflection👥

7. Flaws

"There's nothing as powerful as a mother's love, and nothing as healing as a child's soul."

-Anonymous

______

16th May

Anindita's p.o.v.:

My first meeting with Agamani had been a brief one. She is such a beautiful child with an unfortunate blemish on her person. Her eyes are like her father's as is her jaw and nose. A photograph of her mother on her bedroom's wall gave me an idea as to how beautiful the woman had been. Agamani had clearly inherited her father's features but strangely, anyone can tell that she's the woman's daughter at just one glance. I wonder how much the girl remembers her mother though, given the fact that she had very less time with her. How can destiny be so cruel?

While driving home from Worli, I couldn't help but recall her reaction. Truth be told, I don't mind her words... Instead, I am worried for her. Physical flaws such as acne, warts, moles, scars etc. are enough to give teenagers and vain girls a nightmare, but do they ever pause to think how it would be to have a physical flaw for a face? Satyaki is right when he says I would understand Agamani's point of view well as I had gone through it all. The situation is so similar yet so very different.

The girl is young and too small to understand the complex things in the world. It is the time for her to play with dolls, cars and toys. The perfect age for her to be carefree and to believe that mermaids, fairies, witches, talking dogs, Angry Birds and Disney princesses are real... the same way I did, the same way her father did and the same way all children do. But she is faced with a challenge that is easier accepted than fulfilled. At an age when fairy tale princesses tend to be role models, she has to be stronger than any Elsa, Cinderella, Snow White or Ariel she knows, after all, they never had to fight with their own conscience to overcome a complex.

Her physical flaw is one that cannot be removed ever... she is going to be stuck with it all her life. The world is going to stare at her face always, she is going to be made conscious about her flaws, there will be an entire army of people who would want to pull her down but she has to move on. The only way of survival is acceptance.

...

Ma was waiting for me when I reached home at 9 p.m.

"Where were you, Ani? You know your Baba's physiotherapist wanted to speak to you."

I knew that the doctor had wanted to meet me. What if it is some bad news? I know it was irresponsible of me, I shouldn't have chosen to procrastinate the meeting.

"Sorry ma, bari firte deri hoe gieche (I got delayed while returning home). I will speak to the doctor over the phone. You should go to bed soon. You need to take your medicines tomorrow." I reminded her while answering her in brief

Ma usually undergoes her weekly dialysis on Mondays. She is required to take some medicines on Sundays that leave her weak and tired, so basically, household duties are mine every Sunday and Monday. Up till a few months ago, I didn't have to be so tense or even worried as my cousin sister, Aparajita had been there. She got married last November and has just entered her 5th month of pregnancy. She has always been a great support to me, not financially perhaps but she had been there for me morally and emotionally. Two years younger than me, she is the daughter of my late uncle and Baba's younger brother, Amartya. She currently lives in Versova with her husband and the two of us meet once in a while.

"Alright, please do call the doctor tonight itself and I am going to bed now. I have kept dinner for you on the table. Good night sweetheart." Ma told me with a kiss and that brought me out of my thoughts