The Binding String

T H I R T Y - T H R E E

"Thanks for giving me detailed description about my own university." She passed him tight lipped smile filled with sarcasm and he put finger on his lips to avoid further argument. Ishita looked at Roohi and indicated her to come towards her.

"What happened Mumma?" Roohi asked from distance, keeping her eyes glued on screen.

"Yahan aao mere pass." (Come here.) Roohi reluctantly walked towards her Mumma more interested in watching the cartoon. "Roohi chalo TV band karo and jaldi se naha lo and get ready in your favourite dress." (Roohi go and take bath and get dressed in your favourite dress.)

"Kyon Mumma? Are we going somewhere? Are we going to mall?" Roohi jumped with excitement, thrilled with possibility of going to somewhere entertaining place along her Mumma.

"Yes and we're not going to mall. You're coming with Mumma to her University." Ishita broke the news carrying sweetest smile on her lips to lure her little daughter.

"But why do we have to go? Can't we stay at home and play with everyone?" Roohi asked with sad face.

"No dear. Mumma had to go to teach big bhiya and didi and Papa have to attend office. You have to come with us." Ishita replied making a sad face just to give her impression that she have no other option except coming with her.

"Can I take my things there?" Roohi asked further hoping if her Mumma allow her to bring that mini laptop.

"No Roohi. The principal mam of my school is very strict, no one is allowed to use laptops their but you can bring your coloring books and that cursive book along you." Ishita hated lying to her daughter but she had no other option, if she allowed Roohi to take iPad along her,  she might spend her entire day playing with her and maybe do not realise the fun of school and friends. Later everyone got busied in their chores and Raman decided to drop mother daughter duo in University campus first before heading towards his office. Roohi became a center of attraction as Ishita entered inside the building of her department, holding her little daughter hand who was curiously looking at the surroundings, dressed in white skirt and pink shirt, hanging her bunny bag on her shoulders and water bottle around her neck. Ishita strictly instructed Roohi not to talk with everyone or walk around alone, she took her in her own cabin and made her sit on visitors chair. "Mumma. Is it your room?" Roohi asked with wide eyes, the high ceiling room, having two ceiling fans, one wooden table with one revolving chair for herself and two visitors chair, N attached washroom at the end of cabin and the rest of the place surrounded with wooden book shelves. The architectures was old looked but it was so new for Roohi. Ishita made Roohi sit on the visitors chair and kept her bag near to her, before Roohi could ask more she saw a girl entering inside the room and her Mumma greeting her politely, "Roohi, see she is Sita Didi. She would stay here with you until I come back. She is studying sitting here and you're not supposed to make noise. Okay." Roohi nodded her head like a puppet and remained seated on her seat.

"Sita! Just sit here and prepare for your exams. Don't talk with her much. Just make sure she does not run anywhere and make sure not to use your phone infront of her. Okay." Ishita repeated the instructions to her student Sita who nodded her head in obedience and sat at the corner of the room. Ishita kissed Roohi's cheeks and left for taking her first class and it was just Roohi and Sita left inside the cabin. Roohi looked at Sita with mischevious eyes, hoping she might play with her but whenever she tried, she received cold eyes from her and she had no option left except doing the coloring or the cursive page Mumma asked her to do. Through entire day, she was accompanied by one didi who were absolutely stranger for her. She met Mumma once in afternoon when she came to feed her lunch and than Mumma disappeared from her sight. By afternoon, Roohi was absolutely bored with the place and she started to roam around the four walls, inspecting the plain paint and recalling her own class which were so colorful and had so many cartoon characters painted there. Around afternoon, an extremely bored Roohi sneaked out from cabin as the aunty sat around her dozed off. She spotted her mother entering inside the room next to her office and she grinned mischeviously.