Her tomorrow

4. Aadhya's special tea.

Here's todays song...

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Aadhya being the early riser she woke up before dawn. As if trained her body slowly thought of getting to work but something stopped her from doing so and in an instant she opened her little eyes to see that she was in someone's arms, first panicking thinking what is happening but then calming down eventually realising this place is one day familiar to her and the person's touch is not unfamiliar. She looked around to see her teacher's one hand as a pillow for her and other hand holding her firmly but yet softly as if , if left she'd run away. She felt a wave of relief and peace wash through her little fragile body and she felt very much better than she did yesterday.

' I think teacher ma (mom) has magic. I had pain on my legs, hands, stomach , head and everywhere but teacher ma gave me tasty food and something that tasted a little bitter and now I have no pain.' thought Aadhya realising she has no more pain in her body. 'I want to learn how to make that bitter thing.'

But then suddenly as if remembering something dreadful she tried rising up from the bed to be landed on it again. Then she started panicking thinking of her mother's punishment. She tried wiggling out of her teacher's arms but failed, this commotion made Aasha stir in her sleep and slowly opening her eyes she saw Aadhya trying to get out of bed and Aasha as if something struck she looked at the clock to find it's 4:08 then she thought what would make aadhya wake up this early and why is she trying to.... Oh!!! Maybe she have to use the toilet.

"Aadhi dear, you want to go to toilet?" Enquired Aasha in a sleepy tone to which Aadhya stopped her trying and looked at Aasha who is sitting with her eyes half open. Aasha noticing her Aadhi looking at her with eyes full of confusion thought that Aadhi might not have heard her and repeated herself.

" Aadhi baby, do you want to go to toilet? Is that why you are trying to get out from the bed?"
Aadhya not understanding the term toilet but replied to the other half of the question,
" N..no t..tea..teacher m..ma , I w..wa..want t..to g..go b..ba..back. Mu..mumma w..will sc..scold m..me a..and pu...punish m..me." stuttered Aadhya , on hearing her, her teacher was confused at first but then it struck her.
" No baby, mumma will not scold you and moreover it's not yet morning it's 4:00 am and the sun haven't..." Turning around suddenly to look at aadhya with her eyes now wide open she asked,
" W..wh..what di..did yo..you ca..call me?" This was the first time Aasha was stuttering ,she don't know when she became so attached to this little girl but being a lady of 23 she has always wanted to get married and have a little cute daughter who look like her and now when she saw this girl she felt a sense of belonging even when she didn't know who she is, and after that incident of last day she felt hurt on behalf of this girl who didn't know what to name her feeling, she felt angry on behalf of her. She felt a connection, now she was overwhelmed when it clicked her mind about what her Aadhi just called her. She called her, her 'teacher ma' even though she heard it but she wanted to hear it from her baby.

" T..tea..teacher m..ma." Aadhya said cheerily whith her eyes shining but she frowned soon when she saw tears in her teacher's eyes which rolled down slowly. Wiping of the tear Aadhya asked, " t..tea..teacher m..ma a..are y..you cl..yi..ng be..caush y..you d..don't li...like me ca..calling y..you te..teacher m..ma?" She asked innocently now her eyes glistening with tears threatening to fall down any moment if one more drop formed or if she blinked.

Hearing that and seeing her Aadhi baby on the verge of crying Aasha hugged her tightly yet softly and patted her head saying, " No baby, shhh! No crying allowed. You are my strong baby and strong babies don't cry. And I love it. I love it when you call me teacher ma okay?? I didn't cry , my eyes got filled with tears of happiness. Because I am happy my dear i am the happiest. I love you Aadhi baby. Don't worry. Nothing will happen to you." And like that from a teacher figure she turned to something more the little girl didn't know how to name. Cause Aadhya never got a motherly love to name her as a Mother, and the person who she called mother has never treated her better than trash. The little girl was getting someone who behaved well with her for the first time and she was in a dilemma as to what she could name her teacher's affection.