Dhaatri

Dhatri

“You didn’t want me!” she looked up straight into the eyes of her mother.  Her mother was taken aback.  She stole a glance at her husband and looked away, not knowing what to answer.

“Its not like that..!” her father opened his mouth.. “Yes or No?” she sat up at once looking at her father accusingly.  Her father froze.

“I know everything... Disha didi told me!” she said looking at her eldest didi.  Her father looked at his eldest daughter and she fidgeted nervously.   “I.. I mean .. she asked!” her father gazed back at her.  “I want the answer!” came a determined voice and her mother spoke.

“Yes..!” she said gravely.  “We wanted a boy!” mother looked at father for support.  He spoke.

“Yes, I wanted a boy, not a girl for the third time..!” he said looking at the two elder daughters and the youngest one sitting stiffed on the bed.

“Why didn’t you kill me then?” she asked.  Her mother was aghast.  “Kill you?” she was shocked.  Her father got up with a jerk.

“Dhatri... what are you saying?” her eldest sister Disha got up to opening her mouth in shock.

“I am asking a logical question, didi! If they didn’t want me, why did they raise me?” she asked looking at her parents.

“Its not like that... Dhatri, we wanted a boy, but got you instead!” her father sat next to her trying to hold her hand.  Dhatri looked away muttering.. “So didi was right! You didn’t want me! You wanted a boy!” she said with disgust of her being a girl.

“But it really didn’t matter, once you were born, Dhatri! We were very happy!” her mother too got up and sat beside Dhatri.  “No!” Dhatri jerked her hand and hopped out of the bed immediately flaring up in rage.  Her mother too got up.

“Dhatri, sit down!” her father commanded, but she was not ready to obey.  “I am an unwanted child!” she accused and turned to leave.  Her father was quicker.  He caught her within no time and brought her back.

“Sit here and listen to me!” he ordered angrily and her didi caught her hand.

“Listen to them!” she murmured in Dhatri’s ear.  Dhatri looked at everyone with hatred.  Her middle sister Dharini came in and pinned her.  Dhatri struggled.  Her father came and sat on the bed.

“Listen all of you!” He looked at his wife for approval and she nodded with a heavy heart.

“No! I don’t want to listen to anything!” Dhatri was adamant enough to enrage her father.

“You asked the question, Dhatri! Now its your duty to listen to what we say!” her father said sternly.  Dharini held her youngest sister Dhatri pinning her at one place.  “No! I won’t!” Dhatri screamed.  

“Ok!” her mother said gesturing Dharini to leave her.  “If you don’t want to know, fine!” she said looking away.  Dhatri ran out of the bedroom like an arrow and vanished.  “Humm!” her father sighed.  

“Umm... Mamma, she was asking me all the time... So, I..I just...!” Disha started off guiltily.  

“It’s ok!” her mother cut her off sternly.  She was disappointed with her eldest daughter’s tactlessness.   Dharini the middle one, had no interest in the discussion.  She was busy solving the Sudoku, difficult level.

“Don’t worry, Nilima! She will come around!” Prof. Salil Dixit consoled his wife.  Nilima  shook her head hopelessly and went out in search of her youngest daughter.

******   *********   *****

Dhatri dashed out of the house and started running down the road in anger.  “They didn’t want me! They don’t want me, now!” she kept saying as if trying to convince herself that she was unwanted.  “But they love me!” She slowed down panting and clutching a stitch in her stomach.  “Dhatri...!” came her mamma’s call from behind and she increased her speed.  

“Dhatri, Stop!” her mamma screamed in vain.  Dhatri was already out of her earshot.  Mamma gave up the chase.  She had to wait for her youngest daughter to come around.  Dhatri had vanished somewhere....

“They don’t care about me!” she said aloud and stopped.  “But they do!” she screamed.  “Mamma Papa do care about me! They both love me!” she said getting angry with her own self.  “Stupid me! I should have listened to them!” she wiped her face with her frock and sat on the nearby stone, panting.  “Huff... hum... huh...!” she tried to steady her breath.  “Mamma was calling me.. I didn’t stop!” she slapped herself, and got up to return home!!