Foster Mother- serial story part 2

Episode 2:

I am sorry I was engulfed in sorrow of losing my father. My father was the kindest person I have ever come across. He used to tell me to ignore my mother's scoldings. He used to feel pity for her. He often told me to study well and stand on my own legs. He used to cry telling what will happen to me after he died. I am sure he would have twisted in his grave seeing the injustice being heaped on me by my mother and brother. My mother's concerns are all revolving around my brother. She is thinking that after my father's death, he is the only male support for her as her brothers (my uncles) are also no more. She feels that I am a burden to my brother.

My brother as I have already told did not study much and took to prohitham and astrology as his professions which are not earning him enough income. My father in his infinite karunai has written in his will that our ancestral property of cultivable land belongs to him. So, he gets paddy from that which keeps a perennial source of rice in the house which is again our ancestral property. Although he has not studied much, he keeps himself up to date with happenings in India and even around the world by regularly reading the newspapers like Thinathanthi, Thinamalar etc. with the result he stunned every one while my father's will was being prepared by the lawyer. He asked him, 'I read the news that a law has been enacted whereby daughters also will have a share in the ancestral property. How am I to be sure that tomorrow my sister here will not file a suit against me under the law'. My father gave him the assurance on behalf of me saying, ' Sankara she is your younger sister. You have to protect her and support her. She is such a nice and affectionate girl I am sure she will never rise against you' and the lawyer also explained the position of law in this regard. Still he did not seem satisfied and now I realize that this is one of the reasons that he hates me. He was not much concerned about my elder sisters as they did not study much and so will not know anything about the law.

Talking of my elder sisters, they both are very fair and beautiful unlike me. I am born dark, lean and for the first five years of my life I was sick. These were enough reasons for my mother, grandmother and others to treat me as an unwanted child. I came to know that my elder sister cried when the news of my birth was broken. If you think that she cried because I am a female child born last in a middle class brahmin family, you are partly correct. I was shocked to learn later that she cried because I have come to divide the resources my father had like provident fund, gratuity and other savings for the marriage of my sisters. But, by God's grace she got married to a nice person and she has some cute children. So also is my second sister. But, both share a common fear about me that if I go and stay with them, the responsibilities of my education and marriage will land on them. But, whenever they visit they used to sympathize with me and used to say,' Jeya, you study well and become a collector and teach mother and brother a lesson'. Thinking of their words bring smile to me about their ignorance and innocence. They think that if you study well you should become a collector or doctor and still they may not know that girls like me are taking to all professions which were once forbidden. of course, a collector will have enough powers to command people whereas here I am under the command of a manager who with his snide remarks, passes etc. is giving me sexual harassment.

My thoughts were interrupted by Malligai (my udan pirava sakothari). She showed me the telegram that came to me. Telegram has been sent by my elder brother Sankaran which read ' Mother serious. Come immediately. Bring Rs.50000'. Even in this advanced age of communications, my brother believes in sending telegrams only. I became tense reading 'mother serious' and there were no response to my repeated calls to my brother. Malligai said,' Jeya, this is a ruse by your brother to extract money from you. He can't take cheque or draft as it will be proof of your giving. Cash means there will be no proof and that is the reason he has asked you to come personally with the money. Still, you cannot ignore the fact that your mother is serious. I have some savings and let us pool to make the money and go to Madurai. I also would like to see my mother. After we came to Mumbai, we have not gone to Madurai for the past two years'. So, we set off to Madurai by the next available train.

To be continued....

 

Dear ILites,

Please post your response for this story which will enthuse me to go ahead.

Regards,

TDU

 

Hi, mithili

I am glad that you have found something different in the story. It has made my day. What I am bringing in the story is all based on what had happened in real life and have come to my knowledge.

Regards,

TDU

 

Thank you, Sindhuja.

 

Ha ha ha, I liked your saying that the story goes like a movie. Thanks, rekhaprahlad. I am sure you are going to be moved by the ending.