CUPID’S LITTLE ARROW
PREMEERSS
Part-2
TRYING TO BE FRIENDS
Sun rays peeped through the window making the little soul stirred in her sleep. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Finding what she was trying to find, she grabbed it in her hand and kissed it. It was a photograph of her parents and her which was taken just before they left their house in London.
In the meantime a lady came to her room to help her to get freshen up and ready for the school. Two weeks had passed since she had come from the hospital. Prem had made sure that she had all the comforts in the house. He got her admitted to a new school hoping that the new atmosphere and the new friends might bring some change into her. Especially for her help Lakshmi, Manohar’s wife was being called from the village. She (Lakshmi) made sure to help her in any way she could. She made her ready in the morning for school, tried to make her favourite breakfast though she (Tanu) never really cared for the breakfast or for any other meal for that matter. She barely ate something. Lakshmi even proposed to feed her with her hands but she neither denied nor accepted it. At last Lakshmi gave up being utterly helpless.
Prem even tried to bring her some toys which girls in her age usually liked to play with like dolls, some kitchen utensils,stuffed toys etc. but she didn’t even touched them. Prem couldn’t stay at home because of his business commitments though he really tried. Being a loner for almost all his life, he was having a really hard time understanding her. He even heard complaint against her from school. In these two weeks he had to go to her school for almost 4 days being called by her class teacher. She was inattentive in class, never did her homework completely. Well if that was not enough, she indulged herself into a fight with one of her classmates and also threatened her.
But yesterday it was just enough of it. Tanu refused to go to school however he managed to drop her, didn’t even eat anything the whole day. When asked about her sudden change of routine she just walked past him without giving him any answer. And that’s when Prem lost his cool. He had a really hectic day in the office, he again heard complaint against her when he went to pick her up from school and then in house Tanu’s ignorance and almost rude behavior brought out the already frustrated man in him.
He lashed out at her knowing full well that ultimately he was also behaving like a kid but he couldn’t help it. Later that night he tried to apologize to her but she remained in her room. After sometime he heard soft sobs coming from her room. Knowing full well that Tanu wouldn’t answer his call, Prem sent Lakshmi with food and to his surprise Tanu let Lakshmi come into her room though the moment she saw Prem, she hid behind Lakshmi;and that was when he realized what terrible mistake he had done. She was afraid of him…her own uncle. That thought didn’t let him sleep the whole night. So the first thing that he did in the morning after dropping Tanu to school was to go to Manmeet for some advice.
“I really can’t understand what should I do Manmeet”, Prem voiced out his helplessness.
“I think we should talk to her doctor. May be he can suggest something”, suggested Manmeet.
Prem nodded in agreement and the next moment they drove to the hospital to meet the doctor who had treated Tanu.
“Mr. Juneja…come inside”, the Dr. Khurana called them in his cabin visibly surprised at this sudden visit.
“Sorry to bother you doctor but we have a very big problem otherwise we would have never visited you without any appointment” ,apologized for their sudden visit.
“It’s ok Mr. Malhotra I can understand. Tell me what I can do for you?” the doctor asked really concerned.
Prem took some time and then told everything to the doctor.
“Hmm, did you think of taking the help of a counselor?” asked the doctor.
“Counselor?What kind of counselor? What are you talking about?” asked Prem really confused.
“Well Mr. Juneja, aam aadmi samajhte hai ke psychiatrist aur coulnselor ek hi hai matlab pagalon ke doctor…but it’s not the same. Counselor bhi logon ke mental health pe hi kaam karte hai bas unke kaam karne ka tareeka thoda alag hai”, the doctor explained to Prem. “In some cases when a child loses it’s both parents and doesn’t have any other family member, he or she becomes very quiet. They don’t understand whom to trust and whom not to. They develop a fear that everyone would disown them and they have to live on their own. Nobody in this world will love them like their parents. Slowly slowly they get into depression which results in the mental problem. I am not saying that humesha aisa hota hai but kabhi kabhi. Aise time pe what we should do is to understand them and try to get them out of their insecurities and fear. She needs to tell her inner feelings.Sometimes the best medicine is to have someone who really listens to you without giving any opinion about you”.
“But doctor Tanu is not ready to talk to me about anything so how can I understand her problems?” Prem voiced out his concerns.
“Mr. Prem, it’s easier to talk to any stranger than our closed ones because we don’t have to worry whether they will judge us or not. Aur ye kaam ek coulselors bohut achchi tarha se karte hai”.
“I understand doctor but hum Tanu ko kisi bhi counselor ke pass leke nahi ja sakte…I mean she is not ready to come out of her room. Bohut mushkil se usko aj school chhoda hai. Wo to mere saath kahin aane jane ko bhi tayyar nahi. She just remains in her room all quiet”, replied Prem all worried.
“Don’t worry Mr. Prem, we have many counselors who would go to your house and talk to Tanu. You just take the card I am giving you and talk to her”, said the doctor and gave him a card of one of the best child counselors of the city. Well the counselor was not in town but the doctor assured them that he would inform the counselor.
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“Prem at least take out the card from your pocket and see it. You haven’t even seen the card which the doctor gave you”,Manmeet said to Prem who was busy driving the car and thinking if it would be aright decision to consult a child counselor.
“Preeemmm”, Manmeet spoke a little louder earning no response from Prem who by then, had stopped by an ice cream parlour and was busy in deep thinking.
“Yes, yes…did you say something?” Prem asked being startled at this sudden noise.
“I have been saying for the past 15 minutes but seems you were busy in some other thinking”, replied Manmeet irritably.
“Sorry yaar, I was just thinking are we doing right? I mean counselor…main jaanta hunki isse Tanu ko fayda hi hoga but…” he couldn’t complete his sentence as Manmeetinterrupted him by placing a supporting hand on his shoulder. “I know ke tu kya soch raha hai but trust me, Tanu will be alright”.
“I hope so. You know what? Kul di told me that Tanu was a bubbly, full of life and naughty girl but now she barely say anything. We need to bring her back”, Prem voiced out his concerns and placed his hands on top of Manmeet.
“By the way I was thinking to buy her some ice cream…shayad khush ho jaye”, Prem told Manmeet and both bought three ice creams and leave from there.
Prem had picked Tanu up from the school and reached home 2 hours ago. He told Lakshmi to give the ice cream to Tanu but she refused to eat. She didn’t even allow Prem in her room.
“I don’t want anything from you”, she shouted at him and locked herself in the room.
Later in Prem’s Room-
“May be the doctor was right. I should consult the counselor”, he thought and took out the card from his pocket.
“Miss Heer Maan…hmmm let’s see”, he thought and decided that the first thing that he was going to do in the morning would be to meet her.
He kept the card on his bedside table and lied down on the bed but sleep was far away from his eyes. He was continuously thinking about Tanu’s behaviour. He could see his elder sister in his niece…only the softness, the bubbly girl in her was missing. He gave a look at the card and determined to bring Tanu back to her old self.
Done with this part. Do read and share your precious views. Next part will be posted soon…till then good bye and take care.
Thank You,
Love,
Sunayana
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