Trust Your Inner Voice

I was 6-7 years old. One day mom took me walking in the vicinity. She bought me an ice cream stick. It was my first and I remember the luscious and milky goodness of it.  She bought one for me and one for my sister. On the way home, we ate it together. She promised me another one. Once home, she gave the other one to my sister. I threw a tantrum and she gave me my due for being adamant (I deserved it by all means). My grandmother from my dad’s side took notice and she took me away leaving mom, locking the door behind us. Everyone met in the living room and my grandfather seated me on his lap, promised me that if I left my mother they would give me everything I wanted. Everyone including all my uncles and aunties joined in. 

I remember it as if it was yesterday, something awoke in me (I felt it rise in the pit of my stomach), just as I was opening my mouth to say I wanted these and that. I felt awake, seeing my grandfather truly for the first time. A voice told me to wait and listen. I listened to all of them and knew that they were lying and wanted to harm my mother. Much later in life, I would learn the truth in the eyes of my dying dadi. Craftily, I told them that I wanted a bicycle, tv and a few things that I knew they wanted to hear and they agreed to everything. I wanted to get away from them as soon as possible but they wouldn’t let me. The faint scent of musk in the air was strangling me. They agreed to let me go, only if I went and told my mother that I hate her and don’t want to live with her anymore. The voice inside me guided me that day. I told them I will speak with my mom. I ran and they let me go. I told mom everything. From that day, I knew to keep a distance from my family.

to be continued..