‘Luke, have you kept books in your bag according to your timetable?’ Fida asked while arranging her own school bag.
‘No,’ he answered lazily, lying in his bed, reading a story book.
She scowled at him. ‘Why don’t you make amends? Don’t you feel shame to be in the same class for two years?’
Luke glanced at Fida and put the story book down on the side table. Slowly and sluggishly he got up from the bed. Seeing his lethargy, Fida said angrily, ‘All right, I will help you.’ She took out his timetable and started reading. ‘First period tomorrow is English.’ She glanced at Luke. ‘Close your eyes for a minute and then try to remember what your teacher said in class. Did she give any homework? Or is there any test?’
‘No.’
‘Next is science.’
‘No homework,’ Luke said quickly.
‘All right. Next is maths. What about that?’ she asked.
Panic filled Luke’s face.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Fida.
‘Nothing,’ he said.
They both went to bed after packing their bags.
**
Luke was disturbed. He could not sleep. His mind was on the maths test he had the next day that he had not studied for. Finally, he decided to make up some excuse to tell his mum so that he could skip school and stay home.
**
Fida freshened up the next morning and got ready for school. Meanwhile, Luke padded slowly down the stairs pretending that he had a headache.
Luke was an expert in making excuses, and Alya did not usually believe him. But Luke had put his fingers down his mouth and vomited in the family toilet that morning. It made her think he really was sick. She asked him to stay home and rest.
Fida left an hour later. Luke got up from the bed he had returned to and slowly walked to his mother. Alya glanced at him. ‘You look perfect. You said you had a terrible headache?’
‘Yes, Mama, I did, but I feel better now.’ He struggled to control his laughter.
Alya realised that she had been fooled by her son. She said scathingly, ‘I will never trust you again. In future I will not let you stay home even if you are sick.’
‘Next time!’ he thought, and Luke went out of the house with a mischievous smile.
Two hours later, Luke returned with a parrot in his hand. Alya was surprised. ‘From where did you get that?’ she quizzed.
‘From outside, Mama,’ Luke replied, rubbing his little, soft hand down the bird’s feathers. ‘Poor thing. It is hurt,’ he said in a sad voice and looked at his mother. ‘Isn’t it beautiful, Mama?’
‘Yes, it is. But you’ll have to let it go, Luke,’ Alya said.
‘But Mama, look, it’s hurt. I think some children must have thrown stones at it. I love birds, Mama. I will take care of it.’ Saying so, he went into his room with the bird. Alya said nothing.
Around three o’clock in the afternoon, noticing worry on Alya’s face, Luke asked, ‘What’s wrong, Mama?’
‘Fida hasn’t come home yet. She was supposed to be home by two o’clock.’
Luke’s heart pounded. He was about to make a call to his papa when Alya saw Fida at a distance. Her tension vanished, and she gave a sigh of relief. However, she immediately felt very angry. She picked up a cane and waited for Fida to come through the front door.
Fida was terrified to see the stick in her mother’s hand.
‘Where in the hell have you been?’ Alya yelled.
‘I … I …’ Fida stammered. Words didn’t come out of her mouth.
Alya gave a beating on her leg.
‘No, Mama! Please don’t!’ Fida cried.
Fida cleared her throat and said, ‘Mama, I just didn’t have money for the bus.’
Alya was stunned. She became angrier.
‘Where is the money I gave you in the morning?’
‘Mama … that … that I gave to my classmate. Her mother is sick. She is in Salmaniya Hospital. My friend did not eat any food last night, and she didn’t bring her tiffin to school today.’
Alya was shocked. She looked at Fida in amazement. ‘What did you eat in the recess?’
‘Nothing, Mama.’ Fida rubbed her little hand over her stomach and said, hungrily, ‘Nothing, Mama.’ Alya’s anger vanished. She hugged her daughter.
‘I’m proud of you, Fida.’
Then she said, contentedly, ‘Good work always brings good results, sweetheart. You might have a little bad time, but the final result will bring great pleasure. And also more and more fairies will come closer and closer to make you happy.’ She kissed her little daughter. Luke too came forward. He wrapped his little hand around Fida’s shoulder and kissed her cheeks.
‘Good work, sis. I’m proud of you.’
In return, Fida laughed innocently.