"Teacher, he is dead," Santhoshi said happily.

"You haven't come to school for a week. Why are you saying someone died?" the teacher reprimanded her.

"Yes, teacher. He was the one who beat my mother for being born, threatened to leave my mother, and threatened to kill me and my sister. When my grandfather begged him holding his feet, he only agreed to raise my sister. The man who kept my mother away from me for all these years is dead, teacher," Santhoshi said emotionally.

Jaladhi Teacher understood the situation of the young girl to some extent.

"Alright, alright. Why did you go there if he died? You hated him, didn't you?" the teacher asked.

"That’s just it, teacher. My sister said she wouldn't even come to see him if he died. He had tortured my sister that much. She is staying at some place called 'Snehagruham' (Shelter Home) which works for victimized women. My grandfather insisted and took me there. I was the one who performed the last rites for him," the girl said, taking a breath of relief.

Narasayya, who had accompanied the child and was standing outside, heard all those words.

"And did your mother come with you?" the teacher asked.

"She didn't. He had contracted my mother as a maid for five years and taken the money. She still has two more years left," Santhoshi said painfully.

"Don't be sad, Santhoshi. I will educate you, come to my house," the teacher encouraged her.

"No, teacher. Who does my grandfather have besides me? I will come to you whenever I have any need," said Santhoshi, who had a mother's heart.

"Are you not angry with your grandfather or your mother?" asked Jaladhi.

"Grandfather is just an average father; he fixed his daughter's married life. My grandmother's bit of courage saved me. There was no one to give courage to my mother; she was uneducated and, unable to talk back to her husband, saw hell. Teacher, the awareness given by people like you saves people like me from a 'Keechaka' (predatory) society, gives self-confidence, and teaches the mercy to forgive mother and grandfather." Listening to Santhoshi's words, Narasayya slipped into the past.

Mother... Mother... Mother...

The little one was crying, saying, "Mother, what will I do?" The mother of the little one was crying.

"Oh... what can I say, children?" the sixty-year-old old woman was crying.

They had cried thinking the same thing hundreds of times in their hearts.

The three of them had been crying all night. None of them slept. Mallayya, who was sleeping in the yard, woke up to the crowing of the rooster and came into the house.

He saw the little one crying, "Mother, Mother," with a fever. The other two wiped their eyes when they saw Mallayya.

"What is the use of sitting and crying? Give the little one to your mother, wake up the elder one, and leave, daughter! It's time for the city bus," said Narasayya.

The mother and daughter were startled. What they feared happened; the decision of their lives was made without their involvement.

A decision had been made, dictating the lives of the mother and daughter...

Narasayya had put his seal of approval on the son-in-law's condition.

"Tell father that I will do some work and stay with you to raise my two children," the mother of the little one asked in a weak voice.

The old woman looked at Narasayya helplessly and with fear.

"What is this you are saying? What work will you do? How will you raise two girl children? Will you live alone leaving your husband? Will society keep quiet? Your husband only said to bring the elder one. We will put the little one in some orphanage; you leave," said Narasayya.

As easily as saying, "Cut the red hen and cook curry... make ridge gourd stew for the fence," he spoke.

"Father..." said the mother of the little one miserably.

"Why are you crying? What will happen? Your husband is a good man. If you leave the little one and come, he will live with you and raise the elder girl. If not, if you take both and go, what will you do if your mother-in-law kills the children like she killed your sister-in-law's children?" said Narasayya. The 'Brahmastra' (ultimate weapon) was used on a sparrow. The mother of the little one could not raise her voice. Narasayya took the elder girl and the mother to Bombay, handed them over to the son-in-law, and breathed a sigh of relief.

The little one was a ten-month-old baby. Since the day she was born, there had been fights because she was a girl.

Narasayya was going to leave the baby at some temple or bus stand. The old woman did not agree; she said she would jump into a well with the child.

"The pension that comes is not enough for you or me...

How will you raise the little one in this old age, you old woman?" he cursed. "Let's see if you can handle it..." The old woman was adamant.

"Grandfather, Grandfather, you go home. I will come after school, eat, and take your medicines," said the little one, and with her words, Narasayya came out of the past and headed home. The old woman had passed away recently. Her kidneys had failed.

The little one is fifteen years old and studying in tenth grade. Her name is Santhoshi. To the teacher who said, "Stay in our house, I will educate you," Santhoshi said, "Who does my grandfather have? If I come to your place... I will come to you when in need, teacher." Hearing Santhoshi's words, Narasayya was overcome with grief.

He had intended to dump this nectar-like sprout into dirty drains. Where had the old woman gone after dying? She had protected this mother-tree. Thinking that the same tree stood to give him shade, Narasayya wiped his eyes.

A group of school children was crossing the road, shouting slogans: "Let us protect girl children, let us protect trees, let us protect nature."