Sophia's Freedom

Chapter 30 : Confronting Monika

After what I had read, I was shaken and disturbed to the core, I almost dropped down on the floor. As I closed my eyes, all I could feel was the silent tears that have been rolling from his eyes since the afternoon of 5th January. I still couldn't understand how sick a person could be, to force a 7-year-old boy to live like a girl. It dreaded me to think that the day I met him, he was so convincing as Sophia, that someone like me failed to even recognize that she was not a girl. 

Was it that, he has been abused so much over the years that he finally succumbed to the fact that if he accepts his fate as a girl, they would treat him better. For some strange reason, it feels as if Mr. Banerjee might also be a part of this crime.

I still cannot believe that such a thing was happening next door, a child was being abused against his will and I had no clue about it. I finally had enough, I had to know the truth from Monika. I had to ask her if the entries in the journal are true or it's some lame joke the girls are playing against me.

I stood up, took a deep breath and left my room with the journal in my hand, and started calling out for Monika.

"MONIKA!!! WHERE ARE YOU... COME OUT THIS VERY INSTANT..." I shouted.

Upon hearing me shout, Monika came out of her room and asked me "What happened Bro... what's wrong with you... why are you shouting?"

My shouts brought mom out of the room too. I had never behaved in this manner before, so she looked worried by my aggressive reaction.

I showed Monika the last few entries and asked "Read this, tell me how far of this is true? Don't you dare hide anything from me?"

Before Monika could take the papers from my hand, Mom snatched it from me, and read the entries too. She turned towards Monika and asked "Tell me, Monika, this is not some sick joke you 2 girls are playing against us. You guys are not making a fool out of us, a boy was influenced unscrupulously be alive as a girl in the neighborhood?"

Monika let out an exasperated shout instigated by our badgering questions, “EVERYTHING YOU HAVE READ IS TRUE. THEY HAVE BEEN FORCING ABHINU TO LIVE HIS LIFE AS A GIRL. SOPHIA WHOM YOU MET THE OTHER DAY IN THE HOSPITAL IS NONE OTHER THAN ABHINU, WHOSE JOURNAL YOU HAVE BEEN READING. AND THAT IS NOT ALL, 6 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS AAROHI WHO LIVED WITH THE SAME FAMILY AND THEY DID THE SAME THING TO HER."

"That's impossible, when did you learn about all of this?"

"Why, did you not tell us about this earlier?" Mom asked Monika.

"I knew about Sophia for last 6 years and Aarohi, for 10 years. I kept telling you and dad about Abhinu, but you never believed me and forbade me to stop making things up." Monika replied.

Mom didn't utter another word after Monika’s emotional outburst and slowly slouched down on the couch. She crossed her leg over her left and kept rubbing her right hand to her forehead giving the impression that she was thinking something deeply. It was evident that Monika's confirming words have impacted her and drove her into deep calculation. She remained immersed in thinking for quite a long time.

I stepped towards Monika and hugged her tightly. I was not sure how to react. She has been telling us about this all these years and we never believed her. However, the moment I hugged her, she hugged me back and began to cry out loud. I could accept anything, but not her tears. I failed her as a brother, and right now, I am getting a strange feeling that I am going to fail her again.

Suddenly mom started after an extended pause, "I think we should call the cops and inform them about what is happening."

Monika interrupted in a quavering voice "No mom, please don't call the cops. The last time, Abhinu sought police help, you know what happened?"

I asked "What???"

"Aunty told the cops that Abhinu has NSSI. She also explained that he is delusional because he suffers from a disorder called transvestic disorder. Abhinu’s medical records were manipulated to prove their point."

"You mean to say that they influenced the police cleverly to make them believe that he is suffering from a syndrome for which he considers himself as a girl and prefer to dress up like one of them." Asked Mom.

"Yes," replied Monika. She was on the verge of crying while replying to mom.

"And how did you happen to know all about this."  mom asked.

Monika replied, "6 years ago, Abhinu ran away from home because he was ashamed of being dressed like a girl in front of all his friends. It was Darika's birthday. Something happened that night which made Abhinu run away from home. Cops found him 3 days later but when he told the cops about his situation in the house, aunty proved to them with medical reports that he is mentally ill."

Monika stopped for a while and then she continued "What aunty told the cops was only the tip of an iceberg, what happened later was worse..."

"Mind telling me what happened next?" I asked.

Monika was hesitant, but we coerced her to keep telling, and then she continued. "After Abhinu returned back home, Uncle asked Rahat to tatoo the words 'Daughter of a Traitor' on his back and the justification was that his dad ran like a dog, when Abhishek dada's men attacked his dad's convoy and killed him.." tears flowed through her eyes as she continued "A few month later, just 15 days before his birthday, they forced him to have a surgery where they removed his man organ and told him that it is a gift for him for attempting to run away from home."

I was shocked at what I just heard and before I could react to anything Mom spoke in a determined tone "Let's go to the hospital, I want to talk to your friend." 

I and Monika followed her. She asked Monika to stay at home. She picked up the telephone directory and started to mark certain numbers on the pages and asked her to call them.

"Call all the numbers I have marked in this directory and request all of them along with all of Joe's friends to assemble at our residence. I want to talk to all of them including Babul, the lady cop, Vikash, Koushik and anyone who knows about this unusual development and call your father too."

Mom picked up the vehicle key from the table and before proceeded towards our garage she asked the 2 of us to come close to her and then she looked a Monika and said "Remember your promise... All for One... One for all." Mom gave a smile and said to Monika "Don't you want to keep that promise..."

Monika eyes gleamed a sign of hope. It felt as if her wish was finally coming true and then she replied softly "Yes..."

Mom nodded her head and then she began to exit the room, and instructed Monika further, "Make sure that none of the members from the Banerjee family have any inkling of this gathering, not even Mr. Banerjee. If someone named Daniel picks up the call and asks what you want, please give him this number CRPC-1236-34796CH and tell him Mom says we are on. Time to meet the Rolling Stones." 

*** Whatever mom just said felt like some mumbo-jumbo to me… Rolling Stones, CRPC… What is she up to… *** 

Mom went to our garage and started the car. We had a very old Silver Maruti Suzuki Esteem, MH12-BP-7076. I remember when I was a little boy, dad was posted in Maharashtra. He had a knack for fast cars and back then it was considered as the fastest car ever made for the Indian roads. I even recalled that he customized the car to the extent that he drove in the Asian rally circuit and was the runner-up for 3 consecutive years.

She told me to get into the car and put the seat belt on. The car was started with a loud booming noise and as she applied the accelerator the noise softened. She reversed the car at such speed that I would have hit the window and fell of the car, had I not put the belts on.

Within 10 minutes, we were at the hospital. I have never seen mom driving a car before, but today when I experienced her breakneck speed, I promised myself that I would never accompany her when she is in the wheel.

As we reached the hospital, I saw Koushik sitting outside Sophia's ward. We entered the room and found that Mr. Banerjee was already sitting there.

"Hello Mr. Banerjee, do you remember me?" Mom asked with a smile on her face.

"What a surprise, Mrs. Christopher. What are you doing here?" asked Mr. Banerjee.

Suddenly mom caught hold of my ear, pulled it. As I whimpered in pain she looked at me first and then continued, "Nothing, I just came looking for this i***t son of mine, for the last 2 days he has not been home. I called all his friends and no one seem to know his whereabouts. I thought that he might be here, taking care of your daughter, and surprisingly my assumption was correct. He seems to have forgotten that he has a home."

I looked around and saw Sophia watching mom curiously. As she was about to open her mouth to speak something, I restrained her with a slender shake of my head instructing her not to say anything at the moment.

Suddenly, mom changed her tone and said to Mr. Banerjee, "You appear exhausted, why don't you go to the cafeteria and have some tea. I am free and can replace you comfortably for some time." 

Mr. Banerjee was hesitant for a moment but decided to go and get some tea with me. We returned after 15 minutes.

As we came back, mom took leave from Mr. Banerjee and Sophia and left. On the way out she met Koushik and called him, “Your Mom is coming to our place for lunch at 11:00, why don't you join us for your food and return back here."

I was at a loss for words, what is in mom’s mind and what did she discuss with Sophia. As far as I know, Koushik's mom is in London with his sister who is expecting a child. In spite of all my curiosity, I refrained from say anything and followed mom as she stepped out of the hospital.

As we are moving towards our car, Koushik pointed his finger towards the car and enquired, "Is that...."

Before he could complete the sentence, mom replied, "Yes... that is. Now get into the car, we need to talk."

I tried to spy on Koushik while strapping the seat belt and he appeared surprise with something. I tried to find out the cause of his astonishment, and his reply was, "I don't believe it, I have never thought in my life that I would get to sit on the Asian Hornet."

"What Asian Hornet, what are you talking about?" I asked in a shocked and surprised tone.

Koushik told me to lift the box which was placed on the dashboard of our car and look into it, there should be a name inscribed into it "ASIAN HORNET"

He continued "Asian Hornet was the fastest Rally car ever to take part in La Festa Primavera and is a 3-time winner. But after 1995 ASIAN HORNET was never seen again."

We were back home after about 25 minutes, Mom had to make a quick stop to get the journal pages photocopied.

As we entered our porch, I saw everyone waiting for us in the hall. There were Vikash, Joy, Sanjay, Master Daa, Miss Sengupta, and 2 elderly gentlemen whom I did not know.  Dr. Pramatha Sen who was looking after Abhinu, my father, and Capt. Sagar was also waiting in the congregation.

                                                  TO BE CONTINUED...

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