Sophia's Freedom

Chapter 89 : The Protector

"Here have some water?" Aamaya di had a glass of water in her hand as she gave it to me.

I took a few sips of water from the glass, but the memories of the nightmare wouldn't go. I was scared out of my wits. Whatever Garima told me in the dream was true. 

I gave the glass back to Aamaya di, and before anyone could say another word I crawled towards mom and hugged her.

"Is everything alright honey... you seem worried? were you dreaming?" it was Mom who asked that.

I let go of her and sat back on the bed and said. "Mom, Dad... can I tell you something?"

"Sure dear go ahead..." replied Mom.

"I wish Mother Mary will forgive me for the mistakes that I had done in my quest to protect Abhinu"

"I beg your pardon... what do you mean kiddo?"

"Mom... In my quest to protect Abhunu, I became so selfish that I forgot that people could be changed with a little bit of love..."

"Okkkk... and whom are you talking about?" asked dad.

"I am talking about Darika and Garima..." I paused a little and then continued "Lord Jesus always taught us to love and forgive... remember on the day he was crucified... he said 'Father please forgive them for they know not what they do...' I spend the last 5 years making their life miserable because they would bully my Abhinu... what if I would have taught them the ways of love, perhaps they would still be alive..."

Before I could say something else Aamaya di suddenly spoke "And our Sophia would have been dead a long time ago..."

"I don't understand?"

 "Don't you think Sophia and I tried our level best to teach them the way of love..." she paused placed her hand over my things and continued "You seem to have forgotten that Sophia was a boy and she could easily have retaliated... saying 'No' to some of their crazy whims were nothing for her, remember she almost sent Harsh to his deathbed in a fit of anger... what makes you think all of a sudden she became a sissy... I would occasionally tell her to stand up to their bullying but she would say that bullying someone would only bring hurt... but if she would show them how to love each other, they would also become a better person..."

"But for the girls, those were mere words to them..." Di paused again and then continued "Do you know about the day when Sophia saved the girls from a stray attack... and instead of a thankyou, they actually put a collar over his neck and made her walk on all 4 the whole day..."

I could sense a feeling of rage and hatred towards Darika and Garima as Aamaya di continued "Those girls... they are ungrateful bitches..." she paused and looked at mom and said "please forgive me for the word I have used... but it the truth... that day had mom not come back on time, Sophia would have been in hospital once again..."

"What really happened Aamaya could you please elaborate...?" asked Master Kaku.

"Well uncle I don't know much but I heard this from Mom. Back then I was getting treated in the trauma center. That day I was supposed to get back home so mom came to pick me up, leaving the 2 girls under the care of Sophia."

"According to Sophia, she was in her room, busy with some of her private stuff..."

"What private stuff?" asked Master Kaku.

"Sorry uncle that's something I cannot tell you about... it's a secret between Sophia, Me, and Amy didi... please don't mind..."

"No problem kiddo... continue..." asked Master Kaku.

"Darika and Garima were playing outside when Sophia suddenly heard some noise and the 2 girls were shouting at someone of something. She came out of the room and went to the balcony to check what was happening and found that the girls were surrounded by 3 dogs who were barking at them, and the girls were holding some stick to scare away the dogs."

"She said that she took a closer look from the balcony and saw that there was a little puppy that was bleeding and she guessed that the girls are the ones responsible for hurting the puppy." 

"She knew she had to help the girls or else the mother dog is going to maul them if she doesn't intervene. Even though she was not allowed to step out of the house, she took the risk, she picked up the box of first aid, and stepped out. She stood in front of the 3 dogs and pulled the girls behind her."

"Later on Darika and Garima said that the moment the dogs saw Sophia, for some reason, they stepped back. It was as if they knew who she was or probably the dogs and Sophia had a history. Sophia asked them dogs if they would allow them to look at the puppy and that very moment they stepped back allowing her to have a look at it."

"However when the girls stepped towards the pup they began to bark as loud as they could. It was as if they would not allow the girls to be close to the pups except for Sophia..."

Sophia treated the pup with some ointment and bandaged her wounds and then she picked up the pup and kissed her. She then asked the dogs to let the girls alone and somehow they trusted Sophia and picked up the puppy and left without hurting the 2 girls. Sophia even told the dogs that she will not be able to help them anymore and asked them not to enter the premises for their safety."

"Sophia took the girls back home and the moment they were inside and safe, the 2 girls instead of thanking her, punished Sophia for stepping out of the house and making them look like a coward in front of some stray dogs. They made her stand on all fours and placed a dog collar on her neck and began to punish her by beating her, slapping her, kick her, and a few other things which is more than disgusting to even mention."

"We reached back home at around 6:00 pm and found Sophia was lying on the floor with blood dripping from her face and was crying... upon asking her we learned what happened from Sophia but the girls kept saying that she was lying and that no such thing happened. later Mom and I went to the spot to check and found blood on the ground and the first aid kit which the girls have probably forgotten the bring it back inside..."

"That day mom called up dad and told him what has happened and then dad ordered the girls not to lay a hand on her without seeing permission from him or Mom."

"Are you serious... you mean to say those 7-year-old girls really did such a thing..."

"Yes... uncle and that's why I never cared much for them..." She turned to look at me and said "they never deserved forgiveness from you or me... especially not from Sophia..." Her face was getting red with anger as she continued "I wish they were still alive, I would give them the teaching of a lifetime..."

She picked up my hand and began to caress my hand and continued "Don't keep hurting your soul Monika for someone who doesn't deserve even a little bit of love from any of us..."

Aamaya di then asked the elders something "Uncle, aunty, Tribeni Sir... if you don't mind can I ask you all a question?"

"Go ahead... what do you want to know?"

"Would it hurt the pride of the girls if they would have said thank you to Sophia?"

"No never... Abhinu saved their life... they should have thanked him..."

"well, they didn't... and that's why I will never forgive them for what they did that day... I know I am no saint... but if Sophia would have done something like that for me... I would have been ever grateful for the rest of my life... Trust me, Monika it was just a bad dream... you are a good human being and that's why you were having that dream..."

The rest of the elders also agreed to what Aamaya di said and asked me to try to forget that dream and get ready for the road trip.

                                                      TO BE CONTINUED...

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