So let's begin,
The three sisters stayed in that embrace for a long time, the silence of the room healing the cracks that the day’s chaos had caused. The anger, the taunts, and the insecurity melted away, leaving only the warmth of their bond.
Finally, Vanshu pulled back, sniffing loudly, and wiped her nose on her sleeve.
Vanshu: (voice hoarse) “Bas karo ab. Meri shirt geeli kar di tumne.”
Khushi let out a wet chuckle, wiping her own eyes with her uninjured hand.
Khushi: “Sorry.”
Akshu: (shivering slightly but smiling) “Main toh pehle hi bimar hoon, tum dono ne mujhe daba ke aur maar dena hai.”
Khushi and Vanshu immediately let go, helping Akshu settle back under the thick quilt. Khushi tucked the corners in, making sure her she was warm.
Khushi: “So jao ab. Bohot drama ho gaya aaj ke liye.”
Just as Vanshu picked up her fallen book and Khushi turned to adjust her side of the bed, the door creaked open.
The three of them froze.
Bela walked in. She looked tired, her eyes sweeping over the scene—Akshu in bed, Vanshu sitting beside her, and Khushi standing guard. It was exactly where they were supposed to be. Together.
She walked straight to Akshu’s side, placing the back of her hand on Akshu’s forehead.
Bela: (softly) “Temperature abhi bhi hai, par kam hai.”
She looked at Vanshu.
Bela: “Doodh peeya sabne?”
Vanshu: (looking down) “Nhi.. Mann nahi tha Ma’am kisi ka.”
Bela: “Kitchen mein doodh rakha hai. Sone se pehle pi lena sab. And make sure she drinks it (Bela said looking at Akshu) That’s an order.”
Vanshu: “Ji Ma’am.”
Bela stood straight, crossing her arms. The three girls tensed up, expecting the final verdict on the ‘study room court martial’.
Bela: “So Mahir ji ne… kaafi request ki hai. He thinks everyone has had a rough day and you all have learned your lesson.”
She paused, letting the suspense hang for a second.
Bela: “So, the punishments for that incident…is cancelled.”
Three pairs of eyes widened in relief. Akshu let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.
Akshu: “Sachi? Thank you, Ma’am! Thank you so much!”
Vanshu: (relieved) “Thank you, Ma’am.. Finally phone mil gaya.”
Bela: “Don’t thank me. Thank him. Aur kal subah school ke liye late huye toh yeh offer expire ho jayega. So sleep. Now.”
She turned around and walked towards the door. Khushi felt a massive weight lift off her chest. Finally, she doesn’t have to face Radhika and her extra class anymore.She had dodged a bullet.
Or so she thought.
Bela’s hand touched the doorknob. Then, it stopped.
Khushi’s heart skipped a beat.
Bela turned around slowly. Her eyes bypassed Akshu and Vanshu completely and locked onto Khushi. She didn’t say anything at first. She just stared.
Straight at Khushi.
Then down at the bandage.
Then back at Khushi’s eyes.
It was a look that stripped away the relief and brought back the cold dread. Khushi gulped audibly, her throat going dry. Vanshu and Akshu sensed the shift and went quiet, looking between Bela and their sister.
Bela took two slow steps back into the room.
Bela: “Khushi.”
Khushi: (voice trembling) “J-Ji Ma’am?”
Bela: “Maine kaha ki Radhika and extra class wali punishment cancel ho gayi hai.”
Bela tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable but dangerous.
Bela: “Lekin violence… aur self-harm… yeh is ghar ke rules ke khilaaf hai. Iski maafi sir ki request se bhi nahi milti.”
Khushi looked down at her feet, knowing exactly what was coming.
Bela: “Since you have so much pent-up energy that you need to punch walls to release it… and since you clearly lack the patience to talk things out…”
Bela’s voice dropped an octave, firm and final. She checked her wristwatch and then looked back at Khushi with a steel-hard gaze.
Bela: “From tomorrow, subah 5:00 am sharp. I want you in the garden. For drill.”
Khushi: (eyes popping out) “5 baje? Subah?Par Ma’am school.. ”
Bela: “I know the school timings Khushi you don’t need to remind me. 5 AM. Not 5:01. Hum drill practice karenge. Running, exercises, discipline training. Jab tak wo energy sahi jagah channelize nahi hoti, yeh routine chalega.”
Khushi felt like crying. 5 AM was practically the middle of the night for her.
Bela: (stepping closer, voice dropping to a warning whisper) “And listen to me very carefully. Agar tum ek minute bhi late hui… even a single minute… toh us din school mein, meri class mein, you will stand the whole period. In front of the whole class.”
Akshu(whispeting to herself): “Gayi yeh.. Ma’am aur unke punishments se is janam mai toh mukti milne se rahi.”
Khushi paled, nodding vigorously.
Khushi: “Clear Ma’am. I won’t be late. Pakka.”
Bela: “Good.”
Bela turned to leave again, but then paused as if remembering one final detail. She extended her hand towards Khushi, palm open.
Bela: “Phone.”
Khushi: (confused) “Huh?”
Bela: “Apna phone do. Abhi.”
Khushi: (clutching her pocket instinctively) “Par Ma’am… phone kyu? Maine toh…”
Bela: “Tumne Kiku ko phone diya tha na? Cartoon dekhne ke liye? Just so she would stay quiet and you wouldn’t have to deal with her?”
Khushi: “Nhi Ma’am wo zidd kar rahi thi is liye maine diya tha thodi der ke liye..”
Bela: “Usne zidd kiya aur tumne de diya.. Badi tum ho na.. Kal ko wo kisi galat cheez ke liye zidd karegiere absence mai tab bhi haan kar dogi, tell me? ”
Khushi bit her lip, knowing Bela was right. But she was so frustrated at that moment she couldn’t understand anything and just gave up the phone.
Bela: “Shortcuts dhundh liya? Paanch saal ki bachhi zidd kar rahi h toh screen ki aadat laga do taaki tumhe mehnat na karni pade? That is irresponsible behavior, Khushi.”
Bela wiggled her fingers impatiently.
Bela: “Hand it over. Jab tak tumhara yeh ‘Drill’ phase chal raha hai, phone confiscated rahega. You need to learn ki zimmedari shortcuts se nahi nibhayi jaati.”
Defeated, Khushi slowly pulled her phone out of her pocket and placed it in Bela’s hand.
Bela: “5:00 AM. Sharp.”
With that final command, Bela turned, switched off the main light, and walked out, closing the door firmly behind her.
The room was plunged into the soft glow of the night lamp.
Silence reigned for exactly three seconds.
Akshu: (whispering loudly, eyes wide) “Bhai… 5 baje drill? Aur late hui toh class mai khada kar dengi.. Yeh toh wahi baat hui aasaman se gire khajoor ke ped pe atke. All the best khushi.. You are gone!”
Khushi: (groaning and falling face-first onto her pillow) “Phone bhi gaya yaar… Maar hi daalti isse achha toh. Subah 5 baje itni thand mai.. Kaisa torture h yeh.. Upar se late hua toh class mai bezzati.. Kyu kiya maine punch.. Aur phone mai meri kya galti thi.. Yeh teeno toofan h.. Mai khud irritate ho gayi thi.. Is kiku ke chakkar mai mera phone bhi gaya.. .”
Vanshu: (smirking slightly while pulling up her blanket) “Kiku ko phone diya tha na? Punch kiya tha.. Bhugto ab. Goodnight.”
Khushi: (muffled scream into the pillow) “Aaaaaahhhhh!”
THE NEXT MORNING
The alarm clock—screeched through the silence of the room.
4:45 AM.
Khushi’s hand shot out from under the quilt, slapping the snooze button violently. She groaned, burying her face back into the pillow. The warmth of the blanket was heaven, and the air outside felt like a freezer.
Just five more minutes…
Suddenly, Bela’s voice from last night echoed in her head: “Agar ek minute bhi late hui… you will stand the whole period in front of the whole class.”
Khushi’s eyes snapped open. The drowsiness evaporated instantly, replaced by pure panic.
Khushi: (whispering frantically) “Shit! Shit! Uth Khushi, warna aaj school mein izzan ka falooda ban jayega!”
She scrambled out of bed, shivering as the cold morning air hit her. She glanced at her sisters. Akshu was sleeping soundly, her breathing rhythmic (thankfully the fever seemed to have broken), and Vanshu was sprawled out like a starfish. A wave of jealousy hit Khushi, but she shook it off.
She grabbed her track pants and hoodie. Getting dressed was a challenge with one hand bandaged. She struggled with the zipper of her jacket, wincing as she accidentally twisted her injured wrist.
Khushi: (struggling with the zip) “Aarrgh… yeh haath bhi abhi tootna tha! Chain band ho ja please!. Aur kar punch pagal.. Aa raha h ab maza..”
She finally yanked it up, grabbed her shoes in her good hand, and glanced at the wall clock. 4:56 AM.
Khushi: “Chaar minute! Ma’am kachha chaba jayengi!”
She sprinted out of the room, tiptoeing aggressively down the hallway to avoid waking anyone else, socks in hand.
The Living Room – 4:58 AM
The house was dead silent. The only sound was the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock, which felt like a countdown timer to doom.
Bela stood near the main door, solitary and imposing. She was dressed in her sharp black tracksuit, hair tied back in a high, tight ponytail. Her posture was erect, arms crossed, eyes fixed on her wristwatch.
She tapped her foot on the floor.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Bela: (muttering to herself) “58… 59…”
Suddenly, the sound of frantic stumbling echoed from the stairs.
Khushi came sliding down the railing (almost), landing with a heavy thud on the last step and stumbling towards the door, panting heavily. Her hair was messy, her hoodie was half-zipped, and she was clutching her shoes.
Khushi: (breathless) “Good… Good morning Ma’am! Main… main aa gayi!”
Bela raised her wrist. Her eyes moved from the watch to Khushi.
Bela: “4:59:30. Just in time.”
She scanned Khushi from top to bottom.
Bela: “Par yeh huliya kya bana rakha hai? You look like you just rolled out of a dumpster.”
Khushi: “Wo… late ho raha tha toh…”
Bela: “Shoes?”
Khushi quickly dropped the shoes on the floor and shoved her feet into them. She managed to put them on but then froze.
The Laces.
She tried to tie them. But with her right hand wrapped in thick gauze and a stiff splint, she couldn’t create the loop. She fumbled, her fingers slipping. She tried using her left hand, but it was a disaster.
The clock struck 5:00 AM. The chime echoed loudly in the silent hall.
Bela watched her struggle. Her expression remained stoic, but she noticed the way Khushi bit her lip in pain every time the bandage brushed the shoe. Khushi was sweating despite the cold, panic written all over her face as she failed to tie the knot for the third time.
Khushi: (voice cracking, on the verge of giving up) “Ma’am… wo… mujhse nahi…”
Bela didn’t say a word. She sighed, a short, sharp sound in the quiet room.
Then, she crouched down on one knee in front of Khushi.
Khushi froze, her eyes widening in horror.
Khushi: “Ma’am? Nahi nahi… aap kya…”
Bela: “Chup.”
Bela swatted Khushi’s hands away. With practiced efficiency, she took the laces of Khushi’s right shoe. Her movements were firm—no pampering, just practical help. She tied a perfect double knot. Then she moved to the left shoe and tied that one too.
Khushi stared down at the top of Bela’s head. The strict teacher was kneeling on the floor to help her. A lump formed in Khushi’s throat.
Bela stood up, dusting off her knees, her face returning to its strict mask instantly.
Bela: “Chot lagi hai, handicapped nahi hui ho. Kal se lace-free shoes pehen ke aana, ya 10 minute pehle uthna taaki yeh drama na ho. I won’t do this everyday. Samajh aaya?”
Khushi: (softly, looking at her shoes) “Yes Ma’am. Thank you.”
Bela pulled a whistle from her pocket and opened the main door. The icy wind rushed in, hitting their faces.
Bela: “Baatein baad mein. 5 rounds jogging. Warm-up. Now.”
Khushi: “Five rounds? Ma’am abhi toh neend bhi nhi khuli h theek se…”
Bela brought the whistle to her lips and blew it sharply.
PEEEEEP!
Bela shot her a look.
Khushi: “Bhaag rahi hoon! Jaa rahi hoon!”
Khushi sprinted out into the garden.
Bela stood at the door, watching her run.
Bela: “Move! Faster Khushi! Yeh garden hai, ramp walk nahi chal rahi wahan!”
Khushi was grumbling under her breath but running with full speed.
Bela stood at the door frame alone, watching Khushi disappear into the fog. A tiny, almost invisible smile touched her lips before she checked her watch again, blowing the whistle once more to keep the pace.
Bela: (shouting) “Knees up, Khushi! High knees!”
5:30 AM
The fog in the garden was dense, swirling around them like cold smoke. Khushi was on her last lap, her breath coming out in white puffs, her legs burning.
Bela stood by the porch pillar, arms crossed, watching every step like a hawk.
Khushi: (panting heavily, mentally screaming) Bhagwan… utha lo… nahi matlab mujhe nahi… is sardi ko utha lo…”
Bela: (shouting) “Last round! Sprint! Speed badhao!”
Khushi groaned but pushed her tired legs faster, sprinting the final stretch before collapsing near the porch steps, hands on her knees, gasping for air.
Khushi: “Ho… ho gaya… Ma’am. I… am… dead.”
Bela: “Dead.. Yeh toh bas shuruaat h. Stand up. Walk. Immediately baithogi toh cramps aayenge. Walk it off.”
Khushi dragged herself upright, walking in slow circles like a zombie. Bela watched her, her gaze momentarily flickering to the bandaged hand to ensure it hadn’t been jostled too much.
Bela: “Now. Mats. Meditation time.”
Khushi’s face fell. The running was physical torture, but meditation was mental torture.
They rolled out the yoga mats on the semi-open verandah. Bela sat down in a perfect Padmasana (Lotus position), her back ramrod straight, eyes closed, hands resting on her knees in Gyan Mudra. She looked like a statue of peace.
Khushi sat down opposite her, struggling to find a comfortable position. She crossed her legs, adjusted her hoodie, scratched her nose, adjusted her bandage, and finally closed her eyes.
Bela: (without opening her eyes) “Stop fidgeting.”
Khushi froze. Inki aankhein band hain ya X-ray vision hai?
Bela: “Focus on your breath. Inhale… Exhale. Dimaag mein jo thoughts aa rahe hain, unhe aane do aur jaane do. Don’t hold onto them.”
Khushi tried. She really did.
Inhale… Exhale…
Inhale… mujhe bhookh lagi hai.
Exhale… Akshu abhi mast so rahi hogi.
Inhale… Vanshu ne mera charger liya tha kya?
Exhale… Naak mein khujli ho rahi hai.
Inhale… Mujhe sona h.. Aaahh!!
Exhale… Isse accha toh thappad laga deti aur.
One minute passed.
Khushi slowly opened one eye to check if Bela was looking. Bela was still a statue.
Khushi slowly raised her hand to scratch her nose.
Bela: (calmly) “Haath neeche. Focus.”
Khushi quickly dropped her hand.
Khushi: “Ma’am, naak mein khujli…”
Bela: “Ignore it. It’s a distraction. Your mind is testing you. Control it.”
Khushi squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the urge to scream. The silence was deafening. 30 minutes felt like 30 years.
6:15 AM
The drill was finally over. Bela stood up, looking refreshed and energized. Khushi lay flat on her mat, staring at the ceiling, contemplating her life choices.
Bela: “Get up. Nahao aur ready ho jao. Breakfast table pe 7:00 baje. Don’t be late.”
Bela walked inside. Khushi peeled herself off the floor and dragged her body into the house.
As she entered the living room, she saw Akshu and Vanshu coming down the stairs. They were wearing warm woolen pajamas, looking cozy and well-rested. Akshu was stretching lazily.
Akshu: (yawning) “Good morning…”
She stopped when she saw Khushi. Khushi’s hair was a bird’s nest, her face was red from the cold and exertion, and she walked with a slight limp.
Akshu: (eyes widening) “Oye hoye… Soldier return aa gaya border se.”
Vanshu: (smirking) “Zinda hai?”
Khushi stopped and glared at them with red-rimmed eyes.
Khushi: “Tum dono… mujhse baat mat karna. Main abhi bohot violent mood mein hoon.”
Vanshu: “Violence allowed nahi hai, yaad hai na? Phir se drill karni hai?”
Khushi pointed a warning finger at Vanshu (using her good hand).
Khushi: “Tumhe toh main…”
Bela’s Voice: (from the kitchen) “Khushi! Upar jao jaldi! Shower! Now!”
Khushi dropped her hand, grumbled something incoherent about ‘Hitler rule,’ and stomped upstairs. Akshu and Vanshu giggled, high-fiving each other.
The Breakfast Table – 7:15 AM
The dining room was a battlefield of morning chaos.
Mahir was seated at the head of the table, reading his emails on the tab. The “Team Aashvi” trio—were in full swing. Vanu was refusing to drink her milk, Aashi was trying to butter her bread with a spoon, and Kiku was drumming on the table with two forks.
Akshu and Vanshu were already seated, dressed in their school uniforms. Akshu looked a bit pale but better than last night, courtesy to Bela’s forceful feeding of medicines and rest. But Akshu was hurriedly copying something from Vanshu’s notebook, probably homework she couldn’t do yesterday due to fever.
Akshu: (writing frantically) “Yaar Vanshu, yeh ma’am ne kal kya padhaya tha? Yeh ‘x’ ki value aa hi nahi rahi!”
Vanshu: (eating her poha) “Jab ma’am padha rahi thi toh tum fever mai baithi thi is liye samajh nhi aaya.. Abhi copy karlo mai baad mai samjha dungi.”
Just then, Khushi entered.
She looked like she had returned from a war zone, not a garden drill. Her school uniform was neat, but her face was red from the cold wind, her hair was slightly damp, and she walked with the stiffness of someone whose muscles were screaming in protest. Her right hand was heavily bandaged.
As soon as she stepped in, the little trio stopped their activities and noticed.
Kiku: (pointing a jam-covered finger) “Khushi didi! Aapke haath ko kya hua? Yeh patti kyu bandhi hai?”
The table went quiet. Akshu and Vanshu exchanged a glance but stayed silent, busying themselves with their food.
Khushi hid her hand under the table quickly.
Khushi: “Who… kuch nahi Kiku. Bas choti si chot hai. Lag gayi thi.”
Vanu: (eyes wide with worry) “Boht dard ho raha hai? Main ‘foo-foo’ kar dun? Theek ho jayega.”
Khushi smiled faintly at Vanu’s innocence.
Khushi: “Nahi Vanu, main theek hoon. Thanks.”
But Aashi, sitting next to Vanu, wasn’t buying it. She narrowed her eyes, scanning Khushi’s face like a miniature version of Bela.
Aashi: “Kaise lagi? Aap log toh kehte ho aap strong ho. Strong log girte thodi hain.”
Khushi: “Arre… main… main washroom mein slip ho gayi thi. Paani gira tha.”
Aashi tilted her head, looking at the bandage, then at Khushi’s tired face, then at the way Khushi was flinching while trying to eat with one hand.
Aashi: “Washroom mein girne se haath pe aise chot lagti hai? Knuckles pe? Ajeeb hai. Usually toh log kohni (elbow) ya bum pe girte hain.”
Khushi choked on her milk. Mahir hid a cough behind his cup. Bela kept a straight face but raised an eyebrow at her daughter’s deduction skills.
Khushi: “Tu… tu apna nasta kar na Aashi. Detective kyu ban rahi hai subah-subah?”
Aashi: (suspiciously) “Aur aap itne thake hue kyu lag rahe ho? Aise chal rahe the jaise aapke pairon mein patthar bandhe ho? Pakka punishment mili hai na?”
Khushi glared at Aashi. This kid was too smart for her own good.
Khushi: “Aisa kuch nahi hai! Exercise kar rahi thi. Fitness freak hoon main.”
Aashi: “Kal tak toh junk food kha rahe the achanak se fitness freak? Kuch toh gadbad hai Daya…”
Before Khushi could come up with another lie, Bela tapped her spoon on her glass. Ting. Ting.
Bela: “Bas. Investigation over. Aashi, finish your poha. Vanu, stop playing with the fork. Aur Khushi… Khao jaldi bus aa jayegi. Aur Akshu, tumhara homework ghar pe hona chahiye tha, breakfast table pe nahi. Copy band karo. Kal jitni energy tumne bhaag daud karne mai aur faltoo ki zidd karne mai lagayi thi agar utni homework mai lagayi hoti toh abhi tak khatam ho jaata.”
Akshu: (quickly shutting the notebook) “Sorry Ma’am. Bas last sum tha.”
Mahir checked his wristwatch and realized they were cutting it close. He immediately stood up, clapping his hands once to get the little ones’ attention.
Mahir: “Chalo baccha party, time up! Muh saaf karo aur shoes pehno, jaldi. Bus aati hogi.”
He quickly ushered Aashi, Vanu, and Kiku off their chairs, wiping a smudge of jam off Vanu’s cheek with a napkin on the way. As he herded the chaotic trio towards the door, he did a quick mental checklist.
Mahir: “Kiku, water bottle li? Aashi, tiffin bag mein hai na? Chalo, move it, move it!”
The kids scrambled out of the dining room, chattering loudly as Mahir led them to the shoe rack, leaving the room suddenly quiet with just Bela and the three elder girls remaining. Aashi gave one last suspicious squint at Khushi before Vanu pulled her away.
Khushi let out a long, heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping instantly. It felt like defusing a bomb with a pair of safety scissors.
She rested her chin on her left palm, her eyes drooping. The adrenaline of the interrogation had faded, leaving behind the heavy, crushing weight of sleep deprivation. Her legs felt like jelly from the 5 AM run, and her bandaged hand throbbed with a dull ache. She absentmindedly stirred her milk with a spoon using her left hand, staring blankly at the whirlpool she was creating.
Akshu and Vanshu watched her across the table. The teasing smirk from earlier vanished from Vanshu’s face, replaced by genuine concern. Akshu, who had finished packing her bag, leaned forward slightly.
Akshu: (softly) “Khushi… Tum theek ho na? Sach mein bohot zyada thaki hui lag rahi ho.”
Vanshu: (nodding) “Haan, kuch zyada hi heavy drill kara di kya Ma’am ne? You look drained.”
Khushi stopped stirring the milk. The concern was sweet, but in her sleep-deprived, aching state, it just made her cranky. She looked up, her eyes narrowing slightly in irritation.
Khushi: (dripping with sarcasm) “Nahi, thaki hui kyu hongi? Main toh bohot energetic feel kar rahi hoon. Itna maza aa raha hai na mujhe… mann kar raha hai abhi bag phek ke ek marathon aur daud loon. Wah! Best morning ever.”
She let her head drop gently onto her folded left arm on the table.
Khushi: (muffled voice) “Accha sorry.. Mai thak gayi yaar. 5 baje se uthi hoon . Meri body ko lag raha hai ki main kisi jung se wapas aayi hoon.”
Akshu bit her lip, feeling bad, but before she could offer any sympathy, a calm voice cut through the air.
Bela: (sipping her tea comfortably) “Good. I am glad you are enjoying it.”
Khushi’s head snapped up. Bela was looking at her with a perfectly impassive face, placing her teacup down on the saucer with a soft clink.
Bela: “Keep this enthusiasm up. Kyunki yeh ‘enjoyment’ agle 14 din aur chalne wala hai. So, pace yourself.”
Khushi let out a loud, miserable groan, throwing her head back.
Khushi: “Ma’am… please… 14 days.. yaad mat dilaiye.”
Bela: “Yaad dilana mera kaam hai. Aur yaad rakhna tumhara. You punched the wall, Khushi. You chose this. Ab frustration ho, neend aaye, ya thakaavat ho… you will complete the 15 days. No excuses.”
Khushi looked at Bela, wanting to argue, wanting to argue, wanting to beg for a little leniency. But then she looked at her bandaged right hand resting on the table. The white gauze was a stark reminder of her stupidity and the fear she had caused her mentor.
She swallowed her complaints. She knew she deserved this.
Khushi: (quietly) “Yes, Ma’am. Pata hai mujhe.”
Bela stood up, smoothing out her kurta. And grabbing her things, checking everything once before leaving.
Bela: “Chalo ab. Bus aa gayi hogi…”
Vanshu immediately got up, wiped her mouth, and walked over to Khushi’s chair. Without a word, she grabbed Khushi’s heavy school bag from the floor and swung it over her own shoulder effortlessly.
Vanshu: “Chal, ‘Fitness Freak’. Warna bus chhoot jayegi toh Ma’am paidal bhejengi school.”
Khushi stood up stiffly, her legs protesting.
Khushi: “Aa rahi hoon…”
She gave Bela a quick, tired nod before following her sisters. As they walked out, she saw Bela watching her—strict, yes, but with hidden care. It was a tough love, but it was love nonetheless.
___________________________________________
To be continued..
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