Ahana's POV

Manvi was jumping up and down on the bed on the tunes of music. I lowered the music, Manvi eyed me with a face "Mumma.." she said innocently.

"Homework?" I questioned.

She sat down on the bed and began to do colouring, I sat beside her and asked "Mannu homework?"

She replied "I am no more going to school"

"Don't you remember what I told you? You will be a good girl-focused only on studies" I tried to explain.

She eyed her and said angrily "but my friends? They say bad about you and I don't like it"

"So? Because of them, you will not study? My Mannu is a good girl right.. Please go to school" I requested her.

She made faces but was finally convinced by my words. I made her sit on my lap and thought maybe our relationship will bring a change in social thinking. We also are creations of God, we feel the same emotions.

I made her ready for school, then we went to school. She moved to her classroom and I went to the theatre room. All the time I was thinking about Manvi, today I had just two dance lessons.

I went out of the room and went to check Manvi. I reached her classroom and saw her studying along with her friend. There was a smile on my face, for time being she understood and accepted all.

The school was over, she ran out of the classroom and jumped on me. I lifted her up in my arms, she smiled and said "Mumma ice-cream"

"Okay.." I agreed.. I took her to the ice-cream parlour.

She was so excited, she pointed towards all the flavours "this and this all"

I smiled at her antics, I told the shopkeeper to only give one flavour. Manvi understood and pouted "no.. all the flavours"

She was adamant. I said "you will get cold"

Manvi folded her arms around the chest and looked away. She sat on the bench angrily. I had to give up on her and brought all the flavours ice-cream.

Manvi licked her lower lip with her tongue and started eating, she offered some to me. I denied, she was enjoying and I was satisfied seeing her smiling face.

After she ate all the flavours, we headed back towards home. As soon as she saw the entrance door, she ran into the house.

I entered and saw her playing under a water tap. I sighed "god this girl"

"Mannu day and night you want to play in the water" I scolded her, but my words did not pass into her ears.

I kept her bag on the couch and pulled her. She gave me a look, I passed her anger gaze "enough"

I changed her clothes and she again started playing around the house. Later in the evening, I heard her sneezing.

I entered the room and saw her rubbing her nose. I gave her a look, she caught a cold because of eating ice-cream and after that getting wet into the cold water.

I immediately gave her medicine, she eyed at me and said "you go.. I will eat it"

I smiled as she didn't make excuses for the medicines and left the room. Usually, kids make faces, but she eats it like chocolate without any hesitation or making weird faces.

I went out with my friends to attend a function as Gurumaa was there to take care of Manvi in my absence whom I can trust blindly.

Within a few hours, I returned and everyone equally started distributing the money amongst themselves.

"Ahana.. You work in school, why do you need this money?" one of them asked, which angered me.

I know well, many of my community members had yet not accepted mine and Manvi's relation. They are insecure, jealous of my school job. I replied to her "that is for my daughter and this is myself"

Before arguing further Gurumaa interrupted "I had told many times no one will talk about this, if anyone has a problem with Ahana and Manvi then they are free to leave the house and find shelter in another transgender society" she strictly told them and everyone remained silent.

I smiled and went into the room, I saw Manvi sleeping. I was surprised as it was just 7 pm and this is an unusual time for her to sleep. I sat down on the bed beside her, I touched her arm and was left surprised as it was hot. I touched her forehead and panicked. She caught a high fever.

"Mannu.." I called her name and she slightly opened her eyes.

I gave her medicine and it must have given her relief in her cold but it reversed instead she caught the high fever. I checked the medicine and read the date which still had 6 months expiry remaining.

I eyed at Manvi, she said "Mumma no school fever"

Her words left me suspicious. I let it go, and gave her the medicine. I patted her head and slept in my embrace.

The next morning, I cleaned the room and found the medicine under the bed. I glared at Manvi, she had not taken the medicine. That means she purposely ate the ice-cream flavours and then got wet under the water.

I sighed, this girl is definitely getting a good scolding from me. Why does she have to do so much effort to brainless acts?

I saw movement in her, I quickly hid beside the door and watched her actions. She stood up and looked at the time it was 11 am and giggled.

"Mannu.. No school yes" she jumped on the bed happily, I came in front of her and she slept back again after hearing my presence in the room.

I shook my head and murmured "she should get the best nautanki (Drama) award"

I called her in a soft tone "mannu wake up.."

She opened her eyes and passed me her most innocent smile. "You didn't go to school?" she asked.

I eyed her angrily and scolded her "what is this? You didn't take the medicine and fever caught you.. Why did you do that???"

Manvi lowered her gaze, I kept on confronting her "Did I taught you all this?"

Manvi stood up and replied, "I don't want to go to school.."

I sighed, how do I make her understand? I asked in a calm tone "why?"

"Because my classmates tease me regarding you and I can't tolerate it so no school," she said adamantly.

Why does she have to pay attention to her friends? Why can't she focus on her studies? Why is it so difficult to make her understand the reality?

I must convince her...

She is just a 5-year-old kid, my motherhood journey will be as difficult as climbing the Mount Everest but not impossible. 

What will Ahana do now?