Story time: Secrets

Acrashing sound reverberated in the corridor. The flowers were scattered all around, encircled by tiny pieces of porcelain. Kinza rattled up the stairs at once. Adjacent to the broken glass stood her younger brother, Ali.

“You broke Mom’s favourite vase?” cried Kinza in disbelief.

“Not intentionally. My basketball hit the vase,” answered Ali, engulfed in humiliation.

“You just wait, little brat! You are taking the freedom for granted when Mom’s not at home. I’ll call and let her know everything,” she said while operating her cell phone. Ali moved an inch up to look at what his sister was typing. He always wondered how his sister could type a message at a speed faster than the flash of light!

“Please don’t. Please!” Ali pleaded.

And what I’ll get in return if I don’t break the most happening news in town to her?” she said, smirking.

“Anything you say, sis. Mom’s anger is worse than fire!” Ali cried, fearfully.

“Alright. It’s a deal then. A secret between us! Sshhh!” she said, placing a finger over her lips.

In the evening when their mom returned from the grocery shop, both the kids gave her a warm welcome. Everything in the lounge was in its place. The whole
atmosphere was very peaceful, as though nothing had gone wrong.

“I’m glad that you both didn’t mess up the entire place. Now, Kinza please keep the grocery in the kitchen and clean the cupboards. There seems to be a lot of
dust there,” Mom began, placing her finger over the dusty cupboards.

“Well, I guess Ali will do that with greater perfection, won’t you my little brother?” sneered Kinza
“Me?” replied Ali, shooting an evasive look at his sister.

“Alright, don’t. Actually Mom I wanted to tell you that…” began Kinza intelligently.

“Who said I won’t?” Ali surrendered.

And then he glumly went to the kitchen while Kinza cosily settled over the couch, munching popcorns.

At night, after an exhausting day Ali sprawled over his bed. Hardly a second had passed when Kinza dashed into the room.

“I have to submit my science project tomorrow,” screamed Kinza.

“None of my concern,” Ali replied flatly.

“Indeed, it is. I am not very good at keeping secrets, especially when I have to cover up for somebody else’s flaws. You know Mom’s still awake,” she said
diplomatically.

“What do you want from me now?” Ali asked, putting a full stop to her quizzical words.

“Just finish up this science project by tomorrow. I know you are good at physics, unlike me. Do a little research over the internet and scribble just 30 pages.
That would do the trick tomorrow in the classroom,” she said coolly.

Ali had no option but to lay down his arms.

Fate decreed and the entire night Ali worked over her project. He had never worked so hard even for his own assignment ever! The next morning he woke up,
finding himself on the wooden chair and dark circles beneath his bloated eyes.

“Perfect!” said Kinza, holding the assignment.

Ali had suffered miserably because he didn’t want his mother to know the truth. But, at the same time, his sister’s constant demands had crossed all limits. Therefore, he resolved to speak his heart out to his mother.

“Mom, I wanted to tell you something since yesterday,” Ali began hesitantly.

“Go ahead,” she said.

“Well… when you went for shopping I… I broke your vase. It was just a mistake. I didn’t want to. Really,” he honestly said.

But to Ali’s utter disbelief, his mother looked totally calm. No spasm crossed her face. She did not look exasperated either. This cool attitude took Ali by surprise.

“Perhaps this is the silence before thunderstorm,” he thought.

“As a matter of fact, I already knew,” she began. “Last evening when I was cleaning the vase, the cracks were apparent, and there were layers of glue between
them. At once I realised what the matter was. I knew something was fishy. Lately you had been doing every little thing Kinza asked you, unlike before. Then last night I asked Kinza about it. She splattered out the truth after a few grounding threats!” she continued.

“Look, son. Everybody makes mistakes. I do. Kinza does. However, we should have enough courage to admit our fault rather than try to hide it in every possible
way. At the end of the day you have to answer to your own conscience. Even if you succeed in keeping your mistake as a secret, some day or the other your
elders will get to know. And it hurts if the source is a third person. I’d have been glad if you had walked up to me and told the truth, rather than torturing your
own self,” she ended on a terrific note.

“I promise I won’t ever do this again. I’ll be honest to everyone. No secrets between me and you now!” Ali said to his mother, giving her a tight hug!