Anupama sat in the staff room of the S G V P International School twirling her pen between her fingers. She was angry, another emotion she had never in the past associated with herself. 

She was angry at the Shahs but not for having insulted her. She was used to that. She'd dealt with it for 26 years and she expected nothing better from them. Their opinion of her or their comments towards her had stopped bothering her.

But they had bothered Anuj. The Shahs and their caustic remarks had caused Anuj grief. And that she wasn't willing to forgive. Her initial reaction was to visit them and give them a piece of her mind. But she'd learnt from Anuj that such actions seldom achieved their purpose. Amidst all the screeching and screaming, the essence of it all would get lost. None would be any wiser.

Anupama sighed. She'd given them a rather long leash, but now she was holding the end of the rope. She didn't expect them to mend their ways. All she wanted was for them to leave her alone. But at the moment, even that seemed like a rather tall ask. She looked around, absently getting up to tidy her cubby when a student peeked in asking for their class teacher.

Suddenly her eyes sparkled. She picked up her phone to look at the time. The lunch recess would end in another 10 minutes. She walked to a quiet spot in the staff room and dialed a number.

*****

Ting Tong.

Leela had been unusually irritated after her visit to Anupama's house. Since morning, she'd been snappy and caustic towards everyone in the Shah house. In their attempt to avoid her company, all had found chores outside the house and had left. Pakhi and Samar were in school and college, Toshu was at work, his wife had accompanied Hasmukh to his friend's house. Vanraj was working from home. He'd just stepped out for a meeting half an hour ago and had told her he wouldn't be back before tea time. 

Ting Tong.

Sighing, she continued to give her swing momentum by folding and unfolding her legs, her thoughts constantly replaying her conversation with Anupama. That chit of a girl, who always kept her eyes downcast while talking to her had dared to look her in the eye and tell her that she no longer cared about Vanraj. Her husband, as always, had stayed silent. She'd come home and tried telling Vanraj about it but he'd been adamant. He wanted Anupama back in his life. He claimed that she was his good luck charm and he'd carelessly lost her. He would do what it took for her to come back to him.

Ting Tong.

Leela continued to swing, wondering how she could let her son know that Anupama was never coming back. For the first time, she felt helpless. Her son was asking her for something and she was unable to get it for him.

Ting Tong.

Her son was madly in love with Anupama. And that girl, she had no respect for the Shahs who'd clothed and fed her for all these years. If it hadn't been for Vanraj, no one would have married her. After all her mother had no dowry to give.

Ting Tong.

Leela Shah murmured something about not having peace and interrupted the momentum of her swing to get up and go open the door. There was no one.

She sighed and closed the door and made her way back to the swing. Whoever was bothering her had left. She got back to her train of thought. She had to convince Vanraj to forget Anupama. Otherwise, he would end up getting hurt.

Ting Tong.

Leela took a deep breath. And paused her swing again to toddle up to the door and open it. No one was there. Irritatedly, she closed the door and made her way back to her swing. Just as the swing picked up the pace, she heard another...

Ting Tong.

Cursing under her breath, Leela walked up to the door and opened it. No one was there. Peeking out of her door, she screamed: "Whoever you are, if you have guts, come and show me your face." But no one came forth. She closed the door with a bang and made her way back to the swing. She'd barely sat down on it when she heard another...

Ting Tong.

She was furious. Walking fast, she opened the door to find...no one. "You coward," she screeched at the top of her voice. "Come forward if you have the courage. What's the point of this silliness?"

No one came forward. She sighed and momentarily thought of leaving the door open. But the looks of disdain from the passing neighbors changed her mind and she firmly shut the door,  muttering under her breath about how the present generation didn't care for the elders. She had barely taken two steps away from the door when she heard another....

Ting Tong.

She turned and walked to the door as fast as she could. She opened the door once again to find...no one. "Coward, coward, coward. The biggest coward I know," she screamed on top of her lungs. The passing neighbors stopped to give her curious glares. She looked at them and barked: "What are you all looking at? Don't you guys have any work other than to get nosy about other people's problems?

"Go. Go away before I lose my temper on all of you."

Many of them rolled their eyes and continued with their day. No one cared about Leela Shah and her empty threats anymore.

She closed the door, bolted it, and leaned her back against it. Her heart was racing. Her blood pressure must have definitely shot up. She looked around for someone who could bring her a glass of water. Realizing she was all alone, she took a step towards the kitchen to fetch it for herself when she heard another...

Ting Tong.

She ignored it.

Then the doorbell rang again. Ting Tong.

Leela ignored it once more, making her way to the kitchen for water.

Ting Tong.

She filled a glass with water and proceeded to drink.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Angry and annoyed, she made her way to the door.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Whoever this was, would get it from her now.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

This person had gone too far.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

Ting Tong.

She removed her slipper from her foot to greet her new arch-nemesis.

"Wait let me show you who I am," she screeched while she opened the door. Her slipper landed squarely on her son, Vanraj Shah's cheek.