Chapter 35: Letting Him Grow

Poornima and Veeresh slowly walked towards the parking area after leaving the children at school.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Finally, Veeresh broke the silence.

Veeresh: "Poornima..."

She looked at him.

Poornima: "Yes, Rana Sa?"

He spoke calmly.

Veeresh: "Aarhan may get bullied."

Poornima's face fell.

He continued,

Veeresh: "He may get teased."

She lowered her eyes.

Veeresh looked at the school building before speaking again.

Veeresh: "Children can be unkind sometimes."

There was a brief silence.

Veeresh: "But he'll also grow stronger."

Poornima listened carefully.

Veeresh: "Our job isn't to make sure he never faces difficulties."

He looked at her gently.

Veeresh: "Our job is to make sure he knows he's never facing them alone."

Poornima slowly nodded.

Poornima: "I agree."

Veeresh smiled faintly.

Veeresh: "Not every time we'll be there to protect him, Poornima."

His voice remained calm and reassuring.

Veeresh: "Sometimes he'll have to handle situations on his own."

She looked worried.

Veeresh continued,

Veeresh: "And that's not a bad thing."

He paused.

Veeresh: "It will help him become stronger, more confident, and more independent."

Poornima thought about his words.

Veeresh: "If we solve every problem for him, he'll never learn that he can solve some himself."

She nodded thoughtfully.

Veeresh smiled.

Veeresh: "But there's one thing he should never doubt."

Poornima: "What?"

Veeresh: "That no matter what happens..."

He looked directly at her.

Veeresh: "...his family has his back."

His words brought comfort to her heart.

Veeresh: "If he falls, we'll help him stand."

Veeresh: "If he cries, we'll listen."

Veeresh: "If someone crosses the line, we'll stand beside him."

He smiled reassuringly.

Veeresh: "So don't worry too much."

He looked once more at the school building where Aarhan had just begun a new chapter.

Veeresh: "Let him learn."

Poornima smiled softly.

For the first time in years, she wasn't carrying the responsibility of raising her children alone.

There was someone walking beside her, sharing that responsibility—step by step.