Episode 4

Episode 4

“Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Mrs. Daily is calling you immediately!” came a voice.

“Coming!” replied Elizabeth, and turned towards Sarah, who was discussing about the monthly exams which was knocking at the door, with Elizabeth.

“What happened? Did you do anything again?” asked Sarah, concerned.

“Nothing happened, maybe teacher finally realized how special I am and is asking for me to reward me the first prize for creating new trouble each day!”

Sarah laughed. “Great then! Don’t forget this poor friend of yours after becoming worldwide famous!” she said smiling.

“Of course not! How can I forget you? You are so special to me, I can’t tell how much! But forgive me, I have to leave you alone for some time now, I have to go and collect my prize!”

“Ha-ha okay go. But if something is up, let me know, okay? Don’t keep things to your poor little heart!” she replied, patting her friend’s back, to cheer her up.

Elizabeth went where she was asked to. After reaching the place, she asked her teacher, who had asked her to come in, but is now busy checking notebooks, “Mrs. Daily, how may I help you?”

She was not afraid of speaking, since she was already used to coming frequently to the teacher’s office, due to several complaints which were filed against her almost every day.

“You better not help me, I’m afraid you’ll create some other mess, while clearing one mess. I asked you here because I wanted to ask you a question. Please try to answer honestly. We are not trying to force you,” replied Mrs. Daily.

Before the teacher could tell any further, Elizabeth bowed down a whole long speech of apology which kind of sounded like a huge shopping list to Mrs. Daily.

“Ma’am, I am sorry that I hit, no, almost damage Aubrey’s feet during dance class. But I did it accidentally. I am a clumsy dancer and so I could not follow with the steps, thereby stepping on Aubrey’s foot each time. I am also sorry that I spoiled the painting Nancy had made specially for you, I did not mean it. I’d also like to convey my sincere apologies for damaging the plants which were so dear to Anne, I didn’t know that roots of plants should not be totally submerged in water, that too during the noon. And yes, sorry for throwing the basketball outside the walls of the school, I am not a good basketball player, so I threw it will all my force and it ended up flying across the school wall, and onto a poor man’s head. And, am I forgetting something? Oh yes, Muriel said…” Her long list was cut off by Mrs. Daily’s glaring eyes.

“Elizabeth Shirley! You apologize for your mistakes at the beginning of the day, and then create a whole new list of mistakes throughout the day! Will you stop this list and let me ask you that one question I have intended to ask you for which I have called you here?”

“Yes ma’am, please do ask. You have the whole right to do so,” she replied, guiltily.

Her teacher looked up at her. “It’s not that I don’t have the right to ask you,” she said, with a fixed gaze at Elizabeth, “I have the right to scold you, ask you questions, punish you, as well as to drive you out of the school. So, you better answer me truthfully. And… I don’t know how to be a warm and pampering teacher. Please don’t mind about that…”

Elizabeth sat in the nearest chair. But, in the process, she knocked the table, and the box that was kept on the table crashed on the floor. “Uh… sorry ma’am, I was… not on purpose…” said Elizabeth, getting teary, frightened that Mrs. Daily would slap her in anger.

“Huff, troublesome girl. Don’t worry, I am not going to scold you today. Sit down and make yourself comfortable.”- was the reply from her teacher instead.

Elizabeth was surprised, and was keen to know what important thing her teacher wanted to ask her.

“So, ma’am, what do you want to ask…?” she asked, worriedly.

“Elizabeth Shirley, you have been a very troublesome girl throughout the year, and I know this is nothing new, and that your ears have almost rotten hearing this same line again and again. I want to ask you something else along with that. Do you miss your parents?”

She paused for a while and looked up.

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