The house was like a mysterious mansion. They walked into a foyer and an attendant idling on a stool looked at them quizzically. Anu asked to meet the principal, and the attendant directed them to a woman almost the same age as Anu. She walked them to the principal’s chamber. So easy! No marketing, no trying to sell the school to her, no smooth-talking associates in matching sarees. Nobody was in a uniform—neither the staff nor the kids. Anu was already falling in love with the place.

Walking on, Anu peeked into the rooms. Children were sprawled on the floor or sitting around large desks working on things. Some were younger but most seemed to be Vicky’s age. This is how it was in Sumitra aunty’s school. Though Sanju did not believe in that type of free learning, Vicky had fun. He need not learn anything at four, does he? His fulltime job must be to run around and laugh.

‘I love it here.’ Anu gushed to Shwetha who shushed her.

‘Happy hormones cloud your thoughts. Stop feeling good.’ Shwetha thought just like Sanju most of the time.

Anu instantly liked Principal Janaki and the assured way in which she spoke. Vicky would love it here! And, the fee was in thousands, not in lakhs.

‘But, there is no bus facility. You have to drop and pick your son up.’ The principal concluded. ‘Sumitra told me you were teaching in her school. Currently, I have no vacancy but I will keep you in mind.’

That was a bit deflating. Coming all the way to only drop Vicky. It was a good seven kilometres in some horrifying traffic. But Anu nodded chirpily and added. ‘That is okay. Kids here look happy and Vivikth will be happy here too.’

Janaki smiled. ‘We try not to control them too much. I can’t say they are happy all the time, but for the most part, we let them be themselves.’

Anu saw Shwetha knit her brows. ‘How so? What if a kid is not happy doing maths?’

‘Then he can leave the class and do what he likes.’ The principal smiled with ease.

Anu wished she was in a school of that sort. No, she wished she was in a life of that sort. ‘I am yet to get his TC. I will get him over as soon as we do.’ Anu visibly beamed.

On the way out, Anu was on cloud nine and Shwetha was highly unimpressed. ‘Anu, what will Vicky learn there? To string beads and pour rice from tumbler to tumbler? I don’t think Sanju will approve.’

Anu said with finality. ‘I am quite certain of two things. Vicky will love it here and Sanju will hate it. But Vicky, at four, should not be sad. So he is coming here.’