“Mum, all the girls in my class have seen all my dresses so I cannot wear the same dresses again and again. I want a new dress for my class party. Today!” Tania yelled loudly.

“Dear, try to understand. You can wear any dress from your wardrobe, it’s full of clothes. Just be patient, pray to God and the moment I can manage, I will get you some new dresses,” her mum tried to calm her down.

“No, I can’t! I wore my blue dress on Anisa’s birthday, and that purple one on the school trip and again to a get-together. Those are the only suitable dresses I have and I can’t repeat my clothes. What will my friends think of me? How bad I would look wearing a dress for the third time! I want a new dress and that’s it!”

Tania said firmly and rushed impetuously inside her room, locked the door and began sobbing.

Tania and her mother lived in a small apartment. Her father had died in an accident when she was six. Fortunately, her mother was educated so she started working as a teacher. The little money she made was enough to pay their living expenses and Tania’s school fees.

On the day of the school party, when Tania woke up at seven in the morning, to her surprise, she saw a lovely pink-coloured net dress hung in her room. She was delighted and got ready quickly.

“Mum, you got me a new dress! You are the best mum in the world! I love you, so much,” Tania said as she hugged her mum lovingly. Her mother smiled back.

That day in school, when Tania entered the classroom, Zara, a girl she didn’t get along with, was swaggering around and showing off her beautiful dress.

“I love this dress a lot. Do you know it cost me Rs8,500,” she disclosed as she went on to tell the name of a famous brand she bought the dress from. All the girls were admiring the elegant dress and no one noticed what Tania wore.

After some time, Tania began feeling bad about herself and her dress. She could not enjoy the event due to her envy towards Zara. After coming back home, Tania was ready to vent out her frustration. Just then her eyes caught the sight of her mum lying on the bed. As she didn’t rest at that time of the day normally. Tania forgot what happened at school and became anxious.

Her mother went for bimonthly arm therapy and she had been feeling pain in her arms for the last few days, so it was time for her to visit the doctor and have physiotherapy. But as she could not see her daughter in distress, so she bought a new dress for Tania with the money saved for her treatment.

“Mum, let me take you to the doctor,” Tania said with concern.

“No dear, I’ll be okay. Just bring me the balm and I’ll massage my arm,” said her mother.

“But mum, this pain is treated through physiotherapy and not by some balm,” Tania reasoned.

“Yes, but do as I say,” said her mum in a low voice as the pain was excruciating.

That very moment, Tania realised that her mother must have used the money saved for her treatment to buy a new dress for her. She felt so ashamed and regretted her selfish attitude. All she wanted at that moment was to turn back the clock and stop her cranky self from bugging her mother that day. But she couldn’t do it.

She brought the balm. Her mother could see her daughter’s wet eyes.

“I am really sorry mum for my behaviour. I should not have done that. You are the only person who cares for me, loves me and fulfils my wishes. I will never behave like that again. I will not hurt you with my words. I would never ever break my dearest mum’s heart. I love you a lot, mum. Please forgive me!” Tania was embarrassed and words rushed out of her mouth.

“Don’t say that dear, I am happy that you realised things and it’s enough that you care for me. You are my world — my only world. I love you, dear,” her mum said and she enclosed her daughter inside her warm embrace.

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 23rd, 2018