Amidst a terrible desert..... Episode 3

The D-day dawned. Kavitha couldn't sleep well throughout the night. Moments of anxiety and excitement disturbed her slumber. It was the day when she is expecting her 10th std results to come out. "Will I be getting a state rank, or a district rank or atleast a school rank? It can't go worse than that. What will happen if I fail in Maths? Definitely, granny will fix up my wedding tomorrow". "Oh! Stop it, don't think of such non-sense. You had just made a mistake in a 2-mark question in Maths. Why the heck would you fail?", thoughts were fighting among themselves in her mind. Hearing the kitchen door being opened by her mother downstairs, she felt relieved from those miserable thoughts and got up from her bed. Now she can go ahead and ramble about all her tensions to her mom.

An unusual scene was happening in the kitchen. Uma was praying to God. Kavitha couldn't understand this behaviour of her mother. She had always admired her mother doing her prayers everyday, after taking a bath, dressed perfectly with flowers in her hair and a big, round vermilion in her forehead. "Kavi, you got up so early today. Results will be announced only at 10 o'clock. Why don't you sleep for some more time?", suggested Uma. Kavi came back to reality from her deep thoughts. "Ma, I feel very tensed about the results. I'm getting terrible nightmares", Uma could sense the tension in Kavi's eyes. Slowly caressing Kavi's hair, Uma said, "Don't be tensed, my child. I just prayed to God that you get very good marks. Go to your room, read a story book and relax".

Anxious looking students started crowding near the school notice board. The results are yet to be posted. Kavitha entered the school along with her friends Mani and Fatima who unlike Kavitha, looked extremely cool. She noticed her Science teacher Maria, walking swiftly towards her. "Kavitha, Headmaster wants to meet you immediately", said Maria in a stern voice. Slightly puzzled with Maria's tone, Kavitha bid goodbye to her friends and started to run towards headmaster's room.

Srinivasan, a rotund, bald man and currently holding the headmaster's post of Government High School, Velappatty was going over the results. Gasping for breath entered Kavitha. "Kavitha, come inside. Your results are here. Congratulations. By now, Maria teacher would have informed you about your marks. I'm very proud of you. You have made the entire school proud. The marks really speak of your hardwork and dedication. Your parents will be very happy", continued the headmaster. "Sir, I'm not aware of my marks yet. Maria teacher hasn't informed me", said Kavitha in a very doubtful tone. "Oh, is it? Here is your marksheet. Take a look", said the headmaster. "English-98, Tamil-97, Maths-98, Science-100, Social Science - 100, Total - 493/500", Kavitha read out the marksheet and looked at the headmaster. "You have secured a state rank. To be precise, third in Tamilnadu", exalted the jubiliant Srinivasan. Tiny drops of tears twinkled in Kavitha's eyes. She is experiencing one of the best moments in her life. She doesn't even know how to express her happiness. Absolutely speechless and thoughtless. When someone is in a thoughtless state, they experience the divine. And here she is, feeling the blessing of God.............