Sana wanted to bake a chocolate cake for her Mother on Mother’s day. “It will be a surprise for her. Grandma, can you help me,” she said.
“Sure dear,” smiled her grandma. Sana then ran downstairs to play with her friends. But she was surprised to find the gate to the play area closed.
“Sunitha aunty forced the Chairman of the association to make a new rule that the play area will be opened only after 4:00 p.m,” said Malini.
No play area
“It’s holiday time! What’s her problem?” asked Sana.
“She is doing night shift and her apartment is near the play area. The sound of children playing must be disturbing her sleep,” said Malini. Sunitha aunty worked as a nurse in a hospital close by.
Sana and Malini were playing badminton in the parking lot, when a stern-faced Sunitha aunty got down from her two-wheeler.
“Girls! This is a parking lot, not a play area,” said Sunitha aunty.
Sana lost her temper. “It’s because of you we can’t play anywhere. You are a killjoy. Go and stay somewhere else,” yelled Sana and angrily threw down her badminton racket and left.
Sana got a dressing down from her parents, when they returned from work. “Malini’s mother told me about your outburst today. Go and apologise to Sunitha aunty right now,” said Sana’s mother. "
“I won’t do it,” yelled Sana.
“Go to bed without dinner. If you don’t apologise to her you can forget about our Ooty trip also.” said her mother. Sana marched into her room angrily and slammed the door shut. Sana got up late the next morning.
Her parents had left for work. Her grandmother served her breakfast.
“Day-after- tomorrow is Mother’s Day. After lunch shall we go to the supermarket to buy the necessary ingredients for the cake?” asked her grandma.
“I am not baking any cake,” said Sana.
That evening, Sana’s grandma developed chest pain and collapsed on the sofa. Panic-stricken, Sana raced downstairs and bumped into Sunitha aunty. She told her about grandma. Sunitha aunty checked grandma’s pulse and called for an ambulance.
As grandma was wheeled into the emergency room, Sunitha aunty put her arm around Sana.
The doctor told them that grandma had suffered a mild heart attack but her condition was now stable. “If there had been a slight delay, it would’ve been critical,” he said.
“We have to thank Sunitha aunty,” said Sana to her parents later. She felt guilty about having yelled at her as she saw the hard work that aunty had to do.
On Mother’s Day, Sana and her mother brought a chocolate cake to the hospital.
“Mother made this cake for you,” said Sana to her grandma.
“Sana was looking forward to baking a cake and I could not help her,” said Sana’s grandma sadly.
“But I did bake a cake with mother’s help for Sunitha aunty,” said Sana.
“Sana apologised to Sunitha aunty and promised me she will not lose her temper and yell at anyone,” said Sana’s mother.
“It was Nurse’s Day recently. Sunitha aunty and the other sisters deserve accolades for their dedicated work. Mother told me that Sunitha aunty wanted the play area to be closed in the morning because it was too hot to play in the daytime,” said Sana.
Celebrations
Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. A day to say thank you to your mother for her love and care.
National Nurses Day is celebrated annually on May 6 to raise awareness on the role nurses play. It marks the beginning of National Nurses Week, which ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale.
