"Mom!" I shouted, entering my home, "I have brought my new books."

"Go keep them in your room and i will be there in a minute to help you", my mom told me while doing the dishes in the kitchen.

I entered my room with the heavy pile of books, bound by a thin rope. I put the pile at the entrance of my room and laid down on my bed, tired.

Mom came into my room and started scolding, "Oh my god Stella! Your room is so messy. Why dont you ever listen to me and clean it?"

I turned sides, ignoring her usual bickering.

"Shallu! Come here with a mop, quickly." My mom called our day maid.

Shallu came in my room hastily with a mop in one hand and a bucket in another.

"Start cleaning from here" my mom said pointing to one corner of my room. Shallu did as ahe was told, always keeping her head down.

"You haven't even got rid of your old books yet?" my mom asked, giving me a stern look. "I was thinking of doing it" i said in my defense. Sighing, she started making a pile of my old books.

As she began to throw them away, my maid's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Madam, can i take it?" she asked.
"For your children? Sure" my mom said handing those to her.

That evening, i saw her sitting on the park bench, reading that same old book.