Chapter 21Why Janani Couldn’t Tell Her Parents

🌑 

After everything that happened with Ram, Leela, and Rishi —

the blackmail, the threats, the pictures, the shame —

everyone might wonder, “Why didn’t Janani just tell her parents?”

But they didn’t know her story from the beginning.

They didn’t know about 2017, when her phone was stolen,

and she was accused of being a liar, a girl with “bad intentions.”

They didn’t know how that moment scarred her trust forever.

They didn’t see her father struggling with pain every night,

and Janani silently massaging his legs, thinking,

“I must not add more pain to this house.”

They didn’t hear her mother’s sighs of worry,

or her words that cut unknowingly deep —

“Girls should be careful. People talk.”

So when life threw her into darkness again —

when Ram and Leela humiliated her,

when Rishi turned away,

when her name was dragged through lies —

she swallowed it all.

Not because she didn’t want help,

but because she feared that help would come as blame.

She thought,

“If I tell them, they’ll stop trusting me.

They’ll stop letting me study.

They’ll think I did something wrong.”

That fear was bigger than her pain.

So she chose silence — the only space where she still felt safe.

🧠 Psychological View

From a mental health perspective, Janani’s silence is not weakness —

it’s a trauma response called self-protective suppression.

She experienced parental mistrust early,

so her brain learned: “Speaking the truth brings punishment.”

She developed fear of emotional abandonment —

the thought that her parents would withdraw love or freedom if she disappointed them.

She carried guilt and responsibility, believing her suffering would “burden” her sick father.

Thus, her mind chose silence as a survival tool —

because silence, at least, didn’t hurt others.

🌿 What Parents Should Understand

Parents often say, “You can tell us anything,”

but children like Janani hear,

“You can tell us anything — as long as it doesn’t upset us.”

That hidden condition makes them guard their truth.

What parents can do differently:

Listen without judgment.

Don’t ask “Why did you do this?” — ask “What happened to you?”

Avoid punishment during emotional breakdowns.

Fear kills honesty faster than lies do.

Assure unconditional support.

Let the child know: “No matter what happens, you are safe here.”

Rebuild emotional trust.

Small talks, shared meals, patient listening — it takes time but heals deeply.

🌸 For Janani’s Healing

To move forward, Janani needs to understand —

she didn’t do anything wrong by being loved or being betrayed.

What happened to her was done by others,

and the shame belongs to them, not her.

Her silence was her survival.

But now, her voice can be her healing.

She can begin with a counselor, a trusted teacher, or a journal —

and someday, when she feels ready,

she can tell her parents,

“I was scared once. But I’m learning to trust again.”