Telling Lies

Sarah and Mariam looked at the glass fragments on the floor with horror. They could not believe what had just happened. They stared at each other and could not find a single word to say. Oh! What will happen now?

Mariam was Sarah’s best friend.  They were inseparable in school. Now it was summer vacation and the two friends had missed each other very much. One day, Sarah’s mother invited Marium over and the girls were ecstatic. They had spent the entire day drawing and painting, playing games and watching the latest Hunger Games movie. Sarah’s mother had gone to the market to buy some goodies for the tea and the two friends were alone at home. 

Sarah decided to show her friend a very expensive crystal vase that her father had gifted her mother on their wedding anniversary. She took her friend to the drawing room and carefully removed the vase from the glass cabinet. 

She knew it was strictly forbidden but she wanted to show off a bit. 

Mariam looked at the fragile vase with wonder. There were tine roses engraved on it and it sparkled under the lights. It was really very lovely. When she was giving back the vase to Sarah, disaster struck. The vase slipped between their fingers and fell on the marble floor with a resounding crash. It seemed to the girls as if it had shattered into a million glittering pieces.

“Oh no!” cried Sarah in panic.” What shall I do now? Mother will be so angry.”

Mariam felt equally guilty. What a horrible thing to happen!

“I know! Let us sweep up the pieces and hide them. Mother would not know that I have broken it.”

“But she will ask when she sees it missing. What will we say then?” Mariam asked.

“She would not know for some days. Nobody uses the drawing room unless we have guests.”

“But Sarah, she is bound to notice it sooner or later. How can such a thing remain hidden?”

Sarah thought for a few minutes. “Maybe she will think that one of the servants have stolen it,” she said in a small voice.

Mariam was horrified. It was bad enough that they had taken the vase without permission and broken it too. How awful would it be if they lied and let someone else take the blame?

“Sarah, we can’t do that. This would be so wrong. I think the best thing would be to own up. We might get scolded but that would be better than telling lies.”

Sarah took a deep breath.” You are right. Let’s clean this place up while we wait for Mother.”

When Sarah’s mother came back she was alarmed to see their sad faces.

“What has happened, girls?” she asked.

Sarah and Mariam poured out their tale. At first, her mother looked furious. Then she saw how unhappy and guilty they both looked and her heart went out to them. She hugged them both tightly.

“I am so glad you were brave enough to own up, Sarah. I am very upset about the vase but I am happy you are both such truthful girls.”

“It was Mariam’s idea that we should own up, Mother,” Sarah added honestly.

“Well, then she gets to eat the delicious brownie,” her mother added, laughing.

The girls laughed too and they skipped to the table. They both felt as if a huge load had been taken off their shoulders. 

Owning up is so much better than telling lies, don’t you think?