20-10-2025, 10:45 PM
(This post was last modified: 24-10-2025, 11:05 AM by lee.jae.han. Edited 3 times in total. Edited 3 times in total.)
## Update 16: The Confession and the Shared Secret (Avi and Madam)
When I finally got home from Neha Bua’s place, Suman Chachi met me right at the door. Her face was tight with worry, and she immediately started showering me with sharp questions.
Suman Chachi grabbed my arm, her fingers digging in slightly. “Where have you been all this time?”
“I was playing at the ground,” I replied quickly.
She squeezed my arm, her eyes narrowed. “Where did you go after Madam’s house?”
“I went straight to my Aunt Neha's place,” I answered, keeping my voice steady.
She frowned deeply, her head tilting. “Couldn’t you have told us before going?”
I didn't share my thought—that going from Madam’s house to Bua’s was closer than coming back home first, saving me time—but just shook my head slightly, focusing on the floor.
Her grip softened, becoming a gentle hold. “What was Neha saying?” she asked, her tone easing up.
“She was asking me to help Komal with her Math,” I said.
She peered closely at my shirt, her gaze making me feel transparent. “And what’s this stain on your clothes?”
“Aunt gave me samosas to eat, and it got on my clothes then,” I explained, pointing to the spot of grease.
“Alright, go and change your clothes,” she sighed, visibly relaxing her posture as the immediate worry left her eyes.
“Okay,” I said, moving to pull away.
She pulled me into a quick, surprisingly tight hug, holding me close. “Son, we were worried about you, that’s why I was angry. Please forgive your aunt,” she whispered against my ear, her voice rough with sudden emotion, then she quickly told me to change.
---
Later that night, as I was lying in bed, I thought, *I put the book back, but I shouldn't have put it under the bed.* Madam must have looked for the book in that exact spot when she realized it was gone. *If she found the book in the same place today, she’d know I was the one who put it back. Tomorrow, I'll tell her everything before she even asks.*
The next day at college, Komal spoke to me for the first time—she was suddenly friendly, likely due to her mother's request. We even ate lunch together, talking quietly about homework. She was different from what I had imagined; she seemed like a genuinely good girl, shy but kind.
After college, I spoke briefly with my Chachis, ate dinner, and then slept, the image of the book burning in my mind. The following afternoon, I went to Madam’s house, a tight knot of fear still twisting in my stomach. *Even though she had been nice to me at college, the memory of her questioning me yesterday still made me nervous.*
I sat on the sofa, feeling the expensive fabric beneath me. Madam was wearing a nightgown.
Madam smiled easily. “Avi, would you like some coffee?”
“Yes, why not?” I replied, the routine of the offer feeling oddly comforting.
A little while later, she came back with the coffee. I started drinking it silently, watching the swirl of cream, feeling the moment of confession drawing closer, my heart beating a faster rhythm in my chest.
I finally blurted it out, setting the cup down hard. “Madam, I need to talk to you.”
She looked up, her demeanor gentle. “Yes, what do you want to say?”
I stammered, twisting my hands. “Well... it’s... it’s that, Madam...” I couldn't find the words, the lie catching in my throat.
Madam prompted me, her eyes steady. “Come on, tell me what’s on your mind.”
I took a deep, shaky breath. “I took your book,” I finally confessed.
Madam lifted one eyebrow, but the surprise was clearly feigned. “What?”
“Yes. By mistake, instead of putting it on the table, I put it in my bag,” I explained, sticking weakly to the prepared lie.
Madam tilted her head, a hint of a smile touching her lips. “But you told me you didn’t take it.”
“I was scared,” I admitted, my voice small. “But yesterday, I put it back.”
“Why are you telling me now? I already found the book,” she said, her voice mild.
I explained honestly, leaning forward. “I thought that by putting it back in the same spot, you would know I was the one who took it. That’s why I wanted to tell you before you asked.”
“It’s okay,” she said simply, picking up her own coffee.
I braced myself, full of dread. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”
“No, why would I be mad at you? You returned the book,” she replied, her outward calmness a stark contrast to the thoughts she was clearly suppressing.
“You’ve forgiven me?” A huge wave of relief washed over me, so strong it made my muscles weak. My shoulders dropped, releasing a tension I hadn't known I was holding. I felt the heat draining from my face, replaced by a grateful coolness.
“Yes, I’ve forgiven you, but don’t tell anyone about this book,” she said, her voice dropping to a confidential whisper.
“I won’t tell anyone,” I promised immediately.
Madam rose from the sofa, moving toward the door. “Good. Now you can go. It’s Sunday tomorrow, so come at twelve, so we have more time. Okay?”
“I’ll come,” I replied, standing up and heading for the door. I left with the feeling that I had exchanged the secret of taking the book for a new, shared, and binding secret between us.
After leaving Madam’s house, I went to the ground to play. While running across the dirt, I noticed a flurry of activity near the old storehouse. Workers were moving wood and shouting. I learned that work on the building had been going on for three days and was scheduled to continue for another week. *Now I understand why Mona and her group hadn't been showing up; the storehouse, their secret spot, was temporarily closed.*
I went home later that evening, my mind focused on the next day. *Why did Madam call me so early?* I wondered. *Maybe she has some work for me, or since it's Sunday, she just wants to spend more time talking.*
---
When I finally got home from Neha Bua’s place, Suman Chachi met me right at the door. Her face was tight with worry, and she immediately started showering me with sharp questions.
Suman Chachi grabbed my arm, her fingers digging in slightly. “Where have you been all this time?”
“I was playing at the ground,” I replied quickly.
She squeezed my arm, her eyes narrowed. “Where did you go after Madam’s house?”
“I went straight to my Aunt Neha's place,” I answered, keeping my voice steady.
She frowned deeply, her head tilting. “Couldn’t you have told us before going?”
I didn't share my thought—that going from Madam’s house to Bua’s was closer than coming back home first, saving me time—but just shook my head slightly, focusing on the floor.
Her grip softened, becoming a gentle hold. “What was Neha saying?” she asked, her tone easing up.
“She was asking me to help Komal with her Math,” I said.
She peered closely at my shirt, her gaze making me feel transparent. “And what’s this stain on your clothes?”
“Aunt gave me samosas to eat, and it got on my clothes then,” I explained, pointing to the spot of grease.
“Alright, go and change your clothes,” she sighed, visibly relaxing her posture as the immediate worry left her eyes.
“Okay,” I said, moving to pull away.
She pulled me into a quick, surprisingly tight hug, holding me close. “Son, we were worried about you, that’s why I was angry. Please forgive your aunt,” she whispered against my ear, her voice rough with sudden emotion, then she quickly told me to change.
---
Later that night, as I was lying in bed, I thought, *I put the book back, but I shouldn't have put it under the bed.* Madam must have looked for the book in that exact spot when she realized it was gone. *If she found the book in the same place today, she’d know I was the one who put it back. Tomorrow, I'll tell her everything before she even asks.*
The next day at college, Komal spoke to me for the first time—she was suddenly friendly, likely due to her mother's request. We even ate lunch together, talking quietly about homework. She was different from what I had imagined; she seemed like a genuinely good girl, shy but kind.
After college, I spoke briefly with my Chachis, ate dinner, and then slept, the image of the book burning in my mind. The following afternoon, I went to Madam’s house, a tight knot of fear still twisting in my stomach. *Even though she had been nice to me at college, the memory of her questioning me yesterday still made me nervous.*
I sat on the sofa, feeling the expensive fabric beneath me. Madam was wearing a nightgown.
Madam smiled easily. “Avi, would you like some coffee?”
“Yes, why not?” I replied, the routine of the offer feeling oddly comforting.
A little while later, she came back with the coffee. I started drinking it silently, watching the swirl of cream, feeling the moment of confession drawing closer, my heart beating a faster rhythm in my chest.
I finally blurted it out, setting the cup down hard. “Madam, I need to talk to you.”
She looked up, her demeanor gentle. “Yes, what do you want to say?”
I stammered, twisting my hands. “Well... it’s... it’s that, Madam...” I couldn't find the words, the lie catching in my throat.
Madam prompted me, her eyes steady. “Come on, tell me what’s on your mind.”
I took a deep, shaky breath. “I took your book,” I finally confessed.
Madam lifted one eyebrow, but the surprise was clearly feigned. “What?”
“Yes. By mistake, instead of putting it on the table, I put it in my bag,” I explained, sticking weakly to the prepared lie.
Madam tilted her head, a hint of a smile touching her lips. “But you told me you didn’t take it.”
“I was scared,” I admitted, my voice small. “But yesterday, I put it back.”
“Why are you telling me now? I already found the book,” she said, her voice mild.
I explained honestly, leaning forward. “I thought that by putting it back in the same spot, you would know I was the one who took it. That’s why I wanted to tell you before you asked.”
“It’s okay,” she said simply, picking up her own coffee.
I braced myself, full of dread. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”
“No, why would I be mad at you? You returned the book,” she replied, her outward calmness a stark contrast to the thoughts she was clearly suppressing.
“You’ve forgiven me?” A huge wave of relief washed over me, so strong it made my muscles weak. My shoulders dropped, releasing a tension I hadn't known I was holding. I felt the heat draining from my face, replaced by a grateful coolness.
“Yes, I’ve forgiven you, but don’t tell anyone about this book,” she said, her voice dropping to a confidential whisper.
“I won’t tell anyone,” I promised immediately.
Madam rose from the sofa, moving toward the door. “Good. Now you can go. It’s Sunday tomorrow, so come at twelve, so we have more time. Okay?”
“I’ll come,” I replied, standing up and heading for the door. I left with the feeling that I had exchanged the secret of taking the book for a new, shared, and binding secret between us.
After leaving Madam’s house, I went to the ground to play. While running across the dirt, I noticed a flurry of activity near the old storehouse. Workers were moving wood and shouting. I learned that work on the building had been going on for three days and was scheduled to continue for another week. *Now I understand why Mona and her group hadn't been showing up; the storehouse, their secret spot, was temporarily closed.*
I went home later that evening, my mind focused on the next day. *Why did Madam call me so early?* I wondered. *Maybe she has some work for me, or since it's Sunday, she just wants to spend more time talking.*
---
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