21-10-2025, 12:00 AM
Scene 18
The kiss lasted only a moment, a soft, surprising meeting of lips that seemed to hold all the quiet tension of the room. When they separated, my mom’s eyes were wide and slightly unfocused. Jayashree Auntie just smiled, a deep, satisfied warmth spreading across her face. My mom quickly pulled her hand out from under the house gown and cleared her throat, blinking rapidly as if waking up from a dream.
Mom: "Jayashree, we need to go now."
Her voice was sharp, a sudden return to the normal, busy tone she used at home. It was like she was trying to scrub the last few minutes away with her words.
Jayashree: "So soon, Rina?"
Jayashree asked, her voice still low and musical, a stark contrast to my mom’s abruptness. She reached up and casually rebuttoned her blouse, hiding her breast from view.
Mom: "Yes, dinner preparations. You know how it is with the whole family here."
My mom stood up quickly, smoothing down her saree with quick, nervous movements. She avoided looking at Jayashree, or me.
I slid off Jayashree’s lap, my legs feeling clumsy and unsteady. I suddenly felt very exposed, even with my shorts on, as if the secret of the last few minutes was written all over my face.
Jayashree: "Of course. Family comes first."
Jayashree stood up, her movements graceful and calm. She walked my mom and me toward the door, her composure completely unfazed.
Jayashree: "Thank you for coming over, Rina. It was a lovely to see you here."
She emphasized the word "lovely," and I saw my mom’s head snap up, her eyes finally meeting Jayashree’s at the doorway. There was a look that passed between them, a flash of heat, a silent acknowledgment of the hidden thing that had just happened.
Mom: "Yes. We will meet again soon when the time is right."
My mom’s voice was barely a whisper. She opened the door abruptly and hurried out without another word, not even waiting for me. I stepped out after her, turning back for a last look.
Jayashree Auntie was leaning against the doorframe, that familiar, private smile on her face. She raised one hand and touched her lips lightly with her index finger, then glanced down at me, a silent, powerful reminder of all the secrets we now shared. I nodded quickly, the importance of keeping silent about the kiss now added to the weight of our other lessons.
I caught up to my mom as she walked back to our house. She was walking fast, her face set in a neutral expression that was tighter than normal.
Sunny: "Mom, are you okay?"
Mom: "I'm fine, Sunny. Just hungry. Don't tell your Dadi we were late getting back."
She didn't look at me. She simply walked faster, rushing back into the noisy, safe distraction of family life. I followed her, the image of the kiss, the feel of the milk, and the strange, shared look between the two women creating a confusing knot in my chest. The world was no longer divided into two neat parts; the walls of my secret life were starting to crumble.
The kiss lasted only a moment, a soft, surprising meeting of lips that seemed to hold all the quiet tension of the room. When they separated, my mom’s eyes were wide and slightly unfocused. Jayashree Auntie just smiled, a deep, satisfied warmth spreading across her face. My mom quickly pulled her hand out from under the house gown and cleared her throat, blinking rapidly as if waking up from a dream.
Mom: "Jayashree, we need to go now."
Her voice was sharp, a sudden return to the normal, busy tone she used at home. It was like she was trying to scrub the last few minutes away with her words.
Jayashree: "So soon, Rina?"
Jayashree asked, her voice still low and musical, a stark contrast to my mom’s abruptness. She reached up and casually rebuttoned her blouse, hiding her breast from view.
Mom: "Yes, dinner preparations. You know how it is with the whole family here."
My mom stood up quickly, smoothing down her saree with quick, nervous movements. She avoided looking at Jayashree, or me.
I slid off Jayashree’s lap, my legs feeling clumsy and unsteady. I suddenly felt very exposed, even with my shorts on, as if the secret of the last few minutes was written all over my face.
Jayashree: "Of course. Family comes first."
Jayashree stood up, her movements graceful and calm. She walked my mom and me toward the door, her composure completely unfazed.
Jayashree: "Thank you for coming over, Rina. It was a lovely to see you here."
She emphasized the word "lovely," and I saw my mom’s head snap up, her eyes finally meeting Jayashree’s at the doorway. There was a look that passed between them, a flash of heat, a silent acknowledgment of the hidden thing that had just happened.
Mom: "Yes. We will meet again soon when the time is right."
My mom’s voice was barely a whisper. She opened the door abruptly and hurried out without another word, not even waiting for me. I stepped out after her, turning back for a last look.
Jayashree Auntie was leaning against the doorframe, that familiar, private smile on her face. She raised one hand and touched her lips lightly with her index finger, then glanced down at me, a silent, powerful reminder of all the secrets we now shared. I nodded quickly, the importance of keeping silent about the kiss now added to the weight of our other lessons.
I caught up to my mom as she walked back to our house. She was walking fast, her face set in a neutral expression that was tighter than normal.
Sunny: "Mom, are you okay?"
Mom: "I'm fine, Sunny. Just hungry. Don't tell your Dadi we were late getting back."
She didn't look at me. She simply walked faster, rushing back into the noisy, safe distraction of family life. I followed her, the image of the kiss, the feel of the milk, and the strange, shared look between the two women creating a confusing knot in my chest. The world was no longer divided into two neat parts; the walls of my secret life were starting to crumble.
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