Misc. Erotica ...And My Mother doesn't Remain Ours

[garamrohan]

After the heartbreaking scene at the ghat this morning, my mind was a mess. I kept worrying if mummy would ever recover from such a blow to her pride. I would never have forgiven myself if something had happened to her, but god was kind to us.

The mood had completely changed. I watched as mummy lovingly questioned didi about her married life. They stood together in the kitchen while mummy prepared dinner; all of didi’s favorite dishes. I’ve always hated kheer, but tonight I didn't mind. I was just happy for mummy, for didi, and for our whole family.

I stood at the kitchen doorway, caught between two worlds. I could hear dad and jiju talking in the outer room, while occasionally chatting with didi as she helped mummy with the cooking.

“Shouldn’t we have dinner in the backyard?” I suggested.

Didi’s face lit up. On summer nights, we used to eat outside to enjoy the cool breeze through the trees and the soft moonlight. I remembered the countless hours we spent there gossiping, telling horror stories, or just lying on our backs counting stars; at least until papa yelled at us to come inside and sleep. He’s always been a bit traditional and overprotective, but since our area wasn't very developed, his caution actually made sense.

“Babu… are you out of your mind? Your Papa won't like it,” mummy warned. She didn't even look up as she stirred the pot and added crushed cardamom to the kheer.

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle him,” didi promised with a wink.

Just then, we heard jiju call out from the other room. “Wow! What an aroma. It seems mummy-ji has planned a special treat for us!”

“Yes,” papa replied. “Meenakshi loves kheer.”

“Oh, really? I love it too!” jiju said loudly, making sure didi could hear him.

didi turned to mummy and whispered, “Do you hear this drama? I made kheer for him just last week and he wouldn't even finish a bowl.”

“Is that any way to talk about your husband?” mummy teased, her eyes poking at didi with affection. “You probably just didn't make it right.”

I wandered into the outer room and sat on the couch next to jiju. I really liked him; he was the perfect match for Meenakshi di. He was tall and well-built, with a great corporate job and an adventurous streak. Didi told us he went on treks all the time. He was clean-shaven except for a perfectly maintained handlebar mustache, and his style was always elegant. Most importantly, he clearly adored didi.

I understood that he was doing his best to charm his old-fashioned father-in-law. I doubted he would ever truly impress papa; not because Jiju lacked anything, but because papa was just a difficult, disinterested man. Nothing seemed to ever impress or surprise him.

“So papa-ji,” jiju said, trying to find common ground, “Meenakshi told me Rohan is quite the cricket player. I’m sure he’ll play professionally one day.”

“Hmm…” papa grunted. He stood up, shook his head sarcastically, and walked out the front door without another word.

I looked at jiju. He was already looking at me, his eyebrows raised in a silent question as he fought back a grin.

The next second, we both burst into laughter.

—--


We enjoyed dinner in the backyard, packed in the sweater and shawl in the peak winter of January. jiju and Meenakshi di were teasing each other, cracking jokes and I joined them. I could see mummy was also enjoying this first extended-family meeting. Only papa finished the dinner silently.

We were sitting on a big mat spread over the ground and as mummy and didi picked up the used dishes, we spread leisurely on that mat itself. It was a full moon and hence I asked didi to turn off the light in the backyard.

Now only the pleasant moonlight was pouring over us and with heavy lids and blankets over us, we laid there - papa, jiju in the middle, and I am to his left. For five minutes nobody spoke; apart from papa’s poke at jiju asking if they should go to have paan? But Jiju wasn’t interested.

“Do you have any girlfriend?” jiju asked in the backnoise of the dish washing noise and murmur of talk between mummy and didi coming from near the water tank in the backyard. 

“How can you ask me this? I am very serious about my career.” my protection mode enabled immediately.

“What does a girlfriend have to do with a career?" he counterargued. 

“May or may not be..” papa spoke up abruptly, followed by a taunt to me, “But babu would most be benefitted from career guidance, he is unnecessarily smart at useless stuff.” 

“Why are you walking like that?” papa spoke suddenly looking at the mummy and didi coming to us, after finishing their job. “I fell over my knee this morning.” Mummy sighed and sat by us. So did didi. 

My heart twitched again; for I knew that mummy was lying; but what other choice did she have living in the messed up society of ours? Even support from her husband cannot be assumed in such cases, and mummy was so simple and naive that there was no chance she would talk of her suffering to anyone, not with papa either.

“Oh it's swollen like anything mummy, you could have told me. Let me massage it with ointment.” Didi caressed her knee, of course I could only faintly make it out in the dim moonlight. 

“Not required beta” she said, “Rohan babu, drop your blanket for your didi and jiju today, the washed blankets are still wet.”

I knew that already. I affirmed silently.