[NaveenKumarGowda28]

Continuation [Chapter 3] :


I went near my flat's door and to my surprise it was locked too. Not from inside but from outside.
I quickly took out my mobile and called her, but instead of getting the Switched OFF computerized voice , her call got connected. Ringing.
1 complete ring went for 1 minute but she didn't recieve.
An army of questions , confusions and dilemmas attacked on my mind all together. The relief that I got with the absence of uncle's bike at the basement turned into a huge stress. Mom's unavailability at the flat and her firstly switched OFF and then unresponsive behaviour towards my call had created an another level of anxiety over me.

I opened the WhatsApp, her last seen was same i.e 11:35 AM , that I saw while being in my class during recess. I called her over WhatsApp but it seemed her data network must be OFF because instead of showing "ringing" it was showing only "calling" on my screen.
I cut the call and went downstairs in the first floor. I proceeded towards Savita aunty's flat but it was too locked from outside. I never used to call in Savita aunty's mobile but that day being in dilemma and confusion I didn't think much and called on her number.

Few rings went and then she received the call.

Savita aunty - "Yes beta.. Hello...!!"

I - "Hello aunty. Are you not at your flat ?"

Aunty - "No beta...I am at one of my relative's house at Ghaziabad...since yesterday beta."

I - "What happened aunty ?"

Aunty - "My brother met with a car accident two days ago beta. I got the news yesterday so during evening I came here."

I - "Ohh...hope for his speedy recovery aunty."

Aunty - "Yes...hope so. By the way what happened beta ..you called me.. everything okey there ?"

I - "Yes aunty...actually I reached at my flat after classes but it is locked from outside. I thought mom must be at your flat...that's why..."

Aunty - "ohh.. don't you have any spare keys beta ?"

I - "I have...but was curious to look after mom... don't know where she is."

Aunty - "Why don't you call on her mobile..?"

I - "I did....at first it was Switched OFF and thenafter whole ring going but she is unresponsive."

Aunty - "Don't worry beta...she must haven gone nearby...will come soon. Wait for few minutes."

I - "Okey aunty. bye."
Saying this I cut the call. I again called her , full ring went but again she didn't received the call. My anger along with stress was increasing .
I understood why that bastard Prabin spent night with my mom at my flat when he was supposed to have it with Savita aunty. She wasn't available so his hunger directed him towards my flat. My mind was giving him lots of abusive words that moment.
But still that stress was there. Where is mom...?

Instead of going inside my flat using the spare key, I went downstairs and reached basement. Uncle's bike was still not there.
I moved out of the basement and reached garden area. There were few people there , mostly women and few men. Some walking, some sitting and some gossiping.
Kids were playing. I entered the garden area and sat on a bench situated to the right side of the entrance gate. From there the main gate of the Apartment's entrance was visible clearly.

Sitting there I were thinking how much happy and normal life was of mine and mom few days ago but, since that man came to live as my neighbour everything had changed . The most upsetting scenario was the mom's changed behaviour all of a sudden. May be Pravin uncle was her Ex or whatever but how she did this .  Why she did this. Whom I should consider the main villain ? Mom? Prabin? or those aunties?

Thinking all this dad's call came . I received and said - "Yes dad.."

Dad - "Where you are Harsh ?"

I - "In the garden dad... Apartment's campus."

Dad - "Where is mom ?"

I - "She is not here dad. Our flat is locked from outside."

Dad - "What the hell is wrong with her... She never did this.  So much unresponsive and careless...what is going on."

I (in my mind) - "Dad...she has became something else. Her lustful desires have crossed the wait that she used to live in without you. Her wait is no longer depended on you dad."

I - "I am waiting for her dad. Didn't you call her again ?"

Dad - "I called her beta...but she is not receiving the call. Tell her to call me once she return."

I - "Ok dad. Relax. All will be gud."
Dad cut the call then.

Sitting there my ears got attentive on each bike's crossing outside the apartment's gate or entering the campus. Either of uncle's or mom's entry could have made stress come down for me that moment.

I regret for not having Prabin uncle's number that day. But what's the guarantee that he had received the call. Taking the example of my mom's unresponsive behaviour, what's the guarantee of that man who is stranger to me even now.

30 minutes passed sitting there. Now the time was around 4:40 PM,  I saw an auto rickshaw stopped infront of the apartment's gate. And finally I saw mom. She came out of the auto rickshaw,  paid the driver and entered the apartment campus .As visible from that bench inside the garden area, I saw she was in maroon coloured silk saree . Her hair was tied behind with a rubber band and it seemed it was not properly combed. She had wrapped her saree in such a way with her stole that her arms, her back and both hands upto her elbows were fully covered in that. Even her blouse was also not visible.
In her left hand she was carrying a lady's purse and without looking anywhere else , she looking towards the ground , proceeded towards the basement area fastly..but there was something unusual in her walk. It seemed she was moving her each step with giving more pressure on her left leg. That moment I felt she had pain in that leg.

As she entered the basement area I got up and came out of the garden area's main gate. As I proceeded towards the basement area I saw Prabin uncle's bike entered the apartment's campus. I quickly hide myself behind a pillar at the basement. Mom was not visible anywhere in the basement . Not even at the lift corner. Possibly she already had entered the lift before I reached there.

Prabin uncle parked his bike on the same spot where he usually park. He took his bag out from his bike's trunk and moved towards the lift. He was wearing dark blue shirt and a white cotton jeans. Although it was a formal dress he used to wear for college but that moment it seemed very informal and not properly pressed.

When he entered the lift and lift got closed I quickly used staircase to reach the second floor. Moving fastly I reached my floor and saw uncle was already there unlocking his flat's door.

He saw me and gave me a smile .
He said - "Hello beta...how are you ?"
I neither valued his smile nor his 'Hello' and went near my flat's door. Before I could have entered my flat he said - "Everything ready for your Australia trip beta?"

I turned my face and said - "Yes. Why ?"

I saw two of the upper buttons of her shirt was torn out and threads visible in place of buttons. His face seems like he was being in a state of exhaustion. 

Uncle (laughing) - "Just asking beta. But I think your mom is not interested in going there."

I - "Who told you that ?"

Uncle - "No one beta...just thought came to my mind." saying this he laughed mischievously and entered in his flat.

I thought of hitting his face badly that moment. Bloody pervert.
My flat's door was locked from inside . Obviously mom reached before me. I rang the door bell. Mom came within seconds and opened it.

She has changed her maroon silk saree into blue cotton saree with same coloured half sleeved blouse. Her face seemed tired and not a single makeup was on her face. Her eyes seemed she needed the sleep badly.

Even with that face she opened the door with a smile. I came inside. Put my bag on the sofa and asked her - "Where were you mom ?"

Mom - "Where should I be.... obviously at flat."

I - "Don't lie mom. I reached here at 4 PM and it was locked from outside."

Mom (nervously)  - "No way son...you must have had misunderstanding regarding this."

I - "Come on mom. I saw you entering the apartment's campus few minutes ago in maroon saree. Why are you lying ?"

Mom - "Where were you?"

I - "Sitting at the garden area...waiting for you to come."

Mom was silent.

I - "Tell mom. Where were you gone ?"

Mom - "I went for shopping."

I - "Where ? with whom ?"

Mom - "What do you mean by with whom ? Obviously alone."

I - "Really ?"

Mom - "Come on.... don't start your spying scenario now."

I - "I am not spying mom. Just asking. I and dad called you so many times. At first your number was saying Switched OFF and then even getting full ring you didn't receive even a single call. What was wrong with you ?"

Mom (faking a smile, still nervousness in her voice) - "Yeah...you knew my mobile's life seems to be almost over. It automatically gets switched off , sometimes went silent mode on it own."

I weren't satisfied with her answers but asking much questions didn't seem right to me that time. Her lies , her fake smile and nervousness in her voice was telling me she is covering up or hiding something with her unusual voice and face.

I - "Dad is in stress regarding your unresponsive behaviour you had shown to us today. Call him and talk to him now ."

Mom - "Yeah I saw his texts and calls beta. I was about to call him when you rang the door bell now."

Talking to her , suddenly I saw there was red mark on her bosom just above her cleavage. It seemed like someone has bite her hard over there as the blood was still visible a little bit on that small cut.

I - "What happened there mom?" pointing my index finger towards that red mark

Mom (looking at that spot, faking a laugh) - "Ohh this one...yesterday and insect bite me here. Itching gets worst within hours and this happened."

I didn't say anything further to her and went inside my room. I knew that was not any insect's bite mark. It seemed fresh mark.

I changed my clothes, got fresh in washroom and then went to kitchen where mom was talking to dad and serving lunch in plates simultaneously. I kept myself standing beside her.

Her replies were (talking to dad on phone) :
- "Yeah darling.."
- "Not at all..."
- "Why should I ?"
(laughing)
- "Yeah bought two sets of sarees."
- "Hmm....right"
- "I can't dear.."
- "Okey...I will talk to him"
Call got cut by her.

I asked - "What was he saying ?"

Mom - "Spying like you. Where you were, what happened to your mobile and bla bla.."

I - "What you bought ?"

Mom - "As you heard saying to dad. Two sets of sarees."

I - "I didn't see you entering the apartment's campus with any luggage or packets."

Mom (angrily) - "Are you becoming crazy...what is wrong your mind these days."

I left the kitchen and sat onthe dining chair.
From there I got a glimpse of her room's bed.

The same maroon coloured saree was lying on the bed. I got up and with slow steps went inside her room . That maroon silk saree was lying on the bed being spread randomly . She hadn't adjusted it properly after undressing it. There I saw something else that made me surprised to the next level. It was a black coloured sleeveless blouse with very thin strap and deep necked. It's back was open except a thin strap ribbon.

Her blouse and saree has several unusual smell and white marks that seemed to be of a white liquid that had became dried.

I heard mom's footsteps coming out of the kitchen I quickly came out of her room. She saw me coming out of her room.
She proceeded towards the dining and said - "What were you doing inside ?"

I - "Nothing. Just looking for your mobile...to find out what's problem it was going through today."

Mom - "Ignore it. Have lunch first."

I - "When you prepared lunch ?"

Mom - "Obviously before going for shopping."

I - "Two days left mom... for our departure."

Mom (rudely) - "So ??? Should I dance ?"

Her such tone made me upset. I said - "We should pack our clothes and other luggage tomorrow."

Mom - "That's not an issue. All will get done. Not much luggages are required for 7-8 days."

I - "Just 7-8 days mom?"

Mom - "Yes. On Sunday your dad has organised a puja at new house...we will return back on next Friday."

I - "Why don't you want to stay more. Dad wanted us to stay for at least 1 month. And you are saying for just 7-8 days."

Mom - "I don't want to hamper your classes and study. And let me tell you that your Dad has also agreed over this."

I became upset after hearing that.
I - "Bineet maama ji is coming tomorrow..Dad told me. He also rang over your mobile but it was switched off. You know he is also going with us in the same flight ?"

Mom - "Yeah dad told me now. I will talk to him."

I then heard her mobile rang and mom quickly went inside her bedroom.


      To be continued.....