She loves me, she loves me not: A story by Supriya Bansal

He rubbed his sleepy eyes.  
Sun had filtered gently through the window-sheers casting an array of patterns on the bed.  
Clutter-clatter, he could hear Amma fiddling in the kitchen; maybe she was getting his breakfast ready. His tummy started to rumble just at the thought.  
He quietly slid off the bed and ambled towards the kitchen. The delectable aroma of spices hit his nose; four-year-old Manu peeped inside the kitchen.  
The sound of a sizzling pan made him smack his lips. Aha, she was making dosas, his favorite! He decided not to disturb her and skittered towards the dining table.  
Propping himself on a chair, he waited ardently; wouldn’t it be so much fun to startle her.  
Tip-tap, he heard her footsteps. 
Briskly he hid under the table, trying hard to suppress the peals of laughter bursting from within.  
Amma clambered on a chair and plopped down her plate in front of her. Indifferent and impassive, she pushed a morsel in her mouth without throwing a glance at him.  
His face fell. He looked down at his feet while his insides tightened.  
***  
Little Manu perched himself on the arm of the sofa next to Amma as she flipped the pages of the newspaper. It was TV time, his favorite hour of the day.  
He waited for a long time for Amma to put on his show, but she didn’t even put on the TV.  
Maybe she didn’t want him to tire his eyes. He sauntered towards the bookshelf and waited for her to tag along. But Amma didn’t, she just sat huddled in a corner, lost in her newspaper.  
Little Manu’s face turned crimson.  
She wanted to give him a cold shoulder, well, two can play this game; little Manu decided.  
****  
The sun had already gone down, smudging a medley of color on the sky.  
He noticed Amma sitting by the window, gazing forlornly at the Gulmohar tree across the street.  
He plonked himself in her lap and held her hand. He then laid down his head softly on her shoulder, letting her warmth envelop her.  
He could feel her heartbeat, and he knew that no matter what, his mother loved him.  
They sat like this for what seemed a long time until, 
thud! The front door burst opened and dad walked inside.  
Little Manu jumped down from Amma’s lap and rushed towards the door. He spread his arms wide. He couldn’t wait to be picked up. 
B... but dad snubbed him altogether and plodded slowly towards Amma.  
Little Manu bumped his brows in a scowl and stormed after his dad. What was wrong with both of them.  
Dad hesitated, before crouching down beside his mother. A tear trickled down his cheek as he spoke in a trembling voice, "Please pull yourself together Sudha. It’s been two years since little Manu passed away. I know you feel him around, but he is gone... long gone.”  
Amma covered her face with her hands, as deep gasping sobs tore through her. 

Glossary 
Amma- (Hindi)- means mother 
Dosa- a south Indian delicacy 


 

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