😉 Author's afterlife bonus,
AFTERLIFE FLOWERS
Rosette - Roses
Lilienne - Lilies
Penny -Peonies
Tricksy - Daisies
Valic - Sunflowers
Hymen - Orchids
Froo - Tulips
...
SPECIAL CHAPTER : THE LIFE OF A SHANTI
I woke up feeling excited for a reason I didn't know, I didn't spend the night with Mat because he hadn't come to my place like he'd said earlier.
We had actually agreed to have dinner and then watch a movie together because he had told me he had to go on a 'business' trip in a couple of days. And I was looking to at least spend some time with him before he left. I immediately checked my phone to see if I had missed his calls but he hadn't called, not even once.
Guess he's been busy.
As I was preparing myself for a lazy day, I heard the doorbell ring. Frowning slightly, I wondered if Keys was here to take his little bribe of Devil's Tears I had promised a month ago, as I skipped hurriedly to the door. The bell rang for a second time.
Was he that impatient to get his icecream?
However when I finally swang the door open, I found myself staring at Mat and my mother, whose name I still don't know by the way. I slowly made way for them to enter the apartment and then quickly followed behind them. They took seats in the couch and I sat opposite from them.
"there's something you need to know", Mat was the one who spoke.
I raised a brow and couldn't help but scoff
"there's a lot I need to know Mat, starting from my mother's afterlife name".
The woman I called my mother looked down in embarrassment before replying in a whisper
"My-my name is Shanti"
Shanti?, I turned to look at Mat and wondered.
"yes her name's Shanti and you know what it means. There's a story behind that name", Mat continued
He must have read my mind and understood my confusion.
I turned my attention back to my mom, waiting for her to begin her story or at least offer me some sort of explanation for her behaviour a month ago. For some odd reason I had a feeling that it would be a long story too.
Minutes later I felt myself sigh as she came to the end of a very sad story. One thing made me curious however, if my father was dead, wasn't he supposed to be in the afterlife with my mom.
"Mom, what about dad?. Is he here with you?", I asked out of curiosity.
She shook her head slightly, "I have tried to look for him but I haven't found him", she answered.
I nodded in understanding. Considering it took me this long to find my mom, I wasn't surprised that she was finding it difficult to find my dad.
Also about her peculiar behaviour, I intended to ask and I saw Mat smile as soon as I opened my mouth.
He must have read my mind again.
"Why did you ran away Mom?", I immediately asked.
She stifled a little and I felt bad for asking her such an insenstive question but I was curious and hurt that she hadn't even tried to talk to me that morning.
"I didn't have a choice sweetie". For some reason, her use of that endearment reminded me of Maitri, the flirty Grim Reaper. I wondered if he would ever pay me a visit again.
Just then, my eyes met with Mat's and I saw a flicker of jealousy in their depths.
Was he actually jealous of a grim reaper?. Those guys are ominous, silent and scary.
I wanted to laugh, reading minds isn't always a good thing right?.
Anyway, I nodded at my mom and she slowly wiped a tear I hadn't even noticed had fallen.
"It is a rule. Shantis can only come out during the day when we're only invited. We are only allowed to come out during the night. We are not allowed to mingle with other people of the afterlife unless they were family. That is the life of a Shanti Nirvana and that is why I left like that", she said softly and I saw another tear slip down.
Reflexively, my hand darted out to wipe it from her. beautiful face and she gave me a small smile.
"Besides...", her voice wavered slightly as she continued, "you seemed so happy with Mat, I just felt I had no place in your afterlife. I didn't want to ruin everything you've built without me all this time. What good is a mother you can only see at night?. How different am I from a guest if I need to be invited by my own daughter before I can see her?
She questioned, more tears fell from her eyes and I felt my heart broke at the sight of her current state. In a second, I was immediately beside her, hugging her whiles my eyes also glistened with tears.
She hugged me back desperately, her motherly instincts completely taking over.
"its okay Mom, if I have to inivite you to my place 90 times a month in order to see you, I'll do it 180times", I said in a reassuring tone.
Thoughts of Janice filtered into my mind. I began to understand why I haven't seen her again after that award day when everyone had been invited.
Poor Janice, having to life such a life and being shunned by everyone. Did she deserve this?
Mat took a look at me and frowned perhaps knowing what I was pondering over. I gave him a smile and he gave an awkward one back. I didn't mind that he hadn't said much since their arrival, however I did notice that he seemed a little distant now.
Meanwhile... Mat was wondering about the one other Shanti he knew even before he met the dozen others yesterday.
That one Shanti was living a normal life like everyone else in the afterlife. Why was she a Shanti and how did she manage to escape the fate of all Shantis?
He intended to find out, at all costs!