"But I want to talk more. It's only 9.30 now. Please just a little more." It's fell so surreal to him that he fears losing it. Lose it once the connection is cut off. No, he doesn't want to stay away from his mom, not even for a moment, not when he finally meets her.
"Be good, honey. You should always do your dinner on time. Mommy promises you, I'll hug you soon, very soon, ok?"
"Hmm."
Seeing her son sulking, she can't help but said, "How about I tell you a bedtime story once we're done with dinner?"
"Really?" Karan's face instantly lit up like a 440-volt bulb. "Ok then. You promised mommy. You can't go back on your word."
"Yes."
"Ok, meet you after dinner, mom."
"Yes, but eat after chewing properly. No cheating, ok?"
'How did mom know I would do that?' He said sheepishly, "Okay."
Once Karan ran out of the study room, Mohit coughed a little.
"Cough…cough"
"Hello, Mr…"
"Yes, I'm Mohit Tata."
"Oh, I'm Riya Ganguly."
It's a little awkward for both of them as it's the first time they're talking to each other.
'It feels like a blind date but we already have a three-year-old child.' Riya thought looking at her fingers on her knees. She just doesn't know where to look at. She just can't look into his eyes. She isn't confident enough about her expressions. She doesn't want to look like an infatuated fool or worse a lustful woman. No way.
"Hmm, Rahul told me you want to meet. So…" Mohit stopped when he saw Riya murmuring to herself. "Ms. Riya?"
"Yes," Riya sat straight with full attention. 'Thank God, I didn't say "Present sir" or it would be so embarrassing.'
"So, I was saying you wanted to meet me. You can tell me here what it is."
"Umm, I think it would be better to talk face to face. You already know where I live, so can we meet tomorrow?" Riya has a doubt that they are in the same city. You can call it a gut feeling but for Riya, her intuitions were always trustable. So she wants to take this chance to confirm it.
"No, it would not be possible for me," 'I can't leave any clue about how close we're staying right now otherwise they'll definitely trick me to meet each other.' "I'll try to make it this week. I'll let you know."
"Ok. Rahul tell me not to contact others frequently but how can I work that way?"
"You have to compromise a little."
"I can't meet my own son, isn't it enough?" Riya lowers her head & looks pitiful to try her luck.
Mohit knew what she did for him & those four years that she endured even after being innocent. He doesn't want to make it too hard for her.
"We're cautious for our safety. I'll tell you everything once we meet."
Mohit sighed & continued, "Ok, I'll try to meet in two days." He knows he can't postpone it any longer as these two people became too impatient to meet each other after this video call.
"Ok, can you bring our son also then?" She just can't take the short side as if it's meant to be. She has to push her luck further as she is already at disadvantage in case of power.
Mohit's face darkened a little. He doesn't want to be rude but her persistence made him annoyed. If it was a business negotiation, by now he would already leave & use his power to put them in their place, but he can't do this here.
"I'll see to it. Karan would be done with his dinner soon. You should go & do it too. I'll end our conversation here for now."
"But…"
Before Riya can say something the screen has only her & the other party has already left just like that. Riya couldn't help but cover her face with her hands & took a deep breath. 'It's been a long time since I feel this helpless. I need to find his weakness or this inequality would make me lose my rights.'
Riya heated up the food she bring from the restaurant & had her dinner ASAP. She heard the notification to join the video call while rinsing her hands & left quickly to get the call. Once connected she can see her baby in a cute rocket pajama lying on his small bed hugging a stuffed toy.
"Hello, honey. What did you eat today?"
"I ate jeera rice, sukto, lau chingri & sandesh. I want to have misti doi too but they don't let me have it," he said with a cute pout looking like someone wronged him heavily.
Riya doesn't know if should she laugh or cry to have such a sweet tooth son. How can he want to have so many sweets at once?
"Ok honey now stand up & get out of bed," Riya said with a serious face.
She understood the value of health the hard way in her childhood. When one day her best friend who saved food on her hungry days, cried in her sorrow & laughed at her bad jokes left this world all of a sudden, it strikes fear into her heart. She still remembers that day as a nightmare. At that time she didn't understand why or how that happened but once she did she never take her health for granted. She would also teach her son the same.