Watching her son laugh after what felt like an eternity brought an undeniable warmth to Rekha's heart. Her gaze softened, and though she didn't utter a single word, her eyes held a silent blessing: Stay happy, my child. You deserve it.
••••
Ram and Ayu continued laughing boisterously, their voices echoing through the room. Ayu's gaze shifted mid-laughter to his mother, Rekha. She was now awake, sitting up with a tender smile gracing her lips, tears glistening in her eyes as she watched them.
Ayu abruptly stopped laughing. Noticing this, Ram grew curious and followed Ayu's line of sight. His eyes landed on Rekha, whose affectionate gaze was now tinged with a hint of emotion. Both boys, sensing something amiss, hurried to her side.
"Mom! Aunty! What's wrong? Why are you crying? Are you in pain?"
They bombarded her with questions, one after the other, their voices filled with worry. Rekha, overwhelmed by their concern, struggled to make sense of their words. The rapid-fire questions left her bewildered, though their worried expressions spoke volumes about how deeply they cared for her.
Rekha's face reflected her confusion as she raised her hand to calm them. "Wait… one at a time! What are you even saying?" she attempted to intervene, but their relentless questioning continued.
Their persistence began to frustrate her. The gentle love and warmth in her eyes shifted to irritation. Her expression hardened as she finally snapped, her voice carrying a sharp edge, "Will you both stop it for a second? Speak one at a time! How do you expect me to understand anything if you're both talking over each other?"
Her sudden outburst stunned the boys into silence. They stood frozen, unsure of what to do. Moments ago, they had seen tears of affection in her eyes, but now they were met with a fierce glare.
The room went still as Rekha took a deep breath, trying to reign in her frustration. However, seeing them standing mute only fueled her irritation. Rekha's exhaustion from yesterday's accident combined with being abruptly woken up by their laughter pushed her patience to its limit.
"I don't have the energy for this," Rekha muttered to herself, shaking her head. "First, you wake me up with your shouting, and now you just stand there like statues. Speak up or leave me alone!"
The boys exchanged nervous glances, realizing they had pushed their usually calm and loving, mother/Aunty to her breaking point. Ayu opened his mouth to speak, but one look at her narrowed eyes made him think twice. Both boys stayed silent, the tension hanging heavy in the room.
Ram and Ayu stood frozen in their spots, their mouths sealed shut under Rekha's intense glare. Her frustration only grew as she observed them standing mute, ignoring her questions. Narrowing her eyes, she shifted her piercing gaze toward Ram. Startled, he immediately lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.
This irked Rekha further. Her narrowed eyes sharpened as she turned her attention to Ayu, who, upon seeing her stern expression, realized he had no choice but to speak. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he stammered, "M-Mom… um… uh..."
But Rekha's stern gaze was too much to bear. Words failed him as he stood there, fumbling. Rekha softened her tone slightly and said, "What's this 'um… uh' nonsense? Just speak already."
Ayu inhaled deeply, mustering all his courage. In one breath, he blurted out, "Mom, we… we were just asking if you're okay or if you're in pain!"
His rushed delivery caught Rekha off guard, and for a moment, she stared at him. Then, unable to hold it in, she burst out laughing.
Ram, who had been standing with his head down, felt a chuckle rising within him but quickly suppressed it, recalling Rekha's earlier outburst. Still, the corners of his lips twitched as Ayu gave him an annoyed glance, silently accusing him of enjoying the situation.
Before they could process anything further, Rekha's laughter filled the room. Both boys exchanged confused looks. Just a moment ago, she had been furious, and now she was laughing uncontrollably. Her emotions had shifted so drastically—from tears to anger and now to laughter—that neither could make sense of it.
While Ayu stared at Rekha, lost in thought, Ram discreetly nudged him, speaking in a hushed tone only Ayu could hear: "Bro, she's laughing now. This is your chance to ask her. If she gets mad again, we're doomed. Plus, if something was wrong earlier, we won't even know."
Ayu nodded, recognizing the wisdom in Ram's words, but his courage was still faltering. He glanced at Ram, silently pleading for him to take the lead. Ram, however, shook his head vigorously, whispering back, "No way! I'm not risking it. You ask. I'd rather stay out of trouble."
Left with no choice, Ayu took another deep breath and cautiously asked, "Mom, I was just asking… why were you crying earlier? Are you hurt or feeling unwell?" His voice was low, careful not to ignite another round of Rekha's wrath.
Rekha, hearing his question, paused her laughter. She composed herself and shook her head, her expression softening. "I wasn't crying, Ayu," she said gently. "And I'm not hurt or unwell. What gave you that idea?"
Both boys exchanged bewildered glances again. Ayu frowned slightly. "But, Mom, your eyes were teary earlier," he said hesitantly.
Rekha let out a soft sigh, her lips curving into a warm smile. "Tears don't always mean sadness or pain, my dear," she said. "Sometimes, they're just… feelings overflowing. Watching you both laugh like that—it made me so happy, I couldn't help myself. It's been so long since I saw you like this, carefree and smiling."
Her words struck a chord with Ayu and Ram, flooding them with a sense of relief. They exchanged a glance, their silent understanding conveyed in the faint smiles on their faces.
Without another thought, Ayu stepped forward and wrapped his mother, Rekha, in a tight embrace. The warmth of his hug brought an instant smile to Rekha's face as she softly patted his head. Her fingers gently combed through his hair, soothing him.
As she held her son close, Rekha's gaze shifted, catching sight of Ram standing at a distance. He lingered there with a faint smile, watching the heartfelt moment unfold, unsure if he should interrupt.
Rekha's eyes softened, and with a subtle gesture, she beckoned him closer. Ram hesitated for just a moment before stepping forward. As soon as he was within reach, Rekha pulled him into her embrace.
"You're as much family as he is," Rekha whispered, her voice tender, making Ram's heart swell.
For a few moments, they stayed like this—bound together in an unspoken bond of love and gratitude. When Rekha finally released them, she playfully patted their backs. "Alright, that's enough hugging for today. Come on, let's eat before the food gets cold. Who knows how we'll reheat it in this hospital room?"
Her words lightened the atmosphere. Ayu and Ram chuckled, their earlier tension dissolving as they pulled apart.
Ram sprang into action, retrieving the packed food he had brought from the hotel. He carefully opened the container and served Rekha her broken wheat porridge. As he handed the plate to Ayu, his glance said it all—your turn to take care of her now.
Ayu stepped forward to feed his mother, but Rekha shook her head, a playful glint in her eyes. "Ram, give me that plate. I'm not so weak that I can't eat on my own anymore."
Her teasing tone made both boys burst into laughter. Relenting, Ayu handed her the plate while Ram prepared food for himself and Ayu. Once their plates were ready, the three of them sat together near the bed. Rekha's health might have been fragile, but in that moment, the room buzzed with their lighthearted banter and laughter.
After they finished eating, Ayu cleared away the plates and brought everyone water. Rekha, content and relaxed, leaned back on her bed to rest. Meanwhile, Ram pulled out a notebook from his bag and began drafting leave applications for himself and Ayu.
Ayu glanced over at Ram, then at his mother, who had already dozed off, and finally at his phone. When he turned it on, he realized it was dead. Frustrated, he remembered that in his rush earlier, he'd only plugged Rekha's phone into the charger. Checking her phone, he saw it was at 50% battery. He switched it out, plugging in his own phone and powering it on.
By the time Ayu returned to Ram's side, his friend had already finished writing his leave application and was halfway through Ayu's.
"Almost done?" Ayu asked, sitting down beside him.
Ram handed over the finished application with a smirk. "Yup, all set. Just sign here."
After folding the papers neatly, Ram stuffed them into his pocket and got up. "Alright, bro. I'll deliver these to Simran ma'am and head home. Call me if you need anything."
Ayu stood up, looking a bit hesitant. "Okay, but listen—make sure you're back before 2 PM, and bring some ironed clothes with you. I need to go somewhere by 3."
Ram paused, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Where are you heading off to at 3?"
Caught off guard, Ayu froze. His mind raced. How could he tell Ram the truth about the system? There was no way he'd believe it. What do I say?
Then it hit him—half-truths work best. "Just some store work," he said casually, "I have to go to the Four Seasons Hotel."
Ram raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "Alright, I'll be back on time. Don't worry."
As soon as Ram stepped out of the room, Ayu let out a deep breath, his shoulders finally relaxing from the tension that had been gripping them. He thought to himself, Thank goodness Ram didn't ask any more questions. I would've been cornered. Even if I had told him the truth, there's no way he'd believe me.
With the school issue handled for now, Ayu felt a small wave of relief. Ram would soon reach the school and hand over the leave applications to Simran ma'am, putting an end to that particular worry.
Ayu sat there for a while, lost in thought. Then, he checked his phone to see how much it had charged—it was only at 15%. With a sigh, he left it plugged in and walked over to close the room's door. Returning to the divan near Rekha's bed, he lay down, trying to ease his restless mind.
As soon as he closed his eyes, his thoughts spiraled back to the accident. How did it happen? Why was Mom going to the haveli so late at night? Or was she returning from there? The unanswered questions swirled in his mind, heavy and persistent. Slowly, these thoughts began to fade as sleep took over, pulling Ayu into its embrace.
---
Meanwhile, Ram had already left the hospital and was heading straight to the school. Reaching the office area, he asked a peon to call Simran ma'am.
The peon wasted no time and returned shortly with Simran. As she entered, her eyes immediately fell on Ram standing there. With a mix of irritation and concern, she walked up to him.
"Ram, why weren't you at school today? And Ayu didn't show up either! What's going on? You didn't even bother to submit a leave letter or inform me beforehand. You do realize your quarterly exams are starting next week, don't you?"
Ram, caught off guard by her barrage of questions, stumbled for a moment before composing himself. Taking a deep breath, he explained everything—how Ayu's mother had met with an accident the previous night and how they had been at the hospital ever since, taking care of her.
Hearing this, Simran's expression softened, and a flicker of regret crossed her face. "I'm sorry, Ram. I shouldn't have yelled at you without knowing the full story."
Ram gave her a small smile. "It's alright, ma'am. I know you're worried about us, and that's why you got upset. You don't need to apologize."
With that, he pulled out the leave applications from his pocket and handed them to her. "Here are the leave letters for both Ayu and me. I'll be back at school tomorrow, and Ayu will join after his mom is discharged, probably in two or three days."
Simran nodded as she took the applications, then asked with genuine concern, "How's Rekha doing now? Is she okay?"
Ram reassured her. "She's better now, ma'am. There was some significant blood loss, which is why the doctor advised keeping her under observation for a few days. Otherwise, she's stable enough to be discharged even now."
Simran let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. I'll approve your leaves, Ram. Make sure you're attending school tomorrow, and let Ayu know he can reach out to me if he needs anything, okay?"
"Sure, ma'am. I'll tell him," Ram replied, smiling faintly.
With that, he said his goodbyes and left the school office, exiting the campus and heading straight home.
Once Ram reached his house, he unlocked the door and stepped inside, shutting it behind him. He headed straight to his room, quickly changing his clothes before freshening up in the washroom. When he returned, he glanced at the clock on the wall—it was 9:40 AM. Deciding to rest for a while, he set an alarm for 1:40 PM on both his phone and alarm clock. Then, without another thought, he lay down on his bed and drifted off to sleep.
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To be continued.....