The Haunted Fortress of Bhangarh: Book 1

47. Mommy dearest

It had been over three hours since he arrived at Sudha's home, and despite her pleading, he declined to put a morsel of food into his mouth. Instead, he sat by the living room window, gazing out at the streets as the cars and smaller vehicles sped past into the night, followed by trucks and trailers. The honking and whooshing had reduced, but his emptiness didn't, and Sudha could very well comprehend the range of emotions he was experiencing that evening. Hence, she chose to sit next to him, letting the tranquil silence rule between them, frequently glimpsing at his profile, occasionally discerning the teardrops on his cheeks or the hint of moisture on his grey t-shirt.

Sighing, she craned her neck to check the time on the wall clock. It was already three in the morning, and she grew concerned for him. "Rudra, please eat something."

"I am good," he mumbled.

"Do you want me to whip up something for you? Do you like eggs? Pudding? Or I can bake a cake if you want."

"Nah! I am good."

Suspiring, she shook her head. "Do you want to share what's troubling you?"

"I am just waiting for morning to arrive," he said, smiling briefly.

"And what would you do then?"

"I will figure something out."

"You can stay here for as long as you need."

"I will not trouble you too much, aunty." He scratched his nose. "I will be gone soon."

Her brows went up, and her orbs dampened. "Aunty?" A sardonic chuckle escaped her throat. "I am... I..." Taking a deep breath, she said, "I am your mother." She brought her hand to his head to ruffle his hair, but his first instinct was to lean back. Her trembling lips stretched into a feeble smile. "Now, I am not asking you to consider me above Mrs. Sharma. She has brought you up and given you a great life, made you the wonderful man you are today, but please don't treat me as a complete outsider." Sniveling, she stood up. "I know I am a terrible mother who gave you up for adoption and never looked back, but I was left with no other choice. Abandoned by my family and the man I had loved, I was rendered helpless with a small baby cradling in my arms."

He remained silent, his gaze darting back and forth between Sudha and the windows overlooking the road beneath.

She let out a watery giggle. "You can call me Ma."

He grinned weakly.

"And don't you dare think of going anywhere else," she murmured. "For as long as you need, you will be here and I will take care of you. And when your anger simmers down, you will go back home to your family."

"You don't understand," he muttered. "I did not leave my home because I am angry with them but because they are in immense danger due to me. Due to my past."

Chortling, she ventured into the open kitchen on the far end of the hall. Taking a ceramic plate from the drying rack, she deposited a mound of rice from a stainless steel container before embellishing it with two ladles of lentils from another one. "We derive power from unity. Didn't they teach you in Moral Science?"

He followed her and watched the thick consistency of the yellow lentils mingling with the white rice. His stomach growled. "But they are in danger—"

"They will be more if you leave them."

The firmness in her tone, the meaningful expressions, and the sharpness of her gaze prompted him to peer at her with his lips parted. As the quietude stretched on for a prolonged moment where both gaped at each other unblinkingly, he was the first one to react. "You know everything, don't you? That's why you came back when you did. You could've requested to meet me eons ago, but no! You came back when she did."