The love of my life

24. Amends

The doorbell buzzed into her ears, as she woke up with Tej nuzzled into her body. She shifted him away, putting a pillow on his side.

Their usual Sunday afternoon nap was disturbed by this wretched doorbell as she prepared to shout on whoever had decided to dare.

She set her clothes appearing presentable and opened the door to find a delivery agent standing with a huge bouquet of flowers.

"Dr. Daman Shergill"

The use of her maiden surname gave her a hint as to whom this was from, as she wanted to shut the door on his face.

But this guy was just doing his job and being rude to workers, was never her forte.

There were a lot of people pouring out their frustrations on poor call center agents and delivery guys. She didn't have to add to the list.

"Yes, it's Mrs. Daman Ghuman now." She said refering to the name plate of Sangram and Daman Ghuman hanging outside their apartment, as if it would make a difference.

She didn't change her name in papers and formal settings, but her name plate, all delivery orders were always addressed to as Mrs. Ghuman.

She signed the mail and took the bouquet inside picking up the small card.

"Mein hor kujh nahi janda
Par enna janda haan
Ki waqt jo v krega
Eh janam mere nal turega...

Te tenu fer milanga
Kithe kis trah, pta nahi...
Par mein tenu fer milanga."

(I don't know anything else, but I do know that whatever time may do, I'll walk this life with you.
And I'll meet you again. Where, how... I don't know, but I will meet you again.)

He had changed the narrative gender of the very same Amrita Pritam's poem that she had recorded the recitation in her own voice, compiled a collection of their photos and clips together in a video and send it to him on the midnight of his birthday.

He still remembered it.

"Mumm..." She heard her son and call out for her as she kept the flowers aside and rushed to him.

He sat on the bed puzzled, after waking up in her bedroom instead of his own. She sometimes let him sleep in with her, loving the warmth and the similar scent that reminded her of his father.

But he was used to waking up in his toy filled room with rails on all sides, or with her by his side if it's in her big bed.

"Good evening, Tej..." she says and enters the room tying her hair in a bun to pick him up in her arms.

He sleepily rests his head on her shoulder. He takes time to be completely active after waking up, kind of like her. She carried him to the kitchen making a glass of his almond and saffron added milk with a very small hint of turmeric.

Then she kept it aside for cooling as she made herself a mug of coffee, all with one hand around her son and the other doing everything.

This had been her days for the most part. She had her son alongside, having to take on life with one free hand.

She put her mug on the table, then went back to check the temperature of the milk to be slightly warm putting it in his Dinosaur mug.

She carried his mug along and put it on the table. She turned on the TV and made him sit on her lap.

"Tej..." she says as he looks at her through his sleepy open eyes and put the mug near his mouth. He holds it with both hands, her hand on the bottom for support as he gulps it down, with his eyes lightening up with every sip.

After 6-7 minutes, he was back to being a ball of energy as she sipped on her coffee.

"Mumm... Movie Theter?" He asks as she shook her head.

"We went to watch smurfs last Sunday. Movie once a month only." She says knowing how much he loved animated movies in theatres.

He pouts giving her the full on puppy face.

"How about you watch some cartoons, I'll clean the kitchen and then we go shopping and then McD for dinner?"

"Happy meaaalllll..." He squeals as she smiled.

"Yes, Happy meal." She said as he gets off the couch with interest piqued in something.

She noticed him walking towards the flowers kept on their small dining table.

"Tej... Mumma's gonna throw it in a while. Be careful.. The roses have thorns." She says to him as he nods. walking back to the couch and focuses on the TV screen as her phone rang.

It was regarding her research as she put it on her ear, and walked to the kitchen with the two dirty mugs.

She was finished with dishes and cleaning about 10 minutes later, as she walked out to see the artificial flowers from flower vase on the living room table kept aside and the roses unpacked.

"Tej?" She says as she heard shuffling from the bathroom. She rushed and saw him putting the bucket upside down to stand on it to drain water from the tap in the plastic mug.

"Tej" she said and picked him up before he could stand on the bucket.
"You'll get hurt." She raised her voice, closing the tap and taking the mug from his hands.

She carried him out to the living room and looked him in the eye. He pursued his lips together, his eyes squeezed close ready to burst in tears at her loud voice.

"Oh Baby..." She says and hugs him tight. "Open your eyes"

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her.

"You know what would happen if the bucket slipped?" She asks as he nods.

"Tej Ouch, hospitav, doctor... Ouiiiee..." He says as she understands the cycle of getting hurt going to the hospital, and the doctor will give him injection.

"Yes, so why would you do that?" She asks.

"Sammy aunt flowves... Water... Vase... Not thvow.." He said shaking his head sideways as she smiles.

"But these flowers are not from aunt Sammy." she says as he looks at his mom puzzled.

"You remember uncle Ekansh?" She asks as his eyes light up immediately and he nods.

Okay, so the feeling that her son liked that asshole didn't sit well with her. But illogical and strict was not her way of parenting, and she had no logic to throw out those flowers that she could explain to a two and half year old.

Looks like she's out of options and explanations.

"Let's put water in the vase and then those flowers?" she says as he nods.

She gets the mug of water as he pours it into the vase and then put flowers one by one.
She shuffles and set them up and then looks at her source of life when they were done.

"What are we wearing?" She asks as he gets off the couch and walks towards his closet. She turns keeping an eye on him through the open door as he gets a mickey mouse red t-shirt and black denim shorts.

"It's half sleeves and it's getting cold out there in the evenings." She says showing the shirt as he shakes his head.

"Peeze..." He says as she thinks for a moment.

"How about we put a White full sleeves shirt over this t-shirt and keep the buttons open?" She says as he thinks for a moment and smiles.

She gets him ready, before changing and then tied her long curls with a scrunchie. She wore a pair of black oxidized jhumkis with the baby pink chikankari lucknowi kurta with mirror work and blue slim fit jeans.

She didn't wear jeans often and almost never in her workplace but just sometimes here and there.

"Let's go?" She asks as Tej keeps the Ipad aside and walks towards her as she picks up the car keys.