Forget-Me-Not: Taste of Freedom

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

       

       The Mehta family was a jolly lot consisting of the grandparents, the parents, and three children. Varun was the second son. His elder brother was a lawyer working for a private firm, while his younger brother was currently helping with their family business of tours and travels. His father, now retired, enjoyed a solitary life with his books and his various 'clubs'. His mother stayed at home and nagged her sons—the two that remained with her. It was strange to come home to them after such a long time... as Dia had pointed out before, Varun hadn't seen his family in more than a year now. And even the other times they met, it was for brief reunions and family functions. Impersonal situations where no long talks could be carried out.

       As they got of the car and headed towards the front door of his parents' house in Kharghar, Varun felt a twitchy feeling in his stomach. The fake news of his mother's brain tumor had rattled him; his mouth sported another small frown, now that he had all the time in the world to be annoyed with his mother for manipulating him into visiting her. She knew as well as anyone else that it was best if he stayed away from them, but somehow, she never understood it.

      Next to him, Dia shuffled uncomfortably, and he glanced at her, noticing her clenched jaw. Perhaps she was still angry about the kiss...

      Varun moved close to her, just to annoy her, and on cue, she flashed him a death glare.

       "If I'm going to face my family," he murmured in her ear, his hand sneaking around her waist, "Then I'd rather do it with you at my side."

       "Don't make me your shield against any unpleasantness," she warned him, shoving his hand away, just as the door opened and his niece came bounding up to him. She was grinning from ear to ear as she launched into his arms.

       "Chachu!" seven year old Suhana said, her two pigtails flopping as she hugged him.

       "Hey there," he hugged her back, swinging her in an arc. She laughed. The sound of another baby came from within, and then his mother's voice followed.

       "Is that Varun?"

        He sighed, looking at Dia. She gave him no encouragement. In fact, she looked smug at his troubled expression. Her mischievous eyes seemed to say, "Serve you right." Well, he thought to himself, they'd soon see who wore the smug expression at the end of the day.

       They went inside, greeted by his elder brother Vivek. As Varun exchanged a warm hug and pleasantries with him, his eyes fell on his mother, who was waiting for him to notice her. An unconscious sliver of longing passed through him, which was quickly subdued and overshadowed by something else, something more distant. He moved towards her, a bit hesitant.

       "Ma," he said.

       She held out her arms for him, eager to touch him, and he sighed. Typical, he thought to himself, as she burst into tears at the sight of him. He pacified her, a bit awkwardly, and held her as she shed a few more tears. "Your father said you would never make the journey."

       "He could have been right," Varun muttered without giving away any emotions.

       "It's been seventeen months," Mrs. Mehta said, her round eyes regarding him with accusation. "Couldn't you put one phone call through to your poor, old mother?"

       "I was busy, Ma," he mumbled. "I'm here now, aren't I?"

       "Oh, don't you give me that. You're only here because I told you I had a brain tumor," she said crossly. "Or you would never make a trip to visit your poor mother."