It's Called PRIDE!

[22] SHADOWS OF FATE

Prity

As the sun set in Delhi, its warm rays painted the city in amber and ochre. A gentle breeze mingled the fragrances of blooming flowers and street food with the sounds of bustling traffic.

People strolled along tree-lined avenues, enjoying the tranquil late afternoon. Majestic monuments glowed in the soft light, their long shadows dancing across the pavement, capturing Delhi's timeless charm and beauty.

Gazing out the window, one would admire the stunning view. Yet here I sit, surrounded by papers, staring at my dim laptop screen and scribbling notes with my fountain pen.

My work got abruptly halted by the doorbell. A slight smile crept onto my face, masking the trepidation and uncertainty lurking beneath the surface.

"Now it's my time to turn the tables of fate," I muttered to myself, summoning a surge of determination as I made my way to the main entrance, unaware of what was about to happen.

As I opened the door, I saw Laxmi standing there with her sweet little son, Avi. Under different circumstances, I would have remarked on how adorable they looked. But given the situation, such a statement felt impossible to make.

Laxmi's face was ghostly pale, with sunken cheeks and dark circles under her eyes. Her once youthful skin appeared translucent. Despite her neatly pressed saree, it couldn't hide her painfully thin frame, reflecting the stress and illness on her body.

As I shifted my gaze to Avi, I noticed two red marks on his little hands and a bandaged scar on his right knee. But despite his injuries, his smile was as beautiful as his mother's used to be when she would laugh at my flirty remarks in our youth.

"Come in," I said, looking at both of them before closing the door behind them. As we entered the living room, I asked them to sit on the sofa. Then, I knelt in front of Avi.

"Hello Avi, I'm Prity Aunty. Do you remember me? We met that day in front of your school," I said, holding his little hands in my palms.

"Yes, Aunty, I remember. Mom talks about you a lot," he replied in his sweet, childish voice, looking at me with his big innocent eyes.

I glanced at Laxmi for a moment, then turned back to Avi. "Really? What does she say about me?"

"That's not important, Prity," Laxmi interrupted, her pale, sunken cheeks suddenly turning a delicate shade of pink.

"Why, Laxmi? Let him tell me," I said, glancing at her as she looked down at the floor, a bit of shyness in her eyes. I turned back to Avi and smiled. "So, Avi, your mom gave permission. Now tell me, beta."

"She says that you are really good, that you two were really close friends, and cared for each other. That those were the beautiful years of her life. That it was all her fault. That she still l—" but before he could finish, Laxmi cut him off.

"Okay, okay, beta. Now come here to me, let me open your tie. It's really hot today, right?" she said, avoiding my eyes as her cheeks turned from pink to cherry red.

"Well, I can do that for you," I said, gently untying Avi's small necktie as he sat calmly on the sofa, looking around.

"But my little gentleman, how did you get this scar on your knee?" I asked, eyeing his bandaged right knee.

"Actually, a few days ago, I accidentally spilled paint on Dad's favourite t-shirt. He got really angry and beat me. That's when I fell and got this scar," Avi said in his most innocent voice, looking down at his little feet with a sad pout.

For a moment, my eyes flared with anger, but I quickly controlled myself and spoke in a sweet voice, "Are you sad because your dad beat you?" Avi gave a small nod in reply.