Under My Body

chapter twenty-three

       Amma is here.

My mother is here. Why is she here? What's with everyone coming to Toronto these days? First Derek and now my amma. Who's next? My entire family of forty people? Muruga, I sighed internally, feeling the weight of this situation sinking in fast.

Xavier and I made it home in less than ten minutes. He drove like we were in an F1 race, weaving through traffic as if the fate of the world depended on it. Which, in a way, it did—for both of us. If I had to face my amma unprepared, without even knowing she was coming, it wouldn't be pretty. Xavier was well aware of that. That's why, as soon as he got the news from his mother, Penny, he had wasted no time searching for me at the beach.

"She said, 'Vili's mother is here. She wants to surprise her. Don't tell Vili,'" he explained, glancing at me from the corner of his eye as we sped along the road.

"Right, because a surprise from my mother is never just a surprise," I muttered sarcastically, tugging my seatbelt tighter. "It's a whole ordeal."

Xavier chuckled but quickly turned serious. "Exactly why I had to tell you. I know how she is. If I kept this from you and just let her ambush you, you'd probably murder me in my sleep."

I shot him a dry look. "Not probably, Xav. Definitely."

He smirked but stayed quiet after that, his focus on the road. I could feel the tension building in the car. The closer we got to his place, the faster my heart raced. I hadn't seen my amma in months, and while I loved her... well, her unexpected visits always came with layers of judgment, guilt trips, and plenty of drama. The last thing I needed, especially after the day I'd had.

By the time we pulled up in front of Xavier's house, my nerves were a mess. I stood on the porch, staring at the door, my heart pounding so loud I swear the neighbors could probably hear it. Xavier placed his hands on my shoulders from behind, giving them a firm but comforting squeeze.

"You're okay, V. She's just here because she misses you," he said, his voice gentle, though I could tell he didn't fully believe what he was saying. He knew exactly what my amma was capable of.

I turned and gave him a look—one of those "You can't be serious" looks. He grinned sheepishly, his hands still on my shoulders.

"Okay, yeah, she's probably here for more than just that," he admitted with a half-laugh. "But you got this."

With one last deep breath, I reached for the door and stepped inside. The smell of freshly brewed tea wafted through the air, and my eyes instantly landed on my her, sitting on the couch with Penny. She had a cup of tea in her hands, her legs crossed elegantly, and she was laughing—actually laughing—with Penny like they were old friends.

And then she saw me.

Her eyes lit up the moment they met mine, her smile growing wider as she set the cup down and stood up, arms open.