The grey canvas

✒Something from the past (3) continues

**This chapter's title is not exactly the same as the previous one. So don't skip it, assuming it to be a repetition.**

Miscellaneous diaries...

My city remained the same.

That same old ambience, that same old essence, that same old laziness, that same old love.... I was happy to be back to my city.

Ah! I missed Kolkata man!!

Only God knew how did I spend six major years of my life in that foreign city!!!

Delhi. Period.

Now that I was back, I couldn't wait longer to rush to my house. I had to see mom, immediately. I had to see that suprised expression on her face when she was going to find me at the doorstep of that house. I hadn't informed her while coming back. It was going to be a surprise. I hoped mom liked it.

I couldn't suppress my smile at all while travelling the way from airport to home.

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Mom's expression was priceless.

When she opened the door and saw me, she stood at place dumb for the next few seconds, her eyes being pushed out of their sockets in shock and surprise.
She pulled me in a bear hug upon overcoming that shock.

"Why dint you tell me that you were coming back?" She chided affectionately.

-"Had I told you before, would your expressions still been the same?" I smiled in in her hairs. "Will you now let me enter? Or am I supposed to stay here only??" I asked pointing towards the door.

"Idiot!" She murmured and held my arm to drag me in.

The house felt much peaceful in dad's absence. Yes, he was absent becoz he was dead. Two years back he died and I felt like I was the happiest person on this planet. Not everyone's prayers get fulfilled afterall.

I smiled to myself and hugged mom sideways.

-"I am happy." I said.

"I know." She patted my cheek. She had already understood everything.

Mom cooked all my favourite dishes that day. It felt so good to have those delicious foods from her hands. It was such a relief. The hostel's food had beaten the shit out of me in these five years!

Later in the evening, we mother-son duo went to have panipuri at a nearby stall.
Needless to say, Kolkata's panipuri (read 'fuchka') is always the best!!

The day went well overall. It soon rolled into the darkness of night.

Little did I know that the night was going to be darker than imagined..

The lashes of both my eyes were not ready to mingle at all. I stayed wide awake till midnight and kept changing sides. But I still failed to gather sleep upon my tired eyelids. Frustrated, I got up from bed and left for mom's room downstairs.

The floor was dark and the door of mom's room was almost closed. It was so silent everywhere that I wandered whether to disturb her at this hour or not.