Just A Friend?

Chapter Nighteen

Sweety paced back and forth, her phone pressed to her ear as she tried to placate her mother's bubbling fury. The tension in Ramya's voice was palpable, even over the crackling phone line.

"Ramya, I'm so sorry! Yesterday I was absolutely exhausted. I came back from the shoot and just collapsed into bed. I completely forgot to call you," Sweety said, her voice tinged with guilt.

"Oh, so sleep is more important than your mother now?" Ramya's voice simmered with indignation.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, really! I didn't mean to worry you," Sweety's tone softened, hoping to soothe her mother's irritation.

"Is your sorry supposed to make everything alright? Do you have any idea how tense I was last night? I called you nearly sixty times! Not a single response. Have you even considered how I felt? What if something had happened to you? What if something happened to me?" Ramya's voice cracked, the worry and fear making her sound close to tears.

Sweety's heart twisted with guilt as she heard her mother's fragile tone. "Oh, my sweet crybaby has turned into a volcano now! Please don't explode! I'm here now, you can hear my voice, right? If you want, I'll video call you to prove it. Please don't stress yourself out; you know you need to keep your blood pressure in check! You're not a sixteen-year-old teenager anymore, you're practically a grandmother!" Sweety teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"Shut up! I'm still as beautiful as ever," Ramya huffed, though there was a smile in her voice.

"Oh, I see! In that case, maybe I should start looking for a groom for you," Sweety quipped, her laughter bubbling over.

"Always joking, aren't you? Can't you take anything seriously?" Ramya scolded, though the warmth in her voice was unmistakable.

"Taking things too seriously only leads to pain, Ma. Life's a joke, especially mine. I feel like I'm God's favorite punchline. But you're the one person I can laugh with," Sweety's voice carried a note of melancholy that didn't go unnoticed by her mother.

Ramya understood the deeper meaning behind Sweety's words. She knew if she pressed further, it would only open old wounds that neither of them needed to revisit.

"Let's leave it at that, hmm? Have you had your breakfast?" Ramya quickly changed the subject, her voice tender.

"Yes, Ma. And you? I hope you didn't skip your medicine last night! If you did..." Sweety's voice trailed off, the concern evident.

Ramya cut her off before she could finish. "Yes, yes, I took it. Don't worry!"

Sweety's eyes narrowed with disbelief. "Really? Promise?"

"Sweety promise," Ramya replied with a reassuring smile that Sweety could hear through the phone, finally putting her daughter's worries to rest.

"Alright, Ma. I've got to go. I'm meeting Kavitha for lunch today—it's been ages since I last saw her! I still haven't even taken a bath yet!" Sweety exclaimed, the urgency in her voice playful.

"Eww, gross! You haven't bathed yet? I can practically smell you from here. Go, go! If I were there, I'd kick you straight into the bathroom," Ramya retorted, her playful scolding bringing a smile to Sweety's face.

"I miss that kick so much," Sweety's voice wavered, the emotional undercurrent impossible to ignore.

"Me too, my baby. Take care of yourself. Love you. Bye," Ramya said, her voice full of motherly affection as she hung up.

As the call ended, Sweety blinked back the tears that had formed in her eyes. The weight of longing pressed heavily on her heart. She missed her mother so much, and her uncle, Nassar, too—the two people who meant the world to her, who lived solely for her.