The life of a withering flower [COMPLETED ✔️]

Chapter 5

It was a Sunday morning. Waking up to clinking vessels in the kitchen and the morning news on TV in the background, was something quite common for me.

"Good morning, mom", I greeted her as I made my way to the fridge.

"Good morning. I thought of making your favourite aloo parathas for breakfast", she chimed.

She has always been like this. She has always managed to smile through the endless shifts of work.

"Are you doing fine?", I asked mom.

"Umm... Yeah. It's just for a matter of time till your dad comes back. Then we can have picnics and movie nights and relaxing weekends", mom said. She dreamt too hard. No matter Bhaiya and I dreamt that hard too. We never saw ahead. We never saw what would happen if they shattered.

"I see", I nodded as I sat on the table.

"Here", mom placed a mouth-watering aloo paratha in front of me.

From a family of four, we had reduced to mere strangers. We had no little idea of what was going in each other's lives. Everyone was busy for his/her own reasons. Mom desperately wanted me not to be lonely, which is why, she often pulled up stunts as such.

Today, she was finally here and I didn't want to leave her alone, now. Even if it's for a second more, I want to spend as much time as I can with her.

My phone rang at the table.

She called at a wrong time. I swiped right as I declined the call. She called again. I declined again.

To be frank enough, summer vacations were nearing. She must have had plans.

"Who is that?", mom cued as she brought herself in front of me.

"No one important", I replied munching on my food.

"No one is actually important until and unless you make yourself believe that they are important", she smiled.

"You are beginning to sound like dad", I commented. At this, she chuckled.

"Well.. He will be back soon", she said. Her eyes shone with hope. But mom and I both knew, that was miles away from happening. Dad won't come back.. And if he ever comes back, it is going to be 20 years ahead of time. It ain't his fault.. Or dad's fault. It was just MY fault. If I were aged enough, mom would have gone with dad to stay with bhai. Right now, he is the only considerable light of this whole family.

"Mom, I am going to my room", I informed her as I hopped from my table.

"Darshan, do you have a minute?", she asked.

"Yeah", I responded as I sat with her.

"Do you have any girl coming to our house or something?", she asked.

"Nope. Where is this coming from?", I asked.

"Well... This", she said opening her fist which had a pink girly handkerchief with a 'D' in the corner.

"This is of a friend. She dropped it in the class. I wanted to return it to her. But she had already gone out. So, I couldn't return it.", I replied.

"Ohh...", she sounded, unconvinced.

"Anyways... I never lie to you, right?", I smiled at her.

"I know", she said as she got up and planted a kiss on my forehead.

With this, I got up from my place and headed to my room.

"Ohh.. I forgot to tell you. Your dad called", she called out to me.

"Is that so? What did he say?", I asked without turning back.

"He was asking about you.", she said and I turned around to face my mom.

"Really? I thought he forgot he had a second child", I said turning back to my way.

"Darshan, he is there for himself. After so many years of doing so much for us, it's his turn to at least be happy", she said me, making me to face her.

"I am not against his happiness. It's just, he shouldn't burden the other members with responsibilities that he should be handling.", I said out, softly... But my hoarse voice made it sound like a yell.

"Darshan", mom's face lost its color as she removed her hand from my shoulders. She was disappointed. What I could do was nothing.

"Well.. Never mind... I am going back to my room", I sprinted across the hall and jumped on the stairs. I wanted to get away from everyone, as fast as I could.

I dropped my phone on the bed and allowed my body to fall on it, as well.

The discussion about dad was never easy. The discussion about dad is never easy.

At this point, my phone rang again.

It was her again. Why did she have to call whenever I am emotionally drained out?

"Hello", I said huskily into the phone. For a moment, it was silent.

"Hello", she said from the other side. Her voice was low and dropped. She was pressing her voice down, for what I suppose is not to let anyone else hear.

"Why are you whispering?", I asked.

"Umm... I am at the library, so", she lied. Yeah. I caught that. Coz you aren't allowed to use the phone in a library.

"But you aren't allowed to use the phone in a library", I said back.

"Ohh... So you caught my lie at once. What a shame. Hahaha", she jovially said, continuing to whisper.

"Anyone can catch that, dumb", I said, rolling my eyes, although, no one will see.

"Well... To the main point, I want to meet you this Friday at evening 5, sharp", she whispered again. I hate this whispering thing. But, somewhere it was calm and it felt better.

"For what?", I asked.

"You will find out", she said and I could already picture her grinning with 32 pearl white teeth.

"Never mind. I don't want to go", I said dropping to my sides.

"Aye... Don't say that. Okay listen. I have plans for the summer vacation, so", she continued whispering.

"Is that so? Okay... I will come. You better not waste my time", I said.

"Hehehehe", she giggled on the other side before dropping it dead.

One flood hasn't resided that the drought has begun to come. Hmph.

//Aye aye readers... How r u all???? //