Chapter 1: A story that starts with texting

"Fuhh! Finally, I am home. Damn that train." I unlocked the door of my apartment and went inside the house.

It's already 2 in the morning and I was exhausted from the journey. I pulled my luggage inside and locked the door from inside.

I walk inside the house. It was a two-room and one-bathroom apartment. I live there with my elder sister.

I went directly to my room. I didn't want to disturb Didi this late. I quickly took a shower and put on my shorts and slammed my body on the bed.

I took my phone and saw a message notification on my messenger. I saw that it was from my mother.

Mom: "Hi Arjun, have you reached home?"

Arjun was my name. My mom was the one who gave me the name.

Me: "Hey Mom. Yeah, I just took a shower. The train was late."

Mom: "I thought so not seeing your message.

I was surprised and also happy to hear that. I knew that she loved me and didi very much."

Me: "You did not sleep all this while? It is almost 2:15 AM."

Mom: "No, Arjun. I was waiting to hear from you."

Me: "You should have slept, Mom. This is not the first time I took this train. And I told you I can get a taxi to the apartment easily."

Mom: "Yes, you did. I just wanted to make sure you reached there safely."

I smiled reading the text. She was always like this. She would worry about us when we left home every time and would feel relieved after hearing from us.

Me: "Don't worry Mom. I am a grown man now."

Mom: "Yeah you are. How is Samantha? Is she sleeping?"

Me: "Yeah, she is sleeping."

Mom: "Good, take care of her."

Me: "I will."

Mom: "I do not know why. Maybe it is because we spent the entire week together, I miss you here."

Me: "I miss you too, Mom. I don't think we have ever spent so much time together. I am glad I agreed to come with you to the wedding."

Mom: "Yeah, you always acted shy around me. Guess you have matured now."

I felt embarrassed after reading her answer. But before I replied she texted again.

Mom: "Me too, Arjun. Thank you so much. I would have felt completely lost had you not come with me."

Me: "Come on, Mom. It was your best friend's daughter's wedding. You had to attend it. I am happy you asked me to come along."

Mom: "I would not have gone alone, Arjun. There was no way I could travel on my own to Delhi. It was so relaxing for me because you came along."

Me: "I am glad I could be of help, Mom. It was a good break for me, too."

Mom: "Ramya is so happy we were there. She was sending me pictures sometime back. There is a very good photo of us with the couple. We all look great in it."

Me: "I think I already told you this. You looked beautiful, Mom."

Mom: "Yes. Yes, you did. I just wanted you to say that one more time. Hahaha!"

Me: "Well, you looked amazing for all the 3 functions. Everybody was looking at you."

Mom: "What do you mean by everybody?"

Me: "Everybody. You know!"

Mom: "I don't know."

Me: "Well, the guys. All the men in attendance were looking at you."

Mom: "And why didn't you tell me that?"

Me: "What should I have told you?"

Mom: "That, men were checking me out."

Me: "They were not checking you out, Mom. I just said men were looking at you."

Mom: "And when did you decide it is okay for random men to be looking at your mother?"

Me: "I did not say I was okay with random men looking at you."

Me: "Just tell me what would you do if I had told you?"

Mom: "I would have moved closer to you, and maybe, even held your hands. I would not have been sitting at the other end of the sofa if I knew what was happening."

Me: "And what difference will you sit close to me make?"

Mom: "They will know I have my man with me. They cannot just ogle at me like that."

Me: "Your 'Man'? I am your son. And everybody there must have noticed that immediately. I mean, you don't look old enough to be my mother. But nobody was going to think I am your husband."

Mom: "How can you be so sure?"

Me: "What are you even trying to say, Mom?"

Mom: "The staff in the hotel, they felt you were my husband. But leave that, I am just trying to say nobody would have looked at me like that if they realized I have somebody with me."

Me: "Wait. Who is in the hotel? What did they ask you?"

Mom: "The room boy! He asked me if everything was okay with the stay and if I enjoyed it with my husband."

Me: "What? When? I mean, why did he even feel that?"

Mom: "Well, apparently only couples ask for a king bed. All others prefer twin beds in the room."

Me: "And who told you that?"

Mom: "The room boy. He told me that when I said I was not there with my husband, and you were my son."

Me: "I did ask you if you wanted twin beds. You said you were okay with a big king-sized bed."

Mom: "Now, when did I say I was not okay with that? I just said the people in the hotel thought we were a couple because we had shared a bed."

Me: "And you did not get angry at him?"

Mom: "Angry? Why? He only asked me a very normal question. Room boys are trained to get feedback from the guests. I was not going to get angry at him for that."

Me: "When did he ask you this?"

Mom: "On the second day morning. He even asked me if I wanted to change rooms, to ones with twin beds."

Me: "You could have told me if you wanted to, Mom. We stayed there for two more nights after that."

Mom: "I did not want to, Arjun. I was totally fine sleeping on the same bed with you."

Me: "You did not feel you had to, even after he asked you if we were a couple, as we slept on the same bed?"

Mom: "Noo. How was that going to affect me in any way?"

Me: "You did not feel anything when he thought of me as your husband?"

Mom: "I did not mind that at all. In fact, I was excited to know people feel I am young enough to be your wife."

Me: "Maybe it's because I have never tried talking much to you. I thought something like that would upset you. But you are so cool, Mom."

Mom: "Yes, I am, Arjun. So, just relax. Okay? And you can share anything with me, Arjun. I will always be there for you. I know we were never very close, but most sons and moms are like that. They do not share everything. But let's be good friends from today."

Me: "Okay, Mom. I really appreciate you saying that. And whatever it is, you can tell me too."

Mom: "I know, Arjun. I know I can count on you."