The Enchantress | COMPLETE | AbhiGya Fiction

Epilogue : Survival is a Choice

15 years later

Aadi:

I could feel a rush of excitement while I was driving today; all these years of hard work had finally paid off. It was my first day at work, my first job ever; I had cracked a top notch multinational, strategic consulting firm, I was joining them today as a consultant; this was my big dream, and it had come true after immense amount of hard work and grit. As I was absentmindedly tapping my finger to the rhythm of the music coming from my music player, the music suddenly stopped; I glanced at the screen and rolled my eyes.

[Call incoming: Mom]

Sighing internally I adjusted the volume of my Bluetooth set and received the call. How'd I think, she'd let me be at peace; after all it was an important day in my life, my mother dearest absolutely had to ruin it.

"Yes, mom" I spoke reluctantly. She seemed surprised.

"Oh, you received. I was going to leave you a text, didn't want to disturb you...um but then I thought let me try once, what if you receive it. Guess it is my lucky day" my mother spoke softly on the phone. Any person eavesdropping into this conversation would already start judging me; after all I was acting pricey to the honey coated voice of what seemed to be an absolutely delightful mother; no one could be mistaken more.

"Why'd you call, mom?" I asked again, trying to wrap this conversation at the earliest.

"To wish you beta; I mean, today is your first day at work! After all the hard work, the difficulties...." she was about to continue with her barrage of adjectives that seemed to work on her manuscripts, as each became famously published works of literature over the years; but I cut her short; no one knew it more than me, her words were as beautiful and hollow as her, my mother, Mrs. Pragya Shrivastav.

"Thanks mom. Okay, I got to rush now" I replied quickly, and was about to hang up when she spoke again; I clenched my jaw in irritation.

"One second, beta" she pleaded.

"What now?" I asked, not bothering to mask my irritation.

"Abhi uncle would like to wish you too; hang on I will..." she couldn't finish her statement again, as I interrupted one more time with more determination this time.

"Listen mom, I really need to go now; thank him on my behalf" I hurriedly finished what I had to say, and before she could respond, I disconnected the call with a sigh of relief. As I drove on, I stared at the screen for few more seconds, anticipating she might call back, but she didn't; little mercies, I smiled to myself, but my mood for the day was ruined.

My mother manages to ruin my mood on every single happy occasion, I have noticed; she does it effortlessly, just by calling, or showing up, or making a dish to please me or worse, trying to make me engage in a conversation with Abhi uncle; and what infuriates me is, every time Abhi uncle flashes his teeth and tries to make an effort to pull me close. What does he think, what he couldn't manage in the last fifteen years, that would happen suddenly, one fine day? Honestly speaking, I don't blame Abhi uncle as much; why should I? Who is he to me? How can I expect anything off him; but my mother?

What mother chooses her 'boyfriend' over her family? She had me, she had my father, and we loved her, but that was not enough; she needed to string along Abhi uncle too! One may judge me for being harsh on my mother, but have you ever been pranked in school because of your mother's misdeeds? Have you ever seen your mother juggling between two men while she is trying to raise you? You didn't right, so you'd probably not get my point of view. My mother of course provided a very 'noble' reason to me, justifying her deeds, when I questioned her in my adolescence; apparently, it was a sacrifice she did for me. So, I had the love of both parents; but she never realised, she went overboard when she tried smothering me with the love of, not two but two and half parents; my father, her and her boyfriend.