Divulging Remorse ✔

Chapter 17

He got up, switched off the lights and gestured his mom out of the room. Putting a glance at his sleeping brother, he shut the door and moved out towards the lounge in the guest wing.

She quietly followed and sat on a sofa while Moutasim went over to the coffee station. She looked at his son, swiftly collecting stuff he needed to make coffee he was so good at. His usually stark empty face was rather lively, his eyes were absent, completely dissenting with his moves.

" You seem happy," said Kashmala, hiding a smile of her own.

He plugged in the espresso machine and added some water to preheat it, "Hmm."

She wanted to know more, "Why?"

"Nothing much," he answered rolling his eyes.

"Okay, so just being around her makes you happy without any reason, isn't it?" She had no freaking idea what she was getting herself into!

"Her, who?" He turned around and asked her, something flashed beneath his expression which hardened and went completely unnoticed by her.

She was still being jovial, "Riya, who else?"

His jaw clenched as he flung down the mug on the counter with a loud clink, some milk spilt out and splashed into the air.

Going over to her, he bawled out, "Who is Riya, Mom?! Who is she?"

Kashmala was startled at his sudden outburst, "I was only... umm joking, Moutasim. You didn't have to yell at your mother."

She looked at him wide-eyed, she was hurt, he knew it. Sighing, he knelt down in front of her, took her hands while she looked away.

"Look at me, Maa."

She shook her head and pushed his hands away, trying to get off the couch but he stopped her, "Mom, I know you like teasing me about Riya, but It gets irritating when you do this." He explained it in a subtle tone.

"I wish I could..."

He cut her in, "No, don't wish anything that's impossible."

"It hurts to see my child in pain," her eyes were turning glossy.

"What pain?"

"Forget it, you're never going to understand me."

"Explain it to me then?" He asked gently, touching her cheek.

"The pain you've been in for years, I don't even know how to get you out of it. I want to see you happy for real, Moutasim. I want you to settle down with some good job, live as you did. Have hundreds of friends and be that carefree person again, she paused, and took a deep breath, "Am I asking for too much?"

He nodded and sat up beside her, "I'm doing great, and it's all good."

"Oh, please! Very great," she mumbled, and asked, "What about your job?"

He chuckled, "You know I'm sorting it out. At a point, when I think It's finally time to quit, something or the other comes up, but give me some time, Mom, please."

"How much more time, Moutasim? You've been asking for it all along."

He closely looked at her once beautiful face which had worn away with time. She had dark circles around her eyes and lines across her forehead. It was all because of him. When she had first found that he was working in the mafia, she would stay up nights and days fretting about him. On some days, she even had severe anxiety attacks and was on heavy medication to keep her contained.