Mother and Son

Hridhaan was sitting outside in the garden lost in his thoughts.

A whole week had passed, it could be compared to the black night for him. Things had changed between Hridhaan and Nisha, they were not in good talking terms. And this hindered Hridhaan, he knew that he had messed up and that too big this time.

He had become restless, he couldn't stop thinking about that day. And nowadays he was smoking more than his limit.

Shilpa, Hridhaan's mother saw Hridhaan outside in the garden sitting, she took this opportunity to have a conversation with him as she had seen him so troubled for these past few days.

Hridhaan was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't acknowledge his mother's presence next to him. She put her hand on his shoulder and slowly called out his name, "Hridhaan?"

Hridhaan who was lost in his thoughts snapped out from it and looked startled in the direction of the voice. He looked at his mother and hadn't said a word.

There was silence for a couple of seconds until his mother broke it.

"How are you, Hridhaan?"

He was honestly puzzled, why was his mother asking him this question?

But regardless he answered her. "I am fine. Thank you."

And how are you, Mother?"

"Good."

"And what are you doing here outside at this hour, Mother?" He couldn't help asking this question that had come up in his mind the moment he had acknowledged her next to him.

"You know I can ask you the same right?" His mother said while flashing a sweet smile to him.

He nodded only. He was in no mood for a conversation, he just wanted to be left alone.

Shilpa didn't want to beat the bush around and asked him what she wanted to ask. "Why are you so troubled, Hridhaan? Why do I see in those eyes of yours restlessness?"

Hridhaan was stunned as his mother raised those questions. Was he so easy to read? He thought in himself. He ran his fingers through his hair before answering.

"Mom it's fine, there is nothing." He said nonchalantly while avoiding eye contact.

"Fine?" His mother air quoted 'fine' while asking. "Hridhaan do you think I am a fool? I have been seeing you for these past few these and you have this restlessness in your eyes. I am asking you these questions because I am concerned and I want to know what is happening in your life so that I can help you if you need me. I can't leave you like this."

"Would you mind sharing it with me?" His mother asked.

Hridhaan pondered on this for a while. He needed someone with whom he could talk because he was getting frustrated with all these thoughts that were locked in his mind.

His mother waited patiently for him. She couldn't see him like this suffering, she wanted to help him and if he needed it she would help him.

After a lot of debating in himself, Hridhaan finally opened up. He told her everything that has been happening with him and what he felt. Shilpa was listening to him patiently.

When Hridhaan was done telling her everything, there was silence but he felt very good from within.

"You rejected her but why? Nisha is a good girl I like her and the best thing is that you love her, then why?"

"Mom loving her is not a problem, the thing is I can't marry her. Because anything can happen and I don't want to ruin us by marrying each other."

"And why do you think you will ruin 'us' by marrying?"

"Mom I don't want to say this but you and dad are an example. I don't mean to hurt you, but this is what I feel mom. Your failed marriage scares me. I have to witness every day a piece of this failed marriage. I am not blaming or anything like that, it is just what I feel that is on my lips." He said honestly to her.

She was stunned by his bluntness. She always knew that he didn't beat around the bush if he needed to say something he would do it. She felt bad the way he said it so bluntly but was happy that he opened up to her.

"Hridhaan, I may not be the best mother to you, and my marriage not a good example for you, but what I would love to say is that every relationship has its difference, your dad and my relationship are different and so are Nisha and yours. Don't compare it with ours, Hridhaan." She said softly to him with so much warmth in her voice.

"I have been so caught up in my marriage that I haven't paid attention around me. I never came to talk or say anything and that makes me feel so bad. I wish I had done it so that today you did not have to witness such a thing."

Hridhaan felt bad for being so straightforward. He took hold of his mother's hand and squeezed it. "I am sorry." He said lowly.

"Don't be."

"I just want to say one thing, don't let your dad and my marriage get to you. Every marriage is different it is not the same."

"You don't need perfect couple examples in your life for you to decide for marriage. It is you who needs to look at it differently. Don't look or search for it with the same perspective, look at it differently with a new perspective. Do it and maybe somewhere along you will get your answers." His mother said with love and kindness to him.

There was a long comfortable silence between them none of them had spoken a word to each other, both were lost in their thoughts.

His mother finally broke the silence, "I am very sorry that you have to go through this battle against marriage with Nisha and yourself. I am sorry that your father and I are somewhere the reason for this. I know my sorry is not enough." She said with her head bowed down in shame.

Hridhaan hadn't said a word, he just squeezed his mother's hand.