Chapter 1

He heard the car tyres screech and the door slam before she came striding in. She looked furious and it was the first time he heard her swear and as usual she went to her room and locked herself in. This was happening for a fortnight and Dileep sitting on the sofa could no longer see his mother suffer which prompted him to pick ip the diary and skin its pages.

On finding the desired number he dialled and the wait was tormenting before Shyla his mother’s friend picked up the phone.

“It’s Dileep,” he said with a sigh of relief.

“How are you my boy?” asked Shyla.

“I am fine, can I speak to you,” he asked.

“You are lucky to have caught me. I was about to leave,” she replied.

“It’s about mother, did she talk to you?” he asked.

“No what’s wrong with her,” she alleged.

“For a fortnight she has looked stressed and stays locked in her room. She comes out only when it’s very essential and even then she evades me. Sometimes she howls at me and today I heard her mouth bad words.” Said Dileep.

“Perhaps it’s the tension of her workload,” she replied.

“May be, but she does not speak to me about it. I think it’s something different which is bothering her and you know about father,” he said.

“Yes I know the idiot left her almost a year ago,” saying it she suddenly stopped as she recalled Megha speaking about her boss passing lewd remarks and making passes at her. She had said that he had become bolder since he came to know her husband had left her. How could she say this to him? He may become furious and make a wrong move.

Changing course, she asked “How is your business going, can you support her?”

“Very comfortably,” he replied.

“Then see that she quits the job.”

“Fine, is it not a fact that he left her for another woman?” he asked.

“Yes a woman half his age,” and thinking deeply “You know how women feel when they are cheated, they are depressed and find fault with themselves, but your mother is a very strong, stubborn lady and I think she needs some companionship.”

“How can I help when she does not speak to Me.” he said.

“You know as she feels very lonely she needs someone to rely upon,” she said.

“Can I be of any help to her?” he asked.

“You can, provided you understand what her needs are.” She said softly.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

Taking a deep breath she said. “You know how women are. They don’t want their weaknesses to be out. Your mother is trying to wrap things under her belt and you have to pull them out.”

“Sorry I don’t get you,” he replied.

“You know women need company of a strong man who commands her and at the same time respects her. They have many weaknesses which they hide behind their saris. Your mother is one of them and you have to win her over.” She added.

“But how,” he asked anxiously.

“Be the man she is looking for, be the man of the house, own her.”

“How is it possible? Will it not hurt her ego?” he uttered.

“Yes and see that her ego is not hurt,” she replied.

“What do I have to do?” he asked softly.

“Are you not 22 years old?” she shot the question.

“Yes,” he answered tamely.

“Does she not wear saris?”

“Yes, she does.”

“Did I not say she hides her feelings behind her sari?”

“Yes, you did.”

“Then Lift her Sari,” saying it she disconnected the call.

Dileep was stunned on hearing those words. He could not believe what he had heard. Did she really mean it? The words kept ringing in his mind Is it possible, he kept wondering and not getting an answer he laid back on the sofa. He still had the receiver in his hand when his mother came and woke him for dinner.

Having finished his dinner he went to his room and recalled the telephonic conversation numerous times till sleep took over.

Next morning he did not find his mother in the kitchen which was quite unusual. Having brewed coffee he waited for her to come but still there was no sign of her. Many times he felt like going and knocking on her door, but decided against it. Finally he left a note to call him and left for office.

Reaching office he was disturbed. He felt he ought to have gone up and spoken to her. He waited for an hour but his phone did not ring. Pausing for a moment he rang his mother but she did not pick the phone. He thought she might be busy. Another half hour dragged by he tried again but same result prevailed. His anxiety grew and before he could ring again he got a message “not well running fever.”

Reading the message Dileep virtually ran out of office. His mother who was lying on the sofa looked pale and as he touched her hand it was burning with fever. He called the doctor.

For two days Dileep took care of his mother without moving out of her sight and on the third morning as temperature was normal, his mother said. “I will be going to office today.”

Hearing it Dileep screamed “No, you are not going to the office anymore,” and walked out of the house leaving behind a baffled Megha.

Megha was shocked on two counts. First at the anger in Dileep’s voice and second the authority in which he had uttered those words. It was the first time that he had shown maturity and this really surprised her. “Well if it is so, so it be,” saying it she felt much relieved thinking all her worries had come to an end.

Dileep returned home to see a much livelier Megha relaxing on the sofa. This made him smile at her which was reciprocated warmly. Leaning forward he placed his hand under her chin and was glad that her temperature was normal.

Two to three days passed and on the fourth morning as he placed his hand below her chin to check the temperature he was surprised to hear his mother say “I wish I would fall ill again.”

Smiling at her he shook his head.

“Why should I not, when I have you to take care of me?” she asked.

“Please don’t fall ill again,” he replied.

“Why?” she asked looking up.

Dileep became emotional as he replied. “Because I don’t want to see you suffer any more.”

Megha felt her eyes filling up. Unable to face him she got up and saying “so very thoughtful of you,” went into the kitchen.

As she walked past, Dileep’s eyes followed her and saw more of her as a woman than a mother. He wondered whether it was right. Then again thinking it was his mother’s friend who had insisted upon, he felt much relaxed.

From that moment Megha too changed. Her frowning face gave way to a smiling one and her attire which was immaculate added a few notches to her beauty. This made Dileep eye her constantly and on one occasion passed a comment on her dress which at that moment went unnoticed.

Days passed and both mother and son were pleased to be in each other’s company. Many a times Dileep passed comments on her dress which was taken sportingly by his mother.

One morning having overslept Megha was hurrying to finish cooking and in the process her sari got disarrayed and she was surprised to see Dileep’s eyes focused on the exposed part of her midriff. She stood transfixed seeing him eyeing her waistline and even a she had set it right, Dileep’s stare was glued to the spot. It was his first give away sign.

Recalling that incident and his comments on her dress made her think over again and again. It somehow brought a change in her. She started to like his comments and at times appreciated them by lifting her eyebrows which made him bolder.

Then inside the four walls of her room she used to recall the day’s proceedings and more than once felt sure that he was showing some interest in her. She felt both scary as well as new sensations creeping up. She started loving the new sensations.

One day just to test him she brought the subject of going to work again but was reprimanded so severely that her knees buckled. Regaining her posture she said ‘ sorry’ and moved away from him as the same new sensations started creeping up on being reprimanded. This was the beginning of the end.

Later as the days passed she saw a change in Dileep. He started to move around the house with authority and finalizing all decisions pertaining to the house. He made changes by having the whole house re-painted and re-furnished. He tried to remove all such things which would bring back the memories of his father and at the same time took good care of her.

Megha was enchanted. She loved all his work and went a step forward to take good care of him. She took care of his wardrobe; she kept everything ready for him. Slowly but surely she devoted her time to see he had not to lift a finger to get the things he wanted.

During the time he was out she used to sit and recap all minor incidences which had taken place and tried to debate them in her mind. Every time she found things had moved a shade further. Usually it was his comments on her dress that drew her attention as he used to eye her body while passing them. Gradually from her style of dressing it went on to the style of doing her hair. It was here that Megha found it easy to draw him to her as she kept changing her hairstyles. Dileep too felt she was gradually loosening up but he knew that she was one strong lady.

On one occasion as Megha had done her hair in a bun Dileep moved behind to have a closer look and it was there that his eyes drifted down to her curvaceous back which was left open and he could not pullback his gaze in time. His eyes had got glued on the strip of bare flesh and Megha standing in front of the mirror saw him ogling at her exposed back.