Quiet Love
A CUP OF TEA
Working 6 day a week, always hurrying home to her frightened and often hungry 7 year old as he wouldn’t eat the lunch she had left on the counter, had become a norm. she smiled as she saw the child’s innocent wide eyes relieved more than happy to see her as always!
All the lights of the house switched on, she knew from 4 pm onwards!
He was afraid of dark.
She couldn’t reach before 8 however well she planned her work.
Tired, hassled and totally drained, she knew she couldn’t give in to the temptation to simply flop into the couch. A bath, the only time she doesn’t plan or fortify. Then with a cheerful smile, she hugs her innocent baby, who prattles about all the things on the earth. They go to the nearby grocery where her son picks up a orange and then puts it back and again picks it up. She enquires with just a nod, he whispers,”can we afford it?”
She is cut. “we can afford anything to eat..”
Enthused, he picks up a chocolate, to her dismay,” its not affordability, its not good for health!”
“oh” he accepts.
She points at some sea food. He brightens up. She splurges.
“At least it will take care of two square meals for the same price of the chocolate” she assuages her rational self.
She was serving her notice period. People were being laid of everywhere. This was her fourth job in last two years. Having run a SME successfully but having been foolishly WOMAN, she had never thought that the business being in her ex’s name would throw her to streets one day.
Without an alimony and without any support from parents, it was impossible to keep the financial worry from the 7 year old.
It was 10 pm by the time she had finished cooking their dinner, and his lunch for the next day. She cajoled and cheered up the kid with the cartoon and got interested in it. They ate from the same plate forgetting the real world with the cartoon. That was their ”thing” . She didn’t know any other way to keep the child awake and get him to talk. She signed as he slept off in her arms.
She prised opened her laptop and sat down to understand what all this cloud, AI and all of those stuff were about.
She had to find a job.
She had to provide for the kid?
Why was it more difficult to survive when you are a mother to an innocent baby?
She got up from the couch, held her sleeping kid and asked,” you know that I will take care of you right? Come what may, you know that mommy will provide for you and keep you safe, right?”
The child wimpered,”yes mother! Now can I sleep?”
She smiled with tears flowing through her eyes. She knew he called her “mother” when he was exasperated at his mom’s whimsical behavior.
She worked for about an hour and then snuggled among the covers.
Next day she woke just few minutes before the alarm rang, she cuddled her son till the alarm rang. With breakfast done, and snack packed, she managed to make a piping hot tea for herself. But they were just in time for the school bus. She looked wistfully at the tea, as she changed, knowing she will have to forgo her tea, yet again.
“Mom! Have your tea.” Said the small responsible voice,” I will board the bus myself. You needn’t come!”
She signed, this precious 15 minutes when she takes him from their 8th floor till the bus cost her, her morning tea as accompanying her son to the bus was the only time she had before she had to leave to her office.
She smiled ,”its ok baby! The school rules says that kids should be accompanied by adults!”
“But I am going to be 8 soon. I am a big boy” he said with a slight swag.
Later that afternoon she came home to find her son thrusting a paper.
“Sign this plz”
“Oh no! not another expense” she groaned inwardly
He smiled sensing her fears!
“Its good news. You don’t have to come in the morning to the bus.”
“What?” she questioned bewildered
“ I told the driver uncle, that my mother is alone, so she has to cook food and go to office! and that I am big boy so can I board the bus myself? He said he will see what he can do. Then while coming back he gave me this form and asked me to get your signature. So Now you can have YOUR TEA?” he pranced around!
