Page 54 of The Art of Taking Second Chances

“No. Good morning.” I walked to the coffee machine and turned it on. “Everyone’s still asleep?”

“Yes, it’s Durga’s day off. She’ll probably go see her daughter later.” She paused. “Do you want to eat? I can make paratha.”

“No, Ma, I’m not hungry. And you don’t have to cook. I can make some eggs for everyone later.”

She smiled. “Never thought I’d hear a sentence like that from you.”

We returned to reading on our phones after I settled down by her with my coffee, but I caught her stealing glances at me.

“What do you want to ask me?” I said, my eyes still on the phone.

She looked at me. “Nothing.”

“Ask. We both know you will, sooner or later.”

“How well did you know Tara when you were in Baroda?” she asked as if she was trying to frame the question just right.

I put my phone down and looked at her. “Well.”

“And?”

“What do you want to know, Ma?”

“Do you like her?” Her eyes were steady on me, as were her hands gripping the phone.

“There’s no simple answer to that.”

“It’s a yes or no question, Sameer.”

I sighed. “Yes. But it’s complicated.”

“Because of Aarti?”

“It’s not just that. Tara has been burned and doesn’t trust me.”

“What do you want?”

“I want her, Ma.” I met Mom’s eyes with conviction. “But I cannot will her to want me, can I? I also know what happens if I break it off with Aarti prematurely.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can still hear people whispering about us, Ma. About you and Dad.”

“But this isn’t about our past, beta. It’s about your future.”

“But I’m so close to making it. No one will ever dare talk down to you again.”

“What are you going on about?” Mom’s brows creased in genuine confusion.

I told her everything that had been weighing me down. “I want to give you back the life you deserve, the life Dad promised and didn’t deliver.”

“Oh, my child! Come here!” I pulled my chair closer to hers and put my head on her shoulder. “People will always talk. Haven’t you learned that yet? Even when we had everything, people talked. They talked about us behind closed doors. After it was ruined, they just found the gumption to say it to our faces. But you don’t need to carry that burden, my baby,” she said, patting my head. “That’s our burden, mine and Pavan’s. I got the life I chose. I was foolish and blinded by love. But you can’t live my life for me. You need to figure out what’s good for you, what you want.”

I pulled myself away and looked at her. She took my hand between her soft ones. “Your reaching the top, whatever that means, guarantees nothing. Not for me, and neither for you. Your father was at the top when we lost everything. You need to ask yourself, what are you chasing?”

“But I’ve worked so hard, I can see the summit. Was that all for nothing?”

“Then let’s finalize your wedding plans. Aarti said you’re dragging your feet. That will clinch it, right?”

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