Page 45 of Strictly Solo
“What’s going on with you?” she asked as she approached Naina. “You look like you’re blushing over something... or someone.”
Naina quickly snapped out of her thoughts, her cheeks flushing even more. “What? No, nothing’s going on between us,” she stammered, trying to sound casual. “You’re overthinking, Suman.”
Suman’s smile widened as she let out a small laugh. “I never mentioned anyone specific, Naina. But since you brought it up, is Ruhaan the reason for this cute blush of yours this morning?”
Naina quickly turned away, pretending to focus on the tea. “Stop it!” she protested, giving Suman a gentle push, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Suman, however, wasn’t one to let go so easily. “So, did anything happen between you two?” she pressed, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.
But Naina tried to evade the question. “Nothing happened. You’re just imagining things.”
Suman was about to tease her further when Kaushalya walked into the kitchen, pressing her temple as if trying to ward off a headache. Her expression was pinched, and her mood seemed as stormy as the weather outside.
“Suman,” she said, her voice laced with irritation, “I have a terrible headache. Could you make me some strong tea with ginger, if possible?”
Suman nodded, offering a sympathetic smile. “Of course, Aunty. But you know what? Naina makes the best ginger tea. She’s an expert at it. Once you have it, your headache will be gone in no time.”
Kaushalya’s eyes flicked to Naina, her expression hardening slightly. It was clear that the older woman wasn’t exactly thrilled to have Naina making her tea, especially after what she had witnessed the previous night. But before she could say anything, Suman’s daughter called out from the living room, and she excused herself, leaving Naina and Kaushalya alone in the kitchen.
Naina continued to prepare the tea, adding the ginger, feeling the older woman’s gaze on her, heavy with judgment.
Finally, Kaushalya broke the silence.
“If you knew how to make the best ginger tea for curing headaches, why didn’t you make some for yourself last night? Why bother Ruhaan to take you out to the medical store?”
Naina stilled, realizing Ruhaan must have fabricated that story to explain why they were out so late. She hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully.
“I didn’t ask Ruhaan to come along,” she replied evenly. “He offered his help, and I didn’t see a reason to refuse.”
Kaushalya’s frown deepened.
“Aunty,” Naina continued, keeping her tone respectful but firm, “I understand your concerns, but Ruhaan is an adult. He’s capable of making his own decisions. Maybe it’s time to let him choose what he wants, without interference.”
Kaushalya’s eyes flashed with anger.
“And what about you, Naina?” she shot back with bitterness. “Ifyourson, Neil, decides to make his own decisions someday, especially the wrong ones, will you just step back and let him? It’s easy to say these things, but much harder to live by them.”
The words were a reminder for Naina of the challenges Kaushalya faced as a mother. But she knew that this wasn’t just about parenting. It was about Kaushalya’s fear of losing control, of seeing her son make choices that she didn’t approve of.
Before Naina could respond, Kaushalya turned on her heel and walked out of the kitchen. Naina watched her go, with empathy. She understood Kaushalya’s protectiveness, but she also knew that Ruhaan needed the freedom to live his life on his terms.
***************
A while later, Ruhaan noticed his mother sitting on the couch, sipping ginger tea and pressing her temples. He had come to know from Suman that the tea had been made by Naina to cure his mother’s headache. Seeing his mother in discomfort, he immediately went to her and sat down beside her.
“Mom, can I massage your head?” he offered.
Kaushalya shook her head as a scowl deepened on her face. “No. You’ve done enough. This headache is all because of you,” she snapped.
His brows furrowed, knowing where this was headed. “Mom, you know I never want to upset you. What’s really bothering you?”
But Kaushalya wasn’t in the mood to be placated.
“You always bother me by going against my wishes,” she blurted out, her voice rising slightly. “You know how much it upsets me when you spend time with Naina, yet you do nothing to distance yourself from her. Everywhere I look, you’re with her. I really wish I hadn’t coaxed you into coming here for this event. If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t have met her again, and all of this could have been avoided.”
Ruhaan was annoyed but bit back a retort. He knew that arguing would only worsen his mother’s headache, and part of him understood that her concerns stemmed from a place of care, albeit misguided.
Before he could find the right words to respond, they were interrupted by a small, cheerful voice. Neil had wandered into the room and immediately sensed the tension between Ruhaan and Kaushalya. Seeing Kaushalya scolding Ruhaan, the little boy decided to step in.
