When I came back home, I was greeted by the creek of the front door and a lousy "hey dad" from my perpetually tired teenage boy. I ran my hand through his hair and he shuddered like a wet puppy. Pretty routine for the both of us. Then, I inquired about Madhu out of habit.
"Where's your mother?" I propped my hips on the arms of his chair and pressed down until I fell into the space between him and the plush cushion. I squished his body enough to make him angry. Annoyed at my mundane tingling and perhaps too familiar with it to retaliate, he shifted to the empty couch without a word.
"Grow up dad!" he whispered after a minute of contemplating. I laughed amusingly because I saw it coming. Our little fights, our small talk were too comforting not to skip even on the bad days.
"Your mum, kiddo? I asked about her, remember?"
He slapped my wrist and signed that I turn down my volume. The boy was sensitive when it came to his mother. Always on her guard, trying to shield any distractions that would pull her away from work.
"Like always, slouched on the kitchen island, eyes glued to her tablet, one hand typing away at light speed, and the other clutching on to the now cold instant coffee", he answered and then went back to reading whatever science book his mother assigned as homework. The boy is going places, I tell you. He is the kind of smart only his mother knows how to handle. Only she can keep him on his toes when a man like me would have given up twice over.
"I'll go see her for a bit". I took off my coat and aimed at his forehead. He rolled his eyes as he slipped it off his head.
"Stop ruining my life, dad!" he yelled like the frustrated teen he was. It is always moments like this that I realize my child is growing up. No longer a boy, not yet a man. He's at an age where he needs direction. I know very well he wouldn't take it from me when he has his mother available. But atleast I could be around if ever I tried.
I entered the kitchen and saw Madhu knee deep in work. Her back was pushed against the faucet, her feet covering the oven door. With furrowed brows, she stared deep into the emptiness of the air. Suddenly, her tablet rang, in what one can only assume was a alarm tone, and she returned back to real life. She took a minute to squint the sleep out of her eyes, sipped on the I-could-just-tell-it-was-spoiled coffee, and resumed working.
"Good evening honey". I reached out to massage her neck but she caught my hand mid-air and redirected it to the microwave nearby.
"There's food inside. Just heat it up please". She acted as if there was nothing wrong. As if we never aired our dirty laundry for the world to see. As if...
"Hey mum?" the kid asked with equal parts worry and mock enthusiasm.
"Yes child"
He pulled her shoulders in for embrace. Then, with worried eyes he asked, "Did something happen at work?"
She turned toward me accusingly.
"What? I had no hand in this. He must have hacked into the security system on his own". I put my hands in the air and backed away from the now heated room.
"Really?" she looked at him in disbelief. "I am rather impressed. I'd made this one foolproof".
"That's my boy!" I butt in as soon as I saw a chance.
"Mum, dad. I did not hack into the internet locks. I still cannot search for your or dad's name. It's just that my friends have been texting me, asking if you're okay. So I figured something must be wrong".
She immediately nodded in a negative, warning me of the impending consequences if I spilled the beans.
"You've got your old folks to worry about that kid. You just eat, poop, and sleep". She fiddled with his hair and amazingly, he let her. That made me think, what does this boy have against me? Such a mummy-sider.
A minute later, she was back to work and he gently refilled her empty mug with a fresh brew of Columbian coffee.
"Work hard, Madhu!" he whispered too soft to be noticed and left. A smile lingering on her lips, she took turns sipping on her drink and skimming through the code sheet he'd slipped in her hand.
"It's good Arjun", she called after him. "Good for a boy your age but you got a long way to go. Try again, and only come back when you can rival my work".
He almost smiled for a minute but then decided against it. Dragging his feet across the floor the 14 going on 15 boy expressed his disappointment with his overachiever mother. My eyes tried to meet hers but I shied away quickly. This much happiness was enough. Having captured their little world in my heart, I could go back to the ruthless corporate a content man.
"Stay", one call from her stopped me in my tracks "...if you like".
"No, I just came for a change of air. Stay? Madhu, I would never insult you like that". I contemplated how much presence had become burden, a sad reminder of her past. I realized I was her lifelong mistake.
Pushpa Impossible
CID
1