Fateh didn't know how Tejo would take the news, but Tejo hadn't even bat an eyelid. She had simply nodded and then excused herself.
Fateh always knew Tejo was strong, a brave soul she is. Years later when he had seen Tejo he couldn't have felt a deeper sense of longing in him. He wanted her back, he needed her but he hadn't said anymore than apologies.
He had seen the way her eyes lit up around her now husband. The way her face glowed when talking about her work and life. He couldn't mess this up for her, he wouldn't spoil this for her.
After all he had put her through he owed it to her. And so for the first time he was selfless in love. For the first time he chose her happiness over his own. He for the first time placed her needs above his and for the first time he experienced what it meant to sacrifice.
Tejo on the other hand sat curled up on the floor clutching a box to her chest. The letters lay scattered on the floor. All 13 of them. But one in particular was placed on her lap. It was the last one she wrote, but also the most difficult of them all.
Carefully Tejo picked the letter up and read through it again.
Ma,
I was only 13 months when I called out to you. Though I don't remember I know how you described it to me. How there was this sense of pride that 'ma' was the first word I ever uttered. There was this joy that encompassed you when you narrated this instance.
I still remember being 7, shivering all night from a fever. You were there, tirelessly tending to me. Repeatedly replacing the wet cloth on my forehead. The fear, the pain all of it evident on your face. You hadn't left my bedside for 18 hours. Not until the fever came down. You spent it all without a wink of sleep to make sure I was all right.
And then I was 13 when I came to you crying. Bawling my eyes out for getting a B on my test. It was only you who had been able to calm me down. You had proceeded to make my favourite pyaaz ke paraathe and while you fed them to me it was you who had told me about failures. It was you who made me realise the power of failures. It was you who had taught me that one shouldn't give up for the fear of failure but fight to overcome failure.
The last of it was when I was 17, in the middle of finals, studying through the night to graduate top of the class. As my eyes started to droop you were there with a warm glass of milk running your hand through my hair. It was the small tender touch and the small words of encouragement that had pushed me for the rest of the night.
I know ma ke kabhi favourite bacche nahi hote but I was your favourite child. At least for the first 18 years. Then came that day, in the room where no one was willing to listen, not even Papa, I had searched for your eyes...there was that one tiny flicker of hope that you wouldn't betray me. I was certain if others do not support me at least you would, but you didn't. You supported them, you insisted just like every other Sandhu in that room that I get married to Fateh.
It was the first of many blows to my faith in you, in our relationship. I still remember wrapping myself around you and crying on your shoulder. It was the day the divorce was finalised. As you comforted me, you had paused, I had seen the brief moment of hesitation before you finally asked
"Tejo puttar I know you are in pain, but I think this happened for the best nahi? Jasmine can get married to Fateh now"
The absurdity of the statement had rendered me confused for a second, but as your words sank in I recognised this was it. The fatal blow that ended the relationship we shared.
You know, it was still easy to resent Jasmine. When instead of professing his love to me, instead of saying those three magical words he had said those four words that had brought my life crashing down.
"I cheated on you"
It was tough to believe that my own sister had done this to me but the hatred flooded me automatically. It was easy to hate her, but how do I resent you? How do I unlove the mother I was born loving?
y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶d̶a̶u̶g̶h̶t̶e̶r̶,̶
Tejo
Neatly folding the letter she placed it back into the box. It hadn't surprised Tejo that she had felt no remorse, no guilt, no pain at the loss of her mother. Had she become evil? No. Had she become cold hearted? No. But had she come to unlove? Yes.
END