I'm sure you’ve had some friends in life who seemed to be saints and you’d swear to protect each other with your lives, take oaths of never leaving their side and then, BOOM! You ‘d suddenly find out that your success has turned them into not at all safe chlorophyllus creatures.
Not bragging, but back in school, I was one of the model students. Teachers loved me, my parents were never disappointed on Report Card days and till date, I have not a single silver medal from all the competitions I ever took part into. Too much gold glittered even more and blinded my slightly mediocre friends into hating me.
One of them was Meghna. Why and how we sworn to kill each other from being sisters, that’s not relevant, but what she did to undermine me is. One fine evening, when we had consoled our Chemistry tutor for a free period and a large group of tuition buddies were playing together, she suddenly addressed me : “Um... Arunika, do you have a Mama?”
She knew I didn’t, but I replied neverthelss. Then, with great satisfaction in her eyes and purest innocence in her voice, she dropped the bomb: “Then who was the guy I saw her at Gariahat Pantaloons today?”
I knew mom was going for shopping after work today, but she hadn’t told me that she’ll have a companion. Usually she shopped with me and no one else.
Mumbling something in reply to Meghna’s question, I made an excuse and returned to my borrowed copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
When I returned home, mom showed me her purchases but didn’t mention any guy. I took a step ahead and asked her whether she’d seen Meghna. Her reply was in the affirmative, which made me suspicious about her actions for the first time. When she went to the washroom, I checked her phone. She was a selfie addict, so I knew that there must be atleast one selfie.
I didn’t expect what I saw. There she was, standing in front of the Valentine’s day decorations, hugging Kunal uncle, her old colleague and friend, both of them holding a Mr. and Mrs. Valentine placard together.
That is when I knew my mother lost one quality I had always respected her for: honesty.
Ever since I was a kid, honesty and the courage to say the truth was imbibed into me by her. Over the years, this lead to my habit of admitting and taking full responsibility of any thing I was guilty of, knowingly, and unknowingly as well.
Later that night, I asked her, “Mumma, I am the one who choses colours for you. How did yiu manage today without me? “
Without a trace of guilt on her face, she said “Aah... I asked the assistants to help me out.”
From that instant, I knew one thing very clearly:
I need to keep Pops alive.
Why? Because I knew he’d never divorce her, (poor guy didn’t want that when his daughter gets married, she’d be persecuted by in-laws for coming from a "broken family") and my mom can do anything to achieve her desireable object.
My life was going to be completely messed up for ever. Only I didn’t know it back then.
(Do let your opinions flow about this installment of My Mother's Boyfriends)
Continue reading: https://www.launchora.com/story/my-mo-rs-boyfriends-2-all-hide-and-no-seek