chapter 1

"This is the most boring Valentine's Day we ever had!" Sneha said making faces at her husband Akash.     The newly wedded couple's plans for their first V-day after their marriage were spoiled by the first round of lockdown in the country and worldwide. "Let's celebrate it in a different way!" Akash's eyes sparkled as he hit upon a brilliant idea."How?" Sneha looked quizzically at him."Let's tell each other stories," Akash cuddled Sneha and kissed her. "Let's celebrate this festival of love by narrating stories of true love, passion and sacrifice. What do you say?'"Hmm..." Sneha pondered. "Not a bad idea!""Then go ahead!" Akash said munching on a mouthful of popcorn, "Ladies first.""Okay!" Senha flashed a bright smile and said, "This story was told to me by my best friend Richa. This is her mother Chentana Aunty's real-life story.""Great!" Akash rubbed his hands in excitement. "Let's have it.""The story begins with one fine morning of Chetna Aunty's life, five years ago."5 years ago - “It’s already 9o’clock!” Chetana glanced at the clock in the parlor and grimaced, “what is she doing up there? The college bus will be here any minute. She’s already late.”Chetana hurriedly poured milk into a glass and placed it on the breakfast tray.“Hurry up, Richa!” Chetana called out as she picked up the tray and rushed upstairs.    She pushed the door open and looked around with horror-filled eyes. Her jaw fell as her eyes ran through the pitiable condition in which her 18-year-old daughter’s room was. Richa’s clothes were thrown here and there throughout the room. A pile of litter smirked at Chetana from Richa’s writing desk.       Her centrally placed king-size bed was encroached upon by numerous empty cans of soft drinks and glistening magazines while her laptop and headset were pushed towards the foot end. The carpet was also dirty with stains from soft drinks, spat-out bubble gums and crumpled pieces of paper from her notebooks. Chetana felt nauseous and closed her eyes tightly as she couldn’t bear to see the bedroom that looked more like a garbage room.“How could she even live here?” Chetana complained as she opened her eyes again, “I wonder whether she is human indeed or a beast from some filthy jungle!”         Chetana pushed Richa’s books that lay strewn on her desk and placed the tray on it. She drew a deep breath and then picked up the empty cans from the bed and papers lying on the floor and thrust them into the dustbin that was already loaded with waste enough to sink a ship. She picked up Richa’s clothes and stuffed them back into her cupboard.      Then she turned towards the desk and placed her daughter’s books on the rack above it. Something fell down from the stack of books and Chetana bent down to pick it up. It was a photo album. She opened it and smiled as she saw the pictures of her beautiful daughter posing for the photograph with her gang of friends. It was from their college trip to Ooty a few months ago.“Make it fast, Richa,” Chetana called out as she heard the noise of water coming from the attached bathroom.     She sat down on the bed to have a look at the photographs while waiting for Richa to come out of the shower. She happily turned the pages of the album until one of the photographs left her utterly shocked. The picture was taken in a swimming pool. Richa and her friends were clad in a skimpy swimwear that Chetana felt was extremely vulgar.       But the thing that outraged her even more was the girls were cuddled in the arms of some boys. Chetana’s face burnt with indignation as she saw a boy’s arm tightened around Richa’s waist. She pulled out the photograph and was about to tear it to pieces when Richa came out of the bathroom.“What the hell are you doing, Mom?” Richa glared as she hurriedly snatched the photograph from Chetana.“What the hell do you think you were doing?” Chetana spat her fury on her daughter, “wearing a flimsy swimsuit…and…” Chetana hesitated and took time to gulp down her hurt, “…hugging those boys.”“They are my friends and we were only spending some time together.” Richa scowled and walked away with the album.“Are you having an affair with that boy who is hugging you in the picture?” Chetana asked as a cold sweat dripped down her face.“I told you that they all are my friends.” Richa turned arrogantly towards her mother from her dresser.“Then why was he hugging you so tightly?” Irritation was evident on Chetana’s face even though she tried hard to act calm.“Do you even know how cheap you sound, Mom?” Richa threw another one of her angry glances at her mother.“Now, tell me the truth, Richa.” Chetana raised a shaking finger at her.“What?” Richa said as she combed her hair.“Did you do ‘that’ thing with any one of those guys?” Chetana’s face was flushed and sweating out of humiliation.“Oh, you mean sex,” Richa said in a matter-of-factly way. “As I had told you they are my friends…just friends.”Chetana placed a shaking hand on her chest and heaved a sigh of relief.“But I will,” Richa added nonchalantly as she tied a band around her hair, “when I find the right guy.”“What?” Chetana felt an urge to slap her but then retaliated as she felt it was wrong to raise her hand at a grown-up girl. “How can you even think of doing such things before marriage?”“There’s nothing wrong with that, Mom.” Richa fired an impatient glance at her hysterical mother.“Nothing is wrong with that? I can’t believe you just said that!” Chetana threw her hands up in the air in utter disgust, “Are you a bloody prostitute to sleep with every man you meet?”Finally, the bund of Chetana’s patience broke and her agitation made her use words that were banned from her vocabulary. The very next moment, she regretted using those words but it was already too late.“Who are you to decide what I should do and what not?” Richa shouted, “I am not a kid any more. I am 18 and I have the right to decide what I should do with my life and my body. You have no right to poke your filthy nose in my personal matters!”“Now, I am nobody to you?” Chetana’s agonized voice was hardly audible.“Get out, right now!” Richa yelled even more frantically, “And stay out of my life.”The shock dazed her and Chetana stood rooted to the ground. She couldn’t believe that it was her own daughter who was behaving so atrociously with her.“I don’t want to see you ever again,” Richa said as she pushed Chetana out of the room and slammed the door shut in her face.*    *    *Dear readers,    Please drop reviews, likes or stickers for this part of the story. And keep watching for the next part of the story.Thank you.Â