The WhatsApp Group - contd
by Preethi Warrier
(Mumbai, India)
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After what seemed like an eternity, her son barked, “ Where were you Amma, how many times did we try to contact you. The kid returned home early but there was nobody to make him some tiffin. He called you, we called you, but you never answered. How could you act so irresponsibly?”
She stopped him midway, albeit apologetically, “I am sorry, we had finished long ago. But then they started discussing the trip and it got delayed...”
“Trip?” he shouted again. “What’s the matter with you Amma? You know we are working, we leave the kid with you. And you start travelling with your friends, just like that. And who are these people who have suddenly become so important? Look Amma, we are all fed up with your endless calls, your carelessness, your reunions... I hope this non sense stops now.”
But Meera wasn’t listening any more, she barged into her room and closed the door behind her. What did they expect from her, who was she... a mother, a grandmother, a mother’s day photo opp? It was her house, her life, and she needed their permission to meet her friends? She had been listening patiently to his endless blabber since the past forty years , she had tolerated all his tantrums, she had fed him, nursed him, waited for him and he couldn’t let go for a few hours?
She wished
to blurt it all on his face, but she decided otherwise. It was ironical how children had all the right in this world to hurt their parents when and where they wanted and one word of disagreement from the parents broke them emotionally and disturbed the parents even more.
But then, was he was right after all? End of the day, who else did she have, but her family? Was it proper on her part to assert her freedom at this age? Her confused mind played games, as she tried put away her mobile phone, the sole cause of all this turmoil, and it beeped away into the night.
Lying sleepless for hours, she was tempted to check the messages, the group was flooded with photos and videos ,of those few wonder hours which had made her feel like a child again. They were zeroing in on a venue and counting the number of members for the trip.
That’s when the phone beeped again, it was Parvathy. Hadn’t she slept too, had she experienced this sort of treatment from her children as well?
Meera decided not to prod and calmly read the message.
“Are you going Meera?”
The sleepless hours had offered enough time for Meera to contemplate. The reunion had created an unexpected mayhem in her life and she had now firmly made up her mind. She typed her reply and sent it across to Parvathy and the group.
“YES.”
***