Aarti, twenty years old, stood in her kitchen by the counter where her mother, Priya, had gone for a shower having done with her household chores for the day. She could hear the sound of water from the adjacent bathroom. Aarti always admired her mother, who was in her forties.
One of the interesting things that Aarti had just started admiring about her mother is that her tattoos, she has a few of them all over her body.
Priya came out of the bathroom after a few minutes wrapped herself in a white towel and approached the living area. Her tattoos were more visible now as the towel covered only up to her mid thighs and she was bare on her shoulders above her chest.
Priya had a large mandala on her back which stretched down. There was also a lotus on her chest just above the heart and another large onez which is a peacock on her thigh. She also had a crescent moon somewhere around her thighs and above as long as what the towel had revealed.
"Aarti, I can see how you are staring at my tattoos. Haven't you seen them before as well?" asked Priya as she was wiping her hair with another towel.
Aarti blushed in embarrassment.
"Yes Amma Ibhave seen but you know you look different and beautiful." she said.
Priya smiled as she sat down on the couch nearby.
"Each tattoo has a story Aarti. You know, they build my life together. The lotus you see in my chest, it is about growth and the difficulties related to growth. The peacock is for freedom and the crescent moon on my bum is about how mysterious a woman can be." Priya explained to her daughter.
"Can I touch them?" Aarti asked.
"Of course, Aarti, these are part of me and who I am as a person.."
Aarti reached out and her fingers caressed the edge of the lotus on her mother's chest. Next, Aarti moved lower, caressing the peacock tattoo on her mother's thigh which made Priya close her eyes a bit.
Aarti moved further, her fingers now caressing the crescent moon above Priya's thighs on the back.
Priya turned around and wrapped her arms around Aarti.
"You know, these tattoos aren't just marks. They remind me of my strength."
"I think I understand Amma, they are beautiful." Aarti whispered.
"By the way Aarti, have you ever thought about whether you want to carry them with you?" Priya asked.
"I can help you where you also can have the same tattoos that I have, in the very exact places."
Aarti's heart started beating fast at Priya's sudden suggestion.
"Yes Amma," Aarti replied after taking a few moments to think over it.
"I had learnt how to do them myself Aarti. I can do yours too." Priya suggested further.
Aarti nodded.
Without a warning, Priya untied the towel and stepped out of the towel. It fell on the floor as Priya stood naked in front of her daughter naked, with all her tattoos on full display now. Aarti gazed at her mother with a bit of shyness. Priya, still naked, led Aarti to one of the bedrooms.
"Take off your clothes Aarti" she said.
Aarti was feeling vulnerable but started getting rid of her clothes. She stepped out of the kurti top she wore and stood in her bra and leggings, before peeling down her leggins gully. She stood in her cotton bra and panties, and Priya didn't bother to ask her daughter to take them off as well now. Priya made Aarti lie down on a fresh clean towel on the bed and brought the tattoo machine.
Aarti lay down on the soft mat, her back exposed, her body still warm from the afternoon sun. Priya moved behind her, her hands steady as she prepared to begin. She gently wiped Aarti's back with a soft cloth, cleaning the area where the mandala would be inked. As she did so, she looked at her daughter, the love in her eyes shining through.
"Are you ready, Aarti?" Priya asked.
Aarti nodded.
