Hello, my Dear Readers. This is a series of text messages between Keshav and his mother, Sonam. Happy Reading!
Keshav: Hey Mom.
Sonam: Hi Keshav, have you reached?
Keshav: Yes, Mom. I just got inside my room. The train was late by an hour.
Sonam: I thought so not seeing your message.
Keshav: You did not sleep all this while? It is almost 2:00 AM.
Sonam: No, Keshav. I was waiting to hear from you.
Keshav: You should have slept, Mom. This is not the first time I took this train. And I told you I can get a taxi to the hostel easily.
Sonam: Yes, you did. I just wanted to make sure you reach there safely. I do not know why. Maybe it is because we spent the entire week together, I miss you here.
Keshav: I miss you too, Mom. I don't think we have ever spent so much time together. I am glad I agreed to come with you to the wedding.
Sonam: Me too, Keshav. Thank you so much. I would have felt completely lost had you not come with me.
Keshav: Come on, Mom. It was your best friend's daughter's wedding. You had to attend it. I am happy you asked me to come along.
Sonam: I would not have gone alone, Keshav. There was no way I could travel on my own to Delhi. It was so relaxing for me because you came along.
Keshav: I am glad I could be of help, Mom. It was a good break for me, too.
Sonam: Ramya is so happy we were there. She was sending me pictures sometime back. There is a very good photo of us with the couple. We all look great in it.
Keshav: I think I already told you this. You looked beautiful, Mom.
Sonam: Yes. Yes, you did. I just wanted you to say that one more time. Hahaha!
Keshav: Well, you looked amazing for all the 3 functions. Everybody was looking at you.
Sonam: What do you mean by everybody?
Keshav: Everybody. You know!
Sonam: I don't know.
Keshav: Well, the guys. All the men in attendance were looking at you.
Sonam: And why didn't you tell me that?
Keshav: What should I have told you?
Sonam: That men were checking me out.
Keshav: They were not checking you out, Mom. I just said men were looking at you.
Sonam: And when did you decide it is okay for random men to be looking at your mother?
Keshav: I did not say I was okay with random men looking at you. Just tell me what were you going to do if I had told you?
Sonam: I would have moved closer to you, and maybe, even held your hands. I would not have been sitting at the other end of the sofa if I knew what was happening.
Keshav: And what difference will you sit close to me make?
Sonam: They will know I have my man with me. They cannot just ogle at me like that.
Keshav: Your 'Man'? I am your son. And everybody there must have noticed that immediately. I mean, you don't look old enough to be my mother. But nobody was going to think I am your husband.
Sonam: How can you be so sure?
Keshav: What are you even trying to say, Mom?
Sonam: The staff in the hotel, they felt you were my husband. But leave that, I am just trying to say nobody would have looked at me like that if they realized I have somebody with me.
Keshav: Wait. Who in the hotel? What did they ask you?
Sonam: The room boy! He asked me if everything was okay with the stay, and if I enjoyed with my husband.
Keshav: What? When? I mean, why did he even feel that?
Sonam: Well, apparently only couples ask for a king bed. All others prefer twin beds in the room.
Keshav: And who told you that?
Sonam: The room boy. He told me that when I said I was not there with my husband, and you were my son.
Keshav: I did ask you if you wanted twin beds. You said you were okay with a big king-sized bed.
Sonam: Now, when did I say I was not okay with that. I just said the people in the hotel thought we were a couple because we had shared a bed.
Keshav: And you did not get angry at him?
Sonam: Angry? Why? He only asked me a very normal question. Room boys are trained to get feedback from the guests. I was not going to get angry at him for that.
Keshav: When did he ask you this?
Sonam: On the second day morning. He even asked me if I wanted to change rooms, to ones with twin beds.
Keshav: You could have told me if you wanted to, Mom. We stayed there for two more nights after that.
Sonam: I did not want to, Keshav. Why can't you just understand? I was totally fine sleeping on the same bed, with you.
Keshav: You did not feel you had to, even after he asked you if we were a couple, as we slept on the same bed?
Sonam: Noo. How was that going to affect me in any way?
Keshav: You did not feel anything when he thought of me as your husband?
Sonam: I did not mind that at all. In fact I was excited to know people feel I am young enough to be your wife.
Keshav: Maybe it's because I have never tried talking much to you. I thought something like that would upset you. But you are so cool, Mom.
Sonam: Yes, I am, Keshav. So, just relax. Okay? And you can share anything with me, Keshav. I will always be there for you. I know we were never very close, but most sons and moms are like that. They do not share everything. But let's be good friends from today.
Keshav: Okay, Mom. I really appreciate you saying that. And whatever it is, you can tell me.
Sonam: I know, Keshav. I know I can count on you.
Keshav: Mom. Now, tell me one thing. Were you really comfortable being in the same room with me? We have never shared rooms our whole life before this.
Sonam: I did have that at the back of my mind before we started the trip. But you made things very easy for me. I did not feel odd at all. I am happy I have raised you into a well-mannered boy.
Keshav: Great, then. I just wanted to know you felt everything was appropriate.
Sonam: But, were you comfortable, Keshav? I don't know if you always wear a t-shirt and tracks when you sleep. And you were sweating all night. It was really hot in there, even with the Air Conditioner on.
Keshav: It was a good stay for me, Mom. I was totally comfortable. But it was hot, yes. I normally have just my boxers on, when I sleep. The clothes would not have been a problem if it wasn't this hot.
Sonam: You could have just slept in your boxers, Keshav. I was not going to have an issue with that. Seriously.
Keshav: I know, Mom. But I just wanted to make sure both of us were comfortable, especially when it was our first-time sharing rooms. And, by the way, do you always were a kurti and pant to bed? The cotton ones you wore did not look like your regular nightwear.
Sonam: You did notice, didn't you? I normally wear a nighty or a gown to bed. It would have been still hot, even if I had decided to wear one of my sleeveless gowns. The room was practically burning, to be honest. Delhi's summer was at its peak.
Keshav: You could have told me, Mom. You could have changed in the bathroom, and asked me not to look when you come out. I would have closed my eyes.
Sonam: Now, why would I ask you to close your eyes, Keshav? I was not going to wear anything a son was not supposed to see his mother in.
Keshav: I know that Mom. That is not what I meant. It's just that it would have been embarrassing for you to come back into the room, with just your sleeveless gown on you.