Abhish's POV:

I'm feeling elated now. My mind drifted towards the day of our confession. It was blissful and I remember how I cried hugging Anshu that night after my confession. I didn't let him sleep and was weeping continuously resting my head on his shoulder. But he didn't budge and kept on uttering soft words to calm me. I dunno what made me cry hysterically. Maybe hearing her or feeling nostalgic about meeting mom.

"Dear passengers, kindly fasten your seatbelt as we are about to land at Heathrow airport(London airport) in fifteen minutes. Thank you", announced the air hostess, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked at Anshu who was sleeping soundly and snoring a little. I woke him up and informed him the same.

"We're at Heathrow airport, passengers. Thank you for your cooperation throughout the journey and enjoy your trip here", wished the air hostess and with that, we came out of the plane and moved to fetch our luggage. I could hear my thudding heart and I felt dizzy suddenly. I grabbed Anshu's shoulder for support. "I don't think I could Anshu, let's return", I said to him, spluttering. "Abhi, you are nervous. Nothing more than that. Remember dad's words!? No backing off this time. I am with you. Now come, let's get going", he said and dragged me out of the airport, picking our bags.

Throughout the journey, I felt numb. I felt as my whole body got paralysed and I could feel the increasing pace of my heart. "We are here", announced Anshu. I snapped my head at him and sat clutching the seat and firmly said, "I'm not coming." He rolled his eyes at me and said, "Did I ask your permission?" and pulled me out not bothering my yells. "Anshu please", I begged him and tears made their way out of my eyes. "Abhi, I am here for you. Nothing is gonna happen", he assured me, wiping my tears. "Then be with me while I am talking with her", I said to him but he kept quiet and moved in ignoring me.

I followed him and I could feel my legs wobbling. I saw a little boy probably in his early adolescence. He smiled, waving his hand at me and I felt a sudden tug in my heart. I returned him the smile and my eyes caught a man in his early fifties who's smiling at me. I looked at him and realized that he is her husband. My mom's husband. My...my...step-father and this kid is my step-brother. As reality hit me hard, I stumbled a few steps back and the stagnant tears in my eyes made their way out. Fortunately, Anshu held me and took me inside the house.

"Hello son, I'm Ramesh, and this is your brother, Aakash", he said pointing at the kid, who's hiding behind his dad's leg and I just nodded my head. "See I won't ask you to call me dad and do the honours. I know the intensity of that feeling. So it's up to you. Now come, let's go to meet your mom", he said patting my shoulders. Hearing him, my throat lost its moisture and my body started to tremble. "Go Abhi. Meet her. Meet your mom. You won't get any other chance if you miss today. Go boy", Anshu said caressing my shoulder. "Come with me", I commanded. "No Abhi. This is your time. It's yours. There is something called privacy man. You may not need it but she needs it. So you go and I will be here", he said and went to Aakash.

"C'mon buddy let's play", he said excitedly for which Aakash nodded his head vigorously and went with him, hanging in his arms. I looked at their retreating figure and took a deep breath to control my trembling body. I entered a room as directed. There, I saw her. After thirteen long years. She was sitting on a bed, resting herself on a pillow at the headrest. The glow which her face would radiate years ago was nowhere to see instead, few wrinkles took its place. She looked feeble and her skin which would be soft is now rough with cracks and pores.

She turned and her eyes filled with tears looking me. Her eyes, they shrank which were round and beautiful years ago. Pain panged in my heart seeing her weak. She didn't look like my mother to whom I would run to after returning from school. "Abhi...", she whispered breaking my thoughts. This voice, how much I missed it! "Come here", she called me, patting the place near her. My legs stumbled twice while covering that two feet distance. I sat near her and she stared at me without a blink. "How are you?", I asked her just to break the awkward silence prevailing. "How have you been?", she backfired at me.

"Just in the same way how you left me years ago", came my immediate reply. I shut my eyes to control myself. "I..I...am sorry", I spluttered. "I am the one who should be sorry, Abhi. I am all ears for your anger. You ask me whatever you want", she said softly. "Why?", was my only question.

"I and your dad had a partially stabilized relationship. The basic reasons were we didn't have enough time to spend with each other and your father had some issues at his office. Days and months passed but the issues didn't subside instead it increased and paved way for the trust issues. And you know the rest of the history", she concluded.

I could feel anger budding inside me for every passing minute. "But what's my fault in this? Do you ever know how I felt whenever I see kids of my age playing with their parents? Have you both ever came to my school together at least for the annual day celebration? Have you both ever had a heart to heart conversation with me to know what I was going through? But I would come running to you after school just to hug you. Fine. Leave it. Answer me honestly, do you ever remember hugging me at nights? To be frank, have you ever done it? No, you hadn't. Because you both were busy fighting and yelling at each other. Do you know that I was suffering from nyctophobia (fear of darkness)?"

"He would storm out of the house at midnights and you will be sitting in the living room after the fight. And I would be shivering and crying in the fear cause of the darkness. You know what, I had symptoms of panic attacks too?! Grandad found it after your divorce. The doctor yelled at him as if it was his fault but that old man didn't budge and took care of me with all the love that I never got from my parents. Next, comes Anshu, Vandhit and their families. Who am I to them? Their son? Their relative? No. Just a damn neighbour and their kids' classmate, to be precise, son of their neighbour who was popular in creating an audience for their fights. Anshu, he was a boy of my age, but he cared for me as a brother does. Vandhit, a boy who works all possible ways to make me laugh. Their families, they loved me and cared for me. But what did my parents do? Nothing", I yelled and burst out crying.

I know I should not do this, but I couldn't. All the while she was listening to me quietly, sobbing. "There were times when I wondered if I was your son for real", I cried and she gasped hearing me. "I am sorry Abhi. I repent now for my mistakes. I should have thought about you. I should have fought for you. But I didn't and I know I have no rights to ask for your forgiveness", she wailed and even now, I couldn't see her crying. Is that my weakness? I don't know!

I left the room to have air and sat on the couch in the living room. "What are you going to do now?" asked my step-dad, taking his place near me. "I don't know", I whispered and he sighed.

"I won't justify her action. She did a mistake. She should have been with you. She didn't and repenting for her mistake now which is of no use. But I know her for thirteen years, she had been an amazing wife and mother to my kid", he said and my head snapped at his direction. Chuckling he said, "I can understand what are you thinking, but that's the truth. She has been a beautiful and amazing mother to Aakash. She had pampered him with love so that at times he forgets me."

I stared at him for minutes and remembered Emma's words,
"You should never regard her as a bad mother. She is a mother of some other kid too. She is an adorable mother to him. She is his inspiration and he has utter reverence towards her. You can't ruin that."

I nodded my head at him and left for her room. She was still crying. I hugged her sitting near her and said, "I love you Amma [Mom]." I uttered that word after thirteen long years and something new choked me. She hugged me tightly and sobbed, muttering numerous sorries. I caressed her hair softly and my eyes caught Anshu, who's leaning at the door frame grinning, his hands crossed over his chest with tears in his eyes. She broke the hug and cupped my cheeks lovingly. "Love you too Kanna [Dear]", she said and kissed my forehead. Tears were flowing continuously from my eyes as if no tomorrow and she was smiling.

"Thank you, Abhi. I never thought you would forgive me", she said and a sob escaped her mouth. "I didn't forgive you", I declared and her smile vanished. "But I am happy for you. After coming here, I understood you were never happy years ago. Your happiness resides here. In this family. In him", I said referring to my step-dad.  "I am no one to prevent you from grabbing your happiness. Every soul deserves to replenish its life. Everyone deserves a second chance. But destiny and its crossroads are something we could never escape from. Your destiny is to be his wife but its crossroads made you my dad's wife and my mother before reaching your destination. Thus, rifting our lives."

"A mother is someone who lifts even mountains for her kid but in my case, I didn't have one. It doesn't mean you are not a good mother. Wheels of karma spun awfully in our lives which created chaos. But you are an amazing mother to Aakash. You are his world. And I have no rights to destroy someone's world. I realized that you are spoiling your health thinking about me and your past. So I am here, to liberate you from those clutches. To assure you that I am happy", I said and saw Anshu hopping in smirking. "Yes, yes. He is contented so much as he got his love", he said dramatically. I facepalmed and shook my head at him. This boy is a pain in my ass!!

"Really!, who's that?", mom asked as her eyes gaped. "Lemme, show you her photo aunty", he said and took a place near her. Wait!! When did he get her picture? "How do you have it?", I asked him annoyed and mom giggled hearing me. He rolled his eyes and said, "I have my ways." What does that mean?

"But--", I started but mom interrupted me. "He's pulling your legs Abhi and as far as I know, Jay had been a good boy, so I'm sure he wouldn't have stalked her", she said giggling. "He shouldn't even try to", I muttered under my breath but he heard it and rolled his eyes at me.

"She's beautiful and lovely. I think she would be your lady", mom said smiling, looking at her photo. I gazed at the floor as a blush crept over my face. "Aunty, aunty look, he's is blushing for the umpteenth time since the confession", shouted Anshu and she laughed seeing me hitting him with a cushion. She looked divine with that angelic smile on her face.

"Why are you laughing Amma[Mom]?", asked Aakash, entering the room with an innocent look. "Nothing Kanna [Dear]. Come, meet him", she said pointing at me and I felt a new onset of tears in my eyes. He looked at me and hugged her tightly as if I would take him away. She pushed him towards me and I held his hands, pulling him closer. "Hello", I whispered. "I'm Abhish. Your b..brother", I said him spluttering.

"You're?!", he asked and I nodded. "You'll be with me?! Always?!", he asked and I nodded again, gulping to moisten my dried throat. He smiled and I realized, he got this smile from our mom. I hugged him tightly as I was overwhelmed with a new set of emotions washing over me. I don't know what should I name it but I'm feeling light-hearted after years. He broke the hug and ran out of the room, kissing my cheek. After minutes, he came back with his father, who smiled looking at me and stood near mom with Aakash hugging him tightly.

 I looked at the family before me. A small nest which is woven with love and affection. I glanced at my mom, who's playing with Aakash and looking at her husband fondly. My lips twitched into a smile. I don't remember an incident like this in my family. It never happened. I felt relieved and grateful as I got some sense at the right time. If I hadn't, the family infront of me would have shattered just like mine. I don't want Aakash to be the next 'Abhish'.

Suddenly he hugged me tightly and said, "Welcome home Anna [Brother]." I felt numb hearing him but managed to regain my senses and kissed his forehead. My mom spread her arms, welcoming me to a hug. I threw my hands over her neck and clutched her tight and felt her fingers caressing my hairs softly. It felt blissful!

After spending quality time with my newfound family, I and Anshu prepared for our departure. Mom was reluctant to let us go but we have to. "Amma[Mom], after fighting with her fears Vanathi is ready to give her heart a chance once again and we being her brothers, our support is much needed for her.  She would freak out if I state this reason to her, but I can handle it. She was about to meet Vikas yesterday, but she postponed as she wanted me to be fine and relieved. I should be with her right?", I asked her cupping her cheeks.

"My little boy has grown up but I missed that phase", she whispered the last part and tears made their way out. I shook my head at her and said, "You are spoiling your health Amma[Mom]. Promise me that you would take care of your health." She nodded her head, smiling aS I kissed her cheek, just like my childhood days. "We would be there a week before your wedding", uncle said winking and I blushed again. "Uncle, please!!", I whined to which the room burst out in laughter.

I peeped at Aakash who sat with a pout. "Take care of mom and I promise I would come soon to meet you", I said to him, pinching his nose to which he groaned but hugged me and said, "I promise." I smiled at him and with that, we left to the airport. During the ride, I saw Anshu fidgeting uncomfortably in his seat. "What happened?", I asked him. "Would you mind if I ask you something?", he questioned me back. Since when he got these manners while asking me? "Go on", I said him confused. "Uh...Now, you reconciled with aunty, why don't you call her husband 'dad'?", he asked me shuddering.

I sighed at him and said, "Father- This is not a position to grab, Anshu. It is an emotion. I am happy for Amma[Mom] as she got someone who would give his everything just to see her smile. Even after knowing she would get weak seeing me, he gladly let me meet her. He is an amazing husband and dad to Aakash. But as I said, no matter what, my mom and dad are my parents. This can't be changed. I can't feel the same for him what I felt for my dad. So I'm calling him uncle and he is fine with this as he understood the intensity of emotions in that single word."

"She is lucky to have you as her son", he said smiling.  "Now, no more crying", he admonished me and I nodded at him like a kid. We both laughed enjoying our banters and arrived at the airport. We boarded the flight after the formalities and I heaved a sigh. A sigh of relief. A sigh of CONTENTMENT.

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Hello everybody!! Here comes the next update of our story. Whatever happens in our life, certain relationships should be mended and will be mended. Such relation is the one between mother and child. Mistakes can be done from either side but mending will be the done at last. Here we witnessed our Abhi's reconciliation with his mother. We witnessed his outburst and his pain too. And I hope, this chapter is up to your expectations as many wanted to see their conversation.

Finally, this boy got his relief and he got his love too. But mine is at stake. O great writer, when will you provide me solace?

Soon but no before torturing you sweetheart *evil smile*

You are so mean *whines* 

Hehe. So family, shower your views in the comment section. Votes and shares are up to you. And sorry for lengthy chapters *smiles sheepishly*. I couldn't ignore any part as emotions play a vital role in this kinda life situations. I hope I didn't bore you with big updates. And guys would you like to read a part with the POV of all the characters of our story?? Please answer this question as I am contemplating whether to do or not.

So until the next chapter, take care, stay safe.

Yup, wid love,

Your's smart and sweet, Mr X or Vikas *puts goggles like a pro*

*makes a gagging sound* Harshini