Heart In The Stars

CHAPTER 2 ✨

The future is something I've always worried about. I look forward to the thrilling events of life, waiting to unravel its deepest mysteries. I had a lot of time. Most of it, I let it slip freely between my fingers, like air. I watched it drip like water in the bathtub. I let it disappear like a mirage in the desert. And now I realized that I had wasted a lot of time until I met her.

The beach, once vibrant, now felt incomplete without her. The laughter, once virtuous, now replaced by a haunting silence. The waves, once valiant, now seemed to sigh with melancholy. I left the lonely shore behind and began my journey home. The path was familiar, and I arrived safely, parking my bike in our driveway.

As I swung open the front door, our old grandfather clock, on the wall, greeted me. The soft cushions of the sofa beckoned, and the curtains behind danced occasionally as the breeze played with them. In the softly lit living room, I discovered the heartwarming sight of my mother patiently waiting for me. Her eyes lit up as she saw me, a smile spreading across her face.

A gentle waft of the sweet fragrance of jasmine lingered in the air when she walked in her floral saree. I could still feel her excitement at seeing a simple flower or how the leaves played in the air. As the baker turned the flour and water into bread, as God turned the seed and water into a flower, my mom turned the ordinary 'me' into a loving one.

My mom possessed an uncanny ability to read my emotional current with the precision of a lightning strike. In the tumultuous storm of my feelings, she consistently emerged as the calm eye, offering a perspective that brought clarity to the chaos. It was as if she held a lantern in the darkest corners of my mind, illuminating the pathway ahead.

The shoes had hugged my feet snugly, keeping them warm, but now they felt heavy. I slipped them off, savoring the freedom to let my toes wiggle in the air. The lines on my mom's face deepened with concern as her hand gently brushed against my frozen forehead. There was a subtle tremor in her cheeks, an involuntary response to the chill she sensed on my skin.

"Happy New Year, Mom!" I greeted her with a warm handshake.

"Same to you, dear. How's the fun?"

"Great! I didn't feel lonely," I shared, a genuine smile playing on my lips.

Mom chuckled. "Oh, did you find a secret admirer at the New Year's party?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I had a conversation with a beautiful girl?"

"Absolutely, I would!" Mom replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You should tell me all about it!"

"Oh, she... she's funny and interested in what I have to say." I shifted uncomfortably, fidgeting with my hands.

"That's lovely! You'll see her again, right?"

Feeling embarrassed, I decided to keep the truth from her. "Well, she was actually a character in the book I was reading."

Mom laughed, shaking her head. "You never cease to amaze me! At least you had a good time, that's all that matters."

"I had a great time. Where's Dad?"

"He's sleeping. Don't bother with New Year's Eve," she replied with a smirk.

"A head start on tomorrow's breakfast!"

"Exactly! He's just making sure he's well-rested for pancake flipping in the morning," Mom laughed and I joined.

"Is there anything left for me to eat?"

"I thought you had enough cakes and stuff! Did you accidentally join a 'look, don't eat' support group?" Mom playfully waggled her eyebrows with a mischievous grin.