2050-Mother

Mumbai-A Friday of 2050

'Jai I have to tell you something, can you come here?' Mio has finally messaged him.

She is standing in front of his room. An android, with short hairs, she is dressed in white maid attire. I'm not good at these things, I want to make it easy for him.

Small speakers creeks alive in the house.

Jai "What happened Mio? It's not Sunday, you know I can't come offline."

Mio "It's your mother..."

Jai "What?" little background noise disappears from the speakers.

Mio "She has.....committed suicide." she speaks softly, worry fills her voice. Sorry Abhya.

Jai goes silent, then speaker dies.

After a while the door flung open, by making her eyes wide open Mio tried to hide her worry.

Jai "Tell me you're joking, you'll save yourself from a lot of trouble." he is 16. 

Mio "last Saturday night, I woke up by an alarm. Abhya was already gone, she left me a message and a memory...all of her memory with you. In her message she said she had went to ocean...I didn't get it but after a while a video message from her drone came." Abhya took extra care so Jai won't have to face police or go into any procedures.

Jai "last time I saw her she looked so happy, I thought she had finally found a good man...this Sunday was the first that we didn't meet, but you're saying she was already gone?"

Mio "I know, she was a great person. But you have to remember she went through a lot in her life."

Jai "Stop with these nonsense, she's not like this, she must have gone to one of her stroll. I'll kill you if you say that again. I'm going back." Mio is set in a way she can't lie.

Jai turns back to his door.

Mio "Wait! there is something else."

Jai stops, his hand is on doorknob.

Mio "Your Mom wanted me to take her job. As it required humans to work, I soon got caught. It wasn't a big job so I got off easy...but officials now know about your mother-"

Jai "You witch!" Jai grabs her neck and push her to the wall, "Stop with your nonsense!"

Mio grabs his wrist and forces to loosen his grip, Don't worry Abhya, I'll try my best to not let Jai feel your absence, "An official! will be coming today!"

«»«»«»

Mio had sent him the video later.

Inside his room, Jai is slouched on the floor. Eyes fixed at his own hand. He doesn't know if he should try to push these feelings out of him, or embrace them.

What was wrong with us? all of the things we did, she taught me, her care for me; all has lost it's meaning.

He straightens himself, then lying on the floor he closes his eyes. When Jai was suffering from cold in his Priority class. changing cool towels, Abhya was by his bed so he could sleep better. Abhya 'You shouldn't be sleeping without talking your medicine first.' Jai opens his eyes feeling a cold on his forehead 'Warriors prefer facing challenges alone!' Jai doesn't like medicines.

Darkness inside him is growing, he goes under his lamp and grabs a book from his shelf. Minutes later he is pulling his own hair by both hands he can't find a single answer to his questions. Nothing makes sense to him, he curses both of his parents.

 «»«»«» 

In the evening Mio welcomes an android who has come from town's public affair division.

After a formal introduction he shows her the documents, It's related to transfer of property, after she confirms it all, she is asked to get Jai.

She messages him but there is no reply, she goes to his room and knocks "Jai, he is here. can you please come out?" If Abhya's death was known, maybe Jai's friends and relatives would have helped him in some way, but this leaves only me. She is about to 

messages him again but the door opens. 

Mio "Sorry but they wants to confirm your relation with Abhya" Jai has his head bowed down, after hearing those words he walks slowly to the living room.

At the corner of his eyes the orange colour paint asks him about his mom, they both had painted this room together during new year's eve. Abhya had said 'we should do this every year!'

If only I had spend more time with her, she would have told me about her problems.

Before even trying my first action game, Abhya had said 'Remember you shouldn't fight in real life, but if you get punched, you need to return it back!' in a half masculine tone. Jai 'What about the times you punched me!'

If that bastard hadn't left us she would be here.

Her tea, she prepared for me when I had to study for my exams. It was unlike any other tea.

I should have been there every time she felt alone! I should have been there to listen to her!

Mio "Jai, should I call any of your relatives?" Jai doesn't reply. Having Abhya's little memory, Mio remember that there were no instances where any other member from their family had come.

"Hello Mr.Jai, I'm Sam. I know this is a bad time to do this all, I really am sorry for your loss." the android said, he is wearing a yellow suit. Jai nods then sits next to him.

If Mio had not been here, mom wouldn't have left me alone...But... then it's me, if only I hadn't been born she wouldn't have had to do this.

Sam "Everything is done...I'll just need a drop of your blood" Jai extends his right hand.

Looking at Jai, Sam says "Now that is done I'll be taking my leave," Jai gives him nod.

Mio shows Sam the way out and by the time she comes back Jai has already gone.

sigh It was good of me to plead child welfare people to meet on a later date.

«»«»«» 

It's Sunday, Mio has cleaned up the house and done the dishes which were unwashed for two weeks, she checked up news and climate. Jai hasn't replied to any of Mio's messages.

Mio poured water on plants Abhya had planted, then emptied the used up liquid from Dive, and refilled the things for this week's Dive. Jai has locked his door, she has tried knocking many times but only reply comes in "Leave me alone."

She weeps and calms herself down again and again, she orders Carrots and Spinach, I'll try making it the way Abhya did. She wants to talk to him, she knows there is nothing between them but she is the only one who can take care of him now. A mother, 

that's who she has to be for Jai.

After an hour she sets up the table and brings water from Fridge.

Walking up to his room she has decided she will make Jai talk today, he can't be left alone.

"Open up Jai, it's time for lunch."

"Go away!"

"During the refill I saw you haven't been using Dive. Come let's have lunch, you must be hungry."

"No I'm not" a strange thought comes to Jai, What should I do? what will make mom happy? and this disturbingly shakes him.

"I have made Palak paneer and Gajar halwa please at least take a bite, then I'll throw out the rest."

"...You really are a witch!" 

"I'll try to get a job, something like maid in real life...just do things the way you did, smile, I'll try to help you the way Abhya did, always."

Abhya whispers in Jai's ears 'Pleasure in small things, sacrifices for loved ones and a smile.' Jai "Just leave the food outside." what's the use of all this when people are so feeble in their words, things they do, their whole life?

Mio "Ok I'll leave bring it here." I guess he is still angry with me.

«»«»«»

Monday evening

Jai still hasn't came out of his room.

Usually Mio would have gone Inactive but now she has to find a job, she did looked at some but then she gave up.

Yesterday in the evening when she looks up at Dive fluids, Jai had used up some, so he must have been Online, that is a good thing.

He is still online, Mio decides to do something that can make Jai to hate her even more.

She uses Abhya's Dive connection to go online and then uses parental link to connect herself with Jai.

He is lying on a bed of yet another room, it's winter here.

What should I do? I think he is asleep.

Mio sits by his side, just looking at his face sparks up the memory she had got from Abhya. Jai has called me mom so many times, can I really take her place? I do want to, but what would Jai think?

"Jai wake up, you'll catch a cold...wake up!" Mio shakes her in excess like Abhya did, Jai wakes up in a surprise. But next moment reality reminds him again of his mother's absence.

Jai "why did you come here?" Jai gets up, and sits on the side of bed, beside Mio.

"what is this place? what was today's class about?"

"This is where we lived before he left us, I don't remember much about this place."

"Is that so?" he seems to have calmed down a little. "Actually I also have memory of this place, it wasn't this good."

Jai "I have forgotten...tell me what actually happened that day, what did he say before leaving?"

"No no it's all broken, I don't have much." Jai seemed to be fixated so Mio tries again, "...considering memories I have of him, he seems to be a spontaneous person, good at times but crazy sometimes, even contradicting himself if need be....that day-" A tear comes at Mio's eyes, she wipes it immediately. "his voice was hoarse, he was angry, sometime in the middle he said 'why are you turning this into a big deal?,' he was quick about his leave."

Jai "Can we say...mom was in pain? or that, that man was not normal?"

Mio "Your mom has tried to make you a better man."

Jai "Tried...what now? she got bored? she gave up? I'm not worth living beside her!?...you know what, I think so too."

Mio felt an urge to slap him but she stopped herself "Does your life amounts to only this? Your mom was not weak if you think so, you know nothing about her. You think, the little of which you know was all there to her, a weak woman. Then aren't you also weak 

doing the same to yourself!? Was she worth so less to you, that you're gonna waste the life she gave you!? The smile that was always on her face should be more than enough for you. You can't even repay that to her, ever. She was a great mother, greatest of all!"

Jai went silent looking at me, as if he has finally seen me, there was a drop of tear going down on his cheek.

Jai "If I ever become a man like him, will she forgive me?" he asked Mio with an straight face.

Mio "Yes she will, but even before that, you will need to forgive yourself turning that way...and even before that, I'll be there to stop you, always."

Jai "Really?" finding a way, more drops come down.

Mio embraces him in her arms, she starts crying herself.

Mio "Now you tell me...can you ever forgive Abhya?" her lips trembled.

Jai "yeah I can!....I can..mom." his throat felt swollen.

Mio "Thanks son...Abhya has just gone on a trip, you know how she likes her slow strolls." I won't let him forget you. he will always cherish the times you both shared.

-The End-

Thank You for reading.

I'm a beginner so absolutely any kind of suggestion would help. Thanks :)