Life Gives A Chance

13

At my office, I sat there watching blank screen of my laptop. Not to mention I just talked to Emma as I reached here full for thirty minutes.

As today, mom didn't called.

That thirty minutes have to be wasted even though the whole time I just listened how cruel Emma's parlor woman was while waxing.

.......

2nd day

I arrived an hour earlier at Punjab's railway station as soon as I reached India. I video called mom.

"Hi mom"

"Hey sweetie, what's up?"

She seemed fine.

"Everything fine, missed you a lot. How much time would it take for you to reach?"

Though I already know.

"Nearly an hour. I am in pashchim express. Ok?"

"Yes, mom...Ah nothing, come back soon, need to tell you a lot."

"Ok ok darling, it's just been two days , don't worry ok? I will be right there. I wonder how things have changed. Earlier you won't spend a single sec of your life with me and today you made me an actual mother, baby. Thanks for giving us a chance."

"Calling yourself 'an actual mother' and still thanking me?"

"Oopsie."

"Love you, bye", I sighed.

"Ok bye, sweetie."

I looked at the phone. I really never realized how this word mom come in my life. To be honest, Suzanne's mother showed me how a mother in reality is and now, I can't even think of leaving her. If Suzanne comes back, I will tell her the truth. I hope she forgives me.

I cut the phone. I had nothing to do so I checked the train from which mom was coming. I checked the route , 2 stations were in between. The train was coming from North....

Wait a minute , isn't her hometown in South somewhere near delhi?

I moved to the inquiry counter, "excuse me , sir."

The person looked at me, "yes?"

"Can you please make sure from which direction does Paschim express coming from?"

"From north, Jammu and Kashmir."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes ma'am."

Don't tell me she went there to meet Rickard. What's going on?

"Can you please check , is pulwama one of the stations?"

"Ah..No ma'am. It includes budgam, bandi, pore and kunwar."

"Okay."

Not to Rickard then.

I stand at station one with hundreds other waiting for the train. I could hear the engine's roaring now. The train tends to slow as it reaches the station . From one of the window , I saw mom waving to me, flashing her beautiful smile but the train continue to move on. So I started walking forward missing the view of mom.

As soon as the train stopped , there was a loud noise and I could hear people running and shouting.

One cabin blow up into fire.

I moved forward not able to feel my feet , my ears get numb. All I could see was fire.

Only one thing was going on my mind, it can't be mom's cabin, it can't be.

Tears filled my eyes as I reached there and my heart beat loudly against my chest. There was a big hole in the middle of the train. There were dead and injured bodies all around on the platform.

"Noo!!!",I cried.

But no one tend to listen me. There was already so much noise of people, crying. I began looking from one burnt face to another praying it not to be that one.

I couldn't find her. I moved forward. There was a big train part covering most of the area. I moved closer.

I saw a bag with a hand clenched to it. I dropped to the ground.

"Noo!!!!",I started crying.

I moved the block away with a man's help.

"Mom, mom . Stand up mom. See it's Alisa. See? Mom! ",I shake her.

She opened a little bit of her eyes and smiled.

"Mom mom you are okay , definitely fine. Ambulance is coming. Mom , I am here don't worry.", I said cupping her face.

"Al...Alisa I lied , I am not a g-good mom and y-you not even my daughter still made me a mother"

"Shut up you are", I cried as she take deep breaths," You are the best mom. Momma don't leave me. I can't , I can't live without you. Mom"

"Alisa" , she said her voice tending to give up.

"H-hide y-yourself. And remember , i-i am always there with you.", she kissed my forehead.

I stay there, our heads joined. I closed my eyes trying to shut everything around. I opened them to look at her, afraid she'll...

And she closed her eyes a tear escaping out of her eyes.

Her hand grip loosened.

She stopped breathing...

There she was just the same , sleeping peacefully as I last saw her.

Half of her face was burned, clothes tore up. I bend down and hugged her, tears never leaving my eyes.

I don't know when I looked up I saw ambulances , people crying , police here and there.

A police member approached towards me, "ma'am , is she d-dead?"

At that time , I could have punched him right at his face but I just nodded. They took the body.

I lay there with my mom's bag in my hand , crying like hell.

I lost her.

........

When I open my eyes , I was on a bed in a room. I stood up and took my suitcase which was placed beside me.

"Ma'am, Are you okay?", a nurse come up.

"Yes"

"But where are you going?"

"Pulwama , kashmir. Can you tell me how can I go there?"

Some, relations in your life is not defined by god. It is defined by you. Even though they aren't with you in the beginning, they make sure that they end with you.

Just two weeks earlier, I was this lazy store woman who do nothing other than surviving on coffee. My life had no meaning, no start, no ending. For the first time, when I acted as Suzanne, I knew for me, a life has started. Things would be so different from now on. Earlier, I was so happy that I have this big mansion, popularity, money but I realized that the person who changed my life was mom, from the very starting she gave my life a new meaning.

You work hard, anyone could achieve success and money.

But I think, relationships so precious like of a parent, only happens by fate.

And my fate, doesn't have it.

********