THE CARDINAL SIN

                                                    The Pathos of The other kind

She had finished washing the pots in the kitchen.It was late evening but because of the inclement weather the evening looked dismal. The lightning and thunder creating a ruckus which made her heart race in some unknown fear.She had to leave by the  early morning flight  for her native land. She had come to her son to stay for around two months. Right now nothing passed her mind but only an anguished desire to spend the last moments in his company. She had waited for him to come a little earlier  from his job it being her last evening with him as she was leaving the next day but he came at his usual time. She tried to fathom him but saw the same indifferent look. She  concentrated on her luggage and asked him to weigh the suitcases which he did promptly and with vigour.She served him his meals and as usual he ate without asking whether she had eaten or not.She looked at him while he ate .He ate nonchalantly his eyes wandering around to seek his phone which he never left out of his sight and without saying anything he had made it clear that his mother should never pick it or even show any interest in it. She dared not touch it. She never did anything which could annoy him and make him angry towards her. His every word with her was like a gem which brought a sunshine to her parched heart.

She had  cleaned up the kitchen too. She looked at the closed door where her son had gone to sleep.He did not linger on and she did not have the guts to tell him to sit with her for some time because that would have angered him calling her senseless and not caring for his rest...She felt like peeping into his room to have a long look at him but with a thumping heart she checked her move. She looked around the living room and arranged the scattered objects and set  them  right. She looked at her suitcases .They looked edgy  to be picked away as soon as possible. She looked at the book case and felt the books looked forlorn as if sensing her going away.Suddenly the thunder roared and the lightning flashed around  like the forked tongue of a viper .The curtains fluttered across the glass windows. She sat in the nitch of the sofa which was her usual place during her stay there.The huge nursing home across the  road  in front of her apartment glimmered in places and gave an eerie feeling looking so alien in its aloneness.The clock was ticking and there was a  frenzy in the sky every element vying  with each other  to create the ultimate fury.She decided not to go to her room and lie there only. Each passing moment would take her away from her son. May be the terrible weather may force him to postpone her flight? The clock struck 4 in the morning and the weather had entered into its fiercest frenzy the rain lashing the windows as if intent to turn everything upside down.She did not hear any sound from her sons room.They had to leave .But how? In that very moment her son came out.He looked quite  agile  and was feverishly calling the taxi service but no body agreed to go in such a weather.She looked at him askance.He in a very excited tone told her to get ready and in a sort of frenzy he braved the rain and storm and brought out his car. He  told his mother to hurry and in that raging rain they dragged the luggage in the booty and he rushed to drove.The dark inky night blazed in the roaring thunder and the dancing flashes of the lightning seemed to strike them at any moment..Her senses had turned numb.Two big drops slid from her eyes but stayed on her old crinkled cheeks. She only asked him will he be safe while coming back?