Chapter 50 – One Word

Poornima looked at Devki quietly after hearing everything, her fingers resting lightly over Devki’s hand before she asked softly, “What if Veeresh calls you mumma again?”

The question broke something fragile inside Devki almost instantly.

Her eyes filled before she could stop them, and she looked away for a moment, trying to steady herself, but the emotion had already surfaced. “Then…” she paused, her voice trembling slightly, “then maybe I will feel that God forgave me a little.”

Poornima stayed silent.

Devki smiled weakly through her tears. “You know… after Rajesh and Nirmala died, I thought I would at least keep the children together.” She shook her head faintly. “But one by one, everyone became strangers inside the same house.”

Her gaze lowered. “Veeresh was the closest to me once. If he got hurt, he would come running to me. If he was happy, I would know before he spoke.” A small laugh escaped her, broken with emotion. “He was stubborn even as a child. If I didn’t feed him myself, he would refuse to eat.”

Poornima smiled faintly hearing that.

“But after growing up…” Devki continued softly, “something changed in him. He became quieter with me. Respect stayed… but warmth disappeared.” She swallowed slowly. “And when he started calling me Mrs Thakur…” her voice weakened again, “I understood I lost my son somewhere.”

A silence settled between them.

Devki wiped her tears quickly, almost embarrassed for crying this openly, but Poornima didn’t look away.

“I don’t want him to touch my feet or obey me,” Devki whispered. “I just…” her lips trembled slightly, “I just want to hear ‘mumma’ once without force.”

That one word carried years inside it.

Poornima looked at her carefully, then said quietly, “He still loves you.”

Devki smiled sadly. “I know.”

“Then trust me,” Poornima said after a pause. “One day… he will say it again.”

Devki looked at her for a long moment, something hopeful appearing slowly in her tired eyes for the first time.

“You really think so?” she asked softly.

Poornima nodded once. “Yes.”

And for the first time in years—

Devki allowed herself to believe it might happen.