Winner of the #TwistTheTaleContest | My Mother’s Boyfriend

And it’s a wrap! A big thank-you to all the participants of the #TwistTheTale contest. After difficult deliberation, we’ve zeroed in on four lucky winners! Congratulations to…

Ipshita Mitra for My Mother’s Boyfriend

Get married,’ I said abruptly, startling the two of them.

The next moment startled me.

Mom and Mr D’Souza threw mysterious glances at each other and smiled.

‘What’s the matter?’ I asked. ‘I know I have been busy but I know that you two have been fond of each other ever since we moved in here. It’s just …’

Mom interrupted, ‘Souza and I have known each other for thirty-five years, not for the three and a half months you think we have.’

WHAT? Souza? What was I missing? I only stared back at her.

‘A day before your father sent the divorce papers, I had spoken with Souza. Back in college, we called him Buddha because he had the sage’s smile. When I called him, he had lost his wife recently and was going through a lot,’ Rajni spoke, unfazed.

‘Before I could say anything to you, you came and told me that we were moving to Goa. Souza was in North Goa. Call it divine intervention, but I couldn’t contain my excitement. I feigned reluctance at your proposal for the sake of propriety,’ Mom continued.

‘Why didn’t you say anything before?’ I asked.

‘Because you never let me. You took all the decisions, just like your father did,’ Mom argued.

‘I’m sorry, Mom.’ I lowered my eyes.

‘A woman can make her own decisions. That night when you demanded to know who it was that I was talking to at such an “odd hour”,  you’d merely wished to confirm your suspicion, no?’ Mom quizzed.

‘I know it was Mrs Nair and …’ I tried to apologise.

‘It was not Mrs Nair,’ Mom said, calmly.

‘What?’ I was puzzled, again.

‘Our Delhi neighbour is Mrs Iyer, not Mrs Nair,’ Mom clarified.

A frown appeared on my face and the Buddha looked at Rajni as he smiled his smile.

Want to know how the story really ended? Get your copy of My Mother’s Boyfriend by Ravinder Singh!