‘Sonny! Get me an Aspirin, will you? This blasted headache is killing me.’ The old woman sighed and took a sip of her lemonade, ‘and get me last Thursday’s newspaper. I missed the comic strips.’
‘Two minutes, ma.’
She loved her son. He was her rock. He did the cooking, and the washing, and the cleaning, and the gardening. She used to do all those chores when she was still married, and happy, and well. Then, her husband left her for some hotsy-totsy, and she had collapsed – internally and externally.
She had varicose veins that made walking difficult and acute diabetes that forced her to visit the bathroom often. Arthritis decided to join the cornucopia of the ailments in her body as well. One day, she couldn’t make the ten feet trek to the bathroom and had urinated in the hall.
Her son had scolded her. Not for urinating, but for not calling him for assistance. That very day, he resigned his day job and stayed at home for her. At first, she was embarrassed, but her son insisted and now she didn’t feel any different. She was proud of her son.
She was about to holler again when her son came in with the newspaper and aspirin. He’d bought orange juice to wash it down with. Without her asking, he sat down and started massaging her calves.
‘Ma! I’ll be gone a few hours tonight. Will you be ok?’
She didn’t answer and instead turned her attention onto the newspaper.
‘Ma! I’ll leave by eight and be back by eleven. That’s your usual nap time, right?’
‘Are you going out with that bitch again?’
He paused for a second, ‘Don’t call her a bitch, Ma! I happen to like her.’
‘Pah! Evil bitch is trying to steal you from me.’ She went back to her newspaper, ‘What if I have an emergency?’
He scratched his jaw. His four-day stubble had a generous amount of white interspersed within. ‘Ma, why are you being so difficult? It’s just couple of hours.’
‘Fine, then. Go! Go be with that witch. Forget about your poor, sick mother who is in this state because of you. Now, don’t you stare at me, you ungrateful boy. Your useless father dumped you on my head and ran away with some bimbo. Now you are doing the same. You’ll be fucking your bimbo while your mother will be lying on the bed, hoping you’d come soon just so that she could take a piss.’
Her son stood up abruptly, ‘I’m sorry, Ma. I won’t go out tonight. I’m sorry you are in pain. I’m sorry that Dad left you and I’m sorry that you were burdened with the task of bringing me up. But you need to realize that now, you are a burden to me. I don’t complain. I quit my job to help you, not because I felt it was my responsibility.’
He picked her up and laid her on her bed.
‘That was because I love you.’
He removed the covers of her pillows and put fresh ones on them.
‘It’s been fifteen years now, Ma. In another life, I’d have had a family of my own. But you don’t seem to realize that. You feel that I have an obligation to cater to your whims. How many pillows?’
She showed two fingers. He fluffed them and kept a pillow gently below her head.
She muttered, ‘I said two.’
‘In a minute, Ma.’ He placed the other pillow over her face and pressed gently, ‘I’m sorry, Ma. But this is the only solution.’
He increased the pressure and sobbed softly over her stifled gasps.
Yikes! Loved it.
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Experienced a lot of emotions so quickly. First I felt sorry for his mom, then I felt bad for her son because she quickly turned from seemingly grateful to controlling. He finally got to a breaking point.
I’m really enjoying your stories!
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Thank you very much for the kind words, SM
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Wow. That went dark quickly.
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Wow! I didn’t see that one coming! What a twist!
Your writing style reminds me of another blogger I admire…Pallav from fubar69.blogspot.in
All the best for the Challenge. Blogrolling you.
Do drop by mine.
Cheers,
CRD
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Yet again, there you are with a twist at the end. But how can he do that? May be forced by the situation!!!
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So true! Humans are all machines driven by situations. Thanks again for a nice comment, Medha 🙂
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That one twisted in the middle. I felt sorry for her and then her treatment of her son was so abominable that I wanted him to put the pillow over her face and lo, behold, he did. As a writer I can make that comment without seeming awful, right? haha 🙂
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Yup, we hold the creative licence to kill. 🙂 Thanks for the comment, Sascha.
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🙂
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The build up of the story is an oft heard tale in many households these days, but your talent was in bringing that twist at the end.. a total shocker which left me frozen! Hard to digest…
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Thank you very much, Sayan. I’m humbled 🙂
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Her words to him were very harsh, words like that and ones said often could leave a mark. I wasn’t expecting his reaction thought. Great piece.
I am reminded of a book I read by Alice Sebold (The Almost Moon), and the first sentence reads “”When all is said and done, killing my mother came easily.”
Great post.
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Thanks, Sharri. I haven’t come across the book you mentioned. Will check it out soon. 🙂
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Did not see that coming! Great narration! Hooked to your stories.
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Thank you for the kind words, Meha
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Another surprising end, well done!
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Thank you kindly 🙂
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OMGL. I did not see that coming. Great narration as always!
Follow The Adventures of Leo on my blog.
A is for Ahoy
Cheers,
Dream
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Thank you, Dream. Glad you liked it.
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she’s unbearable but this ending? didn’t see that coming, I don’t see murder a solution at all. he could have hire someone to take care of her, should have try that first.
have a lovely day.
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Should’ve could’ve would’ve, right? Who knew what influenced his decision all those years ago? Thanks for commenting, Lissa. Have a great day.
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I had a feeling it would end badly, but not that badly. A skilful piece of storytelling Varad.
My Friend Rosey – D is for Dining Out
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Thanks for the very kind words, Keith.
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No no i cant digest that last line…. Its painful from both side but still killing mom is like…..
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Reality is much more painful than fiction. Unfortunately I’ve seen and heard much worse.
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This is so twisted. Well-woved tale! 🙂
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Thank you, Tina 🙂
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Wish he had thought more rationally rather than emotionally before resigning from his job.
Shocking end…
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‘If only!’ The world would have been a much, much better place ‘if only’ things had happened differently, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately things happen for no rhyme or reason or rationale. Thanks for commenting, Anagha
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She drove him to it. It’s a pity how some parents can get selfish, don’t know what it is circumstantial or plain insecurity. I have seen a few such cases. It can drive the child to the wall, and in some cases to drastic measures like these.
You have perfected the art of story telling Varad. Get that book going soon.
Natasha
natashamusing
April Anecdotes
Destinys Child
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Thanks for the comment and kind words, Natasha. 🙂 The reasons you’ve mentioned are correct. It can be a combination of various things, but unfortunately leads to tragic ends.
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Situations can ask you to do the inevitable. However, I so wish, with all the love, that this had taken another turn. Really well written 🙂
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Reality can often be much more weirder than fiction, Shweta. Unfortunately such is the world we live in. Thanks for the comment.
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That twist had a certain, drastic inevitability about it!
Sophie
Ghostly Inspirations – Sophies A to Z
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Thank you, Sophie 🙂
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OMG was not expecting this end. I could understand the plot where the boy is. Life is about making some difficult choices at times. http://www.vibhuandme.com/2018/04/d-for-dried-ginger-more-beneficial-form.html
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Unfortunately, that’s the case. Thanks for the comment, Shipra
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I could see it heading that way with the pillows, but still a shock at the end. A tragic situation all round.
https://iainkellywriting.com/2018/04/04/d-is-for-dresden-germany/
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Indeed it was. Thanks, Iain
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A flash fiction is always refreshing to read. You write really well, but the end is disturbing though very nice put. Do read my post on travel here http://saba-relishingrascal-scribbles.com/2018/04/03/darjeeling-the-drooling-beauty-of-india/
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Thanks for visiting and commenting, Saba
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Poor mom. Trust me, for a moment, my heart beat increased when I read
‘In a minute, Ma.’ He placed the other pillow over her face and pressed gently, ‘I’m sorry, Ma. But this is the only solution.’
dating #A2Z challenge
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Glad you like it, Sushma. Thank you for the comment 🙂
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Varad, this story struck a raw nerve with me. Parents with age do get selfish and clingy. they often forget that their kids also have a life. This problem is greater in single parents who become too complaining. This is such a true story for many you won’t imagine.
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Thanks for the comment, Balaka. I’ve encountered such scenarios before. The story is inspired by real events, though the ending is not.
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Long back I once wrote an article on how not all parents are selfless. This story resonated with that article.
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Oh Well! Dark and deep! Chilled me!
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Thanks, Jai
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Its difficult to pity the mother and easier to side with the son on this one. Wonderful flow to the story
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Thanks, Namy. 🙂
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The twist at the end was simply unexpected! A lovely flow to the story, apt usage of words and an equally good twist. Lovely, Varad.
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Thank you for the kind words, Rrohan. Glad you liked it.
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Ha ha ha, absolutely wicked, and lovely, twist 🙂
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Cheers. Glad you liked it, Anurag
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The life of a caregiver is not easy and giving up 15 years of your life to care for someone selflessly is tough. The mother refused to understand that her son needed a life of his own. I find his actions justified
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We can stand on the sidelines and judge their actions. Unfortunately, without being in their shoes we’d never know. Thanks for the comment, Akshata
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For some reason, I don’t pity the mother. Its the outburst of a frustrated son.
Tongue Twister for D
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It really is dependant on through whose eyes we see the situation playing out right? Thanks for the comment, DeeDee
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A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.
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Well, needs must
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Oh! God! Though I sympathise with Sonny, I question: did he do right? A difficult question to answer.
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Very difficult! Depends on whose point of view we see the story play out from. Thanks for the comment, Meena
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You shocked me again! Well done…
Donna B McNicol, author & traveler
Romance & Mystery…writing my life
A-Z Flash Fiction Tales: http://dbmcnicol.blogspot.com
A-Z of Goldendoodles: http://ourprimeyears.blogspot.com
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Thank you, Donna 🙂
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I loved this, very dark
Debbie
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Thank you, Debbie. Glad you liked it 🙂
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Nice Varad. I’m a big fan of unexpected twists. In this one there is deep rooted regret over a life lost in caring while letting his own vaporise. Digs into that puschology thing. Right and wrong smear and frustration wins out. Good piece again.
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By all means i go speechless unable to decode the twist, today too. U brilliantly put the ailments the mom has.. I actually pitied the son and lo.. U deceived me again.. C is for Change.. Yet to be commented and D is for Dare to Dream.. Do have your say on my posts too. Have a nice day 🙂
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