Chapter 16: A Son’s Reassurance

The Call That Changed Everything

For the first time in weeks, Debasish wakes up with a clear mind. The weight of regret is still there, heavy as ever, but something feels different. A strange warmth lingers in his chest, an aftertaste of surrender.

Yesterday, he had no answers. No plan.

Yet, when he closed his eyes and softly sang, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, something shifted.

Today, he wants to study.

He reaches for his books with a resolve he hasn’t felt in months, but the moment his fingers graze the pages, reality strikes.

"What should I study first?"

Physics? The endless formulas swirl in his head like a language he barely understands.

Chemistry? The untouched reactions feel like riddles mocking him.

Biology? The overwhelming sea of information threatens to drown him.

A lump forms in his throat. If he starts with easy topics, he’s wasting time. If he picks the difficult ones, he won’t understand a thing.

His breath quickens. His hands turn cold. The panic creeps in—slow at first, then all at once.

"I can’t do this."

And then, his phone rings.

He blinks, momentarily snapped out of his spiral.

Maa.

A Different Kind of Conversation

"Beta, khana khaya?"

Her voice is familiar, soft, the same question she asks every day.

Normally, guilt would choke him.

But today, something changes.

For the first time, he hears her voice—not just the words, but the love woven into them.

She isn’t just checking on his food.

She’s checking on him.

He swallows. And before he can stop himself, he asks, "Maa, aapki tabiyat kaisi hai?"

A pause.

A silence just long enough to feel heavy.

And then, she speaks. Softly. Cautiously.

"Beta… Doctor ne bola hai ki ab dawa se jyada dhyaan rakhna padega."

Something cold runs through his veins.

"Matlab?" His voice barely rises above a whisper.

"Bas thoda sugar aur BP ka problem badh gaya hai… Par tension mat lo. Main theek hoon."

She is lying.

For months, she has hidden it. Pretended everything was fine. Smiled when she should have rested. Laughed when her body was screaming for relief.

But it’s not fine.

And he knew. Somewhere deep inside, he always knew.

He just never asked.

Faith Over Fear

The old Debasish would have panicked. Would have let the guilt swallow him whole. Would have imagined the worst.

But today, something inside him refuses to break.

He grips his phone tighter. His voice is steady, firmer than it has been in a long time.

"Maa, Krishna sambhal lenge."

She exhales sharply, almost as if she had been holding her breath.

A soft chuckle escapes her. It’s tired, but real.

"Haan beta, Krishna sambhal lenge."

She needed to hear that.

For months, she had carried the burden alone. Worried about him. Worried about everything.

But in this moment, she isn’t alone.

And for the first time, neither is he.

This isn’t a promise.

It isn’t an empty reassurance.

It’s faith.

A faith that does not demand answers.

A faith that does not fear the unknown.

A faith that simply surrenders.

Debasish takes a deep breath and opens his book again.

For the first time, he feels ready.

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