SARAH returned to the military base at the end of the week with a satisfied and more relaxed mind.

“It’s amazing how in a short time, after so many years, I could have calmly dealt with the disturbing issues related to my past in the most unexpected ways,” she expressed silently.

For all her life from fifteen years, she had been wary of trusting anyone and had taken careful, cautious steps on the new road ahead.

“I never stopped praying, asking God for his help,” she reminisced, a knot forming in her stomach and he sent good people to rescue me, who gave me a home, love, and care.

Her missionary family she knew in her heart would forever be a great part of her life and now she had found a precious gem, her son.

As days, weeks, and months went by he would message her, asking how was her day, giving her updates on his studies and more poems he had written. It gave her a feeling that he had found some comfort in talking to her, maybe because her world was different.

The humanitarian work she sometimes did, took her to different regions so she would send him pictures that gave him a peek into lives in the villages and communities. It would help him, she knew, to learn more about people and places. The interesting facts about the country’s exotic flora and fauna, splendid resorts, and awesome waterfalls impressed his mind. It kind of opened a whole new world for him, different from luxury vacations in Europe and North America.

He told her once, “I’m happy to have you to talk to sometimes because my father is getting sicker and my mother is overwhelmed with worry and taking care of the businesses.”
“I’m happy I can talk to you too, my son,” she said to herself.

He did not speak much of his father’s health and she never asked him anything, not wanting to know. She never made inquiries about her mother also, but one day, a month ago, a message came from one of the missionaries in the city.

The note read, “An old lady named Maya has died.”

It was her mother.

Only the missionaries knew of her relation to her.

Sarah had sat there for a long moment, not sure how to feel but the mother’s death had now brought closure to that part of her life. She sighed deeply and said with regret, “Pity it had to end this way.”

New pages are written as the wind blows away the past and fresh blooms rise for something new.

Something beautiful had been her simple dream for though poor, she had found little joy in her life as a child. In the small mirror in the hallway, she would look at her reflection and smile. But when bad things began to happen, she couldn’t look in the mirror anymore for there were always tears on her face.

But two years ago, a little smile came back, and her heart felt, again, a little joy when she met someone from a National Geographic team.

He was from the UK and had come here to do a documentary film on the Iwokrama forest, home to the best of nature. From the first moment they met, he had shown a deep interest in her but Sarah was still scared to be close to a man. They stayed connected as good friends as he travelled the world but eventually, his messages became fewer.

“I guess he has moved on,” she rued, “Wonder if I’ll ever be freed of this fear to share my life with someone?”

It stunned her when the answer came sooner than she had expected. Aryan hadn’t messaged her in quite a while and Sarah was beginning to wonder if everything was fine with him, when she received a brief message from him, late one night,

“My father is gone.”

She had read the messages three times before it sank in, and though a surge of relief pulsed through her body, she felt sorry for her son and responded.
“So sorry for your loss. Try to stay strong.”

“Thanks,” he replied, “It’s a great loss and my mother is quite broken by his passing.”

“Well, you have to be her strength and support.”

As she wrote those words, she knew how much the mother would need him by her side. The fact that she brought him up from baby as her own, it would be difficult for her to let go.
“How now does Reshma, the real mother, return?” she questioned, “The truth will cause more grief.”

Sarah’s life was defined by care and compassion and she knew she won’t be able to cause the mother any more pain but it was taken out of her hands when Aryan called her a month later to tell her, “My father left a dying confession with a lawyer for me.”

A chill passed through Sarah’s body and silently, she whispered, “Oh my god.”

Aloud she asked, “What’s that about?”

She could hear Aryan inhaling deeply before he answered, “It’s about my birth mother, a girl named Reshma. That’s just shocking and unbelievable.”

For a moment Sarah froze, not knowing what response to give him.

The truth had finally been revealed!

She managed to calm her mind and said to him, “I’m not sure what to say.”

“It’s very difficult for me to accept that my father was a bad man,” he said, a deep quiver in his voice, “That he abused a girl and my mother played a role in taking away her baby.”

His voice broke and he took a while to regain control.

“Now I understand the feeling of something that was missing from my life.”

She remembered him mentioning that before and she asked cautiously, “And, would you like, maybe, to see her know who she is?”

He didn’t answer for a long moment and Sarah held her breath, knowing his answer would unite mother and son or keep them apart.

“Yes, I want to see her but—I can’t leave my mother because she’s still broken with grief.”

“I think Reshma would understand that.”

Sarah knew he would need time to adjust to this revelation and its consequences, having to find a balance between his biological mother and the mother he grew up with. She also knew Mrs. Malhotra would be resistant to that transition so she would have to support Aryan, the best she could.

“No one knows where she is though,” Aryan said.

“Maybe she’s close but never returned because of fear. I’m sure you’ll be able to find her.”

“Well,” he said and she could hear the strength in his voice, “I’m young but I have to be strong, and being her son, I hope she can return.”

“Oh gosh!” Sarah exclaimed quietly, his words filling her heart with joy.

Sarah allowed a little time to go by and then messaged Aryan that he would see his mother soon.

On that day, Reshma returned as Sarah dressed in her finest military wear and stood proudly as an accomplished young woman. Aryan was taken completely by surprise and he exclaimed, “It was you all the time! Oh my god, this is so crazy and awesome!”

He couldn’t contain his joy and with tears in his eyes, he greeted her, “Mom.”

She couldn’t stop the tears when she said, “My son.”

He hugged her and in that blessed moment, there was not a dry eye among Sarah’s military friends and her missionary family but no one paid attention to the displeased look on Mrs. Malhotra’s face. She couldn’t believe that Sarah was Reshma.

Money it is said, cannot buy everything.

And not to forget what karma can do.

So today, after thirteen years, a mother can now hug her son.

Fate does have a way of playing its cards.