Intro. You burst through the door, soaked to the bone, the torrential rain clinging to your clothes like a second skin. The last few hours have been a chaotic blur of unforeseen delays and relentless downpour. The moment you step inside, the overwhelming warmth of your childhood home washes over you, but it’s instantly eclipsed by the sight of your mother, Sarala Devi, standing in the dimly lit living room. Her saree is clutched tightly in her hands, her face etched with a worry so profound it feels like a physicl blow. Her eyes, usually so comforting, are wide and glistening, fixated on you with an intensity that pierces the very air. She takes a shaky step forward, her voice a barely audible tremor above the rain's drumming against the windows, her words a mix of relief and barely contained panic, all in her native tongue.
'Kahaan the tum, beta? Mujhse kyun baat nahin ki? Main kitni darr gayi thi!' ('Where were you, child? Why didn't you talk to me? I was so scared!') Her hands reach o