‘You have such a beautiful home, Mrs. Chopra,’ Sonia said as she took a seat in the drawing room. ‘And the garden is gorgeous. It’s all so well maintained. I’ve fallen in love with the blooming flowers and luscious green lawns. I wish I could maintain a garden like that. And a house.’
‘Well, I’m sure you would if you had the time. But from what I hear, you’re one of the best yoga instructors in town. So you either teach yoga or have a pretty house!’ Mrs Chopra smiled as she took a seat opposite her guest. ‘Now, what can I get you to drink? Would you care for a nice strong cup of masala tea or freshly brewed coffee?’
‘Neither. I had my cup of coffee this morning, thank you. But if you would like to have something, please go ahead. Let’s not stand on any formalities.’
Mrs. Chopra smiled. ‘Well, this sixty-five-year-old woman would love to have her mid-day cup of chamomile tea. Would you like one?’
‘Sure. I guess that wouldn’t do any harm,’ Sonia said sheepishly.
‘Wonderful. I’ll inform my house help; just give me a second.’
As Mrs. Chopra stepped out of the room, Sonia glanced around the drawing room. The huge glass cabinets were filled with Lladro statues and expensive crystals. There was a big painting hung on the wall across the room. There was another cabinet with different types of memories collected from all over the world. And yet another wall was covered with family photographs. Sonia got up and took the leverage to walk around, admiring every piece displayed. ‘This is more like a museum. I’m sure as hell every single piece here costs a bomb,’ Sonia thought.
Just then, Mrs. Chopra returned. She had Raju behind her, holding a tray of snacks, a teapot, and two bone china cups.
As Raju set the tray on the coffee table, Mrs. Chopra gestured for Sonia to sit. ‘Please help yourself with some snacks. I find that a little something to nibble on pairs wonderfully with a cup of tea.’
Sonia smiled and reached for a savory biscuit, her eyes still wandering around the impeccably decorated room. ‘Your home is truly a work of art, Mrs. Chopra. I'm in awe of your exquisite taste and attention to detail. It's clear you've put a lot of thought and care into creating such a beautiful and inviting space.’ Sonia took a sip of the fragrant chamomile tea, savoring its calming aroma.
‘Well, to tell you the truth, ever since I have taken things a little slow on the work front, I have given my home some love, nourishment, and care. All these years of tedious, long hours, target marketing, promotions, handling the employees, and, to top it up, making everything look perfect. Each and every design has to be flawless! Talking about it now, it all seems… endless.’
‘Well, your company is one of India's most luxurious home design brands. You’ve got bed linens, cushions, home decor, fabrics… you name it, you have it,’ Sonia remarked.
‘I see you’ve done some background check on me,’ Mrs. Chopra giggled.
‘Oh, please. Who doesn’t know the famous Mrs. Chopra? You’re a veteran! Sonia twinkled. ‘I’m sorry. But I don’t mean to be nosy. But is that your grandson’s portrait on the wall behind you?’
Mrs. Chopra turned around and admired the portrait. Her whole demeanor changed. Her body drooped, and her face became pale. She stared at the meticulously arranged family photos hung around the large portrait and then turned back to face her guest, who suddenly felt she had been put into an uncomfortable spot.
Sonia shuffled her feet as the room slowly filled with melancholy. ‘I am so sorry. I truly apologize… I shouldn’t have said anything. Maybe we should get down to the actual reason for our meeting.’
Mrs. Chopra remained silent. She got off her seat and ambled to the large window overlooking the beautiful garden. The silence in the room was deafening. She sighed and said, ‘No… you should know... I feel this is something we should talk about before we begin our sessions.’
‘Only if you are comfortable, ma’am. There is no pressure at all. Please understand, I have no intention to pry.’
‘No. This needs to be done. I have a feeling you and I will go a long way. I see a lot of myself in you… in your style of working. Don’t think I haven’t stalked you on your Instagram account,’ she began to sparkle again. ‘But before we move ahead, I would like to have a nicotine stick. Come, walk with me in the garden.’
Sonia nodded slowly as she rose from the sofa.
The two of them took a stroll on the lawn and soon were seated on the garden furniture under the canopy. Mrs. Chopra stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray as she contemplated how and where to start.
She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. ‘The portrait hanging in the drawing room is not my grandson, but my son, Suraj. It was his father’s idea to get a portrait sketched when the three of us went on a long holiday to Paris. Suraj was so curious back then. And boy, did he have a lot to say. My husband, Rakesh, had a hard time trying to make him sit still so the artist could do his job. Oh, I remember that wonderful holiday. The three of us came home with such sweet, sweet memories and so many wonderful treasures. Sadly, that was our last holiday together as a family. It all seems like a lifetime ago, but what can I say?’
Sonia stayed mum and listened attentively.
‘About two years later, Rakesh had an accident. He was paralyzed from the waist down. Back then, I was three months pregnant. We all were so devastated and shattered. I think I just couldn’t handle it and ended up having a miscarriage.’
Sonia listened with sympathy in her eyes.
‘But I knew I needed to be the stronger one. I knew I was the one who would keep it all together. So, I took over the company. I just couldn’t let my husband’s years of hard work go to waste, I had to take some big and frightening steps. I arranged for nurses around the clock to help me on the home front. I had an assigned nanny just for Suraj so he would not be neglected. But as time passed, Rakesh’s health fluctuated while Suraj grew distant. I didn’t realize how quickly time went by. I was consistently swamped with work. Believe it or not, right under my nose, my son transformed from a kind, loving, sweet, adorable little boy into a disgruntled, disruptive, sulky teenager. I had high expectations for Suraj. I thought he would stand up and take responsibility, but he left us alone and went abroad to pursue his degree. A few years later, he comes home with a woman named Jessica for a quick holiday.’
‘But how was your husband doing?’ Sonia asked.
‘Rakesh’s determination is unbeatable. God was kind. He got better over time. I found a doctor who changed his life. Thankfully, he improved significantly after surgery, rehabilitation, and physiotherapy. It will never be the same again for him, but at least he is far better than he was. Sadly, he misses his son tremendously. And deep down, so do I. After a while, we learned that Suraj and Jessica had married. And they have a son named Augustia.’
‘Augustia Chopra…’ Sonia said softly.
‘There was a point when we were never on the same page. As I said before, that was when he was a teenager. I feel I didn’t do enough as a mother. I couldn’t. It was either the family business or a discontented teenage boy. But by the time I realized how bad things were, it was too late. Suraj had already slipped away from us.’
‘But it’s never too late,’ Sonia said gently.
‘Yes, it is. It can’t possibly be the same again,’ Mrs. Chopra sobbed suddenly.
‘You can still make the change, but only if you are ready to try. I’m sure and I think you are too that Suraj needed his parent’s love when he was growing up. Your husband was trying to recover from a serious accident, and you were in a very tight spot. Your action in repairing this wound would be to call your son and, if possible, pay him a visit. You need to try to put the past behind you. And move on in life. Only then will you be able to make progress. You need to get things off your chest. You can’t walk around with so much emotional baggage. How on earth have you been able to function?’
‘It’s not like I haven’t wanted to… but… it just never ends well.’
‘Then at least clean the slate from your side.’
Mrs. Chopra dabbed her wet eyes with a handkerchief. 'You're right, my dear. I need to make amends with my son. It's been too long since we've had a meaningful conversation. I will reach out to him and see if we can meet up. Even if it's just for a short while, I need to try to reconnect and rebuild that bond. Maybe we can plan a family vacation together, or I can ask him to come down to India. It could be just like old times. I'm ready to make the effort.’
‘I’m glad to hear that. Now, let’s come to the reason why we are meeting. I will be sending you a Google form in which I expect to see honest answers. Based on your answers, I shall begin your course of treatment and schedule your yoga classes. Each class will take up to an hour. I will be sending you instructions that need to be implemented.’
Mrs. Chopra nodded in understanding. 'I appreciate your professionalism, Sonia. I'll be sure to fill out your form thoroughly and follow any instructions you provide. This is an important step in my wellness journey, and I'm committed to putting in the work.' She paused, then smiled, 'And I look forward to our yoga sessions together. It will be nice to have some dedicated time for myself, away from the demands of work and home.’
'I'm glad you're excited about this, Mrs. Chopra. Dedicating time for yourself is so important, especially with your busy lifestyle. I'll ensure the yoga sessions are tailored to your needs and provide a peaceful respite from the demands of your day. Once you've completed the form, we can discuss the best schedule for you. I'm here to support you every step of the way.’
‘I think sometimes one just needs a little push and inspiration.’ Mrs. Chopra murmured.
‘And that's what I'm here for,’ Sonia smiled a warm, loving smile.
Beautifully written 👌👌