It was 14 days to the wedding. The anxiety levels were on the rise. Her daughter’s outfits weren’t done, YET! A palpable atmosphere and a to-do list were her constant companions. And the D-day approached like a lion closed in on its prey.

She looked at her clock, and thought, this time, 14 days from today, she would be gone. Away to a different country, embracing a new family, adjusting to new rules and starting a new life. A sinking feeling gripped her heart and a chill ran down her spine. She wouldn’t be seeing her every morning or walking into her room every night to check if she was sleeping okay. In 14 days, she wouldn’t make her favourite breakfast, only to see her close her eyes and relish the meal. In 14 days, she wouldn’t have her daughter to accompany her to lazy Sunday evening walks. In 14 days, she wouldn’t have her amateur make-up artist to help dress her up for her kitty parties. In 14 days, she would be gone, leaving behind a vacuum in her heart. Her hands trembled at the thought. The daughter walked into the living room, ready to leave for some errands. She noticed the tears well up in her mother’s eyes and the way she quickly blinked them away. “Mamma, we still have to pick up those shoes for the mehendi, we need to leave now!!!”

She took a deep breath and picked up her bag importantly. They hurried to get the job done. But something felt odd about it. They were driving in the opposite direction.

“Where are we going beta? The store is in Colaba.”

“Oh no, mamma. This is a new outlet, better than the Colaba one.”

Puzzled but satisfied with the explanation, she went back to her to-do list and her world of worries, until the car stopped outside a quaint looking cafe in Bandra reclamation.

Even on asking several times, her daughter didn’t say a thing. When they entered the bright interiors of the cafe, there was a table set for two. A glass of sangria and some mushroom toasts arrived soon after their arrival. Hot off the chef’s pan, it was the perfect mix of spices on a bed of fresh bread and a generous drizzle of truffle oil. As they clinked their glasses and bit into the mushrooms bursting with flavour, the daughter finally said,

“Welcome to our last brunch together before I leave, mamma!” This time, the tears couldn’t be blinked away.