First meeting

It had been fourteen years since she visited this place. An air of nostalgia swept past her as she ambled across the streets where she spent her childhood - The man who sold gas baloons near the lamp post opposite to her maths tution, the lady who sold yellow flowers on her way to school, the begger woman who would not accept anything else other than food, overflowing dustbins, uneven speed breakers at awkward places in the road that had punctured her bicycle wheels a hundred times, the neem tree outside her school, the same dull and brownish paint on the school building and a lot many things. Nothing had changed. she was astonished. And happy too. These were the places she loved and grew up. She recognised everyone and everything. Yet nobody knew her. The very scent of these places used to make her feel ecstatic. The sweet memories of her past brought a smile on her face. But that was short-lived. she was on her way to attend a funeral. Of her aunt, whom she had not met in ten years. With whom her daughter was living. With whom she spoke just once, when she got to know that her daughter attained puberty. She had disowned her daughter the day she was born. And her aunt had adopted her, several years ago. Now that she is dead, who would take care of my daughter, the mother thought. She was about to meet her 'grown-up kid' for the first time. And introduce herself. But as what ? Her family friend ? Her relative ? Her mother ? No. Atleast she dindn't want to say that. Afterall, which mother would like to introduce herself as a prostitute.

On reaching her aunt's house, she closed her eyes and tried inhaling her favorite scent to relieve the stress that had built upon her.

All she could smell this time, was the stench of the corpse.