“This is my home now,” she said quietly.
From her bag, she took out a folded document and placed it into Riya’s trembling hands. The notary stamp caught the light. Riya’s eyes moved quickly over the words, her breath hitching as understanding dawned.
“The money,” she whispered. “The money from the house sale. Where is it?”
Lakshmi met her gaze, her eyes steady. “Your mistake wasn’t sending me away,” she said softly. “Your mistake was believing your mother had nothing left to lose.”
Riya’s shoulders shook as the weight of her actions settled fully upon her. Around them, the home remained quiet, respectful, as if giving them space for this reckoning.
A nurse approached gently, placing a reassuring hand on Lakshmi’s arm. “Amma, it’s time for your medicine.”
Lakshmi nodded and stood. She did not look back as she walked inside, leaving Riya kneeling beneath the tree, the truth finally clear.
Inside the building, doors closed softly. The world outside blurred into something distant. Lakshmi took a deep breath, feeling the steady presence of her own strength.
She had chosen herself.
And for the first time in a long while, that choice felt right.
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