More Things Change

A few months later

Harish has now moved from 3rd grade to 4th grade.

Meanwhile, Madhavi started feeling uncomfortable about her own body because she was recently body shamed by one of her colleagues. This also caused her to change her attitude towards her son. She has now started to view his touches on her tummy and navel as a bad thing.

On one fine day, Madhavi and her son Harish have just returned home from office and school respectively.

Harish changes from his school uniform to his casual clothes while Madhavi hasn’t changed her saree yet. She’s still in the same saree, i.e., purple sill blouse and violet silk saree. And her navel is peeking out just like in the pic given below.

Harish now comes by.

HARISH: Amma, you haven’t changed your saree yet?

Madhavi smiles faintly.

MADHAVI: Thangam, I’ll change in a few minutes.

HARISH: Okay, Amma.

Harish decides to give enough time to his mom to change her saree. But then, he catches the sight of his mom’s exposed tummy. He looks at it and admires it passionately. Madhavi notices this and she immediately covers her tummy with her pallu.

MADHAVI: (frustrated) Harish, not just touching. Even seeing is forbidden.

Harish is confused.

HARISH: Which one are you referring to, Amma?

MADHAVI: (strictly) My tummy!!!You must stop touching my tummy from now on. You also must stop seeing it. You should not even think about it.

Harish is confused as well as hurt as his mom, whom he loves dearly, starts treating him like a stranger.

HARISH: Amma, you would like this a lot. You would enjoy not just my touches but also kisses on your tummy. What made you dislike it today?

MADHAVI: (firmly) I shouldn’t have let you do that in the first place. From now on, I won’t allow that. You must be punished for touching my tummy.

Harish is further hurt as he never expected such strong words from his own mom. He then vents out.

HARISH: Amma, you know? I never judged you, no matter what. I never told you to change for me even if I have changed for you several times. I have always loved you with no judgments or conditions. Now you are treating me like a stranger?

Madhavi is further angered.

MADHAVI: You dare command me? I wish your father was alive right now so that he would give you a nice punishment.

Harish is hurt even more. Without speaking a word, he goes to his room and starts crying. Once he’s done crying, he decides to be distant from Madhavi from now on.

HARISH: (mind-voice only) Alright. From now on, I’ll be distant from my mom. She has now started seeing me as a troublemaker and is treating me like a stranger. I won’t disturb her anymore. Let her be whatever she wants to be.

Harish then hardly ever speaks a word to his mom.

2 years later

Harish is now in 6th grade. His summer vacation has just begun. He has been called by his mom after 2 years to spend some time with her.

The next day, Harish goes home in the noon and meets his mom.

Madhavi is now in a green blouse and saree just like in the pic given below.

Madhavi then tearfully hugs Harish.

MADHAVI: Thangam, I’m really sorry for scolding you. Your touches on my tummy are not at all bad. And you never meant any sort of harm.

Harish smiles and hugs Madhavi back.

HARISH: It’s okay, Amma.

Madhavi breaks the hug and then grabs Harish’s right hand and places it on her exposed waist.

MADHAVI: I was wrong about you, thangam. I hope you have nothing against me.

Harish grins chuckles mildly.

HARISH: Amma, I don’t have hard feelings on you at all. I just let you be whatever you want to be. I chose to be in hostel so that you won’t see me as a troublemaker.

MADHAVI: No, thangam. You are not at all troublemaker. It was because of one of my colleagues who commented about my body. Because of her, I was so rude to you. Really really sorry, dear.

Harish’s eyes widen as perfectly understands his mom’s point.

HARISH: Oh…. Okay… Okay…. So because of her, we had a quarrel???

Madhavi smiles faintly and nods her head.

MADHAVI: Yes, thangam. But now, I realize you are far better than her.

HARISH: Amma, you know one thing? Till today, I have never touched any woman’s tummy and thoppul even after the bitter quarrel we had. That’s because I chose to remain loyal to you.

Madhavi is greatly impressed by Harish’s loyalty and she hugs him again, tightly this time. Harish enjoys his mom’s tight hug and he hugs her back.

After a few seconds, the hug breaks. Madhavi pats Harish’s shoulder.

MADHAVI: I’m so proud of you, thangam. I admire your unwavering loyalty despite our fights.

Harish smiles warmly.

HARISH: Thank you, Amma.

MADHAVI: Now I have got a reward for your unwavering loyalty .

Harish is curious.

HARISH: What is it, Amma?

Madhavi grins mildly.

MADHAVI: Please close your eyes, thangam.

Harish, without questioning, immediately closes his eyes. Madhavi then slides her saree and exposes her whole tummy just like in the gif given below.

MADHAVI: (with a warm smile) Now open your eyes, thangam!!!!

Harish opens his eyes and is stunned to look at his mom with her tummy exposed.

HARISH: Amma, are you kidding me?

Madhavi laughs mildly.

MADHAVI: No, thangam. I’m just giving you another chance to do what you love to do the most.

Harish looks surprised and his eyes widen.

HARISH: Seriously????

Madhavi chuckles.

MADHAVI: Yes, thangam.

Harish now feels reluctant.

HARISH: Amma???

Madhavi is concerned but she hides it with a simple smile.

MADHAVI: What is it, thangam?

HARISH: Umm….Can I kiss your thoppul now?

Madhavi laughs at her son’s question and she immediately nods her head.

MADHAVI: Of course, thangam!! You are more than welcome to kiss your Amma’s thoppul.

Harish sheds tears of joy. He then wipes them off. This is noticed by Madhavi.

MADHAVI: Why are you crying, thangam?

HARISH: Amma, those are tears of joy. Thank you for giving me permission.

Harish then slowly approaches his mom, brings his face close to her bare tummy, and plants some kisses right on her navel.

Madhavi enjoys her son’s kisses on her navel and ruffles his hair.

After planting a good number of kisses on his beloved mom’s navel, Harish slowly pulls back and gently wipes her tummy with his hand.

Harish smiles with satisfaction.

HARISH: Thank you, Amma. Thank you so much for letting me relive our good old days.

Madhavi chuckles and ruffles Harish’s hair.

MADHAVI: My pleasure, thangam. I still see no harm in it. In fact, I don’t think you would mean harm. You are simply expressing your love for your Amma in your own way and you didn’t go overboard. I appreciate that, thangam.

Harish sheds another tears of joy and hugs his beloved mom tightly. Madhavi enjoys this hug, chuckles and hugs him back. After a few seconds, the hug breaks.

From that day onwards, Harish spends quality time and engages in navel sessions with his beloved mom besides doing his holiday homework and occasionally going on educational tours.

This goes on until Harish’s summer vacation is over.

As the summer vacation is coming to an end, Harish packs up all his materials and goes back to his hostel but not before planting a deep and firm kiss on his beloved mom’s navel and promising her that he will come again.

After Harish leaves, Madhavi smiles satisfactorily and caresses her own navel, cherishing the broken bond she just rebuilt with her son.

A few days later, Madhavi meets one of her colleagues named Karan, the same person who body shamed her and tells him that nobody is perfect and we all have our own flaws. She also tells Karan that judging people too quickly does more harm than good. Karan realizes his mistake and apologizes to Madhavi. Madhavi forgives him and moves on with her office work. She also hopefully and patiently waits for another holiday to be declared for her son so that she can spend quality time with him and also engage in some more navel sessions with him.

That’s all, guys. This is the final chapter of the story. THE END.