Under Mom's Bed - Reconciliation

"It's beautiful." She whispered.

The art on her body didn't need any explanation, but being the artist I believed I was entitled to do it... even if it was merely to bask in its beauty. I moved closer behind her and hovered my hand close above her arm.

"The silver fish are swimming up toward this colourful thing they see," I spoke moving my hovering hand over her arm, coming up and around her shoulder and then hovering over her bosom.

"Two lotus flowers floating on blue water." I hovered my hand around her round breasts emphasising the art.

"Two beautiful pink flowers with an infinite number of petals spiralling inwards... ending where the nectar lies." I explained hovering my index finger over mom's pink nipple, almost touching it.

"The source of the flowers' life being here." I said hovering my fingers over the two elegant green brush strokes signifying the stem of the flowers.

"Do you like it?" I asked, once I had finished my exposition.

"It's beautiful." She spoke, captivated by the image on her body.

"It's beautiful Ajju," She said turning around to face me, "Truly."

"Only compliments...? Doesn't the artist deserve any special reward?" I asked.

"He does." She said and in a split second closed the gap between us and lifted up on tiptoes plating her lips on mine. My lips parted catching hers and they locked tightly for a brief few seconds.

It was not a lustful kiss. It was a kiss of love... of adoration. It was a manifestation of the promise she had made me today... that she'll be with me and help me get through my muddled emotions.

It was brief... yet it was infinite. It was a mother kissing her son... and yet also a woman kissing a man.

She broke the kiss and stepped back. I stood in a daze, having received a reward more special than what I had in mind. I had wanted to take a picture of the art on her.

The sound of vehicle horn from the road outside jolted mom into reality and mom looked up at the clock. It showed 4.30 PM.

"Dad will be here soon... I have to wash up and change." She said. Her face showed obvious reluctance. It was clear that she wanted it to remain on her body for a while longer... but it couldn't be helped. I too was averse to watching my work being washed off. However, it had to be done.

"Can I take a picture?" I asked, "A souvenir to remember this moment... please." I pleaded.

The sadness at having to watch such a painstakingly made masterpiece must have been evident on my face for she didn't protest.

"Make sure my face isn't in it." Was her only condition. I made her stand near the window, through which slivers of the evening sunrays had come in. I pulled out my phone and opened the camera app. I focussed the camera on mom's breasts, navel and arms and clicked a few pictures.

While I checked how the pictures had come out, I saw mom walk into the bathroom out of the corner of my eyes. The pictures had come out well and had captured the beauty of the art exquisitely. The sound of a running tap distracted me from the phone screen. I followed its source and saw the bathroom door open. The white underskirt lay outside the door.

I went closer and looked in. I saw mom standing in front of the bathroom wash basin in just a red panty. splashing water on her breasts and rubbing the paint off them. The neat brush strokes on her body got warped as water mixed with paint and the creamy white of her skin started becoming visible. Blue and pink and green and silver splashed down in the washbasin and spiralled down the drain.

To be continued.