It was threatening to rain; the monsoon had been mild this year, but the evenings still brought heavy downpours. I silently cursed myself for getting off the bus too early; I did not want to get caught in a downpour wearing my best suit. I walked fast, weaving past other people on their way home, stopping only momentarily to check if Maa had replied to my message. Unlocking my phone, I saw a message waiting for me. ‘Bring me a paper, please. Thank you, son.’

I decided to pick up a newspaper when I was closer to the apartment block. It would be pointless now, if the rain broke. As I made my way through the crowds, I replayed the interview in my head; I was sure I had the job, but didn’t want to be too confident. Stopping at the local shop, I grabbed a newspaper for Maa. By the time I reached the stairs to my apartment, the first drops had begun to fall. I smiled. ‘A good day indeed,’ I said out loud. Opening the door to our apartment, the smell of samosas and dal greeted me, filtering through from the kitchen. Dropping my keys in the ceramic pot at the door before loosening my tie and hanging it by the door, alongside my jacket, I walked into the kitchen.

‘Hello, Maa,’ I said and grinned. ‘Why am I being spoiled with my favourite food tonight?’

She turned and eyed me before returning my smile. ‘So, your interview was good then,’ she said. ‘I told you to be yourself, and you will get the job. This is a good celebration, don’t you think?’

I lifted my arms in defeat.

‘Hang on! The interview was good, but they haven’t given me the job yet.’

‘Come, sit,’ Maa said, motioning for me to sit at the kitchen table. ‘We’ll eat and talk about it, and then we will decide if you have the job, yes?’

Defeated, I sat down as she placed the dishes down on the table for dinner. I looked at my mother and love filled my heart. In my darker times, I allowed myself to think about what life would be without this woman in it, and whether I would have been given these opportunities if I had lived my entire life in the orphanage.

‘Now tell me,’ she said as she spooned some food onto my plate. ‘How did it go?’

Dinner was filled with conversations around the interview, of how Vihaan was now providing for his parents, and how I wanted to do the same for her. I told her what my position would be, making sure to tie in how my degree benefited the job. She listened to me intently, offering the occasional words of encouragement. When I was finished eating, she cleared the dishes and put a cup of tea in front of me. I began telling her about the company’s global presence and how it meant that the opportunities for growth were great. She nodded in agreement, even if she didn’t fully understand what I was talking about, and after our tea, she told me that she was proud of me but was tired. Kissing me on the forehead, she walked through to wash up for the evening.