Short Story: Locket of Ambi Mehra
Ankit Mehra, a soldier in a country devastated by conflict, proudly performed his duty but struggled with homesickness. He would always take a little, torn envelope out of his pocket after arduous conflicts and rituals. A faded picture of his mother, Ambi Mehra, was inside; her bright smile stood in stark contrast to the depressing reality that he had to face.
On a routine patrol one day, Ankit Mehra came across a spooky street down home. He entered the inn out of curiosity and discovered the remains of a once-happy home. He noticed an artwork among the trash. It showed a woman holding a locket who eerily reminded his mother.
As he approached, Ankit Mehra noticed the locket, miraculously preserved, lying below the painting. Picking it up, he felt an intense familiarity. Inside was a photograph of his mother as a young and beautiful woman, looking identical to the woman in the painting.
Ankit Mehra wanted to know, as he was puzzled and curious. The housekeeper Ravi Kaka told the story of Asha Mehra, a courageous woman who resembled the woman in the artwork. Regardless of their allegiance, she would provide shelter for injured soldiers during the last battle. There were rumours that she fell in love with a soldier, but their romance was short-lived and ended due to the brutality of war. Her son was rumoured to have been the one she sent away to protect.
Ankit Mehra realised Asha Mehra was his mother, Ambi Mehra, after making the connection. His father was the soldier she had adored. He was unaware of this past because his mother only expressed aspirations for his future and never talked about her own or the past in which she lived.
With the locket and the picture of her mother, Ankit Mehra felt a stronger connection to the moments he lived with her and an appreciation for her sacrifices. Ankit Mehra went back home when the war was over. He shared his story with gentle appreciation for her mother’s sacrifices in the past as he handed Ambi Mehra’s locket and let the silence be words between them.
From that point on, Ankit Mehra saw in his mother’s eyes not only love but also tremendous power and courage. The soldier’s mother told a story of love, sacrifice, and the unspoken histories that families pass down through the centuries in addition to the battle.
Written by Riddhi Mishra
