Novel Series – My Mother and Homeland

Novel Series – Part -3
My Mother and Homeland
Voices That Echo Within (Episode> 6- 8)

After finishing breakfast, Ethan picked up Aria in his arms and was about
to step into the yard when a voice called out —
“Ethan! Oh Ethan, are you home?”
Lila quickly adjusted her scarf and said,
“Ethan, your Uncle Robert is here. Ask him to come inside.”
From the yard, Uncle Robert replied,
“No need, sister-in-law. I won’t sit. I just heard Ethan has come.”
He coughed heavily a few times.
Lila responded,
“Yes, he has.”
After catching his breath, Uncle Robert asked,
“How are you feeling?”
“The same as always… sometimes a little better, then worse again.
How about you? I heard your breathing problem has gotten worse.”
“Yes… it’s been quite bad these past few days.”
Ethan stepped forward, touched his uncle’s feet respectfully, and invited him inside.
“No, no… I won’t sit. Haven’t even taken my medicine yet.
I just came because I heard you were here.
How are you, son?”
“I’m doing well, Uncle.”
Uncle Robert looked at him with a mix of concern and disappointment.
“Tell me something… why are you all like this?
Uncle Robert said – At our age, shouldn’t someone be there to look after us?
Or does that not matter anymore?”
He paused, struggling to breathe again.
Mary brought a small stool and asked him to sit.
Lila added with a sigh,
“Please explain it to him…
Can someone really leave everything behind like this and stay so far away?”
Uncle Robert sat down slowly.
“Don’t mind my words,” he said, looking at Ethan.
“My suggestion is—don’t go back to the city. Stay here. Do something here. ”
Many people are building their lives right here. I believe you can too.
Stay here… get married… build a family.
You’ll be able to take care of your mother,
and at the same time, give your own life some direction.
Life can’t go on like this forever.
And your age isn’t standing still either… you should think about that too.”
Ethan remained silent.
His stillness said more than words ever could.
Uncle Robert stood up slowly, placing a hand on his back.
“Don’t be upset. I only said what I felt was right. You’re wise enough to decide.”
“I should go now… my health isn’t good.”
Mary offered—
“I made tea. Please sit.”
“No… not today. I’ll leave.”
Coughing, Bimal walked away.
Ethan stood there, motionless—
watching him disappear down the narrow grassy path. That peaceful path…
covered with soft green grass and morning dew…
For a moment, Ethan wished — he could disappear just like that.
Away from everything. Away from failure. Away from this helplessness.
“Who can’t even afford to buy the medicine their mother needs..”

Suddenly Annie grabbed his hand and pulled him—
“Why are you standing here, Uncle? Let’s go for a walk!”
Ethan snapped back to reality.
“Yes… let’s go.”
They walked toward the eastern yard of the house.
These days, it looked abandoned.
Once full of life and bustle, it is now abandoned —
covered in wild vines and bushes.
When something loses its need, it loses its value—
the yard seemed to be a living example of that truth.

Ethan stepped into the courtyard with Aria in his arms and stood silently, lost in thought.
His eyes suddenly fell on a nearly dead lemon tree, tangled in vines.
Memories rushed back.
There was a time when his mother would bring water from the pond every evening,
pouring it carefully at the base of that tree.
The dry soil would absorb the water eagerly,
and a faint earthy smell would rise into the air.
She never felt tired doing it.

With her care and affection, the dying tree would come back to life—
full of leaves, flowers, and fruit. A smile would light up Mom face.
Sometimes, the branches would bend under the weight of lemons.
Sometimes, ripe yellow lemons would fall to the ground.
And mosquitoes would buzz happily around them.
Sometimes his mother would say to him —

• To be continued…My Mother and Homeland>Part -4 (Episode> 9-11)