The room fell silent.
Mayank blinked innocently as his mother held the caretaker's phone in her hand. The cheerful smile that had been dancing on his tiny face slowly disappeared.
"M... Mama?"
Mia looked at the screen.
The call had already ended.
She switched off the phone before handing it back to the caretaker, who stood nervously near the door.
"You may leave," Mia said quietly.
The caretaker nodded and hurried out, closing the door behind her.
Now only the two of them remained.
Mayank sat on the edge of the bed, swinging his little legs gently, completely unaware of the storm inside his mother's heart.
Mia took a slow breath.
"Mayank."
He looked up immediately.
"Yes, Mama?"
"Who told you to call him?"
"No one."
She frowned.
"Then whose phone did you use?"
"Aunt's phone," he answered honestly, pointing toward the door. "I asked nicely. She gave it to me."
"And why did you call him?"
The little boy smiled as if the answer was obvious.
"Because I missed him."
Mia lowered her eyes.
"I wanted to talk to my Iron Man Friend before he leaves."
Her fingers slowly tightened.
"He said he would go away."
"What if he leaves without saying bye?"
"I wanted to tell him to come again."
His innocent words pierced her heart one after another.
"He laughs with me..."
"He listens to my stories..."
"He doesn't even get bored."
A tiny smile appeared on Mayank's face.
"He said we're Iron Man Team."
Mia's vision blurred for a second.
Iron Man Team...
She remembered another smile.
Another laugh.
Another promise made beneath the snow-covered skies of Switzerland.
Her chest tightened painfully.
No...
This couldn't continue.
If Leo stayed...
If Mayank became attached...
If Leo remembered...
Everything she had protected for four years would disappear.
She walked closer.
Her voice became firmer.
"You are never going to call him again."
Mayank blinked.
"...Why?"
"Because I said so."
"But Mama..."
"I just want to—"
"I said no!"
The sudden raise in her voice startled him.
His small shoulders trembled.
"But... I miss him."
Those four words finally shattered the fragile control Mia had been holding onto.
Without thinking...
Her hand moved.
A soft slap landed on his tiny cheek.
The sound was quiet.
Almost too quiet.
Silence followed immediately.
Mayank slowly lifted his hand to his cheek.
His big brown eyes filled with tears.
He didn't cry.
He didn't scream.
He didn't ask why.
He simply looked at his mother...
Confused.
Hurt.
Broken.
The sight stole every bit of strength from Mia.
Her own eyes widened in horror.
"Mayank..."
She reached toward him immediately.
"My baby..."
He quietly stepped back.
The distance wasn't even a full step.
Yet it felt like miles.
Without saying a single word, he climbed off the bed, hugged his small Iron Man toy tightly against his chest, and slowly walked toward his room.
The door closed with the softest click.
Mia remained standing exactly where she was.
Her hand trembled.
She stared at the same hand that had just hurt the person she loved more than her own life.
"What..."
"...have I done?"
A tear slipped down her cheek.
Then another.
Her legs gave way, and she slowly slid down the wall outside Mayank's room.
She covered her mouth to stop herself from sobbing.
"I'm sorry..."
"So sorry..."
"Mama didn't mean to hurt you..."
"I was just..."
"...scared."
Inside the room, Mayank quietly wiped away his tears with his tiny sleeve.
He wasn't angry.
He simply didn't understand.
He had only wanted to speak to his friend.
Why had Mama become so upset?
A gentle knock interrupted the silence.
His grandfather entered carrying a small toy car.
"My little champion..."
Mayank looked away.
Grandpa sat beside him without saying anything.
After a few moments, he smiled warmly.
"Want to race cars with Grandpa?"
Mayank shook his head.
"No?"
Another small shake.
"What about your favourite chocolate?"
Again...
No response.
His grandfather sighed softly.
He knew exactly why this had happened.
His daughter wasn't protecting herself anymore.
She was protecting her son.
And in doing so...
She had unknowingly wounded him.
That evening, Mia prepared Mayank's favourite dinner herself.
His favourite vegetable fried rice.
His favourite potato curry.
She even made chocolate pudding.
She carried the tray to his room with hopeful eyes.
"My little puppy..."
"I made your favourite."
Mayank looked at the food.
Then quietly turned his face toward the window.
He didn't say a word.
Mia swallowed the lump in her throat.
She tried feeding him one spoon.
He gently pushed it away.
Later, she brought him warm milk.
He refused again.
Before bedtime, she tucked the blanket around him just as she did every night.
She gently brushed his hair away from his forehead.
"Good night, sweetheart."
No reply.
She waited.
Hoping he would at least say...
"Good night, Mama."
Instead...
He hugged his Iron Man toy closer and whispered so softly that it almost broke her heart.
"I miss my Iron Man Friend..."
Mia stood frozen.
Tears rolled silently down her cheeks.
She switched off the bedroom light and quietly closed the door behind her.
Outside...
She leaned against the wall, unable to stop crying.
"I know you'll hate me today..."
"But one day..."
"You'll understand why Mama did this."
Little did she know...
Tomorrow would test both her love...
And her strength...
Far more than today ever had.