Black Diamond

A crowded Costa Coffee, a lady with graying hair and eyes that once must have shone like black diamonds ... now only simmering coals remained.
Radha looked anxiously at her son seated across the table from her. His eyes were sunken, bloodshot, his hair disheveled, she felt he smelt of liquor and it was only 10 a.m. she thought.

She thought back to the day she dropped him off at the railway station to go to Noida. He had told her he had a job interview. She had been so naive to believe him. He had left with a hundred thousand of rupees. He had said he needed them for deposit on his rented accommodation.

Now here he sat, asking for more money, with no job, and no real plans of doing one.

Had he even showered? she thought. His stare was glassy and he looked like the devil. 'How can a child be so different from his father?' Radha thought. She remembered Arun's dad... immaculately dressed, honest, a tea totaler. What did I do so wrong? a panicky voice in her asked.

Her son was brooding and demanding some money and food. She glared at him to at least go and pick up the order. He almost trampled a kid on his way to the counter, looking back only to shout a profanity at the now terribly worried mother of the little kid.

Radha wished the earth would open up and swallow her that very moment. She smiled apologetically at the lady as Arun returned with the coffee almost slamming the tray on the table.

Just then Radha, noticed a very skimpily dressed girl with very red lipstick, high heeled boots and glassy eyes resembling her son's eyes walk up to the coffee counter.
She seemed slightly off balance. She saw Arun and waved at him. How a wave of the hand could look so dirty, Radha just couldn't comprehend.

Arun winked back at the girl and then demanded his mum give him another Rs. 50,ooo for the month. He threatened her with dire consequences if she didn't. He played the guilt card too by blaming her for his state in life and for his father's death.

Radha got up, left the envelop with the money on the table, payed the cheque and left with a silent prayer and a solitary tear.