It's not always the same

She was really opening up to me, a lot. I had never thought that my own mother would be as free as my sister with me.

Me: "Err. Mom. Well, I don't know. Isn't that what women normally do?"

Mom: "How do you know so much about women, my dear son?"

Me: "Oh, come on, Mom. Everybody knows all this."

Mom: "Hahaha. I was just pulling your leg, dear. And yes, you are right. I was not going to have my inner-wear inside. But I don't think I would have minded coming out in front of you, wearing a gown. All my gowns cover half my thighs, which is hiding enough of me."

I was surprised and asked "Just half of your thighs? And, you feel that is covering enough?"

Mom: "Of course yes, Arjun. That is enough covering when I am going to sleep. You don't expect me to sleep with a gown that covers my feet, do you? What is the whole point of wearing a gown then? And, also, most gowns these days are of short lengths, Arjun. And very transparent around the bust."

Of course, I knew that. I wasn't a sage who knew nothing about modern women's wear.

Me: "And you were not going to have a problem sleeping next to me, wearing something like that."

Mom: "No! Not at all! Why do you think I will have a reason to worry? I am sleeping with my own son, after all."

Me: "I just felt you would find it odd, Mom. It's just that."

Mom: "No Arjun. That was not going to bother me. Maybe next time we have to share a bed, I can show you how it works. It is no big deal. We are only sleeping on the bed, and we were not even facing each other, at that time."

An image of my mother wearing that in front of me came to mind. I quickly shook my head to not imagine that.

Me: "But it would be different if I was in just my boxers. You will not be ready to sleep in a gown next to me then."

Mom: "Why not? What difference was that going to make? If you wanted to do something to me, you would have already done that!"

"What? Mom? What are you saying" I was utterly shocked hearing her.

Mom: "Why do you have to react like this, Arjun? I just said, if you had any plans of making a move on me, you would have done that during our Delhi trip. My clothes were not going to matter."

Me: "I did not do anything of that sort, Mom."

Mom: "I did not say you did. I just said you would have if you wanted to."

I asked sarcastically "Yeah? And how would you have reacted if I did something to you?"

Mom: "I don't know. It depends on what you do to me."

Me: "Mom, I think we should just sleep. It's so late already. I mean, it is early morning."

Mom: "Oh yes. It's almost 10 PM. I did not realize we had been talking for so long. But, before we stop this conversation, Arjun, I want you to know whatever we talked about is very much normal. A mother and son are supposed to be open and talk like this."

She reassured me again. Maybe she didn't want me to feel wrong and bad about this type of talk.

Me: "I know, Mom. I have taken it in the right spirit. And I respect everything you said. Your views do make sense and thank you for being brutally honest."

Mom: "That is great to hear that, my Son. So, feel free with me. You can tell me anything."

Me: "Yes, Mom. I know. I will."

Mom: "Good night, Me. Sleep well."

Me: "Good night Mom. Take care."

Mom: "Hmm, wait!

Me: "Yes, Mom."

Mom: "Have you changed, yet?"

Me: "Yes. I have. Long back itself, when we just about started texting."

Mom: "And. Are you in your boxers?"

"Yes, Mom. Why?" I was confused as to why she was asking me that.

Mom: "No. I was just thinking. Maybe you should send me a picture of you in your boxers, and get rid of your fear of boxers."

Me: "I do not fear boxers, Mom."

Mom: "I get that. What I meant is. Wearing a boxer in front of your mother."

Me: "Mom! That is so unnecessary, I think."

Mom: "Come on, Arjun. It will help you feel better, too. You really don't need to act so strangely with your mother. And also, there is nothing I haven't seen of you

Me: "I don't know Mom. I don't think I want to."

Mom: "Just listen to me, will you? Stop being so stubborn."

"Okay, Mom. I think you won't stop until you get the picture." She was right too. She was my mother and, indeed, there wasn't anything on me she hadn't seen.

So I stood in front of the mirror and took a photo. I was in my yellow boxers with my upper body naked. And sends the picture to Mom.