Panic hit him hard.
He bought medicine and lotion from a chemist in secret, tried home remedies, even trimmed some hair, but the infestation was stubborn. After two days of suffering in silence, he finally called his mother from the balcony one evening when the other two were in the hall.
Santi picked up on the second ring. Her voice was warm but sharp, the way it always was when she sensed something wrong.
“Beta? Sab theek hai na? Coaching mein problem toh nahi?”
Divyansh hesitated, then lied through his teeth.
“Ma… yahan flat ke bed mein kuch problem aa gaya. Mujhe… pubic area mein yeh ho gaya. Bugs… lice jaise. Bahut khujli ho rahi hai.”
There was a short silence on the other end.
Then Santi’s voice came, firm and scolding, exactly like a school teacher correcting a careless student.
“Arre beta, pubic hair toh achhe se clean karo! Kyun nahi saaf karte? Shave kar lo ya trimmer se cut kar do. Yeh sab nahi pata kya? Itna bada ho gaya hai tu, aur yeh basic cheez nahi samajhta? Roz nahate ho toh wahan bhi dhyan do. Medicine laga lo chemist se, kapde aur bedsheet garam paani mein dholo, aur area ko dry rakho. Yeh problem aise hi nahi jaati. Kal hi aa rahi hoon main Lucknow. Dekhti hoon kya scene hai wahan. Bed change karwa denge agar zarurat padi toh.”
Divyansh’s heart hammered. He tried to protest weakly that it wasn’t necessary, but Santi had already made up her mind.
“Main aa rahi hoon. Tu tension mat le. Main handle kar lungi.”
She disconnected.
The next day was the day of her arrival.
Divyansh spent the morning in anxious silence, cleaning the flat extra thoroughly, hiding any obvious signs of their nightly activities, and making sure the spare mattress was ready. Himanshu and Ajay knew something was off but didn’t push. They only knew Divyansh’s mother was coming for a short visit because of some “bed problem”.
Santi reached Lucknow by afternoon train. She took an auto straight to Saket Vihar. When she stepped out in front of the building, the three boys were waiting downstairs.
She looked nothing like a typical 39-year-old mother from a small town.
Santi was beautiful in a way that made people do a double take. At 39 she easily passed for 32 or 33. Fair, smooth skin that glowed even without much makeup. Sharp, intelligent eyes, full lips, and a fit, curvaceous body maintained by years of walking to school and doing household work. Her long dark hair was tied in a neat bun, a few strands falling loose around her face. She wore a simple but elegant light blue cotton saree with a matching blouse, the pallu draped neatly. A light jasmine perfume followed her. She looked like a strict but attractive school teacher — the kind boys secretly crushed on.
Divyansh hugged her first, nervous as hell. “Ma…”
She cupped his face, looked at him with concern and love. “Beta, theek hai na tu?”
Himanshu and Ajay stood frozen for a second. Both of them had heard Divyansh talk about his mother over the months, but seeing her in person hit differently. Especially after seven months of watching MILF videos and openly discussing older women. Himanshu’s eyes widened slightly. Ajay swallowed. She looked younger, hotter, and more graceful than either of them had imagined.
