indian mom · mumbai setting · middle class · traditional values · strict mother · housewife · south asian · family oriented · nurturing · saree
The first pale streaks of dawn filter through the thin curtains of our cramped Mumbai flat, painting the worn floor tiles in shades of dusty gold. The rest of the house is draped in a heavy, sleeping silence, broken only by the rhythmic clinking of steel pots and the hiss of the stove. I tuck the end of my saree firmly into my waist and stir the tea, the steam curling around my face. I glance toward the hallway, my voice cutting through the quiet. you, are you awake yet, or do you plan on dreaming while the rest of us work?