WEIGHTLESS-PART 7

MATURE CONTENT | Reader Discretion Advised | Eating Disorder

Bela’s artwork was at its full term with intense pressure and exhausting hours. 

Anshul was increasingly on her own. As a result, Bela missed out on these drastic changes in Anshul’s life. She didn’t see the tattoos, nor the piercings. Not the mood swings, the highs and the crashes. And certainly not the loss of weight.  To the bone. 

Unfortunately, Bela was hardly around, spending most of her time in the studio now. When she did come home, Anshul was asleep. In school, when Bela woke up in the mornings. 

Till the day when Bela is at home. 

Anshul swings in from school, surprised to see Bela. Bela starts teasing her as usual, while making parathis and halwa, which were Anshul's favourite. Anshul is sullen and withdrawn. Giving short answers. On closer look, Bela sees her arms waxed, eyebrows and upper lip threaded, and so thin, almost gaunt. Bela is surprised. 

Bela is worried. ‘Are you ok?’ 

‘Yeah, Mom. I am not a baby,’ Anshul mutters. 

Bela notices Anshul is not eating. Instead, she is cutting up her food into tiny bite-sized pieces and toying with them while chewing one mouthful a million times. 

‘Anshul, are you on drugs? Are you smoking up?’ Bela is getting worked up. 

‘Aw shut up, Mom. You even realise how many calories you have farted on my plate in the name of dinner? 5000. Crap.’ Uncharacteristically rude, Anshul pushes her plate over the table. 

Bela is astounded.  ‘That's no way to talk. I am your mom!’

‘Oh right! And now you have time to be my Mom! Why? Your artist friends are not giving you bhav any more or you have extracted enough money from them that you don't need to arse lick anymore.’ Anshul is almost salivating. 

Bela is stunned. 

This is not like her daughter at all! ‘ANSHUL.’ 

‘Oh, stop being so melodramatic Mom. So middle class.’ And so saying, Anshul gets up from the table and going into her room, gags, retches and vomits the little food that she has consumed. 

Bela walks with leaden feet to her room. She just cannot wrap her head around what is happening. Tossing and turning in her bed that night, Bela is wondering how to sort out what is happening with Anshul. She knows that the next few days are the most critical for her show. Her work is scheduled to be unveiled by an international delegation. Today was the last day off before a deluge of busy days. Bela couldn't sleep for a long, long time. She finally falls asleep, promising herself that first thing tomorrow, she will take Anshul to the doctor. Then the art gallery, then the studio, the press conference…. 

But instead, she woke up to her mobile ringing. It was the Principal from the school. She was to reach the school immediately. She looks around and realises it's nine am and Anshul has apparently left for school.