FICTION

Mother Knows Best

Never underestimate her…

For a brief, shining moment the ball looked like it would reach it’s destination, before it was abruptly halted by the goalie’s hand. Piyush groaned.

"Still nine all!"

"Hurry up," Rohit yelled back. "We don’t have much time. ' '

Piyush, Rohit and the rest of their team spread out defensively as Arif threw the ball from the worn-out goal nets to his team. Immediately all players fiercely converged on the fray, as though their lives were at stake in this casual five-on-five park-soccer game. Sweat poured down their faces, and their skin glistened as they attacked and defended well past sunset. Nine goals a side, next goal to win. Piyush went to attack Jordan, who deftly sideswiped around him, then launched on a breakaway to the goal, before losing the ball to Rohit who immediately kicked it the opposite way.

Piyush gulped down some water and read the dreaded message from his Mom. “Come home and bring your brother with you."

One more goal. It shouldn’t take much longer he convinced himself, in spite of the scores being tied for the past twenty minutes. However, a further ten minutes passed, with considerable back and forth ball movement but still no scoring. Piyush glared at his brother as he lost the ball again.

"I was open, Rohit!"

"Shut up! I nearly had it! And your phone’s ringing."

Piyush hurriedly picked it up. "We’re coming Maa, nearly done I promise!"

"Hurry up. The food is getting cold."

"The scores are tied, Maa, it’s next goal wins!"

"Never mind, come now."

"OK, coming, coming," Piyush yelled, dropping the phone and running back onto the field.

"Aw, is it time to go home baby?" Min jeered from across the field.

"Shut up Min! Let’s just finish this.”

"Your family needs dinner? But yo mama so fat-”

"Shut up Min. Let’s play."

The sun had well and truly set at this point, bringing the welcome coolness of twilight. Still all ten of the players ducked, weaved and attacked ferociously. Min got the ball and dribbled towards the goal, firing it off triumphantly. James leaped and his fingertips just managed to push it beyond the goalpost, letting it roll outside the boundary to where Piyush and Rohit’s mother stood glowering.

Her long henna-streaked red and black hair was tied in a bun, while a messy. kitchen-stained blue dress adorned her moderately overweight frame. One of her sandal-wearing feet was strategically placed on the ball.

"Maa!" Rohit yelled. "We were just about to come! Promise!"

"Wait till you get home! I have been calling and calling!"

"Sorry Maa!" Piyush exclaimed. "But please! We literally just need one goal! It’s next goal wins. Scores are tied."

"You’ve been saying that for the past thirty minutes."

"We’ve been scores tied for that long Maa!"

"How can it be taking this long to score one goal?"

"Maa...you just don’t understand. This is important. Can we please just have the ball for five minutes?”

She glowered menacingly at Piyush. "OK...come and get it."

Piyush made to take the ball only to find it no longer there. Instead, he stared aghast as his forty-plus, overweight mother took off, dribbling the ball around him as though he’d been standing still.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come and get it!"

The remaining nine players stood stunned for a moment, then shook themselves out of it. Teams forgotten, they made to attack and defend against Piyush and Rohit’s mother. Min charged toward her, getting deftly out maneuvered by the forty-plus lady in sandals, who then dribbled, turned and faked her way past all of the supposedly experienced soccer players. Slipping it between Rohit’s legs and gliding past him, she darted forward, twirling around Jordan and faced Arif, the stunned goalie. He fell forwards at her fake out, left helplessly watching as the ball curved over his head and satisfyingly struck the back of the net.

Panting slightly, she looked at the stunned onlookers. "OK, last goal is done. Rohit and Piyush, let’s go home.” She turned around and walked off the field.

The rest of the players looked at Piyush who was still standing there, mouth agape.

"Um...anyone have any idea whose team she scored for?"