Grandmother, Who, Me?

"Grandmother, Who, Me?"

Chapter 5: The Words That Escaped

Shreya’s POV

Satish stood frozen in the middle of the hall, the golden afternoon light catching the confusion on his face. His mouth opened slightly, then closed. He looked exactly like the man I had fallen in love with, kind, gentle, a little stunned by my sudden seriousness.

What did I just say?

The words had tumbled out before I could stop them. I had thought about this many times in the past few days, late at night when I couldn’t sleep, during quiet moments in the parlor when clients talked about their joint families. It sounded crazy. It was crazy. I had actually decided against bringing it up. Satish was my husband, not some experiment. I loved him exactly as he was.

But then he had come running in with that proud, boyish smile, telling me about the big payout and how he wanted to take a break to be with me… and something inside me had cracked open. The longing I had buried rushed out.

I took a slow breath, my hand instinctively resting on my belly.

“Satish… I know how this sounds,” I said softly, reaching out to take his hands. They were warm and slightly damp from excitement. “Please sit.”

He sat beside me on the sofa, still looking puzzled but listening with that patient love he always showed me.

I spoke carefully, my voice trembling a little.

“Ever since we found out about the baby, I’ve been thinking a lot. We have a good life the house, the car, our little world. I love you more than anything. You’re the best husband anyone could ask for. But… I feel something missing. A mother figure. Someone to guide me, pamper me, scold me lovingly when I eat too much mango. Someone who makes this pregnancy feel… complete. I know real mother-in-laws can be difficult. I’ve seen it in movies, in real stories. But if it was someone like you… kind, caring, fun… I think I would feel safe. Whole.”

I paused, searching his eyes. “My old friend Jessica, the one who does underground transformation work, she called today. She has new techniques. Advanced stuff. She can turn someone into a realistic 45-year-old woman. Body, skin, voice, everything. She needs a candidate for testing. I… I thought of you.”

The words felt heavy as they left my mouth. I quickly added, “Maybe for a few days only. Just to experience it. You don’t have to say yes. If you don’t want to, no problem at all. I love you as you are. This is just… a silly dream.”

I waited, heart pounding. Any normal man would have laughed, gotten angry, or gently refused. Called it madness.

But Satish was different.

He sat quietly for a long moment, processing. I could see the surprise, the hesitation, even a flash of nervousness in his eyes. But underneath it was that deep, selfless love. The same love that made him dress up like a fool the other night just to make me laugh.

Finally, a small, shy smile tugged at his lips. He squeezed my hands gently.

“So… my daughter-in-law wants her mother-in-law, huh?”

The way he said it, soft, playful, but with a hint of acceptance, made my heart flutter. Relief and excitement washed over me. I pulled him into a tight hug, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.

“You don’t have to decide now,” I whispered into his shoulder. “Think about it. But… thank you for even listening.”

He held me close, his hand gently rubbing my back. I could feel his heartbeat steady, a little faster than normal.

In that moment, I knew. Satish would do anything for me.

Even become my Amma.