First:
She went straight to Punjab National Bank, withdrew every rupee from her savings account, and transferred the amount into a new account.

Second:
She visited Shanti Niketan Old Age Home in Hauz Khas.
She reviewed the terms.
She signed the papers.
She paid in advance for ten full years—for a premium room with a private caregiver.

Third:
She went to a reputable notary office.
There, before two witnesses, she prepared her will.

It was written in both Hindi and English:

“After my death, all remaining assets shall be donated to ‘Helping Hands Society,’ an organization that supports abandoned elderly women.
No portion of my property shall be given to any child who rejected me, mistreated me, or abandoned me during my lifetime.”

That evening, her old phone rang. It was Riya.

“Mom… where are you?”
“Please come back tomorrow… I’ll cook special kheer just for you.”

Lakshmi’s voice remained steady and calm.

“I don’t have a home anymore, Riya.”

On the other end of the call, Riya said nothing.

A week later, after frantic searching, Riya finally located Shanti Niketan Old Age Home.

When she saw her mother—cleanly dressed in a cotton salwar kameez, sitting beneath a neem tree reading alongside other elderly residents—Riya rushed forward, collapsed to her knees, and clutched her mother’s hand.

“Mom… I’m sorry… I made a terrible mistake…
Please come home with me.”

Lakshmi gently withdrew her hand—not with anger, only quiet sorrow.
She placed a notarized copy of her will into Riya’s trembling hands.

Riya’s fingers shook as she read each line. The color drained from her once-beautiful face.

“The money… the money from the house sale… where is it, Mom?”

Mrs. Lakshmi met her daughter’s tear-filled gaze. Her voice was soft, yet unwavering.

“Your mistake wasn’t throwing me out.
Your mistake was believing… that your mother had nothing left to lose.”

Slowly, Mrs. Lakshmi stood up, turning away from the bright, spotless building behind her. A young nurse stepped forward and gently held her arm.

“Come, Amma. It’s time for your medicine.”

Lakshmi nodded and walked away, never once looking back.

The glass doors of Shanti Niketan closed quietly—soundproof—leaving only a blurred view of her daughter crying outside.

Inside waited her new life—perhaps quiet and solitary, but dignified and peaceful.

Outside, under the harsh Delhi sun, Riya stood sobbing, finally grasping a painful truth:

Many children learn how to show love
only after their aging mother has chosen herself.

By then, the door is often already closed.

And sometimes, for true parents, second chances exist
only while hands can still reach each other—

not after the door has shut forever.

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