waiting

Amma stood at the airport window, clutching her phone. Her son's flight was delayed again. From Toronto, he'd promised to visit, to teach her about cryptocurrency investments he swore would secure their future. She'd been waiting for three years, watching him build a life oceans away. The Tamil prayers felt distant now, replaced by screens and digital dreams. When he finally arrived, exhausted, she made his favorite dosai. He showed her crypto charts instead of stories. That evening, sitting together in silence, she realized some wealth couldn't be earned. It lived in moments like these, precious as the traditions they shared across continents.