The Tenant

Child...

Aami got startled and gasped at the sight of him... She couldn't believe her own eyes, her heartbeat raced immensely. She always wanted him to recognise her by the heartbeat, oh God! not now, she prayed. she was sure not only him almost everybody nearby could hear her heartbeat.

Fuzhi headed to there table with an even pace and his each steps made Aami scared, scared of loosing control over the intense emotions she restrained all these months.

Chynna rushed to Fuzhi and hugged him. Fuzhi kissed on her head and cupped her face while occupying the vacant chair next to Aami. Her heart throbbed and glanced him sideways and sighed.

Fuzhi : Chynna... You really scared us girl...

Chynna giggled... "I was holding mummy's hand uncle, I don't know how I lost the way..."

Fuzhi : Anyway my brave girl...you are back.

Hua : Fuzhi... Don't praise your niece too much, she didn't panic because of Anamika..

Fuzhi hearing the familiar name got excited " who sister in law."

Aami choked and hurriedly grabbed the glass of water and sipped it to hide her panic.

Hua : Oh.. Sorry... Meet mis Anamika Varma... She is the one who found our Chynna from being lost.

Fuzhi glared at the girl sitting beside him with expectant eyes, scanning all over her face searching for someone in her. Aami forced a smile on her face accompanied by the seductive dimples.

Fuzhi smiled and stretched out his palm saying "Hi... Wang Fuzhi, nice to meet you."

Aami extended her hand to hold his, With a gentle shakehand she spoke "hai..."

Fuzhi hearing her voice stares at her, Aami could no more face his gaze,she struggles to avoid his inspecting gaze.

Fuzhi : What did you say your name was?

Aami could no more escape from Fuzhi, she slouched to her chair surrending herself.....

Aami : Iam...

"Chinnu...Child"

Aami and Fuzhi turned towards the familiar voice...

Aami mumbled "grandpa"

Grandpa (maternal) : Chinnu.... Child....

Aami got up from her chair and hugged her Grandpa. Her eyes moist and mind probed for words. The name Chinnu quaked her hard and released all those memories which she purposely buried deep inside somewhere in the corner of her heart. She tamed her heart to forget her past and rejuvenate into Aami.

Accepting a new name and not meeting her maternal grandparents was also a tactic to purposely forget her haunting past.

Her past, the beautiful childhood she spent with her sister whom she loved more than anybody in this world, may be even more than her own parents. She wanted to runaway from the memories of her cousin sister Ammu, whom she always considered as her own sister. she always mentioned to others Ammu as her own sister rather than mentioning her as cousin sister.

Ammu's death shattered Chinnu and even was pushed to walk along the verge of depression. It is then her parents moved to UAE with an excuse of job to give their daughter a new atmosphere, new friends. They made sure during vacations they spend their time only in her father's place and not to visiti her maternal place that would remind her of Ammu.

When she became 17 years she urged the courage and visited her maternal grandparents and her grandma burst out into tears reminding her of Ammu. Since then she never visited them.Now its almost 4 years she had been to her maternal home.

And now both her haunting past and future is right before her without any notice. She could only smirk at her own fate.

Fuzhi was astonished to find it's Chinnu. He smiled and exclaimed "oh, is this our little girl Chinnu, I didn't recognise you child "

Aami felt dejected by Fuzhi mentioning her as" child". She wanted to hold him by his collar and yell to him. "I am your woman you jerk, how dare you mention me as child... "