Maruva parked her scooty beside the oak tree and made her way to the house. Sensing her presence, Richu frantically rushed out, wagging his tail in delight. Maruva could always judge the degree of Richu’s excitement by the intensity of his wagging.
She got down on her knees as usual, took the little creature’s feet in her hands, and placed a long, deep kiss on his forehead. As she passed by the shoe rack, Maruva could hear voices emerging from the living room. She knew they had guests over. Jeevan’s colleagues, Shyam and Avanthika, had come with an invitation for their oldest daughter’s marriage. Mridula was talking to them over coffee and a plate of rusks.
Maruva walked in diffidently, greeting them with her big, winsome smile and advanced to her room. The guests discerned her evident
