Love is a spontaneous emotion

Chapter 4 Suspicious

Raghu sauntering into Naani's room announced that he will be leaving to London. He sat down next to her and told her that one of his friend's Father was ill and they needed his help and as it was urgent he was flying to London in a couple of hours.

Naani was not happy to know that Raghu was leaving again who arrived just yesterday. Her reluctance to let him leave was evident on her face. Raghu taking both her hands in his said ,"Naani ,it is very urgent. Please understand? I will be back in no time, I promise and I will stay here after that, you know,right?and Naav will be here soon too."

Naani taking a deep breath smiled which didn't reach her eyes and said, "OK Raghu, if it is the question of someone 's life how can I stop you. I hope everything will be fine with your Friend's family. "

Raghu touched her feet ( touching the feet of elders to seek blessing is very important part of Indian culture)seeking her blessings he left with the driver to the airport.

*****************

Late in the evening Naav arrived from her trip and coming home she rushed to Naani's room and hugged her crying bitterly. Naani was shocked to see Naav in tears and concerned, she asked her why she was crying.

Naav tried to cover up the real reason by saying that she had missed her terribly. But Naani was not buying that, she got suspicious now ,Maithili had called who did'nt seem usual, Raghu left suddenly and she had sensed that he was hiding something and now Naav is crying.

She said ,"Naav, tell me honestly why are you crying? I know something is wrong. Don't hide anything from me." Naav was taken back by Naani's interrogation.She shook her head and said Naani, "nothing is wrong, I am just tired and hungry.Let me eat something, oh wait it is already dinner time. Come Naani let's have dinner together. Even though Naav was in no mood to eat she pulled herself together and tried to act lively and her normal self in front of Naani because she cannot let her know about the situation that might jeopardize her health.

Naani and Naav sat at the table and Savithi Maa served dinner. Naav told Naani about the places she visited during her Europe trip and the different cultures and the activities she enjoyed not letting Naani to think or ask anything that she was not ready talk about.

By the time they finished dinner she got a call from Maithili .She took her phone and walking to her bedroom and answered the call. As expected Maithili enquired about her Dad. Naav told Maithili everything and asked to not speak about it to Naani even by mistake. Maithili understood and told that it was a right decision to keep this matter from Naani till things were more clear.

Maithili said she will pray for Neerav Uncle 's wellbeing. Since she learned about the news she had completely lost her peace of mind. She couldn't focus on anything through out the day

. Neerav was a father figure for her. He was more of a father to her than her actual Father. She told Naav to call her if she got any news about Neerav Uncle. Naav agreeing to Maithili ended the call.

**********************

Maithili stood at the balcony of their apartment looking at the wide expanse of the city , basking in the rays of the setting sun. She loved the colors of the sky and the beauty of the sun when the sun rose and when it set . She would never miss the sunrise and always made sure to wake up before sunrise and welcome sun God from her balcony with her beautiful smile.

Today she had an opportunity to bide her goodbye to her favorite Sun God and so she was out watching sunset from her balcony when she felt a splash of cold water drench her entire back shocking her out of wits. She turned around reflexively and found her Mom who stood there with a empty bucket in her hand glaring daggers at her ,her nose flaring and jaw clenched looking every bit of a Raakshasi(She demon in Indian mythology)that she was

.It didn't take a genius to understand that it was her who splashed a bucket full cold water on her. Maithili understood that her Mom was angry and she was trembling in fear more than because of the ice cold water that drenched her to the skin. She didn't know why her Mom was so angry? She instinctively asked with unshed tears in her eyes,"Mom, what happened, what did I do ?"

Shalini said," how shameless of you to ask that question, Maithili?You don't know what you did?"Maithili looked at her Nonplussed and she nodded her head in a no.

Shalini darted towards her in a lightening speed pulling her by her hair dragged her to the bathroom and pushed her inside she asked to take a look at the buckets which were full of the clothes that was washed and still sitting there.

The clothes were supposed to be hung up to dry in the terrace which was Maithili's responsibility but she had left it undone.

Maithili took a look at the empty buckets in the bathroom and asked,"Mom, the buckets at empty. I had washed the clothes and hung them up for drying a long time ago." Shalini could'nt believe it. She rushed into the bathroom and saw the empty buckets.

Shalini's daughter and Maithili 's stepsister, Sanika had lied to Shalini about the buckets of washed clothes in the bathroom just to land Maithili in trouble.

She was as vicious as her Mother if not more. Shalini understood her daughter 's prank and smirked and had absolutely no regrets for treating Maithili so cruelly without a reason.

She simply told her to go and take care of dinner for tonight instead of staring outside standing in the balcony and left from there as if nothing happened.