Just Another Mother

Chapter - 27

Meera: "Hm... So Nakul, Will you manage yourself? Shall I go back?"

Nakul: "Hey that's unfair! You have to come with me. I want you to meet my grandma. I promise you will enjoy your time with her."

Meera: "No Nakul. I will go back. It would be awkward! Moreover, Vidya might have already spoken to Sachin and if I don't reach home by afternoon, he will have his doubts...So.."

Nakul didn't let her finish.

Nakul: "Yes, So this is the best cover-up! We can say that we were at my grandma's place and if you are worried about grandma blowing it up, trust me! she would be excited to be secretive and might even cook up a story by herself!" Meera chuckled and looked at him curiously.

Nakul continued " Yes! You don't believe me right? Come with me. You will know how much right I am!"

Meera was hesitant but later gave up on Nakul's insistence. As it was a bit far from Nisha's place, Meera suggested going by bus until the nearest stop and then hire a rickshaw, to which Nakul agreed as she knows the place better than him!

They reached their destination within one and a half hours. Though it was supposed to be a long journey in the scorching mid-day sunlight, time flew by quickly for them, as they were too immersed in their chat!

It wasn't a traditional house like Meera's ancestral home and not a modern house like her father's home too. The house seemed to be a renovated traditional home, with a modern touch. They got down at the gate and walked through the nearly 100m pathway. There were huge trees on both sides that provided shade to the entire pathway.

Coming from a hot furnace, walking through that pathway, enjoying the light breeze and the shade, gave such a soothing effect to Meera, that it felt like cold water has been splashed onto her face! Pure Bliss!!!! That was what she felt at that moment.

When they reached the door, it was opened. So, Nakul thought of surprising his grandma and gestured for Meera to quietly follow him. Madhavi, Nakul's grandmother, was sitting in the living room, reading some magazine.

He slowly went behind her and closed her eyes.

"Haha.. even at this age, you haven't changed my child?" She touched his hands and uncovered her eyes.

With teary eyes, she looked at him and touched both his cheeks.

Grandma: "Oh my child! You have grown up so much! I missed you..." She hugged him and Nakul was perplexed by her reaction. He released the hug and looked at her skeptically.

Nakul: "We met 6 months back granny, and why are you being unusually dramatic?"

She soon wiped her tears like it wasn't there, to begin with, and shrugged, saying

"Nothing. I was just trying to be a normal grandma like you all wanted! See, this is the problem. If I act like one, you say I'm being dramatic, and if I don't, then you all say I'm not acting like one!!! Anyway, I'm sticking to my usual version. Adjust with it!" She told Nakul.

Nakul: "Definitely we will. Please... Be yourself. That's the best! You shocked me! I thought something might have happened to you...You know, old age diseases..."

She slapped on his left arm, glaring at him, and said " Who is old? You are old. I am still young... way too young then you all by heart." He chuckled and agreed to her, pulling her for a tight embrace.

Nakul then introduced Meera to his grandmother. Seeing Meera's wholehearted smile was enough for grandma to like her. Though they had explained why Meera came with him, grandma started shipping them together in her mind. But the deviousness in her eyes went unnoticed by Meera and Nakul.

Meera was enjoying her time with grandma. In her family, everyone had the freedom to express their opinion, but joking around with someone elder was always reprimanded, as it is considered to be highly disrespectful! But seeing the playful exchanges between Nakul and his grandma, Meera felt a bit jealous as she never had such a relationship with any of her elders, including her parents! To a certain level, discipline was mandatory at her home!

With the intention of matchmaking, grandma subtly extracted whatever information she could collect from Meera during their conversations. She almost lost her hope when Meera told about her kids, thinking Meera is married. But when she learned more about Meera and her kids, her interest was intensified!

Later, when Meera and Nakul were about to leave, grandma pulled her grandson aside and whispered to him "I like her a lot! I wish you marry her!" Nakul was caught off guard! He looked at his grandmother shockingly! She raised her right eyebrow at him and nodded her head towards Meera, gesturing him to look at her.

Nakul coming out of his shocked state looked at Meera who was standing at a distance, observing the garden in the front yard. Sensing the stare on her, Meera looked back and smiled at them. At that moment, something aroused within him! Some kind of tingling in his abdomen! He smiled back at her and looked at his grandmother.

Nakul: "Who knows? Maybe one day I will!" and winked at his grandmother. Hugging her, he bid her goodbye, promising her to be back after Sachin's wedding!