Twist Of Fate ( Available On Kindle)

part 12

"Ria, hand me the water jug," Anu called out to her three-year-old daughter as she meticulously trimmed the plants in their home. With focused attention, she snipped away at the overgrown leaves, her eyes sharp and concentrated on her task. When she received no response from Ria, she called her name again.

"Ria, mumma said something, baby."

"Ria."

"Riaa." This time her voice carried a sharper tone, causing Ria to flinch in fear. Anu turned her head back to look at her daughter, who sat on the floor with a cactus in her hand, her gaze fixed on the ground.

Sensing her daughter's sadness, Anu set aside her gardening and went over to sit beside Ria. She gently pulled Ria into her lap, cooing warmly in an attempt to comfort her.

"Baby, what happened? Did mumma scare you?" Anu whispered softly, planting a kiss on Ria's head.

Ria remained silent, her eyes still avoiding Anu's gaze. Anu knew her daughter well; she could sense that Ria was on the brink of tears.

"Baby, please tell me if anything is wrong. You know mumma can't take your silence," Anu pleaded, hoping to coax Ria into opening up.

Finally, Ria spoke in her baby accent, "Anu, I don't want to leave our hometown."

Anu sighed inwardly, knowing that this topic was weighing heavily on Ria's mind. Whenever Ria was upset, she tended to call Anu by her name instead of 'mom.' Anu understood Ria's concerns – leaving their familiar life in Delhi meant saying goodbye to Ria's friends and facing the uncertainties of a new city like Chennai.

Anu, known as Ananya in her professional life, was a project manager at a leading firm in Delhi. Her world revolved around her daughter; they were more like friends than mother and daughter. After receiving a promotion that required relocating to Chennai, Anu grappled with her own fears and reservations about the move. Chennai held painful memories for her, but she was determined to make the best of the situation for Ria's sake.

Despite her reluctance, Anu had accepted the promotion and made arrangements for their move. Now, with everything packed and ready, they were just days away from starting their new life in Chennai. However, Ria's apprehension about leaving her friends behind weighed heavily on Anu's heart.

"Oww...even I don't want to leave my office and coworkers here, baby," Anu said in a sweet tone, hoping to ease Ria's worries.

"Dealply, momma?" Ria asked, looking at Anu with her innocent eyes.

"Yes, baby. But you know I have to leave my comfort zone and adapt to the new atmosphere. So..." Anu began, but Ria interrupted her.

"Because momma needs to work hard, right? The more I work, the more you'll be happy with your fulfilled wishes, and seeing happiness makes mumma happy," Anu completed her sentence with a kiss on Ria's forehead.

"But, I'll miss my friends," Ria said with a pout.

"Don't worry, baby. You know what? You're amazing. You can even make new friends in our new place. Just imagine: new friends, new home, new city. You'll get everything new, unlike your friends who have everything old and the same. They have old friends, the same home, the same city. But look at you. You'll have everything new. Isn't it awesome?" Anu tried to reassure her daughter with her manipulative words.

Ria thought for a moment, her little finger resting on her chin, her doe eyes roaming around. After a brief pause, she abruptly jumped from Anu's lap and stood in front of her, placing her hands on her hips.

"How... mumma, I'll get everything new. Then I'll be cool, right?" she exclaimed in happiness.

"Yes, baby," Anu said, joining her daughter in a hug, holding her close to her chest.

Anu didn't know what the future held, but she had decided to face it rather than run away from it. When it came to her daughter, she was ready for anything. Every damn thing.

Let's see what awaits them in this new journey of life.