Nature's Comeback

52- A second home

Sarika, Reyansh and Sameera went ahead to help Kriti's mother cook dinner. There they got introduced to Kriti's father and her uncle.

"Sorry about him, he has stopped socializing after his accident," Kriti's father apologized when his younger brother immediately wheeled back to his room as soon as they had entered.

"Please don't apologize. It's totally fine," Reyansh waved off the apology with a gentle smile, assuring Kriti and her parents that they didn't take any offense to that.

"Dinner will take some more time," her mother said sheepishly, thinking they were hungry.

"We are here to help you," Sameera informed.

"Oh no no, please you are our guests. You don't have to." Kriti's mother refused adamantly.

"We can't let you cook for so many people alone. Furthermore, it's not like this is a one time thing," Reyansh said. They couldn't become a burden on people who had graciously welcomed them in their homes for an indefinite time.

"But—" Kriti's mother tried to protest but then she stopped when Kriti asked her to let it go.

Both the mother daughter duo had already sorted out the things by talking it out and her mother didn't want to ruin the calm atmosphere once again.

"Kriti, Kriti look at me, Dear."

Her mother went straight towards Kriti after she came back from Tej's home. Her daughter was crying in her father's arms, not looking up at her even when she apologized and pleaded so many times.

"She is so bad. She knows what he did, yet she went there to embarrass herself. Everyone thought she was a thief when they got inside," Kriti complained to her dad like a toddler.

Kriti's mother wanted to explain her point of view but she knew right now nothing would get across her daughter, so she settled with just apologizing.

"Come on, dear. Your mother missed you so much. You came after so many years and the first thing you do is fight. Do you think it is right?" Her father asked while caressing her head gently. "And for whom you are fighting with your mother, that copycat?"

"Dilip!" Kriti's mother whisper-shouted when she saw that he was goading his daughter.

He blinked his eyes reassuringly at his wife that he would sort it out.

"Ah! I hate your silent conversations," Kriti pouted as she got out of her father's arms. "Your love language is the only thing that makes me feel bad for being single," she muttered, while wiping her tears.

"That's it?" Her father raised his eyebrows teasingly.

"Of course. Other than this- having someone to understand you without even speaking. Except not having these two, there are only benefits of being single."

Her parents chuckled at her answer, before giving her a hug.

"Can I take it as everything is okay now?" Her mother asked in a muffled voice as she was sandwiched between them.

"Sorry mumma. I over reacted," Kriti apologized as she got out of the hug.

Getting calm helped her get the whole picture. Her mother wasn't embarrassed when everyone saw her cleaning Tej's house or when she was misunderstood as a thief, it was Kriti's words that had embarrassed her in front of everybody.

Kriti caught hold of her ears and apologized once again for her behaviour. Her mother took her hands away from her ears lovingly as she was never angry with her to begin with.

"I didn't know that you were still angry with him. I thought you would have let it go since so many years have passed," her mother said, as she had actually thought that the best friends had already patched up.

"Yeah dear, why are you still holding a grudge? The competition wasn't important to you anyway," her father asked, as he took a seat on the sofa.

Kriti sighed, before taking a seat beside her father. "Losing the competition didn't hurt me, his betrayal did. My heart still hurts when I think about how he backstabbed me for a mere competition."

"Sorry dear," her mother apologized once again for unknowingly hurting her daughter.

"It's okay mumma. Let's leave all the anger and apologies here itself and enjoy the rest of the time we have together," Kriti said, hugging her mother's waist, who was still standing.

Not wanting to have any argument with her daughter who had come home after so many years, her mother decided to agree with her. After all, it was a small matter anyway.

Letting go of the small matters was essential if she wanted to broach Tej's topic. In her heart, Kriti's mother knew that Tej wouldn't have cheated, but saying this to Kriti without any proof would bring nothing but commotion. She was also aware that even if there was evidence, Tej wouldn't provide it as his self respect was on stake.

The two best friends who were each other's lives became like this over a small misunderstanding. While Kriti was hurt thinking Tej backstabbed her, Tej's heart was wounded because of Kriti's lack of trust in him.

"I hope they can rebuild their friendship," Kriti's mother muttered to herself when she saw Tej awkwardly standing at her door. Her heart bled when she saw the person who always ran inside like this was his second home, flatter at her doorstep.

"Come," she said in a gentle voice, forwarding her hand for him to take.

"Are you sure? Your daughter will ruin her vocal cords if she sees this," Tej warned, moving his head to look for the angry bird.

"She is with her uncle. They won't come out before an hour," Kriti's mother whispered, stifling her smile.

Tej visibly relaxed and instead of taking the hand of Kriti's mother, he put an arm on her shoulder, like she was his best friend and walked inside like it was his own home.

Dilip shook his head with a chuckle seeing the scenario. He prayed that this would be a regular thing and not something they would have to hide from their daughter.