The Enchantress

Chapter forty seven

Mahesh and Indrayani were eagerly waiting for them. They wanted to see their daughter again. The last memory they had of her was crying and hugging them desperately. Mahesh was also very worried about how she was treated there, considering how that wretched household was but he believed they would want Mahamaya with them and wouldn't show their real ugly faces with Savita and others there. At least he hoped they wouldn't or else he would have no answer to Savita's questions.

He stopped himself from calling Mahamaya again. He had already called her less than three minutes ago but he was getting so excited to see her and Indrayani was in the same state too.

The doorbell rang and both Mahesh and Indrayani shot up at once, before looking at each other and sitting down again and realising that both of them had sat down and standing up again. This time, not wanting to repeat the same cycle all over again, both walked to the front door and Indrayani looked through the peephole, before seeing a glimpse of Vivek and Savita. Then, she opened the door, letting the small group enter.

Mahamaya was the last one to enter and as soon as she did, she was engulfed in a big hug by everyone. Mahesh's father, his mother, Hemant and then finally, her parents.

Mahamaya croaked out, "My family forgot that humans need oxygen to survive."

Everyone then sheepishly left her as she smiled and hugged and bowed to each of them again, happy to be back home. Indrayani was surprised with how good Mahamaya looked in a plain saree and secretly hoped she wore sarees often, even though knowing that girls these days didn't like sarees. She knew Mahamaya didn't dislike sarees but she didn't exactly know what she felt about them.

Mahamaya smiled, turning all around, looking at her little home with tears in her eyes. She didn't get a chance to explore her new home but she hoped she soon would. However, that home would never be equivalent to this because she knew for a matter of fact that these doors would always be open for her.

Mahesh and Indrayani looked at their daughter, amused. Only yesterday was she so little and suddenly, she was in a saree, with sindoor (vermilion) in her hair partition, green glass bangles on her wrists, wearing a mangalsutra (nuptial chain) and a cotton saree. The little girl had not only grown up, she had grown up to be the most beautiful woman they ever knew.

Indrayani's eyes filled with tears as she hugged Mahamaya again, tightly and whispered in her ears in a motherly tone, "I missed you, child."

Mahamaya, while hugging her, saw her father's face. He was controlling himself from breaking down and hugging her too, despite his family being there, watching him. She extended her arms for him and he joined the little mother daughter duo in the hug, his eyes finally releasing the tears. She rubbed their backs, a child supporting her parents in their moment of weakness.

Mahamaya was not treated badly there, nor did she feel lonely in that big house. It felt like she belonged there, like she grew up in that very household. So, she didn't feel as weak as her parents did.

They broke the hug again and Indrayani said enthusiastically, "It was a couple of hours worth journey. You must be tired.  I and your grandma made all your favourite dishes, Mahamaya. Let's have lunch and you can rest."

Mahamaya beamed, genuinely happy and grateful for their actions and said, "Thank you so much, Aai. You are making me feel so loved and I appreciate that."

Indrayani felt happier and said with a grin, "Of course, anything for my daughter."

They had their lunch and they all celebrated being together, playing games and telling stories, recounting childhood incidents, going through decades old photo albums, videos and of course, her wedding photoshoot and her wedding video.

Everyone was excited to see everything, talking about how they were doing what when that photo was clicked and how the photo could have been better if they had moved their hand or their face a little. The day had turned out to be a total chill day dedicated only for enjoying.

The next day, Mahesh's family left for their village via train and the couple acted like they didn't want them to go but inwardly, they were happy to get some private time with their now married daughter.

Besides, that was her last day in that house and Viraj would come to pick her up the next day. So, Mahesh asked what he wanted to ask the most, "How do they treat you, Maya?"

Mahamaya smiled and said, "I have not interacted with umm him (her husband) much but Maayi and Yuvraj treated me well and I didn't even feel anything bad from Ayush uncle. I saw fatherly love in his eyes for me."

Mahesh, somewhere felt relieved but he asked again, just to be sure, "You are not lying to protect him, are you?"

Mahamaya shook her head and asked another question in reply to his, "Have I ever lied to you, Pappa?"

Mahesh felt super relieved as Indrayani asked in a playful tone, "Is all the interrogation done or is something remaining?"

That made Mahamaya crack up and Mahesh blushed as he muttered, "You always make fun of me."

Indrayani giggled and said, "Because I like to see my husband blush."

That made him blush more as he denied, "I don't blush at all. You are lying."

Indrayani retorted sarcastically, "I surely am lying, my dear husband," making Mahamaya giggle at their antics and she realised that she wanted something similar with her husband too.

The day was spent with similar banter, family cooking time, watching movies together, playing board games and Mahesh telling about more creepy lores which would anger Indrayani as always.

Finally, it was bedtime already and none wanted to sleep. Mahamaya, who had worn a salwar kameez that day, crawled on her parents' bed to the very centre and said like a kid, like she used to decades ago, "I'm sleeping with you guys tonight."

That made the couple smile and even though the family was supposed to sleep, the night was spent with talking and sharing childhood memories or just recent memories, discussing about different things and before they knew, the sun had rose and they all got angry with the Sun God for rising this early and finally closed their eyes and retired to sleep...