The next day when Vishwa got ready to go jogging,Shruthi was checking her luggage.She glanced at Vishwa and then looked away.
Vishwa looked at her and said,"Happy journey" and then walked towards the door and was gone.
She looked surprised and kept looking at him.
When Vishwa came home after jogging,he looked at the empty house.He had an awkward feeling.
Shruthi's room was locked.He went to his room to take a shower.He went into the kitchen to prepare coffee.Shruthi had already kept him some decoction so he made a cup of coffee and went to the living room.He hadn't felt lonely like this before.He actually enjoyed being alone but today he felt something missing.
He reluctantly got ready and went to his office.
Mr.Pankaj was eagerly waiting for his daughter.She started in the morning and was on the way to her town.She had missed the silence and fresh air of her town.
She looked around as the bus entered her town.All the places gave her beautiful memories.The bus passed a children's park where she used to come with her mother daily evening.Her father joined them rarely and it was fun when he did.She was reminiscing all those incidents.Those days were the best.
Her bus made a U turn and came to a halt at the bus station.It was 7 pm and her dad was waiting there with his car.She ran to him like a kid and hugged him.He greeted her with a broad smile.
He took her luggage and kept it in the boot of the car.
"How was your journey dear?",asked Mr.Pankaj.
"Good dad",she replied.
Then her dad concentrated on driving and she was enjoying the night view of her town.
They reached the house after 20 mins of travel.She entered the house while her dad took her luggage.
She loved the smell of her house.
The house was mostly built of wood to keep it warm during winter.It had a fireplace which was not used by them now.
She sat on the sofa near the fireplace.
"You go and refresh yourself Shruthi while I set the table for dinner",said her dad.
She slowly climbed up the wooden stairs to her room.Her dad's room was next to hers.
She opened the door and surprisingly it was clean.She was scared at the thought of dusting each and every thing in her room.
The maid must have cleaned her room she thought.
She went to her bathroom and took a shower.She got changed into a comfortable night dress and came down.
The aroma of the food increased her appetite.She hurried to the dining table and found a delicious dinner set on the table.
"Chappatis with tasty garlic chicken gravy,just for you",informed her dad.
"Dad I did not know that you learnt cooking when I was away",she teased looking at the dinner.
"I would like to cook for you but unfortunately I am very bad at it.I don't want to scare you away,the very first day you came so I asked Rajamma to cook dinner for us",he informed.
Rajamma was the maid he appointed few days after her mother died.She had looked after Shruthi as well as the house very well.Shruthi learnt cooking from her mom so they had no problem for food.Since she went to another city,she had requested Rajamma to cook for her dad whenever he was at home.She gladly accepted because most of the time he was out on work and she got very little chance to cook for him.She was a very sweet lady in her mid fifties and was like a second mother to Shruthi.
They ate their dinner talking about how different things worked in the town as well as in the city.She told him about work and how she spent time with Sara.Every time she spoke she was cautious not to talk about Vishwa.
Her dad suddenly asked about Vishwa.He had forgotten his name but said,"How is Sara's collegue" and when Shruthi blinked in confusion he explained that the guy he saw in the apartment when he came.Shruthi was alarmed.She said,"I don't know dad .I did not meet him after that day".
Her dad smiled with satisfaction.After eating she preferred to go to her room and sleep since she was very tired.
