Echoes of Past (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 8

I wasn't in the baraat, I got in my car and drove back to venue. I was supposed to see that the "bua's" and "fufaji's" were satisfied and none of them created drama's.

I showed Sahil a picture of the venue and he screamed hysterically.

What was funny was the fact that in front of me Sahil was so excited and nervous, but in front of his relatives, he acted so mature, talked in a deep voice and gave a small smile to all his cousins.

When I reached the venue, I saw bride's family already there, decorating a 'thaali' for welcome.

I decided to meet Mira before the functions.

I knocked on the door I knew she would be in.

"ANIKA!" She saw and got up to hug me.

"Araam se, Mira. Make up kharaab mat karna" Her mom told her and passed me a small smile.

"How're you feeling?" I asked her.

She fixed her necklace, "I don't know why, but all of this is much more scary than the day we actually got married" She said.

"Well, haa obviously, there are judgy relatives everywhere"

Her mother stepped in "Humare bich m, lekin mujhe ye inki bua bilkul nahi pasand, dekhna abhi thodi der mai unke pati scene create krenge" She said and we all giggled.

"Mummy yaar, Richa bua kisi ko nahi pasand" Mira said "Aa kr bolengi abhi ki make up zyaada ho gaya, jewellery cheap lagri hai"

We started talking about the relatives who are annoying as fuck and it's a universal thing about bua's being the bitch of the family.

I'll never be the bitchy bua to Tanmay's kids, god damn.

Speaking of the devil, I saw him eating ice cream once I said bye to Mira and her mom.

"Anika di, I saw 2 hot girls" He said "They were looking so pretty, I'll throw roses on the path they walk on"

"Simp much?" I said and gave him a small slap on his head.

He muttered a small ow.

I saw my mom talking to a woman and when I looked closely, I saw Suhani aunty.

I rushed to them and closed Suhani aunty's eyes from behind.

"Guess who?" I said.

"Guess kya karu, I know it's my Anika" She said and removed my hand from her eyes and took it in hers.

She hugged me tightly and kissed me on my cheeks. "Kasi hai meri bachhi?"

"Kaisi hai meri bachhi? Are you kidding me, I'm mad at you, you barely called!" I said.

"Arey bachha, you know na it got super busy. Uncle ka new business and fir I didn't even wanna stay there, those women are so irritating" She said.

Suhani aunty and Vivek uncle were our neighbors. They were practically family. Whenever my mom scolded me, I used to run to their house and left a note at home saying 'I'm going away'. Everyone knew the Malhotra's and Sharma's were super close. They still are. My parents kept in touch with them and they used to call and send gifts on every birthday, anniversary.

But they moved and never visited.

They moved to London but from what I know, aunty didn't like it there and she moved back to India to stay with her parents. Uncle didn't wanna stay without aunty so he moved his business back to India but not in Delhi, they moved to Bangalore.

They sent their kids to hostel in California and I never met Sara and Krish again.

Sara was 4 years younger than me and I loved playing with her when she was a baby, it has almost been like 16 years and she might be 21 now.

Krish.

I hated Krish.

He was always teasing me and annoying me, but he was my first crush.

We used to play house and he'd be the husband and I'd be the wife, Sara played our baby. Krish was 2 years older than me and I used to think he was so cool.

By the time he was in 4th grade, he stopped hanging out with me because it wasn't cool to hang out with juniors. But he'd still play with me sometimes.

Both our families thought we hated each other because all of our games ended up in fights, he would pull my hair and I would hit him again and again.

Our society had functions for every festival. On Janmashtmi, he and I played the roles of Radha and Krishna, and I used to call him Krishna because of that.

"Anika, Vivek uncle tumse milne k liye bohot excited the, I don't know abhi kaha gaye" Suhani aunty said and wandered her eyes.

"I'll go look for him, don't worry" I said and hugged her once more before going off to see Vivek uncle.

He used to buy me so many toys and my dad accused him of 'spoiling' me.

I saw him talking to a young girl and thought she was Sara.

"Malhotra uncle!" I loudly said and he turned to see who it was.

When he saw it was me, his face brightened up.

He hugged me "Meri favourite bachhi" He said and I laughed.

"Dad, I'm standing right here" The girl said but she was smiling none the less.

"Sara?? Kitni badi ho gayi hai tu?" I said and hugged her.

"Use chhodo" Malhotra uncle said and Sara nudged him a little "Tum kitni badi ho gayi ho? Itni si thi" He lowered his hand to the size of a small kid which was me at age of 7.

"Aap ab hum sab ko chhod k jaaoge to or miloge ni to mai to badi lagungi hi na!"

"Achha chalo wo bhi sahi baat hai" He said.

We talked about all the things and started catching up, I told him I'm the principal (top architectural job position) and Sara told me she was about to graduate college in a few months and she was given the job as a host of a travel show.

"So, you're going to travel the world?" I asked her.

"Hell yeah" She said and received a side eye from uncle "I mean, yes. It'll be fun, I'll be staying in the cities of Europe for a year for free and document all of it and make a review"

"That is so awesome" I said "What about Krish?"

Sara cleared her throat and gave me a look. I gave her a 'what?' look.

"Krish bhaiya London and India mai up down karte hai. Abhi tak it was a few months London, a few months India but he's going to permanently move there" Sara said.

Malhotra uncle smiled "My business was about to wind up because of the financial conditions, but Krish took over"

"I read the news" I smiled sadly.

Uncle's business was one of the most reputed company in India and a lot of other countries. SAKR Ltd. Pvt. was on the verge of shutting down but it was in the newspaper that his son, Krish took over and now the shares of his business are more expensive than Reliance.

"Anyway, mai to retirement k maze le raha hu, ye bachhe nikle ghar se ek baari to your aunty and me will finally be able to go on longer trips" He said.

"PAPA YAAR!" Sara whined.

We talked a little more until we were interrupted by a voice that said.

"Dad, aapko or mom ko jana ho to you guys can go early, Sahil wants me to stay till the fere" The voice said all while looking down on his phone.

I only saw his side profile but it seemed so similar.

"Krish, tum Anika se mile?"

"An-" He stopped talking the moment he saw me and my eyes widened in shock.

RAHUL?