Angeline - His Uninvited Queen ✅

41 - Distancing

Arun's POV:

It was a morning of celebration. Our home buzzed with indistinct chatter and traditional music as it was time for Vijay's wedding. Vijay, his best friend Kavin who is also the bride's brother, and Santhosh were staying in my room as Vijay's room was occupied with some other relatives.

When Vijay and Kavin got ready and left the room, Santhosh said, "Anna, I will take care of Mahi. You go and bathe. You told me you have to supervise the kitchen na?"

"Yes. But I will go later. Kavin went to supervise the kitchen as of now. I will bathe after giving bath to my children. I called Angel to help me while giving a bath to Mahi. Let her come," I replied.

"Oh, does this little naughty girl need two people to get a bath?" He laughed, pinching Mahi's cheeks.

I laughed. "Two is less. Even ten people can't control her while getting a bath. I could handle her alone till 5 months. But after she started to turn over, I was not able to. Now she started crawling and prancing. I can never give her a bath alone. Angel or Amma only would help me. Today Amma is busy with relatives, na? So I called Angel."

He nodded.

I brushed my nose with Mahi's nose and said affectionately, "Kuttima is a queen. She needs a lot of people to give bath and to adorn her beautifully, right?"

She shook her whole body up and down, sitting on my lap, as if she was saying yes.

"Anna, is it a love marriage?" Santhosh intervened.

"Yes," I replied. "Why?"

"Just asked, anna. Because both of them are young and studying," he said.

"Hmm, she is hearing impaired. She has a dream of becoming a research scientist. Vijay just wants to grow together, guiding her in studies. Amma and Appa accepted the marriage as he gave acceptable reasons," I replied.

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh, that's great. Love is always inspirational."

"Hmm, then why didn't you love till now?" I teased.

He laughed. "Love didn't happen to me. I don't expect it to happen either. Going with the flow."

"But love happens when we least expect it," I remarked. "Sometimes without even our knowledge."

"Oh." He rolled his eyes. "Seems you are talking from personal experience."

"Yes." I sighed with the thoughts of how love happened to me when I didn't even expect it, when I didn't even want it, and how my friend Nivas made me realize my love for Diya.

He touched my thigh and his voice turned soft. "Sorry, if I made you remember something."

I shook my head. "No. I didn't forget anything to make me remember." I turned my eyes to Diya's wall photo, my eyes itching to cry.

"Appa..." Pari's saddened voice halted my tears.

I blinked and forced a smile at her. "Okay. Let Santhosh uncle bathe and come. Today I will make both of my daughters get ready like queens."

"Queens?? No. I am the princess Cinderella. Mahi papu is also the princess Cinderella. But she is a little Cinderella. I am a big Cinderella." She giggled, closing her mouth with her palms.

"Okay, Cinderella." I laughed.

Santhosh smiled warmly at us and said, "Okay, anna. Let me go and bathe then."

I nodded. He got down from the bed, took his clothes and entered the bathroom.

Pari tapped her chin with her forefinger, gluing her eyes to my and Diya's wedding photo which was on the bed side table.