A Familiar Love- A Radhakrishn Retelling

20. 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧

The next day, Radha was awoken from her peaceful slumber far too early for her liking by her mother. Groaning, she turned over to stare at the beige ceiling of her room as bright light peeked through the curtains, which were quickly pulled apart by Sangeeta, making her squint.

"Get ready quickly and come with me to Yashoda's place so we can bring them breakfast," Sangeeta said, her voice firm yet gentle.

"Alright, Ma. I'm up," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. Despite her initial reluctance, she wanted to go over and help her mother at Krishn's place. After what they had just been through, it was only human to help out.

She quickly freshened up, changed into a comfortable kurta and her favourite pair of jeans, and made her way to the kitchen, where her mother was already preparing some items to take along. Radha couldn't help but smile at the amount of food her mother had prepared. Knowing how worried Sangeeta had been for Yashoda kaki and her family, she gave her mother a tight hug.

"Arey, Radha? Kya hua?" her mother asked, surprised by the sudden show of affection.

"Kuch nahi, I just love you so much," Radha mumbled, making Sangeeta let out an amused laugh.

"I love you too, baccha. Now come on, have your breakfast, and then we'll take breakfast to their house."

They quickly sat down to eat, Radha savouring the comforting familiarity of her mother's cooking. The morning light filtered through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow over them. Radha felt a sense of peace, knowing that despite the recent chaos, moments like these still grounded her.

"Where is everyone?" Radha asked, sensing the absence of the rest of the family members.

"Your father has gone to get some vegetables, Anuj has gone to cricket practice at school, and your grandmother has gone to the mandir," replied Sangeeta.

After breakfast, they packed the food in a basket and headed over to Yashoda's house. Balram opened the door, greeting them with a smile. He ruffled Radha's hair, causing her to huff and try to fix it, making him chuckle.

They quickly put the food in the kitchen. Radha smiled, the warmth of the house filling her with a familiar sense of belonging.

Yashoda walked into the kitchen slowly, still recovering from her injuries, and greeted them with a grateful smile. Her face lit up at the sight of Sangeeta and Radha. "Thank you so much for this, Sangeeta."

"No need to thank us, Yashoda. We are here to help, and you need to rest. Just tell us where the utensils are, and we'll serve you all a delicious breakfast," Sangeeta said, making Radha laugh as she gently dragged a reluctant Yashoda to sit at the dining table right outside the kitchen along with Balram.

Yashoda guided them through the kitchen, and as they worked together, Radha felt a sense of peace. The previously silent space was suddenly filled with laughter and shared stories, reminiscent of times she once shared at home with her whole family.

While they worked, Radha couldn't help but glance around, half-expecting Krishn to appear with his usual mischievous grin. His absence made her worry about his health. Just as she was about to ask Yashoda about his whereabouts, her mother beat her to it, and she welcomed the interjection gratefully.

"Oh yes, Krishn couldn't sleep well last night, so we thought to let him sleep in a bit. Balram, go and wake up your brother now," Yashoda said.

Balram nodded and left. Radha's heart quickened with anticipation for reasons unknown to her. A few minutes later, Balram returned, followed by a sleepy but smiling Krishn. His presence instantly seemed to brighten the room despite the bandage still wrapped around his head.