Bridging Hearts

2. Surprise!

Her

I was waiting for him to come out of the airport. I checked the time. 1 PM, he should have been out by now. Just then, he came out, pushing his luggage trolley through the crowd, his eyes widening with joy as he spotted me.

"Hi monkey..." he greeted, spreading his arms for me.

I threw myself on him, hugging him tightly as I cried out tears of joy.

He hugged me back, chuckling. "So you didn't miss me, huh?"

I pulled back, sniffling, wiping my tears. "Of course not, crackhead."

He pinched my nose, smiling. "Even I didn't..."

"Okay, come on. Let's go... Ma's waiting."

"Yeah, I am so hungry and I missed her cooking so much these past two years..."

We settled down in the car and drove off to my house. The drive was filled with chatter and laughter, just like old times.

"So, how's London treating you?" I asked, glancing at him.

"It's great, but nothing beats home. The food, the people, and you, of course," he said, ruffling my hair.

I swatted his hand away, laughing. "I knew you missed me!"

"And how's your job going ?" He asked

"Pretty good. Just bagged an influential client yesterday so yeah....things are looking up..." I replied.

"Nice, nice even you have grown up so much..." He looked at me, smiling.

As we turned onto our street, his eyes widened.

"You guys did all this for me?" he asked, looking at the decorations and the crowd gathered outside our house.

"Surprise!" I grinned, parking the car. "Everyone's here to welcome you back."

He stepped out of the car, and as soon as he did, our relatives and old friends swarmed him, showering him with hugs and greetings.

He dropped his bag and hugged Ma first, lifting her off the ground slightly. "Ma, I've missed you so much," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

Ma's eyes welled up with tears. "Welcome home, beta. It's been too long."

One of the relatives, Uncle Raj, clapped bhaiya on the back and said, "You've grown up to be just like your father."

The room fell silent, an awkward tension filling the air. Everyone knew how much he missed Dad.

Bhaiya broke the silence with a bright smile.

"Come on, everyone, let's enjoy the party! I'll just freshen up and join you all."

He headed upstairs while the rest of us returned to the celebration. The house buzzed with conversation, laughter, and the clinking of glasses. People asked him about his life in London, his company, and his future plans.

"So, how's QuantumTech doing?" asked Uncle Vikram. Bhaiya, sipping his drink, replied, "It's doing great. We've got some exciting projects lined up. London's been a fantastic place for growth."

As the evening rolled by, one by one, our guests began to leave, and soon it was just the three of us-Bhaiya, Ma, and me-spending some family time.

He pulled out the gift boxes from his bag. "I got something for both of you." He handed Ma a box first. She opened it to reveal the beautiful pearl earrings. Tears filled her eyes as she cupped his face. "I am so proud of you, beta." Bhaiya kissed her hands, smiling.