8. How I am looking?

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DRITI:

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DRITI:

Riya’s eyes momentarily clouded with sadness. “We lost Uncle Kiran years ago,” she said quietly, her voice catching slightly.

A tear glistened in her eye before she blinked it away. It was clear that Uncle Kiran’s memory still held a place of deep emotion for her. I offered a sympathetic  nod even though i wanted to ask her, what happened to him , recognizing the weight of the loss she carried. I Keep my mouth shut.

I wrapped my arms around Riya in a comforting hug. “It’s okay, Riya,” I said softly, offering her a reassuring embrace.

She seemed to appreciate the gesture, and after a moment, she gently returned the hug. The warmth of the embrace provided a small measure of solace, acknowledging the shared understanding of loss and the support we could offer each other in this new chapter.

Vyaan’s mother appeared in the doorway, her expression a mix of concern and relief. “Riya and Driti? You both are here!” she exclaimed. “I searched the whole house.”

Riya looked up, her face reflecting her worry. “What happened, Ma? Is everything okay?”

Vyaan’s mother nodded, though her tone was slightly urgent. “No, beta. I wanted Driti to get dressed because we still have some rituals to complete. I was searching for her and asked Vyaan, but he said she might be wandering around. So, I came here to check.”

I glanced at Riya and then back at Vyaan’s mother, feeling a rush of realization about the remaining traditions we needed to follow. “I’m sorry, I got caught up in exploring. I’ll get ready right away.”

Riya gave me a reassuring nod. “Let me help you get dressed quickly, Bhabhi.” She turned to Vyaan’s mother. “We’ll be ready soon.”

Vyaan’s mother smiled gratefully. “Thank you, dear. I’ll be waiting downstairs.” She then left the room, allowing us to prepare for the upcoming rituals.

“And the dress — I gave to Vyaan to give you,” she added, “might be in your room.”

With that, she turned and left, giving us a moment to prepare. I looked at Riya, who nodded understandingly.

“Let’s check your room for the dress,” she said, guiding me back towards the guest room. “We need to make sure you’re ready for the rituals.”

“Which room, Riya?” I asked, feeling a bit flustered.

Riya paused for a moment, thinking. “It should be the room you were staying in last night. Let’s go check there first.”

She led the way, guiding me back through the hallways to the guest room where I had initially woken up.

Riya’s eyes were wide with a mix of fear and curiosity. “Bhabhi, did you really sleep here?”

𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐒: Reunited | Part 1Where stories live. Discover now