INNOCENCE : An Innocent Lovestory

Chapter : 32

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It was a lazy afternoon in the Mehra house when the sound of tiny footsteps echoed through the halls. Five-year-old Isha and Rishi came running into the living room, their eyes bright with excitement. Ananya was sitting on the couch, flipping through some paperwork, while Rihaan sat beside her, happily munching on his snacks. Raj and Priya were chatting quietly on the other side of the room, and Mr. and Mrs. Mehra were watching their grandchildren with fond smiles.

"Chachi!" Isha exclaimed, tugging at Ananya's arm.

Ananya looked up from her papers, smiling softly at the two excited kids. "What's up, kiddos?"

Rishi, the more talkative of the two, bounced on his feet. "We want to go on vacation!"

"Vacation?" Ananya raised an eyebrow, amused. "And where did that idea come from?"

Isha pouted and looked at Rishi, who quickly chimed in. "We were watching a cartoon, and they went to the beach! We want to go to the beach too, Chachi! Please!" he pleaded, his eyes wide and hopeful.

Rihaan, who had been quietly enjoying his snacks, suddenly perked up at the mention of a vacation. He turned to Ananya, his expression excited and childlike. "Anya! I want to go too! Can we go? Can we?"

Ananya smiled, watching as Rihaan's excitement mirrored that of the children. He may be her husband, but in moments like these, he was just as innocent as a kid.

"Alright, alright," she said, trying to calm them down. "But first, let me talk to everyone."

Before she could say anything, Priya chimed in, clearly intrigued. "A vacation sounds like a wonderful idea, Ananya! We haven't taken the kids anywhere in a while."

Raj nodded in agreement. "Yeah, a small break would be great for all of us. What do you think, Mom and Dad?"

Mrs. Mehra exchanged a glance with her husband before smiling warmly. "I think it's a lovely idea. We could all use a little getaway."

The children cheered, and Rihaan clapped his hands in excitement. "Yay! Vacation!"

Ananya chuckled, glancing at Priya. "Well, it seems like we're going on a vacation then."

*****

The house was soon buzzing with excitement as everyone started packing for the trip. Bags were being thrown open, clothes laid out, and laughter filled the air. Ananya was in her room, packing her things when she heard Mrs. Mehra on the phone.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Mrs. Mehra asked, her tone light as she spoke to her friend. There was a pause, and then she continued, "Well, if you can't, why don't you send your daughter instead? The kids would love to have someone their age along."

Another pause.

"Wonderful! We'll take good care of her. Don't worry!" Mrs. Mehra said cheerfully before hanging up.

Ananya, curious, looked up from her suitcase. "Who's coming along?"

"My friend's daughter, Rhea," Mrs. Mehra replied with a smile. "She's a sweet girl. I'm sure she'll fit right in."

*****

The next morning, the family set off for their vacation. The sun was shining brightly, and the car ride was filled with chatter, laughter, and the occasional "Are we there yet?" from Isha and Rishi. Rihaan, sitting next to Ananya, was bouncing with excitement, and every few minutes, he would lean over and tug on her sleeve.

"Anya, are we there yet?" he asked eagerly.

Ananya smiled at his enthusiasm, patting his hand. "Almost, Rihaan. Just a little longer."

When they finally arrived at the beach resort, everyone scrambled out of the car, stretching and taking in the fresh sea breeze. Rhea, Mrs. Mehra's friend's daughter, had joined them, and she was already getting along well with Isha and Rishi. But what surprised Ananya was how quickly Rihaan and Rhea hit it off.

Rhea was mischievous and playful, and it wasn't long before she and Rihaan were running around the beach, building sandcastles and playing games with Isha and Rishi. Ananya watched from a distance, sitting with Priya under the shade of an umbrella.

"Looks like Rihaan's made a new friend," Priya remarked, sipping her lemonade.

Ananya nodded, her eyes following Rihaan as he laughed with Rhea. There was a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach-something she couldn't quite place. It wasn't logical, she knew that, but a part of her felt... off. Like maybe Rihaan was having too much fun with Rhea.

"You okay?" Priya asked, noticing the thoughtful look on Ananya's face.

Ananya snapped out of her thoughts, smiling faintly. "Yeah, just... thinking."

Priya didn't press further, and Ananya returned to watching Rihaan. He was smiling so widely, running through the sand, Rhea at his side. They were laughing and talking, completely lost in their own little world. Ananya felt a small, unwelcome pang of jealousy, but she quickly pushed it aside.

This is silly, she told herself. Rihaan is just having fun. Rhea's just a kid. There's nothing to feel weird about.

Just as she decided to let it go, Rihaan came running over to her, his face flushed with excitement. "Anya! Anya! Come see what we made!"

Ananya blinked, startled out of her thoughts. "What did you make?"

Rihaan grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the beach. "Come see! It's just for you!"

Ananya allowed herself to be pulled along, her heart softening at Rihaan's enthusiasm. When they reached the beach, she saw the massive sandcastle they had built. It was impressive, with turrets and little windows, and Rihaan was beaming with pride.

"Me and Rhea made it!" Rihaan announced proudly. "But it's for you, Anya! Do you like it?"

Ananya's heart melted at his words. All her silly jealousy vanished in an instant as she realized how much Rihaan still cared about her. She smiled, crouching down to examine the sandcastle. "It's beautiful, Rihaan. You both did an amazing job."

Rihaan grinned widely, clearly pleased with himself. "I knew you'd like it!"

Rhea, who had been standing nearby, smiled as well. "Rihaan worked really hard on it, Di" she said, her voice playful. "He kept saying, 'It has to be perfect for my Anya!'"

Her heart skipped a beat. Ananya looked at Rihaan, her heart swelling with affection. He might get along with other people, but at the end of the day, he was still hers-her best friend, her life partner. No one could ever replace that.

"You did a great job, Rihaan," she said softly, reaching out to ruffle his hair. He beamed at her, the happiness in his eyes undeniable.

*****

That evening, as the sun set over the horizon, the family gathered around a bonfire on the beach. The kids were roasting marshmallows, and Rhea was helping Isha and Rishi toast theirs to perfection. Rihaan sat beside Ananya, resting his head on her shoulder, clearly tired but content.

"Anya," he murmured softly, his voice sleepy. "Today was fun."

Ananya smiled, resting her hand on his. "I'm glad you had fun, Rihaan."

He yawned, snuggling closer to her. "You're my bestfriend," he said with a sleepy grin.

Ananya chuckled, her heart warm. "And you're mine, Rihaan."

Rihaan hugged her tightly as he drifted off to sleep beside her, Ananya looked out at the peaceful scene before her-the warm fire, the sound of the waves crashing, the laughter of her family-and felt a sense of calm wash over her. Life had its challenges, but in moments like these, everything felt just right.

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