The Visitor

six

M E D H A
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Miss Medha.

Medha.

My name never sounded so much more prettier before.

I just came out of the shower and I still can't get over on how good my name sounded from Vansh's mouth. It has already been one week yet I can't get over it. He's such a sweetheart when it comes to casualities.

Even dadi loves him.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Dadi asked me as I was picking up a dress to wear, while I was still in the bathrobe. Usually she didn't leave her room but nowadays we are helping her practicing to walk around the house as a form of exercise.

"Nothing much. I have to first visit the nursary for the coriander planter, then I have to go to the hardware store for some necessities and lastly I'll be going to Samira's home. Her mother has been calling me to meet them for a long time now." I narrated the list to dadi with a sigh as I pulled out one of my favourite purple shirts, a white cardigan and some sweatpants.

"Samira? The little girl who used to come to our home for homework but always ended up staying for the dinner right?" Dadi asked with a big smile. She loved every friend of mine since all of them were very sweet and loved her in return, but somehow she always had the softest spot for Samira. It might be because Samira was the youngest among us all. She was three years younger and was in our group because we loved her.

She was autistic. So her peers never really liked her. And she was always scared and isolated. So we took her in our small friends group.

"Yes, the girl with pigtails and an unending love for your handmade dal chawal." I laughed as I told her. She joined me in. Samira's mother knows this all, and she loves me the most among all of us girls because apparently it was me who talked to her first. So now, that Radhika aunty knows that I am in town, she is hell bent on calling me and dadi for dinner.

When I told her dadi's condition, she agreed not to force for her to come. But she didn't even hear me out when I tried to deny it politely. So now, I'm going there for the night.

"She is such a sweetheart. Shona, why don't you call her to our home to visit? Maybe Radhika and Amar can also come? We all will have so much fun." Dadi said, her eyes glistering with shine. I loved to see her so happy and enthusiastic. So I nodded my head happily, making a mental note to ask uncle and aunt to come and visit us soon along with Samira.

After I was ready, I went to the living area along with dadi, her hands in mine. As I made her sit on the couch, Vansh came from the kitchen and handed her the heat patches for her knees. She's started to show some symptoms of arthritis.

"Are you going somewhere Medha? Should I drop you?" Vansh asked me, probably seeing me all dolled up. Dadi looked back and forth between us and then nodded. "Sure, can you uhh...leave me at the nearby nursery?" I asked and he nodded happily.

He said he'll go and fetch the keys from dadi's bedroom. I agreed. And once he was out of view, I asked dadi, "exactly how many works does he do in this house? I thought he was your assigned nurse. Why's he doing my works too?" I asked dadi in a whisper in case he was around.

She chuckled and replied, "he gets paid enough to be called the home minister of the house. Plus he does it because he loved to help people. And you.....seem to have a certain influence on him. I have seen how much he admires you. It's in his eyes." She smiled a bit mischievously at me and I narrowed my eyes at her in return. What was she exactly up to? Deciding not to ponder over it, I was about to reply sarcastically when Vansh came with the keys.

"Thank you. I hope this is not disturbing any of your plans?" I asked a bit hesitantly.

"Not at all. Come, let's go." He smiled sweetly and walked towards the car. I gave dadi one last look, which she returned with a smile and walked behind him.