U And Me Will Always Be Together

Chapter 20

While walking out of the airport, Rishika was almost knocked out of breath by a rib crashing hug from a woman. She opened her mouth to scream but gulped her own voice down when she looked at the face of the woman.

"Aunty?" Rishika said in a mere whisper, still trying to get her breathing rate to normal. She didn't expect suganthi would be at the airport to receive them. Suddenly she remembered her stupidity during the call and became all the more nervous.

"Rishika!" Suganthi exclaimed "I am so happy to meet you finally. I didn't have enough time to talk to you properly during the wedding. I was desperate to see you." And she pulled Rishika into another motherly hug.

Startled yet happy, Rishika hugged her back too. The warm hug relaxed her a bit but she was still anxious. "How are you aunty?" she managed to speak after a moment.

Suganthi drew back and said "Fine and perfectly fit." She then hugged Raji and said "So happy to see you back Raji." She then turned back to Santhosh. She leaned in for a hug but he shoved her away gently and said "Hi mom."

Rishika was surprised at his reaction and she even saw the hurt in suganthi's eyes. But she brushed the thoughts aside and made a mental note to ask Raji later. Soon they left for their home.

Santhosh was startled to see his home crowded and so was Rishika. He could recognize some of his relatives and cousins. He looked at Rishika by his side and had to control himself to not laugh at her.

With her face full of nervousness, she gaped at everyone who were running here and there doing something or the other. Some saw them and smiled while some came and wished them and blessed them.

Santhosh smiled at her and slowly held her hand. He squeezed it lightly and said "Welcome to my crazy family." surprising himself and herself.

Soon they heard Ananya say "Santhosh, I got your room ready. Take her to your room. Get ready in an hour or so we have to leave for shopping after lunch. And yes, Abhi asked you to meet him once you came home."

Rishika searched for Raji among the crowd but in vain. Santhosh showed her the room and said "Basket, you take some rest and get ready. I'll go and meet Abhi. I'll be back in an hour or so." Before she could speak he rushed out of the room.

Rishika closed the door and examined the room. It was huge. She noticed the balcony and went and stood there. She could see the entire half of the huge  Mansion form the balcony.

Looking down, she saw Santhosh jumping the small wall of the fencing into the neighboring house. She saw him rushing towards the entrance and waiting impatiently. As the door was opened he hugged some lady and fled in.

Rishika couldn't help but smile. She turned around and took out her suit thinking of a warm shower. As she was about to step into the washroom, she heard a knock at the door.

As she opened the door, she found suganthi smiling at her with a packet in her hands.

"Hi Rishika." suganthi brushed her cheek and came in. "Going to take a bath?" she asked noticing the suit at the end of the bed. As Rishika nodded, she sensed her anxiety.

"Rishika, don't be nervous. I and Vijay are not any typical mother in law father in law you watch in those daily soaps and nor were the relatives.

" Her words made Rishika smile. "Relax yourself and feel yourself at home." She added sitting on the bed with Rishika.

suganthi held out the packet for Rishika. Rishika took it and asked "Aunty, what is this?"

suganthi smiled at her and said "I don't know about your taste and that's the reason why we waited for you to come to finish the shopping. But I bought a saree for you. If you like it, I want you to wear it today."

Rishika was overwhelmed looking at the love in her eyes. She opened the pack and her eyes became wet looking at the saree. She looked up at suganthi and said "It's beautiful aunty. Thank you so much."

"Now go and get ready. I'll be waiting for you both downstairs for lunch." suganthi said and looking around the room she added "Where is Santhosh?" and before Rishika could answer she said "Oh, he went to meet Abhi, right?"

Rishika noticed a thin layer of water in suganthi's eyes when she talked about Santhosh and also the longing for her son. There is something in her eyes that she couldn't read.

She jolted back from her thoughts when she looked at suganthi leaving. She looked back at the saree and suddenly remembered something.

"Aunty" she called for suganthi.
"Yes Rishika, you need something?"
"No aunty. It's just..that..I don't know how to wear a saree." Rishika said hesitatingly.

suganthi smiled at her and said "Oh, Shall I help you?"

"Huh? Uh......" suganthi could see that she was not yet comfortable with her.

"Oh, so want Santhosh to help you?" ssuganthisaid with a wink and Rishika's eyes popped out.

"No." Rishika said on an impulse which made suganthi laugh. "I mean that's fine." She added.

To clear the air of tension in Rishika's mind, suganthi said "Oh. So you are fine with Santhosh helping you? I'll call him." and before Rishika could speak anything she added quickly

"Don't worry. I'll send Raji to help you. She might be busy with the relatives. She is an important part of our family. Infact she is the one who had been taking care of Santhosh for the past 25 years."

As suganthi was about to leave the room, Rishika called for her and walked up to her. "Aunty, you are so sweet".

suganthi smiled at her and said "So are you. God bless you." She patted Rishika's hair and left.
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NavyaAS