Coming Home!!

Chapter 3

It had been a long and silent road-trip with occasional small talks about school, weather and Vanilla. As the large skyscrapers emerged, her stomach began to rumble. Stroking Vanilla's hair, she whispered, "It's going to be fine. Everything will be fine"

Assuring herself, she tried to push away the memories of her last week in this city. The week where it all happened. The mind remembers negative memories easily instead of positive, the fact that kept swirling her mind. Biting her lower lip, she glanced at her father. He had strong hands, which were sweaty gripping the steering. His hair were chocolaty brown as hers and his eyes were black with sadness. He had aged, she noticed. There were lines around his mouth and a few strands of grey hair. He had ditched his formal wear and was wearing blue colored flannel and regular jeans.

The car stopped on a lane that had similar looking houses. When she stepped out, memories rushed to her. The screams, the crying, the ambulance, she remembered everything. The house looked blurry with tears filling her eyes. She blinked them away and helped Vanilla out of the car. She quickly ran to get the luggage and helped her father.

"Nanda's" the house said. She was not part of this house anymore, she knew that. As she pulled her luggage to doorstep with Vanilla playing at the porch, her heart started racing. A woman of around forties stepped out of the house with a big smile. She had her long black hair tied in a bun. Her face showed no signs of age but her eyes looked puffy. She wore a loose black t-shirt with a pair of blue pants. She ran to her and hugged her tightly. She kissed Inaaya's cheeks. Inaaya could see tears in her eyes building up. She tried to smile, "Hello, mother"

Her mother flashed her smile before picking up Vanilla, "Finally back home"

They walked in. The house was the way she remembered. She used to see it in her nightmares. She commented, "It hasn't changed a bit"

Her mother confessed, "Yes, we didn't want the house you grew up in change when you come back"

She sighed, "I grew up in a different house"

There was a silence. Mr. Nanda suggested, "Why don't you get freshen up? You have big party tonight to attend"

She asked turning to him, "What party?"

"You came back home, so we thought we will throw a party" her mother said placing Vanilla on floor. Inaaya looked around and noticed that the house was decorated. The house was smaller than her grandparent's was. It had a big living room with wooden stairs for the rooms and a big kitchen beside the living room. The living room was painted with red and white theme. Family portraits hung on the wall. A small girl in all the photos had stopped ageing while others grew up. Her mother asked, "You remember your room? Or should I take you?"

She shrugged, "I don't remember"

Mrs. Nanda led her to upstairs to a room with navy blue door. When she entered the room, she found herself transported to her childhood. Vanilla followed her barking. She placed her luggage on bed and walked to the window. She saw the Chinaberry Tree with magenta colored flowers beautifying it, outside the window. The tree had remains of the broken tree house in between the branches. A pain stung inside her. Mrs. Nanda clasped her hands together saying, "I can't believe it you are finally home. I have missed you so much"

She was about her hug her when Inaaya said, "I am tired"

The smile faded away from her face. Nodding, her mother left the room. She turned around and saw Vanilla resting on the top of suitcase. Smiling, she said, "Vanilla, get down"

When she didn't listen, Inaaya picked her and placed her on bed. She sat next to her and took deep breath, "We can do this. We can make our family come back together"

She observed the room closely. It had lilac colored walls with a big mirror with a couch on the other side of the room. There was a balcony behind the glass doors and it had sweet smell in the room. This was not her room. Her room smells of old books, Vanilla and lilies. This was not her room, this was not her home she thought resting on the bed.