WILDFLOWER

Chapter 10

Their five-day vacation turned out to be a fun filled one. Both her father and Amita joined them and Jazzy thought it was a perfect time for some much-needed relaxation. The week before had been a roller coaster ride with her having to manage the spa and the studio while Aditya traveled to look at options of setting up a similar format of a welness spa in a couple of other cities. She had also been extremely relieved to have some space from the raging hormones that kept flaring up at even the thought of her best friend's brother.

The sleepy fishing village they had selected for vacationing was deceptive in its surrounding stillness. Nik had helped make the arrangements and she was glad they had taken his advice. Adjusting her knapsack, she followed the trekking trail that was a child and elderly generation friendly one. Although Koel was happy taking turns to ride the adult shoulders, she glided down to hold her hand and trudged along beside her till they stopped near a river to break for lunch.

A boat full of goodies had the hungry lot stuffing their faces and Jazzy was thrilled having just shifted from being a vegan to including seafood.

"Were you always a vegan?" Arti wanted to know and Jazzy's father laughed.

"I don't know how this child lasted a year," he commented dryly.

"As long as she gets to eat sweets she'll survive," added Amita, throwing her an indulgent look.

"Must run in their genes," muttered Arti wryly when her husband threw her a wide grin, "Both Milind and Koel are sweet fanatics."

"Oh yes. That would have to be Lilly's. She was crazy about sweets," added the older man.

"There's no sweetness on the other side of the family tree, you can take it from me," nodded Arti, throwing her husband a sly look.

"That's true. Although I'm not sure if my sisters dislike sweets or if it's their way of controlling calorie intake."

"Really?" Jazzy was curious and turned to her brother, "Tell me more about them?"

"Well I'm, closest to Sunita but all three of them still mother me....they worry about me even now. They were terribly skeptical of Arti at first but now they've accepted her so I'm sure in time they'll accept you too."

"Maybe I don't need their acceptance," she cut in, watching a scowl slowly appear on his face.

"Oh? Why not? They are your sisters Jasmine."

Jazzy shook her head with disagreement. "No, Milind, they're your sisters....you grew up with them. I'll always be a reminder of their father's blunder."

"Isn't that what I am too?" he asked quietly.

"No. Legally you are their parent's son unless you get down and prove otherwise. While I, on the other hand, am not. Wanting my signature on that slip of paper was your father's way of letting them know that I was his daughter out of wedlock. I don't know why he did that, and it doesn't matter, but I'm not going to make any effort to build a relationship with people who are not interested. It's just not me."

She continued to watch her brother as his lips thinned in evident disagreement.

Her biological father's will was still not sorted out. It had given Milind six months to locate his sister and hand over the ring but she knew the sisters and their mother had not wanted to wait that long. She hadn't told her brother about their offer to pay her, knowing it would affect the relationship between them. Besides, she had already decided to just accept the blasted ring and put everyone out of their misery. It was utterly foolish to be stubborn about something that affected their inheritance.