One More Time

45

"Ma, I don't feel like eating anything.",Koustav's eyes turned at her direction as Ria murmured to her MIL.

"I'll not listen to anything. You have not taken any other thing except that one cup of tea since coming back home!",replied Mita forcibly placing two rotis in her plate. Others carried on eating.

"Tea? Who has given her tea? She is not allowed more than one cup of it.",Koustav jumped into the conversation. He wanted to grab her attention, which she did not give.

Just half an hour ago, his father had yelled at him for no nonsense reason. Koustav being an obeying kid had said sorry to Ria too. In the reply, Ria just had seen here and there.The older couple had tried to sought out the problem, but she had just listened to the three talking including her husband. Her not even giving him a glance, now slowly had started to annoy him. Ria really had no apetite. She was bored of eating here. Binni's and her MIL's cooking had stopped alluring her like before instead her insides were craving for her mother's taste of cooking.

Somehow seeing her touching the rotis, Koustav started eating. He was half the way into it, "Ma, can I go to my mother's place for some days?",Ria's asking earned an instant nod from her MIL. She felt happy as Mita voiced," It is the actual ritual amongst us. Go and return safely . Take Titli, if you want."

"I'm thinking of going right now. My mind is wailing to see her. I don't know why.",Ria spoke with confusion on her face. Mita sat up from her seat and washed her hands saying," Your FIL will go with you."

Sumit chewed his food and looked at his son's face. His face was hung open. His eyes filled with an unknown emotion. But what pained him more that she did not even looked at him once." Go ,take your things.",Sumit asked Ria. She slowly went upstairs.

Simultaneously Mita had entered in her room too. Sumit knew how his wife despised the concept of son-in-law's staying at his In-laws' place. He quickly exchanged a few words with Titli and Koustav. Smiles sprawled over Titli's face and Koustav's too hearing him saying those.

When Ria got downstairs, Titli made a face and came closer ," If I go with you, I can catch other's eyes while I go to meet with Adrij. Plus he is going to call me in a few minutes. I'll go and meet you everyday Ria di. Please understand me!", Titli pleaded.

Ria saddened a bit but just hugged her and left after saying bye to Mita. Koustav was not in her surrounding. Getting more angry, she did not look for him and walked to her house, while Sumit held her bag.

The door was already open. It felt odd to Ria. As her father was found standing there too, she thought that they might be already informed about her arrival.

As soon as Sumit left, she took her usual chair,coming in the kitchen area. Tuhin  and Soma were still having their dinners. " You! At this time! All ok right?",Soma's voice soothed her. She replied in a same way. Hugging her mother from the back,Ria tried to inhale her mother's scent. "Mothers have a special smell...you are soon to have that too.",Soma whispered.

Nostalgia hit them when they started talking of the earlier times. As it became quite late, all of them went to their respective rooms. Going upstairs,Ria started feeling tired. Not switching on the light of her room, Ria could see her room quite clearly as the streetlights entered her room from her balcony. She just closed her door and slept changing into her nightware.

Her eyes started to feel heavy as moments passed, hearing some low sounds she did not turn to the oppsite side. "Might be something in the door's board,will see tomorrow morning",she said to herself. She was sure in the middle of the night she felt the bed dip a bit. But could do nothing and slept blissfully.

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Romy had not stopped if the place would have been less crowded. The couples, men and women who still kept waiting at the bus stop, looked at Ujaan,as he approached her increasing his pace. Not knowing what to do,what to say even how to react, Romy kept standing at her place like a robot.