Four Dates and Tons of Insecurities

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Next day (12:00 afternoon)

🌷Adithi POV

I was again back at the door. Aunty invited me to have lunch with everyone, Just like old times. But there is nothing like old times. It will never be the same. I ring the bell and wait for the door to open. Aryan is the one who gets the door.

"Hello! How have you been ?"He greets me with a hug. I hug him back.

"I am fine, How are you ?"I ask him.

"Am fine as well."Was his reply.

"I feel really happy seeing you after so long," He tells me ruffling my hair before moving aside to make way for me to enter. He has always been sort of an elder brother figure for me, was always there by my side, and catered for me as an elder brother would.

I missed you.

"When did you come back from your hostel ?"He asks me once we enter the front room.

"4 years back "I answer him as I place my purse on the side table nearby.

"And you had time yesterday to call me " he retorts looking at me angrily. I made many people angry just to stay away from one person.

" You know the answer to that, why I didn't call back," I tell him playing with my bracelet- A gift from Meera.

"Yeah, Let's- Let's not bring that up today." He says pulling me into the living room of their house.

I was looking here and there just then Aryan came towards me and whispered in my ear-"Don't worry he won't be here!"

My cheeks went red for a second ."Shut up! I wasn't looking for him "I whisper-yell. Just then Rajveer uncle and Narmatha aunty came down. Uncle was in his same old black suit and Aunty in her silk saree.

"Hello! My child "Uncle greets me.

I smile at him "Hello! Uncle, how have you been?"I ask him politely.

"As you can see, am very fine. "He tells me with a smile.

We talk for a while and then the topic of my job comes in "Why didn't you come and meet me even once in the hospital?"Uncle asked me.

"Uncle that-" I linger without answering for a moment, how do I tell him that his son is the reason? How do I tell I was afraid to see him after all that happened?

"I know Adithi, you want to be a self-made woman, but taking someone's help will not make you anything less than self-made." He says patting my head to which I just smile.

Just then Aryan's wife Sneha enters the house. The last time I saw her was at their wedding. She came and greeted everyone "Hello! Adithi, How have you been? And thank you so much for bringing back Sara. She got this habit of sneaking out from her father ."Aryan scoffed at her statement.

"I agree. He used to sneak out a lot during our childhood ." We could see Aryan fuming with anger in the corner to which we all just laugh off.

"Enough of talking let's go have lunch ." He insists, making everyone move into the dining room.

We all went to the dining room and started eating but Namratha aunty seemed a bit angry "What happened aunty?" I asked her.

"It's just that he is not here yet ."We all know who she is referring to, Karthik –she loves Karthik a lot. Though she loves him a lot she doesn't show it often. She doesn't treat life the other Indian mothers would, which I feel is a good thing.

Aryan looks at his mom a bit unhappy himself "Maybe he is stuck in a meeting mom don't worry. He is a CEO he has a lot of work."

She just lets out a huge sigh "Why did he have to set up his own company. It's not like we won't give him any share of this hospital ."