Ego? Self-respect? - An Ashaangi FanFic

C H A P T E R - 2

"Illa paati, please, naan indha kudumbatha serndhava illa la..." Anya politely requested to be avoided from the family photo that was to be taken.

Though distantly related to the family, Anya wasn't technically a part of the family and thus felt slightly uncomfortable to be posing for the picture. She was also concerned if her brother would object the same when he sees the large frame majestically hanging on the walls of Madhuram, the villa where Rajeswari lived with her son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren and Anya, who she had adopted.

(No grandma, please, I don't belong to this family, right?)

"Ungala naan en ponna ethirken. Neenga enga veetu ponnu dha. Ippavum, eppavum. Neenga indha kudumbatha serndhavanga dha" Rajeswari assured kindly, squeezing her shoulder with a lovely smile.

Anya was always precious to her.

(I've accepted you as my child. You're the daughter of our house. Now and forever. You do belong to this family)

Gratefully smiling at her, Anya held Rajeswari's hand and led her to the raised dias behind the pool in the lawn, where a red royal couch was placed for the photoshoot against the backdrop of the raising Meghamalai hills, peacefully waving at them.

The photographers were busily clicking pictures, trying out different frames as the family posed with patience, then there adjusting their dresses, correcting their accessories and changing their poses.

As photos were being clicked with Narayanan sitting in the middle of the couch hugging his walkstick, Rajeswari and Dharma took their seats beside him.

Respectfully taking their places behind the couch, Ganga stood with his wife in the centre with Nethra and Anya on their left and Aryan on their right.

Rajeswari's smile dropped by an inch when she spotted Sana rushing towards the dias, scrupulously lifting the heavy lehenga skirt in her hands.

Perplexed as to when she had returned home and groomed herself up so enchantingly  neat, Anya too stared at Sana. While Dharma was already concerned about the chidings that were awaiting her from his aunt.

Sana hopped towards the space near Aryan and grinned widely at the camera.

Quietly bending his head towards her, Aryan whispered sweet appreciations at how ethereal and pleasing she appeared to his eyes, while she gently nudged him to concentrate on posing, murmuring cheeky thankyous for  adding a powerful red tint to her cheeks.

*****
"Sana! Yenga irundheenga neenga?" Rajeswari started off courteously as soon as Sana plopped on the empty single-couch after she had attended a phone call.

(Where were you?)

It was already dark and the family had decided to settle in the lawn under the moonlight to have a hearty chat, surrounding the warm bonfire that lit up their faces with a golden hue.

"Veliya"

(Outdoors)

"Veliya na yenna artham?"

(What do you mean by that)

"Veliya na...veliya" Sana responded, scratching her head with her forefinger as Aryan and Anya smiled at her blunt reply.

(In sense...outdoors)

"Ellu alavu kooda poruppu kedaiyaadhu. Ungala naanga ella edathulayum thedinom. Neenga yengayum illa. Yenga poirundheenga neenga?" Rajeswari was disppointed while Sana looked at her like a lost child.

(You aren't a tad responsible. I searched for you everywhere. You weren't anywhere. Where were you?)

Meekly pushing her long curls back, Sana let her eyes waver at everyone before reluctantly replying, "Aana naan dha nerathuku vandhuten la"