The Normal Family

Arjun's Success Party

Srihari's POV

Things have been great for the past few days. I got admission in NIT Trichy. My mom had tried a lot to convince me to try colleges in Mumbai, or somewhere closer to where she stayed, but she finally understood what a good opportunity joining this college was. "Visit frequently." she told me. "Obviously, mom, I will come to Thane, during the semester break." I replied. "Well, I didn't mean that, you can come and stay here, during the weekends, or if you fall sick or something. It may be hard staying in the hostel alone, with nobody to take care of you. Besides this is your house." she said. I agreed to this. I also told my uncle Krishnan to not touch or change anything in my room. "You can clean it though." my mother added. "Gopi could stay here too. Srihari can see him every weekend then. He is Srihari's dog after all" she said.

Pankaja looked a little taken back. "Well I am obviously ok with it, Adithya is fond of Gopi as well. And I am not working anymore. I just feel it would be unfair for Krishnan." "Well it is not unfair for me I am completely ok with it. Gopi will be a great companion." Krishnan added. It was thus settled. My mom had another conversation to me about Pallavi. "Look I was wrong about the whole thing. If you still like Pallavi after you finish college I will not stop you." she had said. "Now, just focus on your studies and tell her to do the same." I was shocked maybe she did feel bad after Pallavi's father passed away. Anyway it seemed like a miracle. We were going to have a get together before most of us moved out. I was sure to invite Pallavi for that. She and I decided to maintain a long distance relationship.

Arjun's POV

We were having a success party for my business. Most people who work in the business were invited. My immediate family was invited as well. "You will be there right?" I asked Akhila. "I will" she replied. "Well, I just have to confirm as you had forgotten my birthday this year." I reminded her. "Well, I was so tensed that day, you know so many things had happened." she said.

I had called her and asked her what day it was, as she usually wishes me earlier on my birthdays. "Well it is June 6th." she replied. "What is special about today." I asked. "Well, the invasion during world war II." she replied. "It has been a long time since you wrote UPSC, but you are still obsessed over history, it is my birthday." I said angrily. She spent a long time telling me how forgetting my birthday was not her fault and she had a lot of things to handle that day, including some dead man.

Anyways the success party went on great, when Akhila went to buy something from the paid counter the sales man told her, "You are Arjun's sister right? You don't have to pay for anything." This made me quite proud and satisfied. Back when we were younger I used to be referred to as Akhilandeshwari's younger brother, first in school, then in many places after she started working. I felt as if I had accomplished something big, as it was the fist time someone called her, Arjun's sister. We had a laugh talking about this later. She told me this party was great and that she did enjoy something, after a long time.

Megha's POV

Arjun's success party went on well. I was happy his venture had went on successful. He used to tell me how he had gone to an engineering college only because his mom wanted him to. He refused to take any job after that as he was not interested, and had wanted to try business for a long time. Despite a couple of failed attempts he didn't give up. Now he was a successful businessman as well as a great husband and father.

I stopped Advaith from taking the second ice cream, the guests had gone we had the place to ourselves for another half an hour, and the kids took full advantage of it and were running around and finishing the snacks from the buffet. "You may fall ill again. You had cold last week right, and have not fully recovered yet? You cannot miss school again." I explained. "You let Advaitha have extra French fries." he complained. "Nobody is taking this ice cream." "Well, if her husband had come, he would have finished it." Arjun said looking at Akhila. Everybody laughed  Akhila's behavior was very shocking to me, she came to me and said, "You had a great part to play in Arjun's success. You believed in him from the start. Even I didn't expect him to be this successful." Well, she had never said something sweet to me, first I suspected that she was, drunk, but dropped that idea as there were no bar in this hotel. Well, I guess people changed neither of us had a good first impression on each other. Maybe, she wasn't as hard as she seemed to others. Just like how I am not as mean and snobbish as many people feel I was.

Sharada's POV

I was not much into switching schools, for tenth grade especially, after moving to a new city. I had the usual fears like whether I will be stuck behind in academics, there were other problems as well, it may be hard to make new friends as there won't be many new students in 10th grade. Then my views changed completely as I got admission in Intraverse dance center, it was one of the top centers in India, real dancers who choreograph for movies were teachers there. I was sure I want to pursue dancing as a profession later in my life.

I was quite happy that I will no longer be compared to Sreeja and will get my own room at last, this room shall not have maths notes everywhere. Despite all this I will miss Sreeja for sure she had been a room mate, friend and companion for me all these years. I was going to be an only child there for most of the time, as Srihari had gone to college. I guess my mom won't have anyone to spoil other than me.

Akhila's POV

Everything went on well, I had a conversation with Shiva. "I am sorry, I didn't tell you about my promotion earlier. I hope, you have found a job in Thane. We could figure things out together." I explained. "I have found a job, the pay is not as good as it used to be here I am quite happy to move to Thane I hope our relationship will be much better after this new beginning." he said. I agreed with him. 

I had a word with Anitha, she was startled when I asked her if she wanted help, while she was struggling with cooking something. "Well, I got it." she said. "I am not used to cooking, I used to be lazy back home." "Well, it's ok." I said. "I had to tell this to you earlier, please feel comfortable here, like you were at your home."  She nodded. Even though she had caused a lot of unpleasantness in our house, after she had come, it was not fully her fault. I hate to admit it but I couldn't accept her wholeheartedly in the family, maybe because of our professional status difference. But I shouldn't have been this hard on her. I told her we all supported her decision of moving out. I was happy we didn't have to move with hard feelings.

I still can't get over Srihari going to a college quite far away, but I trust that he would be okay. I was happy with the way I had raised him. I was sure he would make me proud.