After Life: Sara & Padma's Journey After Departure

I'm sorry, but you're really beautiful.

SARA:

By the time I was out of the shower, the kids had returned, and we prepared snacks for them. The preparations for the date with Krish were in full swing. 

"What's Ramya up to?" I inquired.

 "She's attending her special class, 7th standard stuff, marks, and all that," Antara responded. 

 I chuckled, saying, "The fact that they still torment kids in the name of marks hasn't changed, has it?" 

 Rani concurred, sipping her coke, "True." 

 Antara noted the time, saying, "Okay, it's 5; let's get ready."

 I put on the dress, and Antara skillfully styled my hair, fashioning a beautiful messy ponytail with the help of some hairspray. I couldn't quite describe it, but it looked wonderful. 

 Then, Antara reached for a red lipstick. I reacted with wide eyes, "Hey, what's that for?" 

 "Come on, you're going to look stunning," she assured me. 

 I cautioned her, "Don't overdo it." She applied just the right amount of makeup, keeping it light. I never liked wearing too much makeup. She added eyeliner, mascara, and touched up my eyebrows. I had been lucky to have clear skin in my 30s, even though I had experienced a few breakouts in my 20s.

 As I slipped into the dress, I noticed how perfectly it fit. Looking at myself in the mirror, I thought I looked beautiful. However, it would have been perfect if Dev stood beside me, wearing his black shirt and black jeans.

 I remembered the issue with the restaurant. I grabbed my phone and dialed the restaurant's number. A lady answered on the other end. "Hello, I'm Saraswathi, and I need to speak with the account management," I explained. 

 The lady inquired, "Can you please tell me why, madam?" 

 I replied, "I haven't received my share of the amount for the past two years. I need to inquire about it."

 "Wait a minute, madam. Let me check," she said.

 After a brief pause, she returned to the line, saying, "Madam, I'll pass this call to the account manager." 

 "Okay," I acknowledged and waited by the phone. 

As I stepped out of the room, Padma called out, "Amma." 

 "Yes," I responded. 

 Madhav added, "Aunty, I love you." 

 Rani gasped and quickly clarified, "She's my friend." 

 But Madhav insisted, "She's my girlfriend." 

This playful exchange drew laughter from everyone. Rani playfully scolded him, "Your appa spoiled you a lot." 

 Padma sweetly complimented me, "Amma, you look beautiful."

 "Thank you," I smiled. Padma came over and hugged me around my hips. I gently brushed her hair back from her face. 

 "Amma is talking to someone, so please keep quiet," I told her. She nodded in understanding. 

 "Hello," a man's voice came on the line. 

 "Hello, I'm Saraswathi. I've been receiving my share amount for years, but for the past two years, I haven't received any transfers. What happened?" I inquired. 

 The man responded, "The CEO instructed us to stop sending this money to you, madam. We don't know who you are and how you're related to receiving the share amount. Where are you from?"