You, By My Side

《Chapter 1》

Inaayat's POV

Life has never been easy, especially when you are all alone in this so-called small world. I wonder how confidently people say the world is so small when everyday they would be meeting more strangers than the number of people they know! Now definitely that isn't anything to be concerned about. But my problem is! It's a big issue. And that's.....

Oh sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Inaayat, Inaayat Verma, a 25 years old medical student at Lifecare hospital. There's nothing so special about me to be discussed, so you all don't need to worry..

Coming to my problem, I need a house! At-least a roof on top to survive this cruel place. For a student in medicine, I can't afford to spend money on buying my own house currently, so my search is for someone who can allow me as a tenant at a reasonable price.

Well, there was nothing wrong about the house I was staying in before, not until my badi maa came for a visit last month..

"Inu the house is too far from your hospital... Inu this place is not safe for you to travel at night.. Inu this isn't giving me good vibes...Inu this Inu that.."

My badi maa is a little over protective for me.. She says I remind her of her best friend, my mom!
My badi maa had arranged marriage with bade papa.. So to support her and not let her go away, my mom had played tricks to marry my dad! Funny right? But you know what's more funnier than that? My mom and dad actually fell in love even before their marriage rituals started! We can say they had an unplanned love marriage..

My mom had some complications during her pregnancy. Unfortunately I never got to see her! She passed away right after my birth. Badi maa is the only motherly figure I have in my life. She doesn't have a child of her own. Does that matter? No! I am her child.. I don't care what the world says. She is my mother..

Papa and I were best friends. It was difficult for him sometimes to manage his work and me side by side. Yet he never gave up. I have seen him crying while missing my mom, but he never showed his tears to me. Late at night, he used to cry thinking I was asleep. It was his dream to see me as a doctor. I remember how he distributed sweets in the entire neighborhood when he saw me in the white coat after clearing my exam. I wish he was with me today. But life is unfair! Papa passed away due to cardiac arrest when I was 20.

I never felt the same affection of a father after him. Bade papa and I were never never close. I always felt like nothing was right between him and badi maa. The love i felt while hearing about my mom dad, i never saw that in the case of my badi maa and bade papa. I respect him just because he is older than me. Is that respect from the heart? Nevermind.

Now all this explains why badi maa is over protective towards me. But her over protectiveness has led me to a huge problem. Finding a new home that is close to the hospital in this city at an affordable price isn't a walk in the park!

"Shaitaan ka naam liya aur shaitaan haazir"
(speak of the devil and the devil is here)

shhhh.. it's not some devil.. It's my badi maa calling me again!!

"Ji badi maa.. kahiye"

"Kahiye ki bachi, where have you been since morning? This is the 5th time I am calling you.. Dont u have some sense? Can't you pick the call at one ring.. Shaadi ki umar hogayi par dimaag wahi bachon wala. huh"
(Already of marriageable age yet has childish mind)

"Offooo badi maa... i was busy, following your order. You only asked me to find a new tenant house. What can I do? It's not easy finding a house here, that too near the hospital, it's impossible"