Our messed up lives

🌟Epilogue

'US' happened

3 days later:

After finishing our mini summer vacation in Greece, we came back to India again.

The question that arose now was that where was I going to stay in Delhi. I had two options in hand- 1. My rented apartment
2. Dev's house

The choice was visibly clear. Yet I was confused with whether I should really stay in that house or not. Afterall it was the same place I had abandoned three years ago and now walking back into it felt nothing less than weird.

-"This is YOUR house, Tara! Why are you getting so paranoid while walking into it??" Dev asked when he sensed my uneasiness.

"I am fine Dev." I lied to him smiling. Ofcourse he didn't buy that lie, but didn't pester me either.

He just smiled back at me and touched my face gently, letting all his warmth sip into my skin to fill me with strength, assurance and a familiar wave of nostalgia that made me raise my hand and press the calling bell.

A beautiful chiming sound reverberated in the inside and outside air soon.

The sound of the bell it was... selected exclusively by me and Dev, almost five years ago!

"Memsaab?" A male voice broke my reverie. It brought a slight cringe to my brows as well.

"Who are you?" I asked as I my eyes fell upon the lean, middle aged man infront of me. He was the one who opened the door for us. But who the hell was he huh? And what was he doing inside my house??

"Andar aiye na!!" He seemed to ignore my question or my questioning gaze and remained indifferent as if it was the most obvious thing to do.

Strange! My brows curved into a deeper frown.

-"He is Radheshyam, Jamna's husband. He works for me instead of her, nowadays." Dev informed from behind.

I turned back immediately and yelled- "What do you mean? Have you fired Jamna from her job or what??"

He left the handle of my trolley bag and sighed deeply. His one hand was already engaged in clutching our sleeping daughter to his chest. With the other one he held my wrist and kinda pulled me inside his house. "Come" said he and barked at Radheshyam- "Get the luggages."

Radheshyam left soon. Dev turned towards me after that and replied -"I haven't fired her Tara. She left the job on her own."

"And why would she do so?" I was flabbergasted, the least I could right then.

-"She said that your absence used to haunt her.

"But she worked for you even before I came to this house right?"

-"Things changed after you came." He sighed again. So did I.

"I always thought that she was there to take your care when I or your mother were away from you."

-"She gave this responsibility to her husband Tara... and don't worry, Radhe is a nice man. He does all the chores and brings me homemade food everyday."

"Hein! He doesn't cook here??" I craned my neck to watch the kitchen behind. Found out that it appeared clean and tidy for sure but the signs of not using it for years had been equally visible too.

Wait. Does that mean that...

"You don't let him cook here, do you?"

-"I couldn't." He sucked on his breath. "If you don't use this kitchen then nobody else will. Its as simple as that."