Suvan FF: Advices and Apologies *Chpt 11 (Pg.18)|Updt 20/07 *COMPLETED - Page 13

Chapter 10

Suman stomped inside the house as soon as the jeep was parked on the driveway by Sanjay bhaiyya. Anjali who was sitting on the sofa muttered a soft 'How was the camp?' but it went partially heard by Suman who went past her in a gust. She went to her room and locked the door after her.

Kanchan and Dadu returned with woebegone expressions as well and that made the eldest Tiwari bahu a little worried.

"What happened Kancha? Why is Suman's mood off right now? She was so joyous in the morning?" Anjali enquired.

Dadu shrugged his shoulders to the question but Kancha took her Badi Ma to the kitchen to explain things. Kanchan went on to explain the whole fiasco that gave birth to the entire situation. How Anish said things about Shravan to Suman and how Shravan had been trying to mend things since then. Also the day's events that unfolded at the blood donation camp.

"Badi Ma, I don't know how to solve it now. It feels like it's slipping out of my hands. Don't know why Suman's not agreeing to budge", Kancha solemnly expressed.

Anjali thought to herself, her eyeballs hitting all directions and then finally assuring Kancha.

"It's alright beta. You don't stress yourself. Let me see if I can try anything", she said putting a hand on her niece's head.

"Go get yourself changed and I'll ask Damru to ready some snacks". Anjali smiled.

Kanchan climbed up to her room. The room was shut but unlocked. Suman was lying on her bed, her face immersed into her pillow. Kancha thought of giving her to herself and hopped on the chair to complete her homework assignment.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in avoiding glances, changing of subjects and pretend sake laughs which Kanchan was quick to catch on. 

By the time it was nightfall and time for dinner, both sisters were called downstairs for supper. Suman unwillingly dragged herself to the dining table. Dadu was already at the table with two dishes set on the table. Suman knew her Chacha and Chachi were out at a wedding event and her Papa on a night patrol. But the display of only two plates for the four people who were to dine, confused her.

"Umm... where are the other two plates, Dadu? Aren't you gonna dine with us?, Kanchan asked before taking a seat next to her grandfather. "And where's Badi Ma?", she said looking towards the kitchen.

"I'm afraid she's waiting in the lawn for Suman", Dadu replied.

"Suman beta, why don't you find your mother in the lawn. Damru would've arranged your and her dinner plates in the lounge area itself".

Suman could've followed that with a question trail but she instead thought of not disturbing her Dadu at dinner time. She followed the instructions like she always did. She retreated to kitchen and through the backdoor, was out in their lawn. The cane table and chairs' set lay in the middle as it always did. They had many a fine breakfast outings on them. Anjali sat perched on one of them and gave a brisk smile as she saw Suman nearing her.

"How do you feel now beta?"

"Good Ma". Suman had forgotten about her fever and illness altogether but her mom hadn't. Well mothers never do.

"Honestly I hadn't realised it" Suman said putting up a made up smile. The one which we do to camouflage the bigger problems that won't unnecessarily trouble our parents.

"There's your favourite soup and pasta today. Being sick would've taken away your sense of smell I thought", Anjali smiled ear to ear.

"Yes"

Anjali blinked her eyes to the affirmation and started filling the plates with pasta.

"You see, how fever and cold can take your sense of smell away. And you feel clogged for the lack of judgement your way. But you don't stop distrusting it once it returns when you're fine and well?"

"Ma....I don't get what you're..."

"Similarly the close people in our lives too go through a 'loss of sense of smell ~ a bad, ill phase"

"Here" she said handing over the filled plate to her daughter. Suman looked back at her mother.

"Ma? Kancha told you, didn't she? But Ma I can handle it. You don't worry".

"Suman, sometimes it's for us to decide who stays in our lives. Sometimes the pain is inevitable but we can choose who the giver is. And then there are some people by whom we're privileged to have even our heart ached", Anjali said playing with her fork and beckoned Suman to fill her tummy as well.

Suman kept mum and opted to stare at how long the grass had grown beneath her feet. How much carefree it had been.

"Beta I'm no philosopher neither do I intend to become one", she continued with a laugh. "But Shravan seems like an honest boy. And I'm only rarely wrong".

"He wouldn't have tried donating blood if he hadn't felt sorry. Besides, these days, who goes to the point of fainting only to retrieve a sorry for a few month-old friendship? I don't know what happened at your friend's birthday neither do I know if it's the truth. Shravan may have been a mischievous lad but I can sense he wouldn't do to hurt someone purposely. Believe me, the most mischievous kids are not necessarily the mean ones. I say from experience".

Suman knew why her mother had chosen to be a teacher. It was cuz she could understand every kid's unsaid emotion and feeling even when they themselves could not. Like she did with hers and Shravan's.

"I will not ask you to forget what has been done. What's gone is gone. But don't let it spoil the missed future it can hold. You see, in some quarrels the root vanishes after a certain point and only the negatives are called in".

That was true. Suman hadn't been willing to accept it to herself. But she wasn't able to understand why she needed to find excuses to be mad at him. Every time he came face to face, her reason for anger had disappeared and only the redness remained.

"Besides what's friendship without a few highs and lows", Anjali gave a soft wink following it.

Suman took some time to think to herself. Perhaps churning in all she had heard. But when she spoke, Anjali was rest assured that her sensible daughter was back into force.

"I know Ma. I may have been a little harsh to judge. I myself don't know why. We have been friends for only 2 months now. I don't know how he came to affect me so much".

 Her pasta still in the fork's tine.

"So what do you say soldier? Will you leave your comrade at times of peril on a battlefield?"

Suman cracked open a slight smile and shook her head.

"I knew you'd hear me out"

"Yayyyy!" Kancha came running from the behind and took her sister into a back hug. "I'm so happy things are returning to normalcy".

 "So you'd talk to him properly the next time he's with us, wouldn't you?" Kancha asked her sister playfully.

"Umm yeah...mayyybe I can", Suman said suppressing a beam. "But that isn't until tomorrow, is it?"

"ORRR? Maybe you can!" Kancha exclaimed through the top of our excited voice and Anjali shushed her concernedly. The neighbours owed the Malhotras big time to have something happening happen each day to the very dull colony even after 8!

Shravan who was inside one of the outdoor rooms opening into the lawn, creaked open the door to show himself.

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A/N : Heyyy. I hope you liked this one. The next chapter is gonna be the last one in the story (it will be up within a day)😊

This part had me combining Anjali to give a clear head to Suman and in turn coming a full circle from the first chapter where Devraj was the one to have a heart to heart talk with Shravan. I hope it makes sense and isn't seeming childish.

I can't wait for Monday now! Feeling too excited for our show!

Also do let me know how this chapter feels😃