CHAPTER 7
Abhay woke up from the slumber as soon as a familiar smell hit his nostrils. He inhaled the air deeply... it was the smell of his village... a smell of nature... he could see the paddy fields in which he used to play cricket with his friends as a teenager... aah... he loved those days... the paddy fields.. nearby mountains... the famous temple... the plumeria tree nearby which always used to shed its white flowers so that the kids can collect them... Abhay's mind went into a nostalgic mood... those days were the best days in his life... Eventhough Abhay's family settled in Mumbai, in most of the vacations he used to spend in his father's place... it had an aesthetic beauty, still it has... it was a few years back his entire family shifted to Kerala... it was his father's wish... Even while fighting against the deadliest disease cancer, all that gentle man wished was to die in his home, the place where he was born and brought up... it was upto Abhay and his mom to fulfil father's wish... but they never regretted it. Eventhough Abhay rarely used to go home, he knew his mother will always be safe there...
Abhay's mind darted back to reality as a lonely tear tried to escape his cheeks. He quickly wiped his tear and checked whether anyone have seen it. To his lucky all others were sleeping except Abhay and the driver... Sid, Piya and jay were in back seat sleeping. Abhay could see Piya's reflection in rear view mirror.. She was looking absolutely beautiful. Her head was resting in Sid's shoulder. The occasional sunrays falling in her cheeks gave her a divine glow..
"I wish it was You and Me alone", Abhay thought to himself.
Abhay's DRINKING THE BEAUTY OF PIYA mission was stopped by a herd of sheep who jumped infront of the car from nowhere... The car abruptly came to a halt and it woken up the trio... It was Piya who got up first.
Piya: "Are we there yet?"
Abhay: "Well... Almost... did you see this paddy fields... we have to walk through that to reach home..."
Piya looked at the direction Abhay was pointing her... it was a beautiful sight to watch... the paddy fields were appearing like a green carpet..
Piya : "Wow... Then what are we waiting for... Let's go..."
Piya was about to open the door, then suddenly Abhay stopped her. Piya looked at him questioningly...
Abhay: "Not yet Piya... Did you see that bridge infront of us? We can go in car till the end of it... from there we have to walk..."
Piya: "But that bridge is near na... Why can't we walk?"
Sid (already irritated as his sleep got disturbed): "Piyu, Abhay is right... What is the need of walking when we car cover the distance in car... Abhay, let's go."
Piya (in her mind): Oh, these boys... (to everyone) What is the need of going in car when we can cover the distance by our feet? You people come in car... I am gonna walk... by the way, I am not lazy like you guys..."
With this she opened the door and stepped out. The three men looked at each other helplessly. After a moment's hesitation they also joined her in the walk but with luggages on their back.. they looked at the girl walking infront of them... She was not walking, infact she was jumping by seeing the beauty of nature. A small smile crept in Abhay's lips.
Jay: " Arey oyy jungly billy... Stop jumping... Warna people will think that you are mad..."
Piya: "Jay Bhayya... Aap kuch bhi kaho... You can't stop me this time... look... I have never been in such a place before... how calm and serene... hey, look at the pond... there are water lilies... I want those... jay Bhaiyya please... "
Jay looked at the water lilies... they were abundant in that place... he knew Piya will never stop eating his brain until he gave her the flowers... he looked at the imported jeans he was wearing and then looked at Sid helplessly... On the other hand Sid was having fun watching their chit chats...
Sid: "Piyu... not now... we'll get you those flowers later... Did you forget that Abhay's mom will be waiting for us? It is not good to keep her waiting for soo long, is it? (Piya nodded) that's my good girl... So, let's go..."
Piya went with Sid like an obedient child... Jay sighed
Jay (To Abhay): "Phew... That girl... she is a fire cracker man... Today i thought my imported jeans is gone... thank God, Sid saved my neck in time... otherwise i would have been in that pond plucking flowers for her..."
Abhay laughed at Jay's reaction. He said to himself;
"You could have asked me Piya... I would have got it for you..."
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The foursome reached in front of a home which was built in ethnic Kerala Style... It was called 'Naalu Kettu' in Malayalam.
"Wow..." Piya exclaimed drinking the beauty of the house.
Abhay: "You know Piya, this house is 300 years old..."
Piya looked at Abhay in shock. Situation was no different for Sid and Jay also... Abhay laughed at their reaction.
Abhay: "Don't worry... it's not going to fall down... it's my father's ancestral house... these kind of houses are common in Kerala and I bet these houses are far stronger than the concrete buildings... you should see the way they have built it... there are a lot of markings in the pillars which not even the cryptographers were able to crack...My father used to tell me, his grand grand grand fathers' had hired the most efficient people to built the house..."
Abhay's eyes glowed in pride
Piya: "Oh Abhay... You have a nice house here... I can see its outer beauty... If your talk is over, can we go inside...? I am dying to see the inside as well..."
Abhay chuckled at her question and was about to say something suddenly he heard someone calling him... He closed his eyes as soon as heard the voice... he could feel the affection in that voice, the yearning, the desperation... he knew, the voice belongs to none other than his Mom, Sreevidya Raichand... He opened his eyes and there she was... in the door step, waiting for him, her arms stretched towards him...
He no longer could control his feelings... he ran towards his mom and hugged her tightly like a kid... Tears were flowing from Sreevidya's eyes... She kissed him in his cheeks and forehead... Piya, Sid and Jay were looking at them emotionally... they felt the pain, happiness and pleasure Abhay and Sreevidya were going through... They thanked the God for making them the witnesses of such a wonderful moment... Atlast, a kid has returned to his rightful place, his mom's lap...
After an emotional welcome, Sreevidya parted herself from her son. That is when she noticed the others... She looked at the two handsome boys infront of her and then at the girl standing in middle of them... Sreevidya's eye stuck in that girl... that girl was soo beautiful... she was like an innocent angel fallen down to earth...
Abhay (hugging his mom from behind): "Mom, I forgot to introduce... These two are my partners in crime, Sidharth and Jay... And this is... their little sister Piya..."
Sreevidya smiled softly at them. Her eyes darted back to Piya... by seeing Piya, Sreevidya's eyes softened... She felt an ache in her heart seeing her... She couldn't understand why... It was like her heart was telling her that Piya is in need of love... she slowly took her step towards Piya... Piya was also looking at her intensely... Sreevidya touched Piya's face with her hands, Piya closed her eyes feeling the touch... She felt altogether different sensation... the touch reminder her of the fact that how much she missed her mother...a tear trickled down through Piya's face... Sreevidya wiped that tear with her finger and kissed Piya's forehead... She took Piya's hand in hers and led her inside...
Sid, Jay and Abhay were witnessing this dumbfounded... Sid and Jay could feel the pain of Piya... Abhay was too dumbstruck by his mom's behaviour... he have never seen her behave in that way... what had just happened between his mom and Piya that he missed to notice, he thought to himself... Nevertheless, he was happy... His mom had taken fond of his choice even though she doesn't know anything about it...
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