Soft rays of light filtered through the room, gently brushing against my skin and stirring me from a restless sleep. As I blinked my eyes open, I took in my unfamiliar surroundings, still seated on the floor. The events of the previous night flooded back, leaving me feeling a heavy mix of dread and confusion in my heart.
I hastily pushed myself up and searched for the clock on the wall, which read 6 in the morning. Just then, a gentle knock on the door broke the stillness.
Who could it be? My thoughts immediately drifted to Aksh, and a wave of weariness washed over me at the thought of facing him again. The door was ajar, and he wouldn’t have knocked to enter his own space. Maybe it was someone else. With a deep breath, I approached the door and opened it cautiously, revealing Agastya standing there with a thal draped in a warm red cloth.
“Good morning, bhabhi! I’m so sorry to disturb you,” he said kindly, his eyes filled with genuine warmth. “Mummy ne ye bheja hai apke liye”
As I took the thal from his hands, a voice called out for Agastya, and we both turned to see Nakul approaching us, a sincere smile lighting up his face.
“Good morning, bhabhi! How are you today?” he asked, standing next to Agastya with genuine concern. “I was looking for you, Agastya.”
( Note - Agastya is a year older than Nakul, but they call each other by their names. Agastya is in his second year of college, and Nakul is in his first.)
“I was here,” Agastya replied, gesturing toward the thal in my grasp. “Mom asked me to bring this to Bhabhii.”
Nakul’s gaze shifted to the thal, and a look of confusion crossed his face.
“Bhabhi, why are you still in your saree?” he inquired gently, his tone laced with kindness. I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me as I realized I hadn’t changed out of my clothes from last night. Agastya’s expression mirrored my confusion, his concern evident.
“Actually, I haven’t gotten my things yet,” I offered, trying to keep my voice steady, though I felt fragile.
“But I personally asked the house help to bring your belongings to your room,” Nakul said, his worry palpable.
“I’m sorry, bhabhi,” he added, a hint of panic creeping into his voice. “Maybe they forgot. I’ll go check right away.”
“It’s okay, Nakul. It’s not your fault,” I reassured him softly, wanting him to feel at ease amidst the whirlwind of emotions.
“And bhabhi, Badi Ma was looking for you. She wanted you to join her downstairs for your phali rasoi ki rasam,” Agastya said gently, breaking the silence that lingered with a supportive tone.
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