TOWARDS A NEW PHASE
The disaster that occurred on her garden was completely wiped off Megha's mind the moment she met her family at the railway station.
"Chachi!" a small girl of around three years in a butter yellow frock with her shoulder-length hair tied came running towards Megha with a shriek of joy. Megha bent down happily to engulf her in her arms.
As Megha had pointed out years ago, she wasn't able to adopt Nanhi, and hence, her parents had done that. Nanhi had grown up fast and was a healthy, adorable kid and soon became the apple of the eyes of everyone. The family loved her as their own and never told her the entire truth - just that her parents loved her a lot and that they had entrusted her to them before they went on a journey. Nanhi called Megha's parents as 'Nana, Nani' and Megha and Mahi as 'Chacha, Chachi'. The Vyas family, their neighbours and relatives knew that she was adopted, but they too, never mentioned it in front of Nanhi. But, they were worried when Nanhi would start asking more questions - she was an intelligent and inquisitive kid after all.
"Come, my Nanhi princess, how much you have grown in three months!" Megha surveyed her little one from top to bottom and exclaimed happily.
"Well, she is the cycling champion of her kindergarten, Didi." Mahii replied proudly.
Mahi was another thing Megha and family used to worry about when they took in Nanhi. They were worried whether he would feel jealous and start disliking the little one. But, on the contrary, he was the most excited one to welcome his tiny niece. When Megha had to leave home for her job, he was the one who helped his mother immensely in raising Nanhi. It seemed he enjoyed having Nanhi play the role of the little one, the role which he had with Megha. He was now about to join his 12th standard this year.
"Chacha taught me cycle" Nanhi said in her happy, adorable baby voice.
"We shall share all the news after we reach your Chachi's quarters, Nanhi. Shall we go Megha?" Megha's mother enquired while her father and Mahi assembled their entire luggage into Megha's car.
"Sure." Megha replied happily.
As she drove them to her home, again the ruined garden came in front of her eyes.
"What disaster happened here, Megha?" her father who had similar liking towards plants enquired.
"Ask who happened, Papa. The new gardener turned out to be a Mr. Disaster this morning." Megha replied glumly.
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That afternoon, after putting Nanhi to sleep, as Megha settled down for a chat, her mother put forward the subject which all mothers are anxious about - marriage. Apparently, Vidya's distant relative's son had taken a liking to Megha after seeing her photos in some family photo album.
"The best thing is that Rajeev is the General Manager in a firm near your college and his family is settled only about half an hour drive from here."
"Ma, I don't think I'm ready for marriage."
"Why? You have a job, haven't you? Remember you are turning twenty six next month. If not now, then when?" Vidya asked desperately.
"I don't know... It's such a big step..." Megha replied.
"Are you....hmm....someone else?" Vidya asked awkwardly.
Megha snorted. She then said with a serious expression:
"Well, there are two important men in my life."
"What!"
"Dad and Mahi, Ma!"
Her mother's expressions changed from frustration to shock to relief and then back to frustration. Megha cracked up laughing.
"This is no joke Megha. You plan on getting married someday, don't you?"
Megha became somber.
"Yes Ma. I do... but, I don't know this guy at all..." Megha replied uncertain.
"That's it then? Well that can be easily remedied. You go out with him tomorrow."
Megha started to protest, but her Ma wouldn't have no for answer. So, finally, she accepted.
"Hmm...let me give it a try then...a simple meeting wouldn't hurt." Megha comforted herself.
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*Nana, Nani - Grandpa, Grandma
*Chacha, Chachi - Uncle, Aunt
YOU ARE READING
THE CLOUD'S CHARM
FanfictionMegha, as her name suggests, is a dynamic girl - one who floats in life's flow just like clouds. And Mohan, despite his name, is not much of a charmer in his social circle: he was yet to find someone special and currently, he was concentrating on...
