SERENDIPITOUS|✓

Chapter 22

"Radha?"

A voice said, startling Radha from behind, making her groceries fall out of her hand. She tsked shaking her head and crouched to pick up the fallen things.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The voice said again and Radha quickly picked up her groceries to turn to the source. Once she did though, she saw a lady, a lady she didn't recognise.

Not really.

"Um. . .I'm sorry but h-have we ever met? I don't recognise you." Radha said apologetically and saw as the lady's face changed from worry to delight.

She chuckled. "I'm sure a video call of five minutes, from two months ago wouldn't be considered as a meeting. But I still remember you," the lady answered, smiling.

Radha's brain immediately went up to the speed of formula one, trying hard to recognise the lady.

Video call?

Two months back?

Oh.

oh!

"Are you - are you Krishn's mother?" she asked hesitantly, Krishn's name rolling out of her tongue easily, even after two whole months, his face visible at the back of her mind, his voice still echoing in the memory of her ears.

"Yes, yes, I am his mother, Shweta Yadav, I'm glad you finally remember me." The lady said introducing herself in a polite voice and Radha smiled a small smile.

"How are you, Mrs Yadav?" Radha asked tentatively, tucking an invisible strand of hair behind her ear, a habit she made out of nervousness.

"I'm good, really good. What about you? Where's Abhi? Your husband?" Radha's eyes snapped wide open at the question and she saw Mrs Yadav scanning around the store to look for her non-existent husband.

"Actually Rakesh never called us to tell us about the wedding progression, Mala also didn't say anything. And I guess they have even changed their numbers. The thing is that I haven't had a chance to meet them again, not since the day of your engagement. We were excited to attend your engagement, you see, but the day Krishn came back from Rakesh's,  all of us including him, had to fly out of the country for signing some business-related documents. Those were really important, I'm really sorry we couldn't mak-"

"Actually, I - I am not married. . . "

"-e it to your. . . . .what? "

"The wedding g-got cancelled."

"Oh,"

"Yeah."

One could clearly read the thought process of Krishn's mother seeing her expressions as they went from thoughtful to surprise to realisation.

"I'm - I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have assumed. I re-"

"Please aunty, it isn't your fault, of course, you didn't know. I don't mind, at all." Radha said softly interrupting her apology and saw as Mrs Yadav finally came to a stop.

"It looks like I'm only offending you since I came here. I should really go. You should continue with your. . .shopping?" she said hesitantly with an embarrassed look on her face which didn't suit her at all. She turned away towards the exit but Radha was quick to stop her.

"N-no aunty not at all. You haven't offended me. I'm actually glad that I met you. It's been two months since I saw any familiar face. I'm so happy that you came and talked to me. Living in a pg accommodation alone can be difficult sometimes." Radha admitted bashfully and Mrs Yadav finally stopped.

Her hand came up to Radha's face, holding it gently. "I don't mean to pry into your life daughter but why are you living alone, that too in a pg accommodation? What about your parents?"