Her Heart

CHAPTER 8

ANAISHA'S POV:

With a deep exhale, I step out of my car and approach the inviting front door of the house. Its wide-open stance renders the doorbell redundant. Stepping across the threshold, I find myself amidst a crowd of unfamiliar faces. A gentle knock announces my arrival, drawing the attention of everyone present. With a sheepish smile, I navigate through the room, only to be met by the familiar figure of Adarsh bhaiya making his way towards me.

Adarsh bhaiya greeted me with a warm smile, his familiar face a comfort amidst the sea of strangers. "Hey there! Glad you could make it," he said, his voice filled with genuine warmth.

Returning the smile, I replied, "Thanks for having me. It's great to see you again."

As we exchanged pleasantries, I glanced around the room, taking in the lively atmosphere and the mix of faces, some familiar and some new. It seemed like a vibrant gathering, and I felt a surge of excitement mingled with a hint of nervousness at the prospect of meeting so many new people.

 "I'm really grateful you're lending a hand to Srishti. She's been sweating the small stuff for hours now. Having you around is sure to ease her worries."

I offer a smile as he gestures toward their room, where bhabhi is expected to be. Stepping inside, I find her engrossed in something, so deeply focused that my presence goes unnoticed until I clear my throat. Catching sight of me, she breaks into a wide smile and rises to embrace me warmly. Returning the hug, our brief moment of connection is interrupted as a frown creases her forehead once more.

"What's going on?" I inquire, surveying the array of scattered items strewn about the room.

"I can't seem to find the perfect necklace to complement my outfit. The ones I bought just don't feel right anymore," she laments, her tone almost childlike as she pouts in frustration.

Suppressing a smile, I scan the available options and retrieve a long, green beaded necklace. Placing it delicately against the yellowish-gold ensemble, I glance at her expectantly, relieved to see her grin widely in approval.

"I never imagined this shade of green would complement the outfit so well. Thank you so much. Looks like someone's quite the fashionista," she teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, come on, bhabhi, nothing like that. I just enjoy playing dress-up, you know, and over time, I've learned a thing or two," I chuckled. "And by the way, even you could have matched these if you weren't so nervous and jittery."

"Not at all, I've never quite grasped colors," she laughed. "But you're right about the nervous part. The whole situation of bringing a child into this world, the baby shower—it just reminds me that it's only a matter of a few days before this cutie arrives. As much as I'm excited to meet this one, I'm equally nervous," she admitted, her smile softening as she glanced down at her baby bump.

Squeezing her shoulder reassuringly, I said, "Don't worry, everything's going to be fine and even perfect, if you were to ask me."

We continued chatting about various topics as I helped her with her hair and makeup until Seema aunty interrupted us, asking for my assistance with the gifts for the guests.

Walking to the dining room with her, I scanned the room, wondering where the one person I had been eagerly anticipating catching a glimpse of all morning was hiding.

Just as I finished arranging the various baskets on the table, a familiar warmth enveloped my shoulders. A smile instinctively graced my lips as I turned to find the person I hadn't seen in nearly two weeks, save for a few blurry video calls.

"Hey," he greeted, his smile lighting up his eyes as he took a step back, his hand trailing down my arm until our fingers intertwined, sending butterflies fluttering in my stomach.