Flawless Silence

Chapter 11

It was late evening when Annika called her mother-in-law.

"Mummy Ji?"

"Haan, bol beta?"

"Yesterday when we met your friend Vinutha aunty, Shivaay was all ready and happy but later he veered into aloof. Do you have any idea what happened?" Annika said, diverting her concentration from the fingers that were massaging her scalp.

Giving attention to the words from her daughter-in-law, Pinky scowled yet continued brushing her hair after good minutes of champi.

"Is it? He was happy with all of us in that period." Pinky blurted recalling her son's enthusiastic, shy and flushed behaviours all the same time.

"I know right." Annika nodded and was immediately transported back in time remembering the feelings that arose, as she sat as a pillion driver with him. She felt again becoming a teenager spending time with her boyfriend, khaas dost.

Though the meeting with her mother-in-law's best friend wasn't that great, she had experienced butterflies in her tummy as her professor-turned-husband glanced at her at intervals. With small and shy smiles, she ducked her head, lowering her eyelashes as her eyes met his.

.

"Vinutha this is my daughter-in-law, Annika Tripathi turned Oberoi. Beti se kam nahi." Pinky introduced Annika to her childhood best friend, with whom she had lost communication and only months back they coalesced.

[Trans- no less than a daughter.]

Vinutha was a lady in her early fifties and was bestowed with a charming and gracious personality. She, with a bright and glorious smile, greeted Annika with a succinct hug welcoming her.

Annika sensed familiarity with the appearance of the lady. She didn't understand who this lady was, whom she had seen somewhere in the past.

"It's been a long time since I saw you, Shiv." Annika brushed off the previous thoughts and looked at Shivaay, who laughed at Vinutha's comment. "Last time I saw you, you were in short pants but look at you now. You have grown into a fine and handsome man with full pants along with a beautiful wife beside you."

Shivaay formally bend and sought blessing from his mother's best friend with an impressive greeting.

"Have lunch with us, Shiv," Vinutha told tugging his arms with a loving and caring personality.

Shivaay glanced at his mother gesturing if it was okay if he stayed back with their company. Stretching her lips into a luminous smile, Pinky indulged herself in discussing the back good days in their hometown, from where they came from.

Minutes later, the trio sat down at the dinner table, discussing life and how it was proceeding. Annika and Shivaay were often put into embarrassing situations as the other older ladies hinted about their honeymoon, somewhere on the east coastline of India. Dodging the comments they made up some excuses and diverted the conversation about the professional development they were into.

"I have a pure science bachelor's degree in. That's microbiology. Also, I worked for a couple of years for a pharmaceutical company before joining this professional course." Annika answered when asked about her schooling.

Vinutha nodded and joined her hands in warmth. "That's great. My daughter has a degree and masters in the same. Let me introduce each other."

"That's a wonderful idea." Pinky agreed. "Anu is a closed person and probably this would make her have lots of friends."