Thousand miles apart

Agarwal Family

Zach's POV :

As soon as the flight landed, we stepped out with our bags, and as we approached the exit, my grandma sighed, "It's been so long time, and a lot had changed". We looked at her before glancing around in confusion. "Like?", Maddy questioned. "It looks completely different from the past, especially the fashion sense and the buildings. I mean, the Mumbai airport for example. It turned out to be so beautiful", she said. Well, now it makes sense because it has been ages since she moved to the US. I looked around and as Grandma said, this airport is indeed phenomenal with the best interior design. 

"Guys, there's the taxi stand!" Maddy exclaimed and we followed her gaze which pointed to the taxi stand near the doorway past the exit. "What are we waiting for? Let's go", my dad said as he walked ahead and we followed him. Soon we got into the taxi and the driver turned on the engine. Grandma told the address to the driver and he nodded his head before taking off. 

After a short while, as we were on our way, I peered out the window at the streets of Mumbai. Everything around here was so much different from the US. Everything was in chaos as a large crowd of people gathered around street food stalls, several vegetable merchants, and everyone else was bargaining. As a captain of the New York football team and living in a huge mansion, these were some things I wasn't looking forward to, but I have a feeling I'll be enjoying this. 

We soon arrived at the front door of a mansion that wasn't as big as ours but was nonetheless lovely and magnificent. When we stepped out of the taxi, my brother inquired, "How much?", as he was about to pay. The driver said, "350 rupees, Sahab," and my brother nodded in response while grabbing the cash from his pocket.
"Oye! 350 rupees zyada hai, thoda kam karo,(Oye! 350rps is a little too much, decrease the price)," My granny remarked in a language I've heard her speak but am still not too familiar acquainted with and the driver looked at her in amazement. We waited for them to conclude their chat because whatever they said after this was beyond our understanding. Soon after, she took the cash out of my brother's hand and gave him 300 rupees. He took the cash and then wavered before starting his car and drove off. "Remember, don't give anyone anything according to whatever they ask for in payment. Make sure to have any locals with you whenever you travel," she stated as she looked at my brother before glancing at us and we nodded our heads in response. Maddy said is a low voice, "Imagine the Billionaire Mr. Ashford bargaining for 50rupees and if someone questions, he'd say, 'Grandma's orders'," and I clenched my jaw to hold back my laugh. 

We moved forward and stopped in front of the gate while carrying our backpacks. "Is anyone at home? We didn't let them know about our arrival, did we?" I asked. Grandma reassured me "Don't worry, it's impossible for this mansion to be empty," and I looked at her in disbelief. The security opened the gate and we took a quick look around as we entered the place. "Hey!", we heard a voice and we looked around. "Hey! Over here!", we heard the voice again and we turned to our left to find a young man of almost the same age as mine in the garden, sitting on a chair with one leg crossed over the other, wearing glasses, and holding a book in his hand. Placing the book and the glasses on the nearby table, he got up from the chair and walked in our direction. "You don't look from around here except for you", he stated, looking at my grandma before turning around to face my brother and continuing, "But, you look familiar". My grandma interrupted him, "Beta, I'm Neerja's best friend",  and the young man stared at her bewildered. "Neerja, who?", He asked. "I don't know any Neerja except for-", he paused before his eyes widened, "What's your name, dadi?", he asked again in anticipation. "Niharika", she replied. "Holy s-water! Dadi, It's finally great to meet you in real", he exclaimed, before touching her feet, and she chuckled as she patted his head softly. "Why are y'all standing here? Let's go in", he said as he stood up straight and picked up my grandma's bag, before walking ahead. Shaking her head, she followed him with a smile. 

As we entered the mansion, I looked around at the interiors which were breathtaking. Everything around here made me feel homely. "Dad! Look who's here!" he called out and soon a man entered the living room, followed by a boy and a girl. Looking at my grandma, he was stunned. "Aunty?" he exclaimed. "Arey, Krishu!" my grandma called out and the man hurried over and embraced her in a hug before touching her feet as well. "How are you? How's everyone?" my grandma asked but he waved her off, "Keep that for later. You guys look tired, go freshen up. Ishu? Show them their room", the man said and the boy from earlier, asked us to follow him. After entering the room, I took a quick shower and wore a sweatshirt and track pants. 

Stepping out of the room, I headed to the living room to find everyone casually sitting on the sofa. Walking over to them, I took a seat next to my grandma. "Zack?", my grandma called me and I glanced at her, "This is my best friend's second son, Krishna Agarwal. You can call him Krishna Uncle", she said, pointing at the elder man and I waved at him, "and that is his elder son, Ishaan", she added, pointing at the boy from earlier and I looked at him but he was busy talking to Maddy, "and that's his younger son and daughter, Ayaan and Kiara" she pointed to the kids, not too younger but approx of 16-17 years old, who waved at me in unison and before I could respond, "Dude, Accept the fact! You lost!" I heard a voice and we looked at the stairs to find three guys walking ahead, "Bleh. I was about to win. You cheated!", the other guy said, "Well, you would've won if you wouldn't be distracted by your girlfriend's texts", the first guy said. "Dude, that's not my girlfriend! It's my girl_friend!" the second guy said. "But she's hot, though," the third guy said, earning a slap from the second guy. "Don't talk about her that way" he said, and the other two chuckled. "Quit teasing me! If Dad hears this, I'll have to dig my own graveyard", he added and that's when the other two noticed us. "Too late, bro, too late. Not sure about dad but, dad's elder brother surely heard it" The first guy stated. 

The second guy hurried in our direction before stopping in from of Krishna Uncle, "Uncle, don't listen to them, they were just teasing. I don't like-like her, I just like her. I mean not that way, just normally..." he babbled and he reminded me of myself when I realized that I liked Ana but couldn't accept it. "I didn't say anything and why are you afraid? If you like someone, be a man and announce it to the world", Uncle looked at him with a smirk. "Eh! If I do that, my dad will be the one announcing from this day onwards, he just has two sons and the third son was a failure who went hunting and was eaten by a hungry bear.", the boy mumbled and we laughed. That's when they noticed us, "Ah. These are our guests from today, and she is your grandma's best friend", Uncle said, pointing at my grandma and they all touched her feet."He is Nikhil, my younger brother's elder son," Uncle said, pointing at the first boy who nodded at us with a smile, "He is Rishab, my brother's second son", Uncle pointed at the boy who was mimicking his dad earlier, "and he is Nihaal, my brother's third son", he pointed to the other boy and he waved at us. Grandma then introduced every one of us to them and that's when I realized that the number of members in their family keeps increasing. "By the way, my elder brother, Dinesh is admitted to the hospital so both my sister-in-law and my wife are with him. My younger brother went to work and his wife went out with her friends. So, yeah. That's the entire Agarwal family", uncle informed us and I let out a sigh. This family is indeed so huge and everyone stays together.