The Midnight Moon

Chapter XVIII

Finally!!

I hope you all like it!

Enjoy:)

"And then he asked my father if he should sit or keep standing." Nani said with a big smile on her face. Anya started laughing hysterically. That made Nani laugh too. Nani was telling her the story of how she met her husband, that is Anya's grandfather, for the first time. Anya and her grandmother, while working often talked about anything and everything. Her nani always told her stories about her or Anya's mother and her siblings. Anya always enjoyed it and it never felt like work with her. She loved that part of the day. Dia on the other hand, always found that part difficult. Anya and her grandmother always tried to include Dia in the conversation, but dia was often lost in her own world and always losses touch with the story. Though she felt obligated to sit with them and contribute to the conversation which she did not wish for. She wanted to sit alone, with her thoughts and away from humans, but Anya was her saviour and was providing her shelter which made her feel obligated to please her, just like she used to feel obligated to please her husband. As a kid and even as an adult for Dia she was her cousin, a sister she never had, who she loved to spend time with but now she saw her as someone superior to her, like a master. She felt the same way with her husband. Situation and master were different, but her feelings were still the same. She still felt inferior and helpless.

"Dia do you like bhendi?" Anya asked, which brought Dia back to life. "Huh?" Dia did not understand what her cousin said. "Do you like bhendi?" Dia nodded her head.

"So nani is asking if we should have that for dinner or not. What do you say?"

"OK."

"I don't like bhendi." Anya wrinkled her nose.

"Then what should we make? " Nani asked Anya.

"Kadi."

"OK," Nani said.

"I love Kadi!" Anya exclaimed and soon they both started preparing for that. Dia never liked Kadi. At parent' sents house she never touched it and though at her husband's she had many things she did not like, but never Kadi. But Dia did not protest. She was used to adjusting without making a noise.

"Dia did you like it?" Nani asked Dia a few minutes after they started eating.

"Yeah," Dia replied.

"It is yum nani! Today I feel Ali is right about being crazy for your food."

"He is crazy in all aspects."

Anya started laughing again. She shook her head before she started talking about Ali and all her friends again. Dia quietly had her food. She was lost, but then after some time, a word caught her attention.

"Guests? " Dia asked Anya.

"Yeah." Anya smiled.

"We are having guests this weekend," Nani said.

"How will we manage that? You will lock your room? " Dia asked instantly.

"Why will I lock my room? "

"For me to hide. "

"You won't hide. "

"Ha?"

Anya shook her head."They all know about you."

"Oh." She looked down.

Anya wanted to say, ' if she didn't feel like meeting them then I will cancel', but she wanted Dia to meet new people. She was in a cage with just two people and no other human contact. She didn't want Dia to be stuck in the house. Anya believed It was important for Dia to socialise. That would change the topics in her mind and that would refresh her. And Anya thought it was fine to make her cousin a little uncomfortable for her own good.