"This is fun", Nidra screeched.
"Nidu, let's get Appa out, shall we? It's been long", Ruthira asked, scratching Rudra's ears since he was buried under the sand. Nidra thought for a second before agreeing.
"Finally", Rudra sighed once he was out. "Appa, water"! "Do you want to swim"? Nidra nodded holding his hand.
"Come", he carried her. He stretched his hand out to help Ruthira get up. "The both of you go ahead. I'll stay here, I'm on my periods. It will be uncomfortable and Butter will be here alone".
"Do you need heat pad"? Ruthira denied and motioned them to get to the ate.
"EEEK", Nidra squealed when the coldness touched her feet. "Are you having fun", Rudra chuckled. "YES"! After minutes of fun, they were done.
"I'm tired", Nidra whined, snuggling into her mother's chest. "Nidu, you hungry"? "Mmm, very". "What shall we eat", Rudra asked.
"Pissa"! "No Nidu! I had told you yesterday itself, no fast food today since you wanted McDonald's for lunch". "No, I want pissa"!
"Don't show your tantrums. We had a deal and you agreed", Ruthira sternly said. "Appa, I want pissa", Nidra mumbled with her famous puppy eyes.
Rudra melted when he saw the welled up tears, at the verge of falling. "Ruthira, just this once", he tried convincing her.
"Don't try to jeopardise her diet"! Nidra sniffed wiping her tears. "She's crying Ruthira, just once". "Woof woof"!
"Even Bu- Buffer wants pissa", Nidra whimpered. "Don't cry bubba, Appa will get you pizza". "Rudra, don't fall for her crocodile tears. If you give in now, she'll know she can have things her way by crying", Ruthira glared at her.
"I'm getting her pizza and that's final! If you don't want you don't eat but my bubba will", Rudra snapped. He picked up her bag and left.
Ruthira huffed and got up. She dusted her clothes and Butter off the sand. Walking to their car, she opened the door for Butter.
"From today onwards you plan her diet", she mumbled with anger, buckling her seatbelt. "Appa, bubba no want pissa. Amma choose", Nidra pouted understanding her mother wasn't happy.
"Just go to the pizza place", Ruthira ordered. "Amma plan diet. Appa no good". Rudra rolled his eyes. "Nidu, only this once. If you be adamant like this again, Amma will not get you fast food anymore".
"Okay Amma , thank you"! Nidra screamed in excitement while Rudra drove to the pizza place.
=====
The next week, Ruthira, Rudra and Nidra reached Chennai. Her relatives in Chennai had never seen Nidra face to face.
"Hello Nidra", Aaruna squealed, taking Nidra into her arms. "Hi Perima", Nidra mumbled. "My turn Akka", Aaradhana took her.
(Mother's elder sister)
"Do you who I am"? "Chitti", Nidra looked at Ruthira for confirmation. "Aww, she remembers me", Aaradhana hugged her.
(Mother's younger sister)
"Nidu, this is Thatha", Ruthira pointed to Harikrishnan. "Thatha is there", Nidra extended her hands to Mohanraj.
"I am Thatha and that is big Thatha", Mohanraj explained while taking her in his arms. "Oh", she bobbed her head back and forth.
"That is my mother, your big Paati", Mohanraj said, pointing to the picture on the wall. Mohanraj's mother had passed away a year ago in her sleep.
It wasn't hard for her family to take the news as she was already very old and they knew she was going to join her late husband soon.
During her funeral, Brinda told Ruthira to not bring Nidra along as she was not even 1. Thus, they left her with Maitra and Shaswat.
"Come pray to her", Nidra clasped her hands together on Brinda's instruction. "Aaru"! Ruthira closed her eyes in irritation, who even called her here.
"Hi Athai", she unwantedly greeted Vani. "Hi", Elakiya hugged her. "Hello", this time Ruthira greeted with full intention.
"So... she's the one", Vani side eyed Nidra who was busy drinking her milk. "What do you mean", Rudra asked. "She's the one who y'all adopted", Vani added.
"Yes, but we will appreciate it if you acknowledge her as just our daughter. No need for that word", Ruthira snapped.
"Hmmm", Vani hummed, twisting her lips to the side. "Where's Sarath", Mohanraj questioned. "Sarath is meeting his fiancée today. She's an American girl. A doctor also", she boasted looking at Ruthira.
"Did she seriously think I'll be jealous", Ruthira whispered softly to Aaruna. "This woman has always been a headache. Wonder how Elakiya handles her", Aaruna mumbled.
"Amma hungry", Nidra whined. "Okay okay! My great granddaughter is hungry. Let's eat. Come", Harikrishnan announced.
=====
Aaradhana and Nidra were playing the Xbox when Arun came, demanding to play. "Mama wait, Nidu first", Nidra said as she focused on pressing the random buttons on the remote.
"Oh hello, I bought this Xbox. One of y'all better move", he said. "Anneh, just a few more minutes", Aaradhana pleaded and he agreed.
"Why must he wait"! The three of them saw a furious Vani approaching them. "Get up", she snapped at Nidra who was confused.
"GET UP"! Nidra flinched and sprang up from her seat immediately. Tears welled up in her eyes as her lips quivered. "Perima avala edukku thiduringa", Arun came to her defence.
(Why are you scolding her)
"This brat doesn't belong here and she's making others wait. Eh, this is not your place to order us, understand! You are some charity case that two people decided to help.
Know your limit and behave. Or else I will send you to some unknown place", Vani gritted her teeth and slapped Nidra.
"PERIMA"! "Shut up, Aaradhana"!
"WAAH WAAH"!
=====
Ruthira was in the kitchen cooking with Nila, Brinda and Kamala. Harikrishnan and Mohanraj were in the backyard while Rudra, Prabhu, Adhi and Aran had gone for a walk. Aaruna was resting in her room as she was pregnant.
"What's the screaming outside", Brinda questioned while cutting the potatoes. "Must be Aaradhana and Nidra, they were playing some games", Kamala mumbled throwing the tomatoes into the pot.
"WAAH WAAH"! "Nidra", Ruthira said with confusion, looking around. "What happened", she mumbled to herself as she dried her hands with her saree.
Running outside she saw Vani towering over the small figure of her daughter. "Nidu", Ruthira ran towards her.
"AMMA"! Nidra hugged Ruthira's leg from the back. "What's wrong", Ruthira mumbled on the verge of tears. "She- she hit me", Nidra cried.
Ruthira snapped her head towards Vani. "HOW DARE YOU", she moved towards Vani but Brinda held her. Just then the guys entered the house.
"APPA", Nidra ran into Rudra's arms. "Who gave you the rights to touch my daughter", Ruthira gritted her teeth. "She's an orphan. She doesn't deserve to even sit with us-".
"SHUT UP", Rudra screamed from the entrance holding Nidra tightly. "Why should I shut up, I'm telling the truth. Now she's claiming ownership over a Xbox, next will be the properties".
Ruthira got out of Brinda's hold and stomped towards Vani. "Enough of your nonsense. Get out", she pointed towards the exit. Vani rolled her eyes.
"I have all the rights to stay here unlike that orphan-". "SHUT UP", Ruthira raised her hand to smack Vani across her face. Everyone gasped and Aran quickly held her from the back to stop her
"HOW DARE YOU", Vani shrieked. "You deserve it", Ruthira spat, trying to get out of Aran's hold. "I took care of you since young and this is how you treat me", Vani screamed and slapped Ruthira.
"VANI", Harikrishnan yelled. "Pack your bags and get out. I feel disgusted to see you. She's an innocent toddler and you can be so rude to her. How", he shook his head helplessly and sat on the couch.
"Elakiya, go pack our bags. We have nothing to do with them anymore". Ruben held Elakiya's hand, "my wife is not your maid. And they asked you to get out not us".
"Lol", Aaradhana laughed. Vani glared at everyone and walked to her room. "She say she send me away", Nidra sobbed.
Rudra immediately walked towards Ruthira and pulled her out of Aran's hold. "We need to be alone for sometime", he mumbled, dragging her up the stairs.
Brinda rubbed her forehead and sat on the couch. Just then Vani came down with her bags. "You all will regret", she spat and walked towards the door.
"Vani, once you realise your mistakes and apologies, you are free to come. But before that, I don't wish to see you", Harikrishnan said, not looking at her.
Vani scoffed and left. "Let's give them some time, they'll come down when they are ready", Mohanraj mumbled. "Let's hope so", Kamala whispered.
=====
"Ruthira, stop crying", Rudra wiped the never ending tears from her eyes. He looked behind his shoulder and saw Nidra sleeping as she held both their hands to her chest.
"The last thing I ever wanted was someone to call my daughter a charity case. She's so hurt, Rudra. What if she hates us. What if she knows we are not her biological parents and leave us", Ruthira panicked, gasping for air.
"Ruthira, calm down. Look here", Rudra made her face him. "Breath with me, 1... 2... 3...". She followed his lead and took shaky breaths. "That's it", he rubbed her back.
"She's not going to leave us. Not now, not ever. Nidra will never hate us, bachaa", he whispered, joining their forehead together.
"Promise"? Rudra chuckled and mumbled, "promise bachaa". Ruthira nodded holding his hands that were on her cheeks.
"Amma", Nidra whined and opened her eyes. "Yes, Nidu", Ruthira carried her to her lap. "Nidu no sad, so Amma no sad. She bad lady, Appa say. No listen to bad people".
Ruthira looked at how maturely Nidra was talking and smiled. "If you say so chellakutty", she kissed Nidra's head. "Can we call Thakuma and Dadu, I miss Buffer".
Rudra agreed and took out his phone to call Maitra.
=====
"Appa, Amma, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have used such words on Athai", Ruthira fiddled with her fingers. "Ah don't need to apologies, she needed that", Harikrishnan sighed.
"What you did was wrong Aaru but I would have done the same", Mohanraj hugged Ruthira and patted her back. "Where's Nidra, we are yet to finish our game", Aaradhana looked around.
"Showering". "Okay, Anneh you can only play after Nidra and I are done". Arun rolled his eyes,
"I'm sparing you only because of Nidra".
Do vote, comment and share 🤞🏾
❤️,
DD