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Inaya sat at the floor of her house, leaning her head against the tattered couch.

She watched the blades of the fan spin round. She couldn't sit at the kitchen countertop and watch her mom cook.  She wouldn't have a companion moving around the kitchen with her.

She would no longer have someone to confide in, fearing no judgement.

The sound of glass clicking against the floor and loud voices squabbling grated her ears. She hadn't been able to remove her father from her room. He had stayed locked up there, downing bottles of alcohol.

It had been three days already.

The neighbor lady, who had been a huge help through the funeral process, was the reason Inaya had managed to keep functioning. From bringing her meals to dealing with Inaya's father, who didn't want to even see his daughter because she reminded him too much of her mother, the neighbour was taking care of it all.

Wiping away the streaks of tears cascading down her face, she looked down at the accounts her mother had drawn up.

The first attempt for the medical entrance test was speedily approaching. Inaya hadn't paid the fee for attempting it.

Looking at the true state of her family's finances had her re-thinking everything.

They only had about 5 lakhs to their name. 5 lakhs that they had spent over 10 years saving up.

A knock at the door had her blinking out of her trace.

"Is this Janani's house?" The man in a neat black suit asked.

"Yes..." Inaya hesitated before scrambling up. The man strode in and settled on the sofa.

"Forgive my impertinence, but I must sit down for this." He said, "My name is Shankar. I am- was your mother's lawyer."

Inaya flinched at the use of past tense. The lawyer glanced around the house with a reserve that didn't escape her notice. The regret in his eyes was plain as day.

"Your mother drew up a will, a long time back. As she hasn't updated it, the terms are still valid." He pulled out a folder from his case. Opening it, he briefed through the papers. "She states here that all her assets, which consists of the money under her name in the bank as well as a family heirloom, will go to her daughter as soon as she is a major. How old are you now?"

"18." Inaya quietly replied as the sound of sobs and a glass breaking could be heard in the room. She could make out her neighbor pleading with him to stay strong for his daughter.

"I have no daughter who doesn't grieve her own mother!"

Inaya gripped her arms. She had refused to cry as her father was deep in the throes of grief. She had to stay strong for her household and for him.

"Is that...Baskaran?"

"That's my father, yes." Inaya let out a breath, embarassed that a stranger was witnessing. The lawyer frowned before arranging his papers.

"Here. These are the legal documents you will need to gain access to your mother's account. Within her bank locker, there's also the heirloom."

"Thank you..."

It was clear that his business here was over. Yet, the lawyer lingered as he glanced around the house. When he finally rose to his full height, Inaya felt compelled to grab onto anything that was related to her mom.

"Did you know my mother before?"

The lawyer paused. He glanced at her with a indescribable look, "I...used to be her schoolmate before she dropped out."

Inaya nodded slowly.

"I thought her daughter would be as happy-go-lucky as her but I suppose..." Shanker shot her a compassionate look, "her decisions have taken a toll on you."

After a pause, he slid towards her a card, "Here. You can contact me anytime you need my services."

"Thank you."

He was gone. Inaya recognized the grief in his eyes. He hsd hurried away as if he had already grieved a thousand times beforw and didn't want to be haunted by memories anymore.

She placed the card away. Immediately, the sound of footsteps and murmuring filled the entrance.

"Inaya?" A familiar voice called out to her. She quickly turned around to face her friends. "Why are you guys here?"

"What kind of question is that?" Kavya retorted. "We're here to check on our friend who is grieving a loss, just like any other good friend."

A wave of tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Her dad's drunken yelling a rambling filled the air again. Inaya glanced at the door opening. The neighbor stepped out and shook her head, sadly.

"Thank you for your help, aunty but I heard your kids come back home just now. You should attend to them. I'll take care of everything here."

"Are you sure? What would you like for dinner?"

Ianya shook her head with a small smile, "I can cook for myself and dad. We'll be fine."

Once the neighbor had sauntered away, her friends trudged closer. Kavya engulfed in a hug, "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Inaya hugged her back, unaware that she had been desperate for a hug from someone all this time.

"Come. Step out with us for a little while. Being cooped up in your house isn't going to help." Prakash sent her a smile. In his eyes, she could sense something like pity. She looked away.

Nevertheless, she agreed to go out for a short time with her friends.

Staring at the crowded cafe, Kavya instructed Arjun and Inaya to stand outside as they bought a sandwich for all of them. The plan was to head to the neighborhood, which was only a few minutes away.

Kavya looked around and caught a lady staring at her. When their eyes met, the lady adjusted the strap of her handbag and hurried away.

Who was that...?

Before she could think about it further, Arjun gently pulled her aside to a private corner. A few minutes of silence ensued.

"Are you feeling ok?"

Inaya didn't how to answer that.

"When my grandfather died, everyone around me told that it will pass and I will move on." He began. Inaya stayed quiet, listening and welcoming the distraction.

"I didn't understand that. For me, it was the end of the world. How could I move on, just like that? But, time will keep going, ruthlessly."

Arjun glanced at her, "Someday, you will be able to recollect your mom without crying. You will be able to remember all your happy memories with her. If there's anything I've learnt, it's that even if a person is physically gone, they will live on in the hearts of those who remember them."

"But for now, it is okay to cry and feel sad over your loss." He held his arms open. Inaya glanced at him, before her eyes slipped down to his arms.

Without thinking twice about it, she leaned forward, allowing herself to be wrapped in a soft yet warm embrace as she cried her heart out.

She finally felt seen and heard in her grief.

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a/n: no behind the scenes for this chapter. how are we feeling about everything?