07
LOST AND FOUND

April

After another heavy day of work, Aastha was back at the apartment, watching some random Hindi show which was playing on the tv. She hadn't watched a movie in quite some time. Almost ten minutes had passed since she'd taken the last bite of her roti, blankly staring at the television. What seemed to snap her out of her thoughts, startling her was the doorbell.

She had zero visitors. No one came here to even deliver milk and newspapers, because she bought it herself. She rarely ordered anything these days. As scepticism grew, Aastha quickly grabbed the metal bottle kept on the table, hesitantly walking to the door. Cautiously, gripping tightly on the doorknob, she opened it, only to be shocked when she saw the person on the other side.

"Mummy?" she whispered.

In front of her stood Asha Sharma, wearing the warmest smile on her face.

"Betu, how are you?" Aastha's breath hitched, her heart clenching at the sweet woman's words. "Mein...andar aau, betu?" (Can I come in?) she hesitantly asked and Aastha gasped, stepping aside.

"Please, please," she mumbled hastily. Asha scanned the apartment— it was definitely old, but as clean as a whistle. The house seemed nothing like her daughter-in-law's house.

"Mummy, baithiye na, mein paani laati hu," (Mummy, have a seat. I'll get you some water) Aastha said, the slightest smile adorning her features as she rushed into the kitchen, clearly excited. Asha just nodded, trying to  understand Aastha's overall body language and demeanour.

"Aapne bataya kyun nahi? Mein thoda acha khana bana leti," (Why didn't you tell me? I would've made something nice) she mumbled, embarrassed at what she was eating. A roti with strawberry jam.

"Plan nahi kiya tha," (I hadn't planned anything) she said, "I was free...so I thought why not?" Aastha nodded, "And about dinner, don't worry, I already ate. Meri beti ke saath toh mein masta ice cream khaungi," (I will have ice cream with my daughter)

The simple statement tugged at her heartstrings, and she inhaled sharply.

"Okay mummy,"

"Chal, khana toh kha le, phir baat karenge," (Have your dinner, then we'll talk) Asha said, taking the remote as she surfed through the channels to find the serial she watched at that time. Aastha picked up her speed, eating quickly.

"I'll order ice cream till then," Asha said and she just nodded. Aastha was done with her so-called dinner, and she had cleaned up, the two sitting in silence, watching as a mother-in-law tried to kill her daughter-in-law.

"Haaaayeee! Is that how you think of me?" Asha asked dramatically.

"Oh, definitely," Aastha joked back as she shook her head in disbelief, at just how far the soap operas went. Just like the olden times.

The bell rung and the ice cream had arrived, and everything seemed so...normal. But Aastha knew what was going to happen. Ice cream and some real time talk, the air was suddenly charged with some tension, and her mother-in-law's gaze was still warm, but also had a 'pre-talk' maternal firmness.

"When was the last time we talked, betu?" Aastha froze. The answer wasn't good.

"About...about three months ago," she croaked out, "When I moved out,"

"Bacche, you've isolated yourself so much," Asha said, clicking her tongue. "I heard you don't talk to Sara also these days, I heard that even your sister hasn't gotten the chance to talk to you,"

The disappointment in Asha's voice made her stomach twist in anxiety. She fiddled with the hem of her t-shirt, trying to craft an appropriate response, but she couldn't come up with anything.

"Arey ha! Shubi and Ishan made me bring this for you," Asha said, like she suddenly remembered something. She took her handbag in her lap, surfing through its contents. As she found the item she was looking for, a satisfied smile appeared on her face.

"Ha! Take this," she said. "Perk chocolate," she grinned, handing five bars of chocolate covered in blue wrapper.

And that was the moment Aastha broke down. Into sobs, which progressed into wails. Asha furrowed her brows, immediately reaching out to the crying woman.

"Bacche? What happened?"

"Mujhse nahi hota abb yeh sab Mummy," (I'm done, Mummy) she sobbed, hugging the older woman, wrapping her arms around her. "Kuch samajh nahi aaraha," (I don't understand anything)

"Shh, it's okay, baccha,"

"I miss everything— everyone so much," she hiccuped, her face red now. Asha was gently stroking her hair, as she was crying her heart out in her lap.

"I miss...I miss going on double dates with everyone, I miss Rohit bhai's yeh-woh, I miss Anushka bhabhi sending healthy recipes on our group chat, I miss Yashu's god-awful jokes, I miss Yuvi paa scolding me for sleeping late, I miss goong shopping with Sara," she paused, breathing, still sobbing.

"I miss having competitions with Ishan and Shubi over who'd eat more perk chocolates," her sobs didn't stop.

"And and...your son, he's such a nautanki," Aastha cried, "He is roaming around like some devdas, he's so..." her heart clenched while talking about him, "Why couldn't he just...raise his goddamn bat?"

Asha chuckled, softly.

"I never taught him drama," she said, "He got it from his wife,"

Another sob.

"I hate how much I miss him," Asha held onto the girl, stroking her arm.

"We all love you Aastha betu, and..." Asha passed, not having the heart to say what she intended to say, "whatever happens with Abhishek...we all will always be here,"

"I feel so lost," she confessed.

"That's fine, baccha. It is,"

"I don't know how to go back, I want to, but I don't know..."

"Aastha, baby steps— you want to come back, and that's all that matters. Me, your Papa ji, Nikita di, your friends...we're all waiting,"

"Is...Abhishek waiting?" She asked, her voice extremely low, almost inaudible, hesitantly.

"He is, he is waiting," Asha said, "But the both of you...you need to find your own selves,"

Aastha got up, looking at Asha, wiping away the tears from her face.

"If you don't go back to yourself, Aastha...even if there's a chance you two can find each other again— oh, I so hope there is; you won't be able to hold on, again,"

The advice was honest. Unfiltered. Asha Maa did not wince at her own words even if her heart clenched at the thought of her kids separating, but she still said what she wanted to. Aastha just nodded, understanding the depth her words held.

Mummy was right.

______

3 years ago,

"Hello bhabhi," Shubman said and Aastha groaned.

"I will hit you if you call me bhabhi again,"

"Bhaaabhii," he said, stressing on the syllables.

"Shubman Gill- I swear to God, I will forget that you're my fiancé's best friend and Sara's boyfriend,"

"Haayee! Yeh Abhishek kaisi daravni bhabhi laraha hai," (My God! Abhishek's bringing me a scary sister-in-law!) she rolled her eyes, tapping her finger tips on the marble top of the dining table.

"Ishan! How much more time man?" Shubman shouted at the chef of the night's dinner.

"He's just destroying the entire kitchen for you, so you can redo it before you get married to...that," Aditi said, making a face of disgust as she exited the kitchen and sat next to Aastha. Abhishek threw hands, offended.

"Why are you always criticising my kitchen!?"
He asked and Aditi rolled her eyes.

"It's ugly, Abhishek. Uglier than your face," she said and Ishan; who'd just exited the kitchen burst into laughter, instantly joint by Shubman.

"She didn't hold back bro,"

"Grilled him,"

Abhishek groaned while Aastha tried her best to be a supportive fiancée, but ended up laughing as well.

"She called your husband ugly,"'

"Well, she's wrong," Aastha smiled, "But her sheer disgust about the kitchen trolleys is so legit. I mean, what were you thinking babe? Mango colour?"

Abhishek rolled his eyes.

"Stop laughing you dipshits," Abhishek glared at Ishan and Shubman. "At least my favourite chocolate is not perk,"

"Hey!" Aastha gasped, "Why the perk slander?" Abhishek shrugged.

"Why the kitchen slander?"

Laughter reigned in the Sharma house, where Aastha would come to live in just a few months— although, it could be said that she already was living there.

The house was a haven, with love and warmth and laughter.

keeping things on a positive note before i go for my break! real story starts now, no more rona-dhona yearning waale chapters🫶🏻