Finally!!

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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.

"Don't worry. They all are good people and we can surely trust them. You will love them all." Anya tried to ease Dia's mind.

"What should we make for lunch that day? "

"It can be dinner." Anya turned her attention to her grandmother. " They have still not confirmed. And whatever it is we will order food. "

"Why? We can make it at home then why will we order? "

"But it's OK to order once in a while. "

"Why to waste money? We will make food at home. And Ali told me he wanted to eat my food."

Anya frowned."when did he say that?"

"When he called."

"he called you? Does he have your number? "

"No. He called you and you were in the shower so Dia gave me the phone. "

"That idiot."

"Now, tell me what to make. We have to go grocery shopping."

Dia was terrified, would be an understatement. With her heart rate rising and heavy breathing, she was very close to getting a panic attack. She was not afraid of getting caught, she was insecure. She was worried about what they might think of her. Views of the people she had never met before suddenly were very important. Dia wished she could cancel the plan but she did not think she was authorised to do something like that. She was, after all, a burden, she thought. The thought of meeting new people made her nervous. She was nervous for the next few days. Anya's grandmother was excited about having guests. Anya picked up the excitement from her grandmother and was looking forward to a fun evening. It had been stressful two months and a small meal with her friends made her happy. That's how easy getting happy was. Just a small temporary change in the routine.

"What are you thinking? " Dia was pulled out of her thoughts by her cousin's question.

"What are you doing? " Dia asked pointing at Anya's hand.

Anya looked down at her hands. All her fingers were in a bowl which had ice water in it. "My hands are burning. "

"OK." Dia's reply made Anya widen her eyes. Her mouth opened a little and she looked at her cousin in disbelief. "I was not telling her to cry." Anya thought. " she is disturbed. It is OK." She tried to console herself.

"You are so sensitive! How will you live like this!?" Her grandmother yelled from the kitchen?  "How can hands burn from some cooking?"

"My body does not follow the rules of nature."

"Just like you." Her grandma yelled again.

"I am sorry. It is my fault."

"It is!"

Anya frowned and her mouth opened again. "Not my day." She looked at Dia and found her lost again. Anya did not want to admit, but she was upset. But she was also aware that being upset would not do good to anyone. Still, a few things were always out of her hands. Without her own permission, she started to ignore Dia. She was not talking to her or even looking at her. So when her grandmother decided to have her late afternoon nap, Anya got ready and left the house. Intentionally, unintentionally she was hoping Dia would realise she was avoiding her, but Dia's mind, like always, was somewhere else.

Due to work, Anya slept late last night and as a result, woke up late. She had missed her morning run, so she headed towards the park. She had planned to be lazy that day, but as she left the house she thought she should make most of it. Anya loved running slash walking. It gave her some time to be away from everything and everyone. It consisted of a few hours without any worries. Not without any worries as Anya always found something to worry about. But it was still peaceful. Though this was not the case when she initially started walking. She used to hate it, but now after a couple of years, she could not imagine a happy day without it. So naturally, when she entered the park she was happy. She was happy for forty minutes before she saw a familiar face. It was an old lady who comes to the park regularly. Anya did not know her neither did she have a conversation with her ever. But Anya still felt like she was someone she knew for years. There were many people like that. They smile or look at each other but never talk. A walk without them feels empty, but they had no place in each other's lives.

The lady that made Anya stop running was sitting quietly on a bench under a tree. Which was not like her. She was in her seventies and found it difficult to walk, but Anya never saw her sitting. She seemed energetic even in her slow pace, but that was missing that day. She looked upset and distant. Anya wondered why. Anya continued walking but did not stop thinking about her. When After ten minutes Anya crossed that path again she saw the lady still sitting on the bench. Now, she wanted to approach her. She wanted to ask her if she was fine or needed any help. But being the introvert cat that Anta was she did not dare to do so. She kept running, but this time decided to approach her if she was still sitting in the same place when she comes back. But she was gone by the time Anya was back. Anya felt glad as she did not have to approach a stranger, but at the same time, she felt disappointed to leave someone in pain all alone. She wished she could act faster.

Soon she left the park and those thoughts and headed home. It was almost dark by the time she reached home. She was still avoiding Dia and Dia was still clueless. Anya tried with all her heart to avoid Dia, but as the sun rose the next day Anya forgot about it. She was behaving normal and even had a conversation with her cousin before leaving the house. It was not until she came back home in the evening when she remembered she was upset. She again tried to avoid Dia, but soon gave up. She decided to let go and again tried to cheer Dia. Her friends were going to come to her house the next day so she got caught in the preparations. Next morning came faster than Dia had anticipated. Anya and her grandmother woke up early. Anya did the cleaning and then helped her grandmother in the kitchen. She was excited after a very long time But her excitement made Dia anxious. She wanted to run away. But she felt trapped. She followed whatever Anya told her to do. Anya first told her to take a shower and get ready, so she did that. Then Anya told her to have breakfast, so she did that. Just like a normal day she acted as a poppet. But only until the doorbell rang.

“You are first,” Anya said cheerfully.

“I knew that. Those boys can never be on time,” Himani said as she made her way inside the living room.

“I am surprised Ali is late. We are serving food here.”

“He only has two hobbies. Food and getting ready. What else you expect when you combine the both?”

Anya laughed before shaking her head. Himani smiled before whispering, ”Where is your Nani and Dia?”

“Nani is in the kitchen and Dia is in the room.”

“OK. I will greet them.”

Himani greeted Anya's grandmother and had a chat with her for five minutes. Both of them being talkative made it easy for them to connect. Anya was standing in one corner while the other two talked. She smiled at how well they both mixed together. But when it was time for Himani to meet Dia, she got nervous.

“Hello. I am Himani. I work with Anya.” Himani introduced herself with a smile. Dia could not help but frown as soon as she saw her. Himani understood why she did that and shook her head. “Yes, I live in your building, but No, I don’t work for your husband. If this information helps you then let me tell you, I don’t like him.”

Dia pasted a small smile on her face before looking down. Just like everyone else Himani made a good first impression on Dia as well. Dia felt at ease as Himani talked to her. She even said two full sentences, which was more than Anya had heard that day. “It is working,” Anya thought when she saw Dia talking. But she was still worried about how Dia would react to the boys, who arrived after thirty minutes. Anya, Dia and Himani were sitting in the living room when the doorbell rang, so Dia did not get a chance to escape.

“You are late.,”  Anya complained as soon as she opened the door.

“This man!” Ali exclaimed. “I was standing in front of my building for an hour before he arrived.”

“You and your exaggerations,” Kabir said as he was removing his shoes. Ali did the same and they both entered the house.

“You boys are never on time.” Himani teased.

“Anya is never on time.” Ali corrected.

“You are also never on time,” Himani replied.

“Girls always support each other,” He complained.

Kabir saw Dia as soon as he entered the room. It did not take him long to understand that she was uncomfortable. He did not want to add to it, so he did not say a word after that. He went and sat quietly on the sofa. Coincidentally there were only two places left to sit. He could sit either right next to Dia on the chair or right in front of her on the sofa. He thought the only way to stop her from jumping in fear would be to sit across from her so he did that. Ali, after arguing a little with Himani and Anya looked at the sitting arrangement. He looked at Himani and motioned her to move. She narrowed her eyes and said no, but nevertheless stood up and sat next to Dia. Ali sat on the Sofa on the far right and Kabir was on the far left. Although there was a big coffee table between them he still thought of moving closer to Ali so that he won’t be in front of her,  but as soon as he moved Dia moved backwards in fear. He stayed glued to his seat after that.

“Nani, you remember Kabir and Ali,  right?” Anya asked when her Nani came in the room.

“Yes, of course. How are you, Ali?”

“I am good. How are you Nani? You said you would come to my  house for Eid but Anya came alone.”

“I am old now. It is difficult to travel. My knees have given up.”

“Oh Nani, You are still young! No one can say that you are her grandmother.”

Himani and Kabir laughed whereas Anya rolled her eyes. She knew he was not the polite person that he was trying to be. It was food that made him polite. Nani then looked at Kabir. “How are you, Kabir? How are your parents?”
“They are good. My mom asked you to come with me for dinner tonight. You should come.”

“Tonight?” she laughed “Some other day. Today I am tired.”

“You should have made her work!” Ali said instantly motioning towards Anya.

Anya narrowed her eyes. “I did a lot!”

“Still she is tired,” Ali said before shaking his head a couple of times. As he was doing that his eyes landed on Dia. The first thought that crossed his mind was 'I have seen her somewhere'. He had been struggling to remember where he had seen Aman and now he started wondering where he saw Dia before they met in the park. It was obvious he saw them together, but where? He was not sure, but it made him feel uneasy. On the other hand, Dia vividly remembered where they had met before. She remembered every detail of that night. What had happened and what Ali had lost.