I sit on the bed and try to read a book, but my mind keeps on drifting elsewhere. What is happening downstairs? The way maa sent me upstairs felt like there was definitely something wrong after what Rajat Uncle told her. Is maa angry at him? Will she scold him? Will we be leaving soon?

Suddenly, I hear a knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door opens and Rajat Uncle peeks in, telling me that maa is calling for me downstairs. He waits for me outside and holds my hands as we get down the stairs.

As soon as we reach downstairs, I start to panic a little. Maa is sitting on the sofa with a group of people that I do not recognize, that I never ever met before sitting next to her. All of them stare at me as I approach them. I look at maa and back to Rajat Uncle expecting one of them to break the silence and introduce me to them. I notice maa's swollen eyes and her red face, she has definitely been crying. Is everything fine? What has happened and who are these people?

Rajat Uncle lightly releases my hand and I go and stand next to maa. I see Rajat Uncle then leave from here.

After some time, "amma, appa, this is Ruhi", maa says.

"Uṅkaḷ Pētti", she continues and all three around me gasp.

I stare at her, shocked, unable to comprehend what she told them and why are they reacting in such a way. But, maa refuses to tell me anything. She continues to keep a straight face and look at them as they continue to cry. At length, the younger aunty, with tears still streaming down her face manages to utter something to maa, "Akshat's ?"

I see maa nod and suddenly the wailing around me intensifies. I hear screams and muffled no nos in the background. What is the matter actually? I start to tense.

After a long time, the older aunty comes to sit next to maa. She takes me in her lap and starts kissing my face. I feel like a doll today. I get transferred to the younger aunty and then to the uncle and then back to maa. All of them keep on kissing and hugging me, but. I still do not know who they are.

Maa then tells me that, "Ruh, they are your grandparents. Your Pāṭṭi and Tāttā, your nana and nani. This is my mother, this is my father and this is your Tarika Maasi, my younger sister", maa tells me while pointing at each one of them.

Maa's parents and her sister are here. But how come I have never met them before? Where were they earlier?

"Maa really? But why am I meeting them now? You never told me about them or made me meet them earlier..."

Maa explains to me that there had been some misunderstandings between them for a long time. They had to stay away from each other, but now everything is better.

We spent the whole afternoon talking to each other and having a lot of fun. They tell me a lot of amazing stories, ask me a lot of questions and keep on pampering me. Rajat Uncle and Daadi even joined us. After some time, I hear Nana telling Rajat Uncle that they will have to leave now otherwise it will be difficult for them to catch a bus later. Everyone's faces droop but they say nothing. I also start to feel very dejected.

"But... But... You...", maa stutters.

"Why don't you stay here for a few days? You are meeting your daughter and granddaughter after so long. Why don't you stay with us please?", Rajat Uncle tells them.

"Rajat, it is not that we do not want to stay. We really want to. But it will be difficult for all of us to stay in your house, we do not want to be a burden on you Son. Even if we agree to stay somewhere else, it will be very hard for us to find a place right now. Please forgive us, Rajat. Purvi and Ruhi, please don't be so dejected, we will come back very soon."

"Stay nah amma...", maa starts to cry."

"Aunty, Uncle, actually, the apartment next to mine is currently vacant for a few months already now. Why don't you stay there? I'll talk to the flatlady, she won't refuse me. See how sad these two are, please stay for them. Don't worry about anything else, I'll manage. Please", Rajat Uncle tells them.

"Oh yes, amma please, Appa tell amma no. You're here after so long, I do not want you to go back this soon. Tarika, convince amma ...", maaadds.

All three of them start to look at each other. Before any of them can say something else, I go and hug Pāṭṭi and tāttā. "Stay. Please, for me, for maa. We hardly get the chance to spend time with a family, please do not let us miss this precious opportunity. Please."

And as if my words were magic, tāttā nods and says yes. We all shout in excitement. I find tears filling my eyes when all of them hug me tightly. The family that only had me and maa is so big today, so happy. There are so many people around, so much happiness, so much fun and this is only because of Rajat Uncle. I ran to hug both him and maa. Isn't Rajat Uncle a God-sent angel in our lives? Thank you God, thank you mas and Rajat Uncle, I utter in my thoughts.

As soon as Rajat gets the confirmation of the apartment, we start helping each other to make sure that all the luggage is arranged and everyone has a neat room to sleep in before it gets too late.

At 10, everything is done. After that, Tarika, Ruhi and I rush into Amma's room. Like the previous times, both Tarika and I start to race to see who reaches Amma's lap first, and this time it is obviously me.

Both Tarika and Ruhi start to fall asleep while talking to each other. Amma and I keep talking till late at night. At one moment, completely unexpectedly, she asks me this question, "who is Rajat dear? And how are you two here?"

I start to tell the whole story about Ruhi's obstinance and how Rajat suggested that we could come and live for some days at his place.

"Purvi, how do you find him?"

"Find whom amma, what do you mean?"

"Rajat dear. Tell me dear, how do you find him, what do you like and dislike about him?"

"Amma... Well, he is a very nice person. He really really loves and cares about Ruhi. He is an extremely considerate man, very caring and respectful amma. He has never made me or Ruhi ever lack anything as long as we're here amma. And you know, we have this, how do I tell you, this-connection, he just understands me so-so well. You wouldn't believe it, okay, let's take today itself for instance, I hardly told him about you, about how much I missed you all, about how much I wanted you to be with me. But, he simply understood me. It was like he read what was going on inside me, without me telling him or asking him for anything, he brought me the biggest happiness of my life, amma. He... I... "

"He is actually such a nice guy Purvi. The way he requested us to stay here for you, the way he arranged for our stay so quickly, and despite the fact that we are almost strangers to him, he took care of us like a family Purvi."

"Yes exactly. His caring nature takes me aback sometimes Amma. People like him are rare to find nowadays and they are also the ones that get hurt the most."

"Yes dear. Tell me something else now. You have your clinic, you have a daughter to look after, but do you have someone else in your life? Don't get me wrong dear, but..."

"No amma, I understand what you mean. Honestly, I never think I can ever trust or love anyone after what Aksh...did amma. I won't be able to. I do not think I will ever be able to."

"I understand dear, but don't you think that Ruhi needs a father Purvi? To be honest, I know she will lack nothing. You will provide for her financially, emotionally and will even keep her happy Purvi, but will you be able to fulfil her paternal need and love? Would she not be missing out on something in her life? You should realize that Ruhi has never seen or met her father dear. Just imagine, how would you be if appa was not in your life Purvi?"

"Oh amma. It is not that I do not realize that amma. I know I will never be able to fulfil that need of hers. I also know that I cannot deprive Ruhi because of what happened in my past, but amma, it is so so difficult, so difficult to give yourself another chance.

Amma takes my face in my palms and wipes the tears off my face.

"Purvi, life does give second chances, but only when you want to let the second chance in. Don't you think that you are closing yourself to the immense love and happiness that life can offer you? Purvi, please give life and love another chance. Don't look for an ideal husband or lover Purvi, look for the type of man that you want Ruhi to have as a father. And as your mother Purvi, let me tell you, your life will change, and one last thing, I think you don't have to look too hard or too far for someone like that dear. Please think about it."

"What do you mean amma?"

But amma refuses to give me an answer. Rather, she tells me that it is very late and I should take Ruhi in her room now. I take sleeping Ruhi in my arms and walk to the next apartment with my thoughts still stuck on what amma just told me about.

I put Ruhi on her bed and go out to mine when I find Rajat standing on the balcony with a cup in his hands. What is he doing outside at this time? Should I go and speak to him and definitely apologize about how badly I spoke to him today?

"Rajat. Hi."

He jumps, "hey Purvi, I am sorry. I did not realize you were here. Sorry."

"Rajat. This time, I am sorry. Rajat, I was angry, I don't know what I was talking about, I should not have said all of that Rajat. Please forgive me."

"Purvi. You should not apologize. It is not your fault, anyone would react in such a way. It was actually a compulsive act on my part also, I did not care about the consequences, it just happened."

"Rajat, your seeming compulsive act brought me the biggest happiness of my life. You should keep on doing these compulsive acts."

"Oh really?" We both start laughing and I tell him, "Thank you Rajat. Thank you so much."

He lowers his head and nods and asks me, "are you feeling sleepy Purvi? Do you mind sitting here and talking for some time?"

"Sure Rajat. I was honestly looking for such an opportunity for a long time now."

"Let me go grab a cup of coffee for you."

He arrives after some time with a large cup of delicious piping hot coffee and we sit on the steps.

"Rajat, you are the only one that never judged me, never asked me any questions about me or my past since the first day we met. You are different Rajat. For a very long time, I wanted to tell you something, as a friend, open a part of myself that I never showed to anyone else. I don't know why, but it feels good to talk to you and share things with you. Rajat, tonight, I want to tell you my story, about my past, and about Akshat."

Hey readers, Here is the next part ! Hope you like it...