"She doesn't have to do this, Mark" Manohar said for the umptieth time ever since Mark came to the hospital. He helped Manohar to complete the discharge procedure and settled the bills on behalf of Anuradha. 

"It's her order and I only follow. Mrs. Chauhan please tell your son to let me do my job" Mark requested to Roopa as he got down from the driver's seat and opened the rare passenger door for her.

"Karthik, let him to his job. If there is anything you want to say, might as well you wait for her."

Manohar sat in the given room for him as he remembered how Anuradha instructed Mark to bring them here. Rather he appreciated it, Manohar was able to bring his music to life in much comfortable space.

As he played his recording for the fifth time, Manoj's words played at the back of his mind.

'The way you look at her, the song that you wrote for her. What do you think it means, Karthik?'

The more he thinks about it the more he was getting confused, though he somewhat thinks what Manoj told years ago is coming true yet Manohar wasn't ready to accept it.

"Manoj! I'm in a huge confusion" Manohar couldn't do it anymore, he called his only ray of hope in this matter.

Manohar explained to him about the whole surprise meet with Anuradha and Christopher because of his mother's accident.  

"I got a new composition right after meeting her. For the first time after two years I finally had the urge to play flute."

"hmm..."

"I don't know Manoj, I just can't get her out of my mind."

"Where is she now?"

"in her office"

"And you?"

"...... in her house"

Anuradha had sent Mark to bring Manohar and Roopa to her house so Roopa could be in a much comfortable space to rest for the next two days. Staying in the hotel wouldn't be much comfortable as being in the house. Anuradha had given clear instruction to Mark to not to let Manohar convince him that they will be fine staying hotel. 

Since Roopa had said she would love to stay in Anuradha's house because of her growing fondness on Anuradha in just one day, Manohar gave up on convincing Mark.

"She is a very nice girl, I saw her running towards me when I came ran out of the alley" Roopa said to Manohar after Mark left them in Anuradha's house.

That reminded him of their college days, how Radha had come for his rescue even without him asking. 'She never changed' he thought

Superhero indeed.

*-*-*-*

For the first time in Anuradha's life, she was greeted home with a strong aromatic smell filled the air. Smell of toasted spices, it reminded her of Madhulekha. A smile made its way on Anuradha's lips. 

"Did you hire any new cook, gorgeous?" Cameron inhaled the aromatic smell.

"Nope, let's go in" Anuradha opened the door and let Cameron and Christopher in.

"Hello, hello, hello...." Christopher headed straight to the kitchen. "Oh my!" Christopher yelled.

"What happen?" Both Anuradha and Cameron ran into the kitchen. Roopa stood in front of the stove wearing an apron with a spatula in her hand.

"Aunty! Aren't you supposed to be resting?" Anuradha took the spatula from Roopa and pulled her away from the stove.

"I thought I will cook dinner for all of us"

"But aunty I brought you here not to cook dinner for us. You need to rest." Following Roopa who walked back to the stove.

"I love cooking my dear, I find it to be my only source of relaxation. Anyways, I'm almost done... just gotta wait for this to boil" Roopa tapped Anuradha's cheeks lightly and worked on the curry.

"Manohar! Why did you let Roopa aunty cook?" Anuradha asked breaking the somewhat deep conversation between him, Cameron and Christopher.

"Oh, Anu. Don't disturb us, shoo. We are meeting after a long time!" Cameron said and continue their conversation.

"Fine, no point talking to you boys"

"You are done?!" Anuradha asked as Roopa transferred the curry from the big pot to a smaller bowl.

"Yes, fast isn't it? Now go and freshen up, we will have dinner together"

"Okay, but I don't want you to do anything anymore. You have to rest."

"I promise I will not move even an inch after dinner. Now go, you look really tired, I know I didn't let you get enough sleep last night"

Was Anuradha getting the motherly love she was longing for? Roopa had been one of the sweetest lady Anuradha have encountered after Madhulekha's demise. So much liking in just a day?

Everything that Roopa did was reminding her of her grandma, she missed Madhulekha a lot. Not a single night gone by without Anuradha thinking of Madhulekha and how she wished Madhulekha was still here with her.

*-*-*-*

Just as promised Roopa did not moved an inch as the Anuradha and the boys did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen before sending Roopa to her room. "You kids are just amazing. You parents must be very proud to have you" Roopa commented while they were all cleaning. The boys took the praises and claimed to be the best son at home while Anuradha acknowledge Roopa's comment with a light smile. 

Christopher gave a half hug and ruffled her hair as he walked pass her before they headed for a small discussion. 

"Clamant is one of my father's friend in the police station where we did the report. I called him earlier this morning, he is suspecting it isn't just a snatch and run case and that was just to escape from getting caught." Anuradha said as all four sat in the living room.

"What do you mean suspecting it isn't snatch and run case?" Manohar was in a confusion.

"Well, according to what we saw and what Clamant said, it looks like this has been planned" Christopher explained.

"Do you have any enemies or someone who don't like you and your family. Do you think you know anyone with such intention?" Anuradha asked as maybe Clamant can help get some details on them.

Manohar simply shook his head.

"I learnt that Roopa aunty goes around England for her Woman Empowerment events, right? I suggest not to let her go alone from now on" Anuradha added.

"I don't understand if this was planned ..." Manohar's thought trailed off as he murmured, "Was the accident two years ago a planned accident too?"

*-*-*-*

Anuradha closed the door very slowly not to make any noise after checking on Roopa. She wanted to make sure Roopa is comfortable with the arrangements made for her.

"Radha"

"Manohar!" she almost jumped out of her skin as she heard Manohar whispered her name. "Make some noise when you are moving in the house, you know it's gets very quiet in here at night and it can be scary at times" Anuradha spoke placing a hand in her chest.

"Sorry" he simpered.

"That's alright" she smiled and hoof it to her room.

"Thank you again for offering us to stay here"

"It's my pleasure. How can I let my friend stay in hotel when I can let you be my guest" she replied.

"Radha... you stay all alone here?" he started to ask out of curiosity when he found no one else other than she and Shark around in the house.

"Yes. Just me and Shark."

He nodded, "I heard your house used to be in Hampstead but now in Kensington. You moved out?"

She took sometime before she answered, "Yup, I used to stay there. My parents moved out first, the house started choking me... Cam and Chris helped me find another one far from Hampstead."

"So, that house?"

"For sale. What's the use of having such a big house when it's only me and Shark in that building" she huffed. It ached her whenever she thinks about selling the house but again what's the use?

"Where are your parents?"

"Somewhere... I rather not talk about it. Anyway it's getting late. Good night, Manohar" Anuradha's glistening eyes never went unnoticed by him. She left Manohar in the middle of the hallway as he stood wondering what actually happened to her parents.

Something even Anuradha didn't imagine happened, she who never wanted to share anything about her family and never wanted anyone to know about it other than Cameron and Christopher has started to give hints to Manohar. 

The fist sized organ in her chest started to beat rapidly as she recalls again Shika's words.

"What if that happens and it ends up like mom and dad?"  she thought. 

********************************

2024 Author's note: From this chapter on, you might find a lot of spelling and grammar errors. So, please excuse me for that 🥺

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