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Swara was sitting in her room and was holding a photo frame close to her chest. Her eyes were moist and she was gazing out of the window trying to recollect her childhood memories with her mother. She remembered the way her mother always took care of her. Sharmishta used to shower all the affection upon Swara when she was a child.

But then she used to wonder, what went wrong between her parents. She just couldn't get the reason behind their split up. She had tried a lot in the past to get an answer from her father. But he always avoided such questions and tried to make her more close to his new wife, Janki.

While she tried to delve deeper into the past, a hand on her shoulder brought her back to the present. She quickly wiped her tears away and looked at its owner. It was Annapurna, Sanskaar's mother.

Sw: (smiles) Aunty..

Annapurna realized that she was upset about something and her instincts told that she might be missing her mother. She inwardly scolded her son for doing this to Chinnu.

An: Chinnu..Come now..Let us have lunch..I don't know much about your tastes. You know, you are from Mumbai and all..And I only know to make Kerala style dishes..I hope you like it.

Sw: (grins widely) No worries, Aunty..I love Kerala food..Till I was eight years, I had only eaten the food made by Amma and still its taste lingers in my mouth. (looks away sadly , then slowly says)You don't know how much I have missed her..(tears fill in her eyes)

Annapurna's eyes also filled with tears and she hugged Swara.

An: Don't worry..You will soon be with her..

Swara smiled abruptly and broke from the hug.

Sw: Aunty..When will she return from her journey..Is she happy in her life now..(pauses) Errr..I mean, with her new husband..?

Annapurna got really angry by now at Sanskaar for telling such lies to Swara.

An: Err..Chinnu..When you meet her, you ask yourselves ok..Now come and have your lunch.

Annapurna led Swara to the dining area and she saw Sanskaar, sitting at the table.

He usually had lunch from home and then went back to his super market.

Swara pretended as if he didn't exist and she just sat down two seats away from him.

Sanskaar suddenly noticed the tears in her eyes and he felt bad for her. Just at that moment, he decided to tell her that her mother was living next door only and that she was in the wrong house.

As he opened his mouth to tell her the truth, Annapurna came in with steaming rice and served them. The other dishes were sambar, aviyal (kind of mixed vegetables dish), pappadam, mango pickle etc.

Sa: (happily) Amma..wow..you made my favorite, avial..?

Annapurna smiled at Swara and replied.

An: Chinnu has come here for the first time..I thought of making something special..

Sanskaar looked at Swara and saw her smiling. But that smile just didn't reach her eyes and he felt really guilty, realizing the same.

She started to have her food and now he decided to be cordial with her.

Sa: (smiling)Swara..Did you like the food..?

Swara looked at him and nodded without a smile. She still couldn't forgive him for the incident in the morning.

Sw: (blank face) I love all these dishes..My mother used to make all these for me in my childhood..

Sanskaar's smile disappeared immediately realizing how much she was missing her mother, Sharmishta.

Feeling really bad, he had his remaining food in silence.

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

Swara spent the remaining afternoon sleeping. In the evening at 4.30 p.m, Ragini returned from work and she went to wake up Swara for having tea with them. Both of them got along well, within minutes. Soon they joined Annapurna for tea.

They sat down together for watching T.V after that. Annapurna and Ragini were the regular viewers of a lot of tele-serials in the Malayalam channels.

Swara began to get bored soon and she got up and walked towards the verandah and sat down on the steps. It was cold outside and she embraced herself and smiled sadly.

She fondly remembered the way her mother used to hug her close to her chest and she always missed the instant warmth which would seep into her body.

The moon cast its glow around the courtyard and she glanced around the surroundings. Suddenly she could hear the sound of an approaching motor bike and she saw that it was Sanskaar coming home.

Sanskaar gazed at her and she merely glanced at him and looked away. He parked his bike and walked up the steps towards her.

Sa: Swara..How was your day..?

Sw: (without smiling) Why are you trying to be friendly..? To make fun of me again, huh..?

Sa: (raised his brows) Well..Sorry for what I did with you in the morning..

Sw: (nods) Hmm.. It's ok, Sanskaar..

She looked away and Sanskaar noticed her sad expression in the moonlight.

He felt a sudden urge to kneel down beside her and hug her close to his chest. But he shrugged his shoulders brushing away such thoughts, and walked off immediately.

Swara got up and walked down the steps into the courtyard. She was just strolling around in the courtyard and a song reached into her ears.

Etho varmukilin kinaavile muthaayi nee vannu..

Omale...jeevanil amrithekaanaayi veendum

Ennil etho ormakalaayi nilaavin muthe nee vannu...

Swara felt a sudden surge of happiness and looked around for the source of this song. It was her mother's favourite lullaby which she used to sing for her when she was a child.

The little Chinnu inside Swara ran in the direction from which the faint voice was singing distantly. She ran along the moonlit lane and crossed the threshold of the neighboring house.

{This is actually a popular Malayalam film song..If you want to listen and watch this song here is the YouTube link..It's a beautiful song

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Hope you all like it..Just thought of sharing it with you all}

Swara couldn't believe her eyes when she saw her. She stood rooted on the spot and tears were streaming down her happy face.

Sw: Ammaaa...

Sharmishta stopped singing and she looked up abruptly towards the calling voice. She smiled widely with tearful eyes.

Sh: (excitedly)Chinnuu..!!

Sharmishta stood up and spread her arms wide and beckoned her daughter with her eyes. Swara ran straight into her mother's arms and both of them embraced each other snugly.

Swara was sobbing uncontrollably and Sharmishta was weeping with her eyes and a wide smile.

Sw: Ammaaa..I missed you..(sobs)

Sh: (affectionately)Chinnuuuu...Shhhh...Stop crying..You are with me now..

Sharmishta's one hand was patting softly upon Swara's back and her other hand caressed her daughter's hair.

Sw: I am so sorry Ammaa..I couldn't stop what Papa did to you..I was so small..And I didn't understand..

Sh: I know Chinnu..Stop crying my dear..

They stood like that for a long time and none of them dared to break the hug. Both of them were feeling the contentment of a lifetime.

Finally realization dawned upon Swara lots of doubts sprang up inside her mind. She opened her eyes and voiced her thoughts.

Sw: Amma..Are you staying here in this house..?

Sh: Yes, why..?

Swara broke off from the hug and looked into her mother's innocent face.

Sw: Are you related in any way to the people living over there..?(indicates Sanskaar's house's direction)

Sh: Annapurna is my childhood friend..That's all..But she has always been a great support for me.. And her son Sanskaar is..

The name made Swara's blood boil and she was shivering with indignation now.

Sh: What happened, Chinnu..? (touches her shoulder)

Sw: Nothing Ammaa..Let me get my belongings from there..I will be back now..

Saying so, Swara ran back towards Sanskaar's tharavaadu (ancestral house) in super speed. She was fuming in anger and her face was red hot.

She stormed into the living room and Annapurna and Ragini were shocked seeing her condition.

An: (stands up)Chinnu..

Ra: Swara..What happened..?

Swara didn't stop to answer them and went straight into the guest room. Her hands were shivering with rage while she packed her things back. Annapurna and Ragini also came into the room after her. But they were too much awestruck to ask her what the problem was.

Swara picked up her luggage and finally looked at Annapurna. Her eyes were red and she spoke to Annapurna with tearful eyes.

Sw: (trying hard to control her anger, speaks slowly) Thanks for everything, Aunty..But I found my Amma at last, in spite of all those lies which you all had made me believe.

And she walked off without a backward glance.

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

Swara came back to Sharmishta's house and hugged her mother who was waiting for her in the verandah itself. Sharmishta led her inside and took her to her own bedroom. She was really excited to have her daughter back.

Sh: Place your things here in my room..You can sleep with me, here..

Swara beamed with delight and she hugged her Amma again.

Sw: Wowww Amma..I love you..Do you have any idea how much I had missed sleeping by your side..

Sh: I too missed you my baby..You don't even know how much I missed you..

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

Meanwhile, Sanskaar was having a splash in the private pond. As he swam in the cool water, Swara's sad face haunted him.

Sanskaar thought.. "Swara is not as arrogant as I had thought, she is sweet as well. I should tell her the truth tonight itself..Poor thing..She is missing Sharmishta Amma terribly"

*********End of Part 3*********

Will Swara forgive Sanskaar..?

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Love,
Naina