"Just a minute",he said and opened the door for her just like a gentleman which he is giving her a warm smile.

"Thank you",she said and got into the car, trying not to let her cheeks heat up because of his actions.

Quickly, he moved to the other side of the car and got in as well.

The silence inside the car wasn't heavy anymore.

It was soft now. Like a worn blanket that had seen better days, but still knew how to keep you warm when it mattered. The kind you didn't really think about until it was gone.

Abhimanyu started driving again, slowly, like he didn't want to rush whatever this quiet thing between them was.

Ekantha sat up straighter and fixed her seatbelt with slightly clumsy fingers trying to act normal, even though her body clearly hadn't got the memo yet.

Her fingers were still kind of shaky, her breathing not fully back to its usual rhythm.

She just placed her hand on the gearstick, without giving much of a second thought. Her hand was very close to his, close enough to touch if the road had any bumps or speed breakers.

On the other hand, Abhi was concentrating on the drive. He kind of had a feeling she needed to get home soon.

A few seconds passed. Long enough to second-guess it.

But then his hand found hers anyway.

Just like that.

No squeeze.

No asking "are you okay?" or trying to talk it all away.

He just... rested his hand there. Warm. Solid. There.

She didn't move. Didn't pull away.

They just stayed that way, she needed that assurance and he gave it to her, no questions asked further. She needed some presence, she didn't need to talk, she just needed some silence which she could just stay in.

Outside, the road rolled on. The worst of the storm outside and inside had passed. The clouds had started breaking, and some hesitant patches of blue sky were peeking through.

Like the weather wasn't sure if it was allowed to be soft again.

She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

They were getting close to the outskirts of Warangal, the familiar buildings and places gave her a sense of comfort.

Her phone started ringing and it was from her grandmother.

"Hello Kanna, where are you? Your thatayya keeps asking for you",her grandmother said and she heard her grandfather's voice saying

"Oh please, it was you wondering where they are every 15 minutes"

Ekantha chuckled softly.

"Don't listen to him kanna, how long will it be till the time you reach here?",her grandmother asked.

"You and thatayya are so cute, ammamma! We've entered outskirts. It'll take probably like 45 minutes for us to reach home",she answered.

"Okay kanna, I'm making your favorite dishes for lunch. What are Abhi's favourites?",she asked.

"Ammamma, just make gulab jamun",she almost whispered trying not to be audible to him.

She could feel his gaze towards her side and she looked at him. He just signalled her asking if her grandmother was asking about him to which she nodded.

He asked her to keep the phone on speaker so that he can speak as well and she did.

"Bamma garu(grandma), don't trouble yourself much. I'm fine with anything you make",he said.

"No, no, you are our kanna's fiancee. Our Ammulu's son in law to be. I am going to prepare a grand feast. It's going to be our first meal together",her grandmother said.

"Ayyo, but please dont exert yourself much. If you give me some mudappapu and avakaya also I would happily eat",he said.

Ekantha was just the silent listener as both of them talked. Somehow it warmed her heart to see both of them interact as if they have been together for decades.

She got back to her senses when she heard her grandmother calling her name.

"Yes ammamma, you were saying something?",she asked and Abhi was just trying to control his laugh.

And then she heard her grandmother laugh from the other side, she looked at both of them confused.

"See, I knew it! I told you, Abhi",her grandmother said.

"You are right, bamma garu",he said and both of them continued to laugh.

"Why are you both laughing?",Ekantha asked completely clueless.

"Nothing, kanna! Come home soon, drive safe. I'll go and give your grandfather his diabetes medicines",she said and hung up the call.

"What was it, about?",she asked him.

"Nothing serious, ammu! Bamma garu was saying that since you were silent you would be lost in lala world, in your imagination land with me doing things like ahem..",she interrupted him before he could continue.

"She said that? My grandmother is so advanced in thinking than I am. Ugh, the thought itself is just crazy",she said shaking her head.

"Don't be embarrassed, it's okay! I love bamma garu already. Can't wait to meet her and talk to her more",he said slowly taking her hand into his again.

"She is really brave and she is sweet, she loves you, I can see that already",she said as he gently moved his fingers on her knuckles, which gave her a different kind of sensation, it felt good kind of different, a good kind of different which she wanted more of.

The drive continued as the radio played, the song "kanulanu thaake oo kala"

The journey felt impossible at a moment, and at a moment it felt like the most right thing to be done, maybe life is like that unpredictable, what seems like impossible at some point, may become the whole reason of your existence.

"A right from here",she guided him as he carefully followed her instructions.

As they neared the place more and more, she felt the little girl within her become more excited.

Her eyes shone brightly, the warm familiar smell hit her like home, she put her arm on the window, seething the air of her native place. It felt like a mother's hug, comfortable and soothing.

"Yeah, the brown colour gate over there? That's the place",she said and he pulled over the car.

The brown coloured gate, reminded her of her childhood, the way she would come home after playing all the evening and her grandmother would give her rasna, which she would complete in a single go. Apparently it was an energy drink at that time. The gate, which she hung onto a lot of times, as her grandmother tried to feed her lunch.

All the memories rushed in and she clutched her dupatta gently trying to withhold things within her.

"We're here",he said and he could already sense the excitement in the air. Though her actions were very slow, her eyes spoke all the emotions she was experiencing.

He parked the car near the gate, and both of them removed their seat belts and got out of the car only to be greeted by her grandparents.

She ran towards them, like a child would run back to their parents after a long day.

Engulfing both of them in a hug, they hugged her back, whispering some comfort words to her.

Sometimes our soul gets so tired, that the only thing that would heal and relax it, is just a hug from your favorite person.

Abhi got down and unloaded their luggage and waited behind her waiting to break her hug. As her grandfather tried to move, he gestured for him to just stay for a while, he knew how badly she needed that.

After a few minutes, she finally broke the hug.

"Did you cry, kanna? Why does your face look so pale? Are you okay?",her grandmother asked.

"I'm fine, ammamma! May be its because I was kind of tired",she tried to reason something. Her grandmother just nodded, still not completely believing in her words. 

"You leave it here, nanna. I'll ask Ramana to keep it inside. Come in, first! We have kept you waiting for long enough already. Feel at home",her grandfather said to Abhi and took him inside holding his hand. 

"Ammulu, Look who is here",he called out Kanyaka into the living room.

She came out, from the kitchen with a glass of water first and handed it to both Ekantha and Abhimanyu. 

"How was the journey? Are you guys tired?",she asked as she sat in the opposite chair. 

"The journey was fine, aunty. How are you doing?",he asked. Things were very messy when they last met and it was a lot to take in for both the mother and daughter. He just wanted to know, if she was okay, if she was also in distress like his Ammu. 

"I'm okay, nanna! After all, what can be a safe place for a woman more than her parents place. I basically have my whole life here. So, I am re-building my life slowly",she said to which he just gave her an assuring smile.

"You are really brave, aunty! We all are really proud of you",he said to which she just smiled at him.

"Ekantha, show him the washroom kanna. Both of you freshen up and come, lunch is ready",Kanyaka said. 

"Sure, amma! Come with me, Anyu",she said as without thinking much and when she realised what she just did, she bit her tongue and looked around to find some teasing looks from her grandparents and mother. 

Slowly she slipped away from the scene and Abhi followed her towards her room.

Ekantha paused at the doorway of her childhood room, her fingers brushing against the familiar wooden frame. Abhi stood behind her quietly, letting her take it in.

The bed was still the same, the soft blue curtains, the small brass bells tied near the window — nothing had changed. And yet, everything inside her had.

She looked over her shoulder at Abhi, who gave her a small smile — not the teasing kind, not the formal kind — just the one that said, "Take your time. I'm here."

For a brief second, she felt it again — that quiet thing between them — not loud or dramatic, but steady and present, like a lamp left on in the hallway of a dark house.

"Welcome to my world," she whispered, half to herself, half to him.

And for the first time in days, her chest didn't feel heavy. It just felt... full. 

And thats chapter 58 of Marrying Miss Insecure..

I hope you all enjoyed reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it. Slowly, but steadily I am trying to make progress with the story. I know its just second day of me posting after an year, but I'll give my best rest assured. 

Do let me know in the comment section as in how you liked the update. I would love to hear from you guys!

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I'll meet you guys in the next chapter, thank you so much once again! You guys are the best thing that has happened to me! Take care y'all and if time permits, do check out my instagram account which is @ authorsakshi

With so much news about war between India and Pakistan, if any of you are from the border states, please take care of yourselves and the people in hotspot areas, try to avoid crowded places as much as possible. We've survived things before, and we will survive this also.(I was kind of overwhelmed with the news so I just had to divert myself a bit before I could pen down)

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Sakshi Devi