Mahamaya was tired after her hospital shift. The events from the village, the last rites, then directly the journey and the hospital shifts tired her out. Lately, there were lots of patients. Babies born now seemed to have stunted growth and loads of other issues. It was appalling honestly as to how everything changed in just recent years. The number of cases with babies of abnormal health statistics who needed machines to survive had increased drastically. Even the senior Pediatricians in her hospital were talking about it.

Mahamaya pushed the doorbell button as she could hear the faint musical tune from inside, which was doorbell music of their house. Indrayani's faint, "Coming" from the other side of the door made her smile. The door opened as Indrayani appeared, a layer of sweat on her forehead and some flour on her cheek. Her hair was twisted in a messy bun as Indrayani never cooked with her hair open.

The scene in front of Mahamaya made her chuckle as she entered the apartment. Indrayani raised her eyebrow, confused at her daughter's behaviour, wondering what was so funny before she discarded the concern and informed her, her voice hyper and urgent, "Get ready quickly. Viraj is going to visit with his family soon."

Mahamaya felt speechless. That was a little too sudden and she was dead tired. She went and turned on the electronic geyser in her bathroom so that it would heat the water. She normally used cold water but hot water would definitely help her tired muscles today. Feeling that the water was warm now, she quickly removed her clothes and sat down, tying her waist long hair because she didn't have enough time to wash and then dry her hair.

She took the terra cotta vessel and used the home made natural soap to lather her body. She was exhausted but the warm water on her skin felt right and good, her muscles relaxing.

As she was done with the bathing, she quickly got outside and wore her saree, before she moisturized her face with aloe vera gel and then put on kohl on her eyes, before placing a small black dot near her neck to ward off evil eyes. She smiled and put some talcum powder on her face before she took out a small plastic container filled with red liquid and drew a crescent moon between her eyebrows and applied some more on her lips.

Tyied her hair up in a bun, she also wore a necklace, a nose ring, earrings. Removing her normally worn bangle, she replaced it with the matching one from the set as she looked in the mirror, a smile gracing her lips, feeling satisfied with her look.

Double checking to make sure that she was fully ready, she went to the kitchen to help her mother, when she felt like her mother was preparing a feast.

There were too many dishes, which were samosas, aloo vada, jalebis and also tea was getting prepared on another stove as Indrayani glanced at Mahamaya, before giving a satisfied smile and a nod of approval as she muttered, "Don't stay here or you will sweat. Go and stay in your room. You must be tired too. I had sent your father to get pav for vada pav since so long but he's still not home yet. He can't do even one job properly."

Her mother's ramblings made Mahamaya chuckle and shake her head, amused as Indrayani drained out samosas from the oil after they were deep fried.

The doorbell's music surrounded the kitchen as Mahamaya rushed to open the door and in came Mahesh with many jute bags in his hands. Seeing him with so many bags made Mahamaya giggle as she took the bags from his hands and rushed to the kitchen to deliver the things to her mother.

Samosa

Vada pav, the bread part, known as pav was what Mahesh had gone to buy

Juicy juicy yum yum jalebis

Mahesh, after sitting down for about a minute, came inside the kitchen to feel like the entire kitchen was on fire. Even when the chimney was on, there was a lot of heat in the kitchen as Mahesh advised Mahamaya, "Child, go to your room and rest. We will handle it there."

Mahamaya, having listened to the same advice from both her parents, reluctantly nodded and went to her bedroom, before settling down on her bed. It felt good when she settled down as she raised her legs and got comfortable on the bed in a half laid down position, her chest rising and falling as she almost fell asleep.

Finally, she heard the doorbell ring as she got up and checked herself in the mirror. She knew her Pappa would open the door. Wiping off the excess kohl that had spread under her eyes during her mini map, she redid the hair bun because of how messy it had become.

After she felt that she was ready, she softly went to the kitchen before Mahesh called her to 'meet' them. She took the tray of tea from Indrayani and stepped out in the living room, a gentle smile on her face.

Her eyes were lowered as her hips swayed with her every step. She had not looked up yet and Ayush, who had come with Viraj felt something happening inside him.

No, this was not right. He was married and she was too young for him. He still felt enchanted with her and he decided that she was perfect for Viraj because with the way her face was glowing, she would be the perfect Queen for the Mafia. He would feel happy to hand over the Mafia to Viraj after Viraj would finally marry her.

Viraj, his mother Aabha and Ayush had come to see the girl for Viraj. Ayush was positive it was difficult to find right girls in today's age but her first impression was too good. He relaxed and took the tea cup from the tray she had forwarded, sipping the tea. He wished he could have found someone so beautiful at his time but truthfully, he had never seen someone as beautiful as hers and it was his duty to find a right daughter-in-law for his late friend so he discarded the thought which was peeking its ugly head inside him again and again.

However, he had to agree on one thing and that was, he had met many actresses and models but she still somehow made them appear far smaller than her.

Viraj had one look at her and he felt himself swoon. She was looking beautiful and he didn't have enough words to express her beauty. He felt like all the words in all the languages would fall short to describe her elegant and graceful personality, to describe the Goddess in front of him.

Aabha knew what her son would like in her in first glance. She was confident, her smile beautiful and her movements, despite in a saree, graceful. Aabha felt her heart float with happiness as she saw the girl her son had chosen for himself, almost sure Ayush would agree.

After Mahamaya was done serving the tea and the snacks to the guests and after Aabha noticing that the snacks were home cooked, Mahesh encouraged Mahamaya to sit down.

She nodded and sat down on the couch alongside Mahesh, smiling. Ayush looked around the apartment and it looked tiny. Were these people poor? It was good then. They would be more tempted to give their daughter away to a rich household like theirs, without knowing the world of crime their daughter would enter because he thought Mahamaya didn't know. Mahesh said encouragingly, "Go, Maya, show him your room."

She nodded and took Viraj to her room shyly as the both settled down on the bed. She asked as soon as they settled in a whispered voice, "Who is that man? I thought your father is dead?"

He had one look at her, before he boomed in laughter, amused as he said in between laughs, "Do not worry. You are right. He is not Aaba (Dad) indeed. There is no more Vardhabhai I promise you. He is like my uncle, close friend of Aaba. The woman however is really my Maayi (Mom)." She looked so cute and nervous that he felt like it was funny and he had to laugh.

Mahamaya felt herself calm down. So, she had indeed killed that vicious man and he had not survived. She heard Viraj's voice, which was serious now, "I never told you something and I think you should know about this if you will be my wife..."