chapter 13

YOU ARE THE RHYTHM OF MY HEART!Chapter 13 :One afternoon, as Parasuram rested in his room after lunch, Nandu sat beside him on the bed, his gaze distant as he stared out the window at the sky.Noticing his preoccupied state, Parasuram slowly sat up, leaning against the headboard. He placed a reassuring hand on Nandu’s shoulder and gently squeezed it.“Nandu! What’s wrong?”, he asked, his voice filled with concern. “You seem disturbed. Are you not comfortable here? Give me some time, and I will find a bigger house where you’ll feel at ease”.Snapping out of his thoughts, Nandu turned to look at Parasuram, his eyes moistening.“Uncle! Please don’t say that. I am more than comfortable here. In fact, for the first time, I feel a sense of real happiness and fulfillment”.He closed his eyes briefly, then fixed his gaze on Parasuram as he continued,“But, Uncle, you’re focusing so much on making me feel comfortable that you’re overlooking Aadu. She’s not her usual self. She’s restless, disturbed, and haunted by everything she’s endured. Yes, everything may have ended on a positive note, but the scars of those incidents still linger. She can’t seem to escape them. Can’t you see that?”. His voice trembled with anguish and distress.Taken aback by Nandu’s sudden confrontation, Parasuram straightened himself, his eyes widening in surprise. His voice carried uncertainty as he asked,“Nandu! What are you saying? After seeing her interact so peacefully and happily with her grandparents, and even with you, I thought she was doing okay. Isn’t she?”. His concern was evident.Shaking his head, Nandu took Parasuram’s hand between his palms and implored,“Uncle! Please don’t be anxious. She’s fine, but she’s not her usual self. She’s keeping everything bottled up, hiding her emotions behind a façade. I feel like taking her somewhere, away from all this, to help her forget, at least for a while. A change of place might help ease the scars she carries in her heart”. His voice was firm with determination.“I even consulted the doctor and made sure your health allows travel. Shall we go somewhere for a couple of days? Just to give Aadu a break from this place. What do you think?”. He looked at Parasuram hopefully, waiting for his approval.Before Parasuram could respond, Seetha Ramaiah entered the room, having overheard their conversation. Swiftly stepping in, he voiced his own thoughts.“Nandu! You are absolutely right”, he said. “I’ve been watching Aadu, and she’s pretending to be fine when she’s not. I actually came here to discuss the same thing with you both”. Saying this, he walked over and sat on the chair beside the bed.Looking at Seetha Ramaiah, Nandu’s anxiety deepened. “Grandpa! I’m really worried about her health. She’s trying so hard to hide her pain, afraid that I might feel burdened by it. Tell me, what should we do? I really think taking her away for a couple of days will help. What do you say?”. His voice was laced with both eagerness and concern.Seetha Ramaiah chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with playful mischief. “You really love Aadu, don’t you?” he teased.Nandu’s face turned red with embarrassment. Stuttering, he whined,“Grandpa! You...”, but his voice faltered as he struggled to find the right words.Laughing heartily, Seetha Ramaiah slapped  Nandu on the back. “Ah! The great businessman, at a loss for words just because he’s embarrassed!”. he teased, his cheerful tone lightening the mood.-  *KRISH*