chapter 16

YOU ARE THE RHYTHM OF MY HEART!Chapter 16 :Aadhya stood frozen for a moment, overwhelmed by the warmth of their welcome. A lump formed in her throat as she felt their love surround her, washing away all her doubts and fears.Nandu also rose to his feet, watching them in amusement as they showered Aadhya with affection.The elder members of the family began to get off the bus, assisted by Prabhakar, while Sudhakar approached Parasuram to help him down.Leaving Aadhya with the younger ones, who eagerly embraced her, Nandu also stepped forward to assist Parasuram. Finally, the three young ones carefully helped Aadhya get down.Under the guidance of the elders, the daughters-in-law of the house performed an aarti ritual. First, Mahalaxmi, the eldest daughter-in-law, offered aarti to Parasuram. Then, Saraswathi, the younger daughter-in-law, performed aarti for Aadhya and Nandu together.Once Parasuram was comfortably seated on the couch, Nandu took a seat beside him, observing everything with curiosity. He could see the warmth, love, and joy reflected on everyone’s faces. Their eyes sparkled with happiness, and their smiles were wide, celebrating the return of Parasuram and Aadhya.Initially, Aadhya felt a bit anxious, but the love and enthusiasm of the three young ones gradually eased her worries. She relaxed and warmly greeted everyone.“Chitra! Niel! Pranav! How have you all been?”, she asked, holding their hands affectionately.Forming a semi-circle around her, the three of them grinned widely and replied in unison,“With your arrival, we feel like we’re floating in the sky! We’re doing great”. Their voices were filled with joy.After that, Aadhya made her way around the room, greeting everyone and receiving their blessings. Finally, she turned to Nandu and, pointing towards each person, introduced them by name. Nandu greeted them all with warmth and respect.Once Aadhya finished introducing the elders, she eagerly pulled the three young people towards Nandu  and began introducing them.“Krish!” she started, her voice as cheerful as birdsong. “You’ve already met Dhanush. This is Chitra, Dhanush’s sister”, she said, pointing at Chitra with a warm smile. Then, turning to the two young men beside her, she continued,“And these two are Neil and Pranay, Prabhakar Uncle’s sons”.Nandu nodded at Chitra with a pleasant and friendly smile before shifting his gaze toward Neil and Pranay. However, as soon as their eyes met, he noticed the way they were scrutinizing him from head to toe. A trace of silent fury flickered in their expressions.Feeling confused and slightly baffled by their reaction, Nandu cleared his throat and extended his hand, offering a handshake. “Hey! It’s nice to meet you”, he said, his tone polite.Neil and Pranay exchanged a brief glance before, one after the other, they shook his hand—but their intense glares never wavered.Uncomfortable with their piercing looks, Nandu instinctively turned to Aadhya for some kind of explanation. However, seeing her puzzled expression, he quickly realized that she, too, had no idea what was going on.Sensing the tension, Dhanush swiftly intervened. “Neil! Pranay! Will you two behave like grown men? Don’t act like kids”, he scolded with a playful reprimand.Neil and Pranay shifted their glares to Dhanush before Neil turned back to Nandu and, with a stern expression, warned,“Mister, take good care of Aadhu. If she sheds even a single tear because of you, I won’t hesitate to snatch her away. Got it?”. His voice was firm, and his finger was pointed directly at Nandu.-  *KRISH*