"Hello darling. How are you? How did you get here? Why didn't you tell me? I would have picked you up." Amar was surprised to see Janaki. She never visited him unless it is something important. It is always he who travels to her village once in a few months.
"I wanted to see you" said Janaki.
"Hello grandma. Very good to see you here. Let me get you some sweets. I made them myself." Vennela stood up.
Janaki held her hand. "Sit down child. I want to talk to you." Vennela observed that her eyes were moist. She held her hands.
"My grandson was the only family I was left with after Radhika's death. I was always worried about him. I hoped desperately that the girl who comes into his life should understand his feelings and support him. You entered his life. I have never seen him so happy. Your interview yesterday has assured me that my grandson is in safe hands." Janaki embraced Vennela.
Amar was mildly surprised to see Janaki getting emotional. "A small gift for you." Janaki gave Vennela a pair of pearl studded gold bangles. "These were Radhika's. She wore them during her wedding."
Vennela thanked her. "They are beautiful." She wore them to see how they looked. "Grandma, you are the best."
Janaki's eyes were moist again. She caressed Vennela's face. She held both Amar's and Vennela's hands. "Promise me. You two will never let any problem affect your relation."
Amar couldn't understand. "Why are you being so emotional today? Is everything alright? You look tired. Take rest for a while. Let's consult a doctor for your regular check up. You need to--"
"This is exactly what's wrong with this generation. The movies are to be blamed for this. Whenever an elderly person talks something emotional, the next scene shows them dying. You don't worry about me. I am not kicking the bucket anytime soon" said Janaki.
"Grandma, you are awesome" Vennela clapped her hands. Amar hid his face with a pillow.
"Yes. And I forgot to tell you. I'm going to Goa with my friends and a few servants for three days." Janaki told them.
"Friends? Who? Give me their names and phone numbers." Amar demanded. "I'll call you once in every three hours. If you don't pick up you will see the furious side of Amar Pratap. Don't go anywhere alone. Don't talk to strangers. Do you understand?"
"I wonder who the grandparent is. Me or you?" Janaki smiled.
"Me too. When I am with you, it feels like I'm babysitting a kid" said Amar. All three of them laughed for a long time.
"Where are you planning to take my granddaughter on Diwali vacation?" Janaki asked Amar.
"He never takes me anywhere. He says I'm not strong enough to travel" Vennela complained.
"Liar! We went to grandma's village."
"It was months ago. And its wasn't exactly a holiday. You both were busy serving me." Janaki pointed out.
"We went to Kerala last month" said Amar.
"It was a part of my treatment" said Vennela.
Janaki and Vennela were staring at him without blinking. "God! You two look scary. Fine. I'll take you somewhere for Diwali."
"Good. Now, I take your leave." Janaki patted them and left.
---***---
"Akka are you sure you want to come with us?" Shruthi didn't want Vennela to travel. "I mean, you can go there next month. You look weak." They were watching Amar playing basketball with the twins.
"I'm not weak. Let me prove it to you." Vennela kicked a basketball which landed several feet away. "See. My leg is getting stronger. I just have difficulty while walking. I can travel."
Amar brought the basketball to her. "Kick it again." She did as told. This time it hit the compound wall.
"Oh my God! I need to tell this to the doctor. Let me call him." Amar went away to inform the doctor.
"Why does he always link everything to my health?" Vennela wondered.
She was arguing with Shruthi when Amar returned. "The doctor asked you try walking without using crutches."
"No. I can't. What if I fall down?"
"I will stand right beside you." Amar assured.
"Not now. Maybe next week. Now tell me are we going or not?" asked Vennela.
"We are" Amar confirmed. Vennela was excited. "Help me with packing."
Amar packed Vennela's saree along with her other clothes. "It has been a month since you wore a saree. Wear it on Diwali as a proof that moonlight can be hot and--"
She punched his shoulder while he laughed mischievously. "If you are having any naughty thoughts let me remind you, I'm a brown belt."
Amar winked in response.
"If winking is illegal, you would be jailed for your next seven lives" said Vennela.
He kissed her cheeks."You should have thought about this before giving me permission. Remember what you said?" He asked her making her go pink in the cheeks. "Wink at me. No one else." He said in squeaky voice. Vennela buried her head into his shoulder. "Amar why are you so sweet? I feel like eating you" She said before she could stop herself.
"I didn't know I married a man eating monster" Amar grinned.
"Not a monster. You married a lioness" remarked Vennela. They resumed packing.
"Do you hear that?" She frowned.
"What?"
"The silence. It's deafening."
"How can I hear silence? How can silence be deafening? Your statements are self-contradictory. You are just--"
"How can the house be so silent when Anirudh is at home?" Vennela hasn't seen him since morning.
"Maybe he has taken a vow of silence protesting unreasonable and unnecessary verbal communication in the house." Amar answered.
Vennela stared at him unblinking. "Are you always like this? Or do you like talking like this just to annoy me? Anirudh is working overtime. Let's go and talk to him."
They went to Anirudh's room. "Rudy, why this beard, brother?" asked Amar.
"It's No-shave November." Anirudh answered. He looked tired.
"Anirudh, I have observed you have been so busy that you don't have time to take care of yourself. It's a long weekend because of Diwali. We are going to Vishakhapatnam. Pack your clothes. Be ready." Vennela told him.
"But vadina, I can't come. I can't visit your grandparents after what my mother has done." Anirudh lowered his eyes.
"You don't have to visit them. Just come with us. If you don't come then we won't go. Please." Vennela requested. "It will be fun." She added.
"Okay. I'll come." Anirudh agreed.
"Rudy, there's a good news. This morning your vadina kicked a basketball. It landed 10 km away causing a mini-earthquake." Amar exaggerated.
"Really? 10 km?" asked Anirudh.
"Anirudh, you know your brother. Yes, I kicked it. Now he thinks I am strong enough to walk normally."
"Maybe you should try." Anirudh suggested. Amar nodded.
"I'm scared. I will fall down" said Vennela.
"Bringing the neighbor's pet won't work this time. She already knows. It won't instigate fear" said Amar.
"What?! You were planning to bring Bunty one more time? Never do that again." Vennela warned him.
"What should I do? You don't even want to try though the doctor advised you to. This time I will hire goons and make them attack us to make you walk normally" said Amar.
Anirudh clapped his hands. "Great idea anna. Let's implement it on our way to Vishakhapatnam."
"You guys are so cute." Vennela remarked.
---***---
"Shruthi, drop Rudy at our house. It's on the way to your house" said Amar.
"Bava garu aren't you coming too?" asked Shruthi.
"Actually, I have to pray at a temple which is a few miles away. Rudy, we will be home in two hours. Tell the servants to cook something less spicy for Vennela." Amar waved at them and sat in another car.
"Which temple is this?" asked Vennela.
"A famous Hanuman temple. It's our tradition to pay a visit every time we come to this city. It's on the outskirts" Amar answered.
"I'm hungry" said Vennela.
"We can't go back now. Driver, please stop the car if you find any shop which has eatables." Amar ordered the driver.
The driver stopped the car after a few minutes. "Sir, there is food-stall here."
"Okay. Let's go and eat" Amar found a table. They sat down.
"You don't like the place?" asked Vennela. She observed Amar looking uncomfortable.
"No. I should have asked the security to come with us" said Amar.
"That's okay. It's a matter of two hours. Who will attack you here?"
Amar sighed and went to wash his hands. A group of four men around twenty years of age, walked in. They went towards the table beside Vennela's. Two of them touched her while walking.
"What are you doing?" Vennela glared at them.
They just snickered. They started making lewd comments on Vennela. The driver shouted at them. They slapped him. Amar returned just in time to see them manhandling his driver. He released the driver from their grip and pushed them.
"Don't touch him!" He warned them.
"Can we touch her?" They pointed at Vennela.
Amar lost his cool. He started punching them. The driver started fighting too. Vennela looked at them, horrified. Then she remembered what Amar said the previous day. 'A stupid plan' she thought.
"Vennela, go and sit in the car" said Amar, still fighting.
'Such a good actor.'Â Vennela looked amused. "Amar, enough of this. Just pay them and ask them to leave. There's a limit to everything."
Amar didn't have time to process what she said. The men he was fighting were really strong. But he was stronger.
Vennela called Anirudh. "Anirudh, I know these goons are a part of your plan. Ask them to stop fighting your brother and leave."
"Vadina what are you talking about? Who is anna fighting against?" Anirudh was worried.
"Anirudh stop acting. Let me get cured naturally. It will take few weeks. Can't you guys wait until then?"
"Vadina, I swear. I didn't hire any goons. This is not planned. You two are in danger. I'm coming. Don't end the call." The note of panic in Anirudh's voice made Vennela understand that they are in real danger. She looked at Amar who managed to knock-down three of them.
Before she could think of something, the fourth man held her by her hair and pulled her from the chair, forcing her to get up. "Stop. Let me go. Or else I'll kill your wife."
---***---
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