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Devi's POV:

I came out of my thoughts when the door bell rang. I frowned and looked at the clock, it will take more time for them to arrive.
I got up from my couch and opened the door only to find Roopa aunty standing there with a warm smile on her face. She is so pretty! I admired her always.

"Come in aunty." I welcomed her and let her sit on the couch.
"Devi your family, when will they arrive?" Aunty asked.
"They are on the way aunty, you know how the traffic is." I explained while she hummed and suddenly said
"Here I made Khichdi for you and your family too." She said passing the big hot box to me.
"You din't have to aunty, there is dosa batter in home and I made the Chutney too." I said but still taking the box. Because she will definitely make me take it anyhow. I am habituated to her kindness and she made me almost used to saying no 'no' to her.

(Khichdi is an Indian dish made with rice and lentils with numerous variations. It's a comfort food and lot easy to make while Dosa is a savoury thin crepe type Indian cuisine made with fermented batter of black gram and rice. Served hot with chutney or Sambhar.)

"Aarna you know the drill. 'We are family and there are no 'nos' accepted." She repeated her same old dialogue with a fake strict voice while I said it along with her and we both laughed at the end of it. She is so cool!

"Dear I am here to see if you need any help with the arrangements. I know you are meeting your family after a long time."
She said with a soft voice. She does not know anything about my past nor my family but she does know how much I miss them. 'Cause I get easily emotional around her especially when I see her bond with Rudra.

"No aunty, I arranged everything already as it was along weekend and I got a lot of free time." I replied with a smile.
"And aunty, so sorry I did not offer you anything. Tea, coffee, juice?" I asked her already knowing the answer.
"Common dear, don't you know me? I am a fan of your masala Chai. Come let's prepare it together." Saying it she got up, held my hand and dragged me to the kitchen.

Then don't know when time passed, while we almost finished having tea aunty got a call and she left.

While I kept the tea cups in the sink, door bell rang.
I went and opened the door only to be submerged in a big warm hug and I swear I smelt home.

Moving back, I saw my baby brother, He grew taller and looked more of a man than the teenage boy he was, due to his trimmed beard I think.
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[It's fascinating how boys grow up so suddenly. I hate these genes cause partiality starts from there.]
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AUTHOR'S POV:

Devi was emotional and there were unshed tears in her eyes. She missed him, Them. She looked into his black orbs, Ram was emotional too, how could he not. He missed his second mother, His Akka a lot.

"You grew taller and what is this beard like a monkey". She said slightly touching it. It pricks.

Ram chuckled "Who are you calling a monkey, this is fashion and see Amma don't you think akka is dieting, must be for her secret boyfriend. Did he ask you to be this thin, you look like a matchstick 'Bakka Piece'. "
( Translation; 'Thin piece' used to taunt thin people in Telugu language.)

That's when her eyes went to her mother and her father who are standing on the left and right of Ram. She quickly invited them and went to take the bag from her mother's hand.

"How are you Amma?" She asked while sitting after getting them a glass of water.
"I am good as you can see but I should ask you that instead, see how thin you are as Ram says, have you not been eating well huh." Her mom said caressing her cheek.

Aarna Devi was not thin at all but She is not even the same as she used to look before. She was rather on the chubby side when she arrived here but after coming here she lost weight drastically. But thanks to Roopa aunty and her own conscious self. She started having healthy food and also practice yoga at-least 5 times a week. Now she is in her perfect proportion era.

But as her parents did not see her for a long time, they are feeling like that.

" This monkey will talk like that only, I am not a kid ma. I am eating heathy and do not possess any health conditions. You can check my recent medical reports for assurance.." Devi replied cutely.

" ha ha okay, Akka please feed me something. I am super hungry." Ram said while caressing his stomach.

" Go fresh up first Ram." Said Krishnaraj Chowdhary.

Hearing her father's voice after long time made Devi so emotional that she could cry at that moment. Ram noticed it and held Devi by her shoulder and asked her where his room was and initiated a teasing and heartfelt mood.
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Krishnaraj smiled seeing his daughter-son duo now moving across the living room towards a bedroom. Ramya placed a comforting hand on his shoulder while her eyes followed their kids too.
"Are you going to talk to her this time at least? You know her Krishna she might have had her own reasons. Stop punishing her and yourself. It's high time you let go of that ego and talk to her." She said to her husband softly.

Krishna inhaled a deep breath and held his wife's hand that is placed on his shoulder and said "It is not ego Ramya, I was hurt but that did not last long too. I just want her to open up to me, is that too much to ask for?."

"For that you need to talk to her. You don't know what is in her heart that she is not saying it to you. I keep saying you this, she is our child. You need to take the initiative. I cannot bare this silence between you both anymore." Ramya said now facing him and looking in the eye.

"Hmm I will end this soon ra." He said nodding to his wife and took her hand that was kept on his shoulder to kiss the back of it.

"Amma look! Akka got me a drone! " Ram shouted excitedly from the room making both the parents look at each other and laugh out.

" They never grow up do they?" Said Krishna while Ramya nodded said " For us, they will always stay kids. "

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