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"But, before that I need to tell you something",Sharan said.

"What is it?",Mridula asked with a confused look on her face.

"I am not a great person to be friends with, Mridula. I was barely able to maintain one friend all throughout my life. Every time, I have a friend it doesn't last for long time. Also, nobody knows about my work and I can't give them much time",Mridula showed her hand asking him to stop whatever he was saying.

"Sharan, I won't say I won't need your time and I won't need a unreliable friend. I do need such a friend, but I am willing to work on a few things for that matter of fact and I want you to work on a few things too. I know your job requires secrecy, I wouldn't ever come in your way regarding anything that is related to your job, I can promise you that. Why are we complicating this so much, Sharan? Is being friends that difficult?",she asked.

"I don't know, its just very new to me and I know it is new to you as well and you're honestly dealing with this maturely which I am really proud of and also appreciate that. I will try to do things from my side too",he said to which she gave him a small smile which he reciprocated.

"Oh my goodness, Did I just hear my praise from you? Truly blessed to live this day sir",she said to which he chuckled looking away and that's when she observed his features even more closely.

As his lips stretched into a wide smile, dimples were formed on both sides. This wasn't the first time she was watching him with dimples. The first time she watched his dimples in very few of their wedding pictures. At first she had a doubt if it was photo-shopped since his dimples were not present in all the pictures. But later when she saw him laughing at her sister's childish painting. She was awestruck, damn he was looking devilishly handsome.

"Where are you lost?",he snapped her out of her thoughts and she nodded her head in no.

"Friends?",she forwarded her pinky finger to which he looked confused.

"Join your pinky finger, like this",she said as they intertwined their pinky fingers which she looked at with a smile while he was trying to figure out what this meant?

"This is sealing our friendship",she answered his unasked question to which he nodded.

"Also, Mridula! Can we take this slow? I need some time to accept and digest all this. I have no problem in being friends but please try to understand I am not a great person to express things",Sharan said.

"Don't worry, Sharan! I won't force you for anything. I am also taking things slow. After all these years directly jumping into a relationship and giving each other a chance is kind of awkward and I completely understand that, that is the reason I want us to start with being friends",Mridula said.

"You should have your lunch now, enough of these talks",he said and grabbed the spoon from her hands and started to feed her.

I was still feeling pains all over my body and I have never been this week in my whole life. It feels like I am as light as a feather now.

When athaya garu talked to me about our relationship, it was like a complete eye opener for me and maybe I wasn't expecting it but it was needed to be talked about. I am not a person who would over think about things, I just analyse things and then go into the field no matter what it is.

This was different, we built walls against each other blocking us from maintaining any kind of relationship with each other, of course as much as external factors played a role, we were responsible too. I don't know why didn't I ever think about this in any other way. I have always thought about me, my dreams and my things little did I realize the other person was equally affected too. I was stubborn enough to make it even more worse.

He stayed back, which was the last thing I expected to happen and it did. We had a talk, and I think we'll be fine. Maybe it was not a bad thing to be friends with him. Nobody except family knows about his other job. He is a secret underground agent, who has completed many dangerous missions. His identity is hidden making it safe for our family. People would have heard the name Rudra but would have never seen him or his picture or know about his background.

Teja told me about this and also athaya garu also informed regarding his other job. Maybe he asked her to inform me about this, then it didn't really matter. Whatever is his profession, I knew he would do his best to keep risk out of reach for his family. Well, I was least bothered because of the fact that nobody really knew me as his wife. He just informed people about our marriage, and since neither of us were really interested in post wedding reception. We had it on the same day with just family members and some close friends attending it.

Only friend, I have ever met of his is Krishna and that's all.

Oh and about Krishna reminds me. I guess I need to talk to Aaru once regarding things.

He smiles rarely, but when he does those dimples on his cheeks make him look like a Greek God.

When our pinky fingers intertwined, it felt good..good from within. Somehow it gave me positive feels about us. Although he is still not sure about things, I think we can make it work. Let's wait and see where this goes.

Mridula completed her lunch and the nurse came to give her medicines. Once she was done, she layed back on the bed and that's when she realised about her phone.

"Uh, Sharan. Do you know where my phone is?",Mridula asked.

"It's with Aaru. She collected your things from college",he answered to which she nodded.

"Oh, okay",she said and continued to stare at the ceiling.

"Sharan, what about your lunch?",she asked.

"I'll see about it, you don't worry and don't stress about anything. Just rest for now",Sharan said.

"Okay, also you can go back to work if you want. You can ask amma to come and stay here", Mridula suggested.

"It's fine! I can stay here unless you don't want me to stay back",Sharan said.

"No, no I didn't mean it like that",Mridula said and hit her head.

She closed her eyes not wanting to embarass herself. Sharan continued to check some case files and other things on his phone while Mridula slowly dozed off into sleep.

Few hours passed by and Aruna came to the hospital along with Teja again. Sharan was busy on his phone, he didn't notice, them coming in.

"Who are you busy with, big bro?",Teja's voice startled him.

"Idiot, couldn't say slowly",he said as he smacked Teja's head slightly.

"Why? What were you so busy in that you can't even notice people coming in and going out now?",Teja asked as he settled down in another chair beside his brother while Aruna went to Mridula who woke up by all these commotion of the brothers.

"That's none of your concern. See you woke her up",he said as he glared at Teja who looked away and escaped from his glares.

"How are you feeling now, Mridula?",Aruna asked.

"I am fine, athaya! Just the body pains and I feel weak maybe it will heal with time. I just can't wait to get out of the hospital now",she complained.

"What did the doctor say regarding discharge, Sharan?",Aruna asked and he said whatever the doctor told him.

"We'll ask for an early discharge if possible. Come with me",she said and both of them went to the doctor's cabin while the two of them were left in the room yet again.

"Vadina, you asked for it. Amma is really really busy at home regarding navratri and the preparations are in full swing. If you come home, you'll end up doing some or the other work. You were safe as long as you were here. Trust me, nanamma didn't spare me even if I told her I had jet lag. She gave me a list and asked me to get it. I almost thought we had to buy the entire supermarket",Teja complained to which Mridula chuckled.

"You know about ammamma garu, you must have surely roamed in front of her eyes",she said.

"But I was just trying to figure out where to sleep. My mistake, I'll sleep in as soon as I go home wherever it is. I am not just sleep deprived, I will just sleep here",Teja said.

They continued having small talks and Teja handed her some sesame seeds laddoos which Aruna made.

"Have this, amma made this specially for you",Teja said and at the same time Aruna and Sharan entered the room.

"Mridula, doctor said you can be discharged now but your mother called me this afternoon and asked if you could stay there for a few days since your health is not well. I said okay, Sharan are you fine with it?",Aruna asked.

Both Mridula and Sharan were surprised by the sudden revelation of Mridula's mother's invite.

"Yeah.. Why would I have any problem? I am fine with it",Sharan said and walked out of the room as his phone rang.

"But athaya, we have Navratri preparations coming up. How can you handle it all by yourself? Back at home, Amma has Aaru to help",Mridula tried to reason as she didn't really want to go to her home. She felt like she didn't belong there anymore.

"Mridula, I'll manage all that kanna. You need rest and if you come home you'll definitely indulge in work and won't be resting",Aruna said.

"Athaya, pinky promise I will rest sufficient and I won't stress myself. Now, I am habitual in our home than in my mother's home. I don't really want to go there and don't worry, I will talk to amma about it",Mridula said leaving no space to argument for Aruna.

"Alright, I'll ask Sharan to complete the discharge formalities and till then you complete eating these laddoos",she said to which Mridula nodded like an obedient kid which she was.

Aruna asked Sharan to complete the discharge formalities and Teja went along with him while the mother in law and daughter in law sat together.

"Mridu, why don't you want to go home kanna? All okay? Is there anything you want to tell me?",Aruna asked.

"It's nothing athaya, Everything is fine. I just don't feel like going there and troubling amma and appa now. I'll be fine, it's been a long time since I heard ammamma garu's taunts. Once I hear them, I'll be completely fit and fine trust me",Mridula said to which both of them burst into fits of laughter.

"Home doesn't really feel like complete without you, Mridu! I am happy you are coming home. It's like Durga Maa is coming home",Aruna said as she caressed her cheek while Mridula just smiled.

As Aruna got busy talking to her husband asking him to bring the car to pick them up. Deep down Mridula was lost in fearful thoughts of her possibly going back to her home. No, she wasn't going there again. Not alone, she couldn't stand even staying there for some time, staying there for days was a long forgotten matter.

To be continued..

Hello dear readers,

Here is an early update, I guess! Your lazy writer is finally back on track say nazar na lage to my productivity lol 🤣

How are you all doing?

And no cliffhanger ending as you all asked😶‍🌫or maybe not!

How was the update? Did you all like it?

Why does Mridula not want to go to her home?

Also guys good news, I am launching Krishna and Aaradhana's book tonight in just a few minutes or maybe late at night.

That book will have backstory starting from Sharan and Mridula's marriage. I won't be discussing further regarding their past in this book except a few glimpses here and there so if you want to know about them you can check out that book 😌😌

Thank you so much for reading, don't forget to vote and comment your views! Just a click on the star button is all that requires for me to be motivated!

Is the story getting boring? 👀

Well, that's a wrap and will meet you all in the next chapter or in the other book sometime in the night! Till then hasta la vista!

Take care of yourselves and live life to fullest!

Your Author
Sakshi Devi