The next morning, Nithya woke up on hearing her alarm. She sighed and got up from the bed lazily. Working on a Sunday is one of the most cruel things that can happen.

She turned towards her right and Raghav was sleeping so peacefully. That ignited her temper. After fighting with her the very previous night, how was he able to sleep peacefully?!

She decided not to care about him and went to the washroom to get ready. Even when she came back, he was sleeping.

Nithya started making sounds in the room by forcefully closing the door, throwing pillows on the chair, and keeping the perfume loudly on the table. And that actually worked! Raghav stirred in sleep hearing the loud banging.

Raghav looked up at her and Nithya was staring at him. He glared right back at her. They both were glaring, until their eyes hurted and gave up for a blink.
He turned around and continued to sleep, while Nithya marched out of the room defeated.

"You're ready Nithya?" Sharadha asked her as she was in her work attire.

"Yeah athai. I told you na, I'll have to go early today." Nithya stated.

"Oh.. I didn't think you'd leave this early." Sharadha said and walked into the kitchen and Nithya followed her.

"Athai, yesterday Yazhini called me. I forgot to inform you."

"When da? Why did she call you?"

"When I was at my parent's place, she called me. Today Yazhini and Aravind are going shopping, it seems. So she asked me whether I would be able to join them. As I am going to the hospital,I told them that I can't join. If my guess is right, she would be coming here to meet you today, athai."

"If you had leave, you both could have joined them na... Did you tell Raghav about this?" Sharadha said sadly.

"No athai. He is on leave, and he would definitely choose staying home to go out." Nithya said with a chuckle.
"Actually that's not what I wanted to tell you." She added.

"Then what da?"

"As she is coming home, why don't you cook her favorite dishes? Let's give her a surprise on her surprise visit." Nithya winked.

"Haha that's a great idea, Nithya! Will you be able to come home for lunch?"

"Ah no athai. I have just thirty minutes for lunch break, I can't come home and get there on time. So I'll have it from the canteen itself." She replied sadly.

"Ermm.. then I'll do one thing. I'll dunzo you the lunch." Sharadha told her excitedly.

"You're the best athai!" Nithya said and hugged her mother in law.

After having breakfast, Nithya went to her hospital. Raghav woke up around 10:30 AM and came out of their room. Sharadha was chopping the vegetables and watching TV.

"Good morning maa." Raghav wished her with a yawn.

"Good morning sir. Why did you wake up so early? You could have slept for another few hours right?" Sharadha told h sarcastically.

"Maaa..." He whined and sat beside his mother.

"Do you want to have coffee now or after breakfast?"

"I'll have with breakfast ma.. I'm hungry. "

Sharadha served their breakfast and they both had it.

"What's special today?" Raghav asked her as he saw all the vegetables being chopped.

"Today your pasamalar is coming here. So I'm making her favorite dishes." Sharadha told him.

"Yazhu is coming home? Why didn't she tell me?"

"She didn't tell me either. She had told Nithya that she's coming to go shopping. So we guessed that she would come to visit us."

"Oh okay ma." Raghav said.

As Sharadha was busy cooking lunch for her darling niece, Raghav didn't disturb her. He knew that Nithya was out for work and he was too bored. He started watching tv to pass some time.

He heard the doorbell and walked towards the door to open it. Yazhini and Aravind were standing in front of him with a smile.

"Hey darling! How are you?" Raghav asked her excitedly.

"I'm fine Anna! How are you?"

"Good good. Welcome home, Aravind." He greeted them and led them inside.

"Hii athai." Yazhini squealed in joy.

"Hello madam. Now only you got to know our address right?"

"Sorry athai. We got busy with our work." Aravind apologized to her.

"It's okay aravind. How are you?" Sharadha asked him with a smile.

"We are fine athai. How's your health?"

"All good now. Nithya doesn't let me skip my medicines."

"What's for lunch athai?" Yazhini asked her curiously.

"You come and see by yourself." Sharadha winked and followed her to the kitchen.

She was surprised to see fried rice and Gobi Manchurian gravy.

"You knew I was coming?"

"Nithya told me."

"But where is she? Still at the hospital?"

"Yeah da. Thanks for reminding me. I have to pack her lunch now." Shradha said and started packing Nithya's lunch. Yazhini also helped her in packing.
After sending the lunch to Nithya,they all had their lunch.

Aravind and Yazhini decided to wait till Nithya reached home. They chatted for a while and watched a movie in the meantime.

Around 5 PM, Nithya came home from the hospital.

"Good evening Yazhini!" Nithya greeted her cheerfully.

Raghav heard her voice after so long. She didn't not speak to him in the morning, rather he did. She had informed his mother after having lunch, and he heard that from his mother only. He looked up to see her, but she was happily chatting with Yazhini and Aravind. He decided to stay quiet.

"Actually we are here to tell you something." Aravind informed them.

"What's it Aravind?" Raghav asked him.

"I've got an offer for a project in Australia."

"Wow that's amazing pa! Are you taking Yazhini with you?" Sharadha asked him.

"This is a short term project and it's just for a month. So, I am alone going there and Yazhini is staying here itself."

"Oh okay... Will you be able to manage alone, Yazhu?" Raghav asked his sister.

"Anna.. that's why I thought of taking athai with me." She told him hesitantly.

"Why Yazhu? You can come and stay here right? This is also your house na." Nithya told her.

"This is very far from my workplace. Initially I thought of getting the work from home option and staying here, but I couldn't get it. Aravind's parents are staying with his sister, as she has a new born baby. Mom and dad had recently gone to the native, and I can't ask them to come back here." Yazhini explained everything sadly.

"Can you come and stay with me, athai, please?" Yazhini asked her aunt with puppy eyes.

Raghav and Nithya looked at eachother cluelessly.

"Raghav?" Sharadha called his name, expecting a reply from him.

"It's your wish ma... I understand Yazhini's situation. You decide ma." Raghav told her. Sharadha turned towards Nithya and she also nodded, agreeing to Raghav's words.

"Okay Yazhini. I'll come with you." Sharadha said with a smile and Yazhini smiled wide.

Soon Nithya and Yazhini helped Sharadha in packing her clothes. They decided to have dinner and then leave for their house.

"Nithya, you will be able to manage alone right?" Sharadha asked her doubtfully.

"I will athai. It will be a little difficult for the first few days, but I'll manage, " Nithya said thoughtfully.

"You both come there during the weekend." Yazhini told her.

"Sure Yazhini." Nithya replied.

Sharadha left for Yazhini's house. Raghav and Nithya didn't utter a single word.

To Be Continued