"Eeshu"

"Uday" Both of them broke their hug and looked at the door.

"It's Bhabi" Eeshu looked at Uday and smiled assuringly.

"Let's go home," Uday said in a desperate voice and pouted like a kid.

Eeshu laughed richly and nodded pinching his cheek.

"Sorry to disturb you both..."

"Time for juice.." Nithya handed Eeshu a glass of juice and smiled at Uday meekly.

"Finish it quickly and let's go back home." Uday sounded so desperate to which Nithya snickered at Uday's whisper.

"Eeshu, Uday dinner is ready," Nithya said with a bright face and left the place giving them some privacy.

"Let's do dinner and we can talk to dad about you taking me home, "Eeshu told Uday with a mischievous smile.

Uday sensed the mischief behind Eeshu's smile and looked at her with a pale face.

"Don't worry dad won't eat you..." She laughed punching Uday's sulky face.

"It's tough to face your dad after all the ruckus created by me." He admitted sincerely looking away, avoiding his gaze.

His words did disturb Eeshu and she felt a pang of guilt.

For a second she felt it's her fault that she can't break the invisible wall between these two important persons in her life, her dad and her husband two pillars of her life.

"Dad can never hurt you..."

"He can't hurt me"

"He knows it well." She defended.

Uday gulped and nodded agreeing with her words

She drank the juice calmly trying to pacify her heart.

They both smiled at each other for a second and got down.

Both of them walked to the dining table so quietly with a forceful grin plastered on their lips.

Sudhan smiled at them both and Swapna started serving them food.

Eeshu looked around for her father but couldn't find him any near.

"Where is papa?" Finally, she mustered some courage and asked her mother almost whispering in her ear.

"He has some work, he will back any soon."Her mother smiled at her meekly.

They passed some more time and her father appeared with a gentle smile.

Her eyes welled up with tears and don't know why she felt like hugging him for a second.

She knows very well, how does she feel in his arms?!

Very protective and secured.

She waited for him patiently in the hall while he was having dinner with his wife.

She likes how her mother waits for her father and accompanies him at dinner.

It's not about tradition its about love, companionship.

She remembered her mother's words and smiled for a second.

"Our parents and our children are the reason for our smile while partner is the reason for our life."

Yes! Priorities do change after marriage.

But it doesn't mean we become strangers to our parents, our family.

She tried to console her heart.

Still, she doesn't know why is she thinking all this stuff, now.

Uday noticed her gloomy face and patted her shoulder very gently asking her to come out of the trance, from her world of thoughts.

She smiled at him and nodded giving him a kind of assurance, that she is fine.

Yes, She is no more a scared girl, She knows how to take care of things and make peace with her mind.

Meanwhile, Neeraj came to the living room after having dinner with his wife.

She quickly turned around listening to his conversation with her mother to see both of them coming talking and smiling at each other.

She felt sad, ignored for a second.

"How can they smile? It's time to leave the house?" She frowned at them like a kid.

Uday listened to her whisper and felt sad.

A pang of guilt hit him hard.

It's all because of him.

He lowered his gaze and kept looking at the floor avoiding everyone's gaze.

Neeraj came and occupied the couch in front of them and smiled at them both as nothing happened.

Uday smiled back hesitantly, it took a second for Eeshu to think about what just happened.

Why the hell her father is smiling about?

She felt both anger and irritation at a time.

"Dad....." She opened her mouth and it came out like a screech.

People around here who are oblivious about her inner turmoil got worried about her health.

"Are you okay Eeshu?"Swapna asked in a hurry

"Is everything fine?" Uday gently rubbed circles in her back.

Her father gave her a glass of water and she almost dragged it from his hand.

He laughed at her antics and patted her cheek gently.

"Uday let her be here for a couple of days."

"I will drop her home after pacifying her anger," He said peeping into her eyes.

Uday doesn't know what to say and knows very well that, no other option is left.

Eeshu smiled like a kid wiping her tears hugging her dad.

"We parents knows what you children want."

"We even know what you are capable of?"

"I do not doubt your calibre, Uday, but you believed the wrong person."

"Dad..." Eeshu let a sob out and looked at Uday with a pale face.

"You are too young, you have no idea what money can do, What it is capable of?"

"It shows other's characters in our hard times, "he said slowly trying to move ahead of her.

"And both of you have equal right on each other's money, wealth and love......"

"What all we earn is for you and Uday I always treated you as my son, you are not less than Sudhan to me."

"I won't sit quietly if you are in any problem."

"What we want is your happiness." Uday can't stop grinning at him.

He thought it will take ages to convince his father in law, but he proved him wrong.

He felt so happy and free.

"Both of you be happy"

"That is my only wish."Neeraj declared lacing his tone with happiness.

Eeshu hugged him smiling broadly

Uday felt relieved from guilt, thanked God whole heartedly.

To be continued.