8 months later...

Sameer looked behind his seat to see Neerja sleeping peacefully with Varsha and Tushar. He couldn't believe that as a person whom he thought that would alone forever now all he had a family, a career and two kids that are handful to them. He adjusted his spectacles and drove the pickup truck. Yes, Sameer and Neerja along with their children are traveling to Arempudi, a little town in Kakinada, AndhraPradesh. Leaving his life in Kolkata wasn't easy but still Sameer and Neerja had to take an ultimate decision for their children's wellbeing. They didn't take flight or train for their travel. Instead, Sameer bought a second hand pickup van that could carry their things and their little family. Bidding farewell to his working place moved Sameer to tears. With a heavy heart they lied to Varsha and Tushar that they are going for an all India picnic for enjoyment. The kids have never moved out of their apartment. So when they heard that they are going to visit new places they screamed their hearts out of joy. Little they did know that they are never ever going back to Kolkata.

It was two week journey for Sameer to reach Arempudi by Chennai Kolakata highway. They halted at various places, made picnic tents nearby valleys. For the family it was the most memorable experience, especially for Neerja it was the memories which she cherished to her heart."Say cheese...!!!. " Camera lights flashed taking the pictures of her husband with the kids on his lap.It was quiet difficult for the either Neerja or Sameer to take pics of family since nobody was there to help them to take a snap. However when they reached Odisha the manager of the hotel from where they had lunch finally took many snaps of the family.

After one week journey, Tushar expressed his concerns to Sameer.
"Nana.. aren't we going back to home?."
"We are only going back to home. Why kanna?."
Tushar picked up his Amma's phone to open google maps and showed him the route. "Nana, our house was there up. But now we are going down. How is it possible?." He wondered with big round eyes. Sameer was dumbstruck. "No Kanna.. We have come here only for sight seeing. After this we will move back to up." Sameer tried to cheer him up. Tushar seemed to be not at all convenient with the lie. Hence, Neerja came to Sameer's rescue.
"Kanna it is easier for us to go back."
"No Amma, you see... We have gone too far. It is down. We are going down." Tushar interrupted.
"Yes Kanna.. We are going down. Don't you want to see elephants? Don't you want to bath in jogfalls?."
"When will we have all these things Amma?."
"You will see once you reach there." Neerja assured.
"Nana after seeing them, we will go home, won't we?."Sameer nodded to his son's question.But in his mind, he was quiet skeptical about the lies he had fed upon his children. Varsha being a dynamic kid it wasn't difficult for her to travel. For Varsha traveling to new places and meeting new people have always been smoother despite her inability to control her ability to transform between werewolf and human. However, his son Tushar was just the opposite of Varsha. They were like two ends of a pole. Tushar has always been an emotional kid. He always hold kind of belongingness with their home. When they were packing things itself Tushar made it clear that he has no plans on moving out to new place.
"I won't come with you to any place, Nana," replied Tushar. Sameer hung his head in defeat. Tushar's temperament always reminded him of his difficult character which he had during his childhood. Losing his parents at a very young age and living with his uncle and aunt who had no idea on his birth secret, Sameer had to take care of himself at a very young age. This evidently created a void between his foster care. Sameer and Neerja was so adamant that such kind of situation should never happen for their children. That's why they decided to shift to Sameer's ancestral home at Arempudi.
"Kanna, it's just a picnic. We are just going for sightseeing and will come back," Neerja said.
"If so why these things are packed up," Tushar's eyes narrowed.
"It's for precaution Kanna. If you fall illa Amma and Nana can't take you to hospital all the time. Hence these are precautions. We will use these beds to lay on the floor on tents. Wen won't stay at hotels. That's what it is called a picnic." Neerja explained.
"What is it called?," Tushar asked.
"Picnic, Kanna... Picnic," Neerja repeated.

Now it has been more than fifteen times Tushar had repeated his question of going back to their apartment in Kolkata.
"Yes Kanna we will definitely go back to our home," Neerja smiled. While the time was nearing to dawn Sameer parked their truck nearby a valley. Soon Sameer and Neerja started building up the tent.
"Amma amma, what are you doing." Varsha's eyes widened. "Today and tomorrow we will be staying here. Your Nana needs rest. Afterwards we will start our travel."
"Nana, we will go back to our home, won't we?," Tushar asked.
"Kanna we are only going back to our home. We have reached so far, haven't we? So all of a sudden we can't go back to our home in a second. Kanna, I can understand your situation but please understand your Nana too. I need rest baby." Sameer sighed. Tushar nodded his head in suspicion.

Since they all were tired Sameer retrieved back to Tent. The tent was spacious to accommodate four people together. After having dinner, Neerja put the kids to sleep. After they settled she went back to Sameer to sleep peacefully. Sameer tried his best to muffle his moans due to pain.

"Sam...?," Neerja slowly patted on him.Sameer groaned and turned his head with much difficult. "Neeru I think my shoulder pain is getting out of hand." Neerja moved his fingers along Sameer's nape and shoulder."It's stiff Sam..Shall I massage you?." "No..no need..That won't be good. "Sameer tried to move away from there. After his fortunate escape from the mishap which occurred while he was on hunting on his son's birthday years ago, Sameer developed intense pain on his neck and shoulder area.He never treated it and kept it along with himself.

"Sam if you aren't willing to get some kind of help from me we won't be able to travel from here."Sameer sighed. He removed his shirt and lied down on his stomach.Neerja applied pain balm on his neck and shoulder and began to massage. She understood that his neck and shoulder was suffering from stiffness and muscle sore. Sameer was groaning whenever Neerja applied pressure on the deep knots on his back."Neerja...Neeru...," Sameer groaned when Neerja applied excessive pressure on his deep knot.After some time Sameer's moans stopped.Neerja pulled her head up to check him whether he had fallen asleep.The very next day the family got ready to travel.Sameer's pain was much more relieved,however Sameer was tired to sit upright."Shall we stay here for three or four days?." Sameer asked. "How are we going to manage?," Neerja puzzled. Both sameer and Neerja were yearning to reach Arempudi."Let us divide the task and work it out." Neerja sat beside him."I will drive for the next few days.I have got pain tablets for you.If you take some rest for the next days, we might be able to reach Arempudi." "You have to stress alot Neeru..Let us wait for few more days." 

"No Sam..I wanna reach Arempudi as soon as possible. I can't answer Kannan's questions anymore.More the days delayed, kids are becoming more curious.It would be difficult for us to handle them anymore." Sameer agreed with Neerja.Even though a little kid, Tushar's intellectual abilities are far more superior and keeps questioning each and everything.Inorder to avoid further more issues, the family got ready to travel. They disassembled the tent and packed up the things.Sameer settled on his back seat with the kids to rest while Neerja busied herself before the wheel. She marked the points on the map and noted down the halting points to rest.

"Nanna..why aren't you driving?," Varsha asked. "Nanna isn't feeling well baby," Sameer gulped down the pain tablets." You will be fine, na?." Sameer nodded to her question.

"Nanna..." Tushar played with Sameer's fingers."What kanna?."Sameer pulled Tushar to his chest."We are going back to home only right?." Tushar doubted. Sameer didn't answer, instead his closed his eyes.Neerja drove the truck smoothly on the national highway, it moved to wards the direction that took them to their home.

************

After 7 days, on the 8th night Sameer took the wheel to drive towards their home.Neerja was tired and was sleeping with their kids behind the back seat.Sameer drank redbull and peddled on the accelerator. Moving forward 100m distance Sameer saw a green board on the border of the place.It was written in  bold white letters : "Arempudi panchayat welcomes you." Sameer sped his truck at high speed. Neerja was feeling more cold and she woke up from her seat. Neerja was stunned to see the speed at which Sameer was speeding through. Finally the truck came to halt before a stone fence which was equivalent to a fort. Sameer panted through his breath.He opened the car door and pushed himself forward to open the gate. The old rustic gate was opened with an ear piercing sound. Sameer returned and started the truck. Neerja pulled her head out to watch the outside view. She was stunned to see another fortified gate. After opening it, finally they reached in front of a palatial bungalow.Even though it was an old one, it stood up with all it's mightiness in the moonlight.Behind the bungalow it was huge forest that was bedecked with all it's power.

"We are home...finally we are home...," Neerja whispered. A flash of series flooded through Sameer's mind.Never in his mind thought that he would be back here with his family.Sameer opened the door of the bungalow and check it's interior. Some of the rooms require repair.Except his bedroom, most of the other rooms were filled with dust and webs."Even after I have been away, Peddanna and Peddhamma never failed to take care of my things," Sameer thought with heavy heart. Neerja kept the kids in their stroller and pushed them through the interior of the ancestral home.When she reached Sameer's bedroom, he was cleaning the remaining things in his room. " Could you please wait for 5 minutes? Then the room will be ready." "Let the kids be here.i will pick up all those bags and other belongings." Neerja took the keys from Sameer.Once the bedroom was tidied up, Sameer picked his kids up and settled them on their cot.

"You need help?," Sameer moved towards the truck."Yes, yes..where are the kids," Neerja asked."I settled them on the cot." Sameer carried the bags and left trolley bags to Neerja.Neerja was tired and her eyes were drooping. After they kept their bags in the corner of the bedroom, they busied themselves to ready for bed.Neerja changed her dress to night gown and Sameer removed his shirt.When Neerja came out of the bathroom Sameer has already settled on the bed to sleep.Neerja lied down beside Sameer and ran her fingers through his curly hair.Neerja checked her kids and lied down on Sameer's chest.

"This is our home..," Neerja kissed Sameer's lips and rested her forehead on his cheek."I am home...," Sameer rested his back on the bed. "Finally I am home." Sameer closed his eyes with content.

Note:

Hello all..I know very well that I have never been consistent with updating the chapters of the novel. Past two years have been quiet incidental for me. I fell ill with covid which pushed me to stay at ventilator. It was so fatal that my lungs were affected and lost much of my bone density. When I escaped from the clutches of covid , my Mom who was my everything passed away on my lap due to massive cardiac arrest. Right now I am trying my best to make peace with the past and move on with the present. However at this moment I would like to take this opportunity to all the readers who waited patiently with me.

Thank you.