"I heard you are leaving?"Sanju questioned her with a pained expression.
"Yes "Anu replied not understanding why he was upset as she will be nearby and they can meet after a week when she will return to dorm from her cousin's house .
"can I get your number?"Gathering all his courage Sanju asked.
"Sure,"Anu took out a pen from her sling bag ,Took his hand into hers and wrote down her number in his palm,He was stunned for a few seconds ,he thought she will reject ,but never in his wild dreams did he knew that she will give her number to him readily.
When he feel the soft cool touch missing from his palm ,he looked down.Anu already kept her pen back and smiled at him.
He went to the counter grabbed a paper and pen,nit understanding what he was trying to do ,Anu peeked at the paper he was writing, he wrote down his number and shoved it into her hand and said "Call me when get some free time. "
Anu nodded her head and walked to her mom,from there they exited the hospital and took a cab to her cousin's house.
Her cousin's family live in their ancestral house,everyone used to stay together ,it was very lively when Anu was a kid.After the death of her grandparents all the brothers moved out and build their own houses ,from then onwards every year all the families gather together to celebrate Ramadan .
Anu was reminded of the childhood days she spent with her grandparents. Her father Before marrying her mom was a Sheik(A muslim caste),they had an adventurous wedding,inorder to marry her mom,her dad converted into Iyer.Later her father's parents opposed alot and didn't allow the couple to enter the house,soon after Anu was born and all the parties were softened and got along forgiving the past mistakes done by both sides. But the sisters -in law (husband's sisters)still held some grudge against Anu's mother.
As they reached the residence Anu took out her dupatta and used it as veil.Her mother signed,eventhough they are married for almost 25 years,she can't let go the past mistreatment she recieved from this house.She opened the door and got out of the car.Anu followed her,Her father Mr.Sumesh Iyer(a.k.a Sheik Aman) was waiting for them at the door.Anu hugged her dad and entered the door together leaving her mom behind.She retrieved their luggage and paid the Cab fare .The luggage was carried by Somu grandpa who was took in by Anu's grandfather Mr. Sheik Iman .
As soon as they entered she saw her uncle,his wife and her Aunt chatting loudly .Anu greeted everyone the moment she entered the hall " As-Salaam alaikum Badi baba ,badi ma"
"Wa-Alaikum salaam,beta." they acknowledged her greetings.
Anu went and hugged her Aunt "You are becoming a beauty ,what's your secret aunty.Please share with me na.." She started teasing her Aunt.Eventhough the elders had some grudges that never reaches their children .
"ayya.....Look at this girl,she will talk without any filter,how can you tease me ,ha! What beauty are you talking about ,I am already an old woman with Grey hair." her aunt replied back ,still she looked into her reflection on the coffee table.Everyone started laughing and started asking Anu about her health and school life.
"Kids now a day's won't eat properly,they will start dieting and become very lean.Its not good for your health."Her aunt showed her concern .
"I am eating properly aunty,I am not that lean ,it's just I lost some weight after treatments.Can you make Kheer for me?I missed your Kheer so much" Anu started acting cute.
"I already prepared your kheer.Lets weight for your cousins and other uncles to come ,we will have our lunch. "Her aunt said and with that she rushed to the kitchen.After a few minutes she came out carrying a tray full of green grapes and stuffed them to Anu's hand ,Anu started eating them and occasionally chimed in the talks of her elders.
After offering their prayers,her cousins returned home ,soon the other families also came.
"Choti,when did you get here?"Anu's eldest cousin asked her by pulling her ponytail.
"Ah....i came by 12 .why did you pull my hair?when will you stop doing that?"she whined to which her cousin gave her a laugh.
As Anu was the youngest and only girl in their entire Khandan(family) all the elders pamper and spoil her,except for her little uncle(father's younger brother).And all her 9 cousins used to fight for her attention, eventhough they make fun of her and start fighting the moment they come into contact,they still loved each other and will do anything for the other.
Once everyone reached,the ladies started serving lunch and all the children and uncles sat down first.After serving the food,they took their respective seats and began eating, Her cousins started studding her plate with all kinds of food .
"Look at you,you have become Skiny, is your mother feeding you properly or not?How can she let you become like this?"Her aunt started berating her mother and stuffed alot of food into Anu's plate.Not knowing what to say,Anu looked at her mother to which Suja shook her head conveying she is alright and smiled at her.Anu ate her lunch slowly without reporting back as it wasn't acceptable when younger generations talk back to elders in certain things and times.
After lunch,all the elders sat in the living room and spoke while the children went out to play cricket.After playing ,they returned home when it was time for evening snacks.soon all of them left,expect for Anu's family,they returned to their rooms and got busy with their own work,while Anu joined her aunty to help her with dinner.
When it was about the time to sleep,she thought went back to her room.As she retrieved her mobile from her bag,she found a missed call from Shiva ,she called him back and started their chattering. She took a shower and soon drifted into her dreamland.
On the other side...Sanju was expecting a call from Anu which never came,he was depressed,he wanted to call her but stopped himself from doing so.
"Why don't you call her,if you are missing her?"Mr.Riaan who just came into the room told Sanju.It was really hard for them to see the happy go Sanju to get depressed over a phone call.
"what will she think if I call her now?and she told that she I'd visiting her relatives, it won't be ideal to call and disturb her ."He expressed.
Sighing he kept his Mobile on the night stand and closed his eyes.
Sanju had a hectic week ,still he missed Anu and wanted to talk to her,but couldn't bring himself to call her.It was same for Anu ,she was busy with her cousins.After a week ,she was dropped at her Dorm by her parents, after dropping her, They left to their house.