Love Happens

Chapter thirty six

Mumbai
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Poonam dozed off to sleep. The fire alarm roared continuously due to smoke. The sound wasn't loud enough to wake Shraddha or Anand. The fire circulated only at the place there was oil. Riddhima didn't wake up either. As it was, Shraddha and her worked the day in the kitchen preparing several dishes for Poonam. Also, she skipped her normal sleeping schedule and slept late. Her mind was too tired to alert her.

The workers in the house rose and they went up and down while trying to figure out why the alarm was ringing. They arrived at the kitchen and saw a fire broke out there. Some of them went and returned with a fire extinguisher. They dozed off the fire and the alarm instantly went silent. One of them then went upstairs to report the incident to Anand. She banged and banged against his door. There was no reply from his end.

Early in the morning, the lady returned. She knocked this time on the door, but still, no reply came from the other end.

It was fully morning. The birds chirped in chorus. The sun's rays couldn't elucidate through the thick curtains in Anand's room. In the room, it was still very dark. Meanwhile, in Poonam and Riddhima's bedroom, both of them have woken up.

Poonam looked at her surroundings with an unfamiliar gaze because she wasn't expecting to live another day. Her face was full of questions as to how the house didn't catch fire even though she created one.

"Good morning Sister!" Riddhima wished her.

"Happy morning." she answered. "I'll go and check on Father. Last night, I couldn't enquire about his health." she added. She was going there not to check on him but to drag him out of his room. She couldn't just sit and wait while knowing he was with another woman. She can't tolerate it.

"Let's go together."

They got out of their beds. As they walked through the hallway to their parent's room, Riddhima enquired.

"Didn't you bring any gifts from London? I was expecting you'll bring me a surprise."

Poonam smiled while telling her about her luggage which would land today and that she had bought lots of things for her and their father.

"I'll knock." Riddhima said and knocked on the door.

Inside the room, Anand opened his heavy eyes. The first thing he laid his eyes on was Shraddha's face. She was sleeping beautifully.

Poonam tapped her feet impatiently against the floor. Her impatience showed through her body gesture. She kept rubbing her hands together to fight the urge of going in which her mind advised and tugging Shraddha out of her father's life.

"I'll knock again. He must still be sleeping." Riddhima said although it was quite unusual for her sensitive father not to have heard her first knock. He literally says a come in in the past when he hears your footsteps near his door and today, she knocked yet he couldn't hear.

"I'll do it." Poonam banged on the door without caring about how loud it echoed. It sounded more like an elephant's feet trampling on the ground. 

Shraddha opened her eyes while Anand was already on his feet. He had worn his shirt and was buttoning it quickly. His hands were shaky as he does. The bang on the door! What had happened? His children were home. The first thing that crossed his mind was something might have happened to them.

Poonam forced a smile on her lips after her father opened the door. Anand looked at her and Riddhima. He then heaved a sigh of relief to hush his anxious mind.

"What are you doing here early in the morning?"

"It's not early. It's seven." Poonam told him. He was shocked at first. He never slept off so late. How did he do today? His eyes turned to Riddhima.