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Airport,
Hyderabad
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Shriya and Raghav were greeted by the driver who arrived to pick them up from the airport. Raghav put on his sunglasses as he opened a door for Shriya. It was afternoon and they both sat in silence as the car headed towards Reddy mansion.
Shriya typed a message to her sister saying she had to reach Hyderabad and will be back in Bangalore after sorting out few things. Frankly, she was not sure about her decision to stay with Raghav along with his family but he was hell stubborn after her deteriorating health condition.
The gaint iron gates of the villa opened giving a glimpse of the beautiful garden. It was the first time Shriya has come to the ancestral house of Raghav. Raghav in low voice said "Welcome home Sweetu".
Shriya wanted to protest. It was not her home. The word home only reminded her of Raghav's place back in London which they both redesigned together and had countless memories. The place where Duggu finally accepted them as his own parents. The place where she gave birth to her tiny twin munchkins. The place which was filled with Raghav and her banter, laughter and love.
The mansion was big and she was first greeted with her mother-in-law, Neeranjana Reddy who was sitting in the garden with her friends. Neeranjana just nodded her head and so did Shriya. Raghav held Shriya's hand and took her inside as he did not want any drama before the guests. On reaching the main door she was greeted with Sanjana who with a broad smile said "Welcome home Shriya".
Shriya smiled in relief as she entered inside. Raghav questioned "Sanjana! Is Laxman at home?" to which Sanjana nodded her head negatively. Shriya caught the glimpse of sadness in Sanjana's eyes. She immediately covered and said "I will arrange for a tea for both of you while you fresh up".
Shriya was clueless as to what to do. She didnot know what was her identity here. She is the soon to be ex-wife of Raghav. Meanwhile Raghav who was still holding her hand said "Let me show you our room". Shriya jerked her hand away from his and said "Are you kidding me Raghav? Our room? Do you think we are newly married and are playing house here?"
Raghav took a deep breath and said "Shriya! Let me make one thing clear once and for all YOU ARE MY WIFE. SO BETTER BEHAVE LIKE ONE. This is my house and you are the elder daughter-in-law here. I know we haven't been staying together for a long time but this is the reality. So stop feeling like a guest and I will make sure you get the respect you deserve from everyone despite all the things people have said to you in the past. Please stop bringing up divorce after every two seconds".
Saying so he held her hand and took her towards his room. "This is our room" He said when Shriya looked at it with wide eyes. A half of the bed was shabby with his used clothes, the laptop table had half open jars with chips, nachos and alcohol bottles.
The laptop was sprawled on the floor and the charging cables and wires hanging from the bed. The cupboard doors half open with clothes stuffed horribly and his ties hanging on the bed lamp.
Shriya gave him a shocked look and he said "Its not the bad you know. It's fairly clean. See broken shards of wine bottles are not on the floor. I don't allow children to come to this room or anyone for the matter".
Shriya held his hands and said "Raghav! Just leave me and this room for sometime. I will not be able to breathe here". Raghav said "I can get it cleaned you know Sweetu. Wait let me call the house help".
Shriya raised her voice and said "Leave now Raghav". She first started with discarding all the alcohol bottles and throwing his clothes in laundry basket. After about an hour she finally changed the bedsheets, carpets, curtains, and opened all the windows so the room smells better. After spraying the room spray she was finally at peace and sat on the bean bag. Raghav slowly knocked on the door and she let him in.
She ordered him saying "You will have to fold your clothes and organise them neatly along with your watches and ties. Start now!".
Raghav said "Come on Sweetu! Are you not tired? I am feeling jet lagged. I will do it tommorow".
Shriya responded by saying "No now Raghav! When will stop being lazy? Besides I wanted to talk about my new office space as I have to start working from day after tommorow".
Raghav said "All that will be arranged. Besides I will only clean if you promise me a movie night".
"No I am not making any such promises". Shriya said glaring at him.
Raghav replied "Fine! I will stuff all your clothes once they arrive in the same manner".
Shriya huffed and said "Fiiineee! When are the children coming back from school?"
Raghav replied "Berry and Cookie will be back in another half an hour. Their school timings are only for three hours as they are in Pre-KG. Zoro will be back after his boxing classes after six in the evening".
Shriya replied worried "Doesn't Duggu come home early?".
Raghav replied "Apparently he doesn't like spending much time at home. He wants to learn boxing, cricket and Maths. He only wants to play on his play station, eat and sleep at home".
A lone tear dripped down from Shriya's left eye. She asked "Now he doesn't like to spend time with Laxman?".
Raghav sarcastically smiled and said " Laxman should be available at home for it to happen. He comes late night and leaves early in the morning".
Shriya nodded and said "What about you Raghav?"
Raghav sat on the bed and gestured her to sit beside him. After she sat down he took her hand in his and said "He doesn't like to talk to me Sweetu. He answers all my questions but will never start a conversation with me. Infact he takes his Sanjana maasi for parent teacher meetings. Sometimes he stares at me with those empty eyes on dining table and other times he conveys messages from his grandfather to me. I guess he always knew his mom was never wrong".
Shriya harshly wiped her cheeks.
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A/N:
Here's another chapter.
Feels like an eternity. I don't update this story as I feel not many people read it. But then I get a few comments asking me if I will update and continue and then I feel I owe it to them.
So this update is dedicated to all of you who asked for it.
Love
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YOU ARE READING
Journey along a stormy path
Fanfiction"My cause matters to me more than anything else" hissed Shriya looking at Raghav as every inch of her body was burning with rage. "What matters to you or not is least of my concern. Get out of my house! I don't want you around my children" coldly o...
