Sometimes Love Is Not Enough

Chapter 30

Six years later

Khushi

"Hai, Devi Maiya! How can you two be so irresponsible at the same time?" I said loudly while glaring at the reflection of Meera on the mirror as I pinned my dark orange cotton saree to the shoulder of my blouse.

"Sorry, ma'am. I had told Karan that we were supposed to send the sweets with the interns, but he said that you told him not to." Meera said as she kept her head bowed.

"I told him to give it to Rehan. Because he's the most responsible of the lot of you interns. He won't eat it just because they are especially made by Bua Ji." I replied as I adjusted the open pallu on my arm, then on my shoulder, where it was pinned.

"Should I take it and go?" Meera asked and looked up slightly with wide eyes. "Oh my god, ma'am! You're looking so beautiful."

I slightly pressed my lips together while shaking my head and took my phone in one hand and my bag in the other before walking out of my room and down the stairs to the living room with Meera behind.

"How is the preparation going on at Shantivaan?" I asked.

"Rehen said they are almost ready." Meera answered. "But, ma'am, the sweets?"

"Don't worry. We'll take it with us when we go." I said over my shoulder as I placed my bag on the sofa and walked to the dining table, where Babu Ji sat at the head of the table, reading the newspaper.

"Sanka Devi! Hurry! Eat your breakfast. We have to leave for Payaliya's baby shower soon." Bua Ji sat on Babu Ji's right while Amma was on his left.

"Meera. Come." I called and sat next to Amma.

"Ma'am... I'll go. You.." Meera said it awkwardly.

I sighed and turned to Bua Ji, who nodded at me before turning to Meera.

"Ay, Meera. Come here." She pulled a chair next to her and patted on it for Meera to sit on.

"No, Aunty..." She tried.

"Arre! Come." Bua Ji spoke while her forehead creased.

I placed a plate with an Alu Paratha next to Bua Ji for Meera when she finally sat down. Then I took one for me.

"Babu Ji. Parathas are getting cold." I said as I filled a glass with water and gave it to Meera, who murmured a thank you.

He folded his newspapers and placed them to the side before taking a bite and smiling at me. I returned his smile before looking at everyone and taking a bite myself.

Six years. It took me six years to reach here. And finally, I'm here. Finally, I can take care of my family without asking for help from anyone.

Thank you, Devi Maiya! If it weren't for you and our family, then Jiji and I wouldn't have been able to graduate. If it weren't for them, then I wouldn't have been able to open this event management company. Thank you so much for giving me another chance in life. Thank you.

"Babu Ji, Amma, and Bua Ji, you all leave in the first car. Meera and I'll come in the second." I said as I picked up the plates from the table and dumped them into the kitchen sink while making a mental note to wash them later at night.

"Let's go together na." Babu Ji suggested.

"We have to take sweets and gifts with us. So you go comfortably. We'll be right behind." I said it loudly as I washed my hands and dried them on a towel.

He nodded as I came back to the living room and took my bag.

"Meera!" I called as I again went to the kitchen while they started to leave.

"Lock the door, okay?" Bua Ji said loudly before closing the main door behind her.

I shook my head and took a big thali of sweets, and I was about to call for Meera again when she rushed in with bags and gifts in hand.

"You and I are talking about the second car." I said that and walked out of the kitchen with the thalis in hand.

*

"You are supposed to use flowers here along with lights." I said as Rehan opened the car door for me with a puzzled reaction and smiled at him.

"Sorry, ma'am. I got nervous. I'll fix them right away." He spoke slowly as he looked back at the entrance hallway of Shantivaan.

"It's fine. It doesn't look that bad." I smiled at him and took out the thali's from the back seat. "You help Meera with the gift boxes and bags."

I looked up at the house and sighed deeply before walking to the door, but stopped near the open door when I heard someone calling me.

"Ma'am? Khushi ma'am?" I turned and gave Karan a look.

"You are the senior intern and the best." I said this after I looked around so that no one was hearing me scold him. "That's why I trusted you with Jiji's baby shower."

"Sorry, ma'am. I got nervous after coming here." Karan said as he slightly bowed his head down.

I stared at him with pressed lips for a few seconds before asking, "Why is everyone nervous? Did something happen?" I paused for a second. "Did someone say anything?"

"Actually... one of our junior interns, Piya, got scolded by ASR because she entered his room." I slightly raised my eyebrows as he continued, "We didn't know there were other ways to enter the poolside."

"Laadgovener kahi ke!" I mumbled under my breath as I shook my head and smiled at him again. "It's okay. Don't worry about that. And... send Piya to me."

As Karan nodded, I turned on my feet and walked to the open door with the three of them on my heels.

"Take these to the kitchen." I said as I entered and handed both the thali's to Karan.

When the three of them left, I started for the living room but stopped when I noticed him... standing.

I swallowed slowly as he smiled at me with a file in hand and said, "Hi."

Why is my heart beating like this even after all this years? Hai, Devi Maiya!.... Khushi, you have nothing to do with him anymore... It's fine to love him but... get a grip.

I returned his bright smile with a tight one before saying, "Hi!" And I walked past him when I saw Piya near the living room.

"Don't be nervous just because you got scolded. But be very careful next time, okay?" I said as I neared Piya.

"Ma'am!" She took both my hands in hers and stared at me with wide eyes. "He's ASR."

I shook my head and said, "Don't worry. And tell the interns to drop by my house after work."

"Jalebi?"

I nodded with a smile as I patted her cheeks before joining everyone for the function.