Dear Rudra..... (On Hold)

New Light

Author's POV:

"Is it time to come home?" Rudra stopped on his tracks listening to the loud voice. It was already past midnight when Rudra came back from the office. He was very tired and started to go to his room without even eating but stopped hearing a familiar authoritative voice.

"Nanamma!" He called out in surprise upon seeing his grandmother. She was his all time favourite person in the whole world. He strode towards her and engulfed her in a bear tight hug with happiness.

(In Andhra Pradesh, well in telugu language, we call father's mother as nanamma and mother's mother as ammamma)

Rajya Lakshmi, a lady in her late sixties is a very strong woman. She raised her son all alone without any help and started a small scale business all by herself after her husband left them alone due to a war and never returned. But she was still waiting for her husband and kept all the signs of a married woman without removing them.

The hug was filled with love. Rudra became a small boy who wanted to hide in his mother's arms as it was his only safe haven. She also engulfed him with a loving embrace. Her eyes got moistened upon seeing the piece of her heart in front of her eyes. He was the happiness of her heart. She silently patted her eyes dry, still in his embrace and slightly patted his back in comfort. She was happy upon seeing him but she was angry too.

"Hm! Leave me! You didn't even come to see me after you came back home. It's already been 10 months. Now don't act all lovey dovey like you miss me." Rajya Lakshmi snorted and left a smooth sarcastic comment.

"Now don't talk like that nanamma. You know I love you the most." He pouted to raise the effect. She raised her eyebrows like asking if it's true nonetheless gave him a small smile.

"You have such a sweet mouth that I can't even stay angry at you." She complained and went into the kitchen to reheat the food. He followed behind her.

"I heard you weren't eating and taking rest on time." Rajyalakshmi enquired slowly while placing the plates and dishes on the table.

"It's not like that nanamma. I was just a little more busy since I took over dad's business. I still have my partnership company to handle." He reasoned.

"Venu is also handling that business along with his family business. He is leading a happy married life too, I heard. Then why are you complaining like you're the only one who's doing this." She teased with a glint of smile. Ever since he was a kid he doesn't want her nanamma to praise others more than him. He has to be the hero of all her praises.

"He was that much free because I was handling everything for him." He scoffed and started to eat the rice grudgingly like he was chewing on a rubber. Rajyalakshmi just smiled upon seeing him and ruffled his hair with adoration. He still feels jealous and doesn't want to share his nanamma.

"Okay I know the workload is just an excuse. Now tell me what happened?" She asked lovingly after his dinner. He just tightened his lips and gave her a smile. He wants to tell her everything that he had in his heart but he knows she would be sad if she knows that he is not happy.

"Nothing like that nanamma. You tell me what else." He tried to change the topic. She knows his smile is fake. She knows he was hurting from a thing that's unknown to her. Her heart clenched upon seeing his emptiness that passed through his eyes for a split second. Still, she changed the topic as he wanted.

"I heard someone got a girlfriend but didn't even bother to tell me." She twisted her lips dramatically. Though he likes the word girlfriend but 'is their relationship really like that?' he doubted. Rajyalakshmi didn't miss the happiness with a glint of sadness in his eyes. She confirmed he has a lot going through in his mind. She understood the stress that her grandson taking has got something to do with this. She wanted to ask but she doesn't want to pressurize him.