The clock had just struck seven when I finally lifted my eyes from the open book on my lap.
Once again, I had lost track of time. Reading always did that to me , pulling me into a world far away, where reality didn't sting so much.
The house had been strangely chaotic ever since that ugly incident with Harsh. My mind, too, was carrying an invisible weight I couldn't put into words. Perhaps that's why today, Maa had decided to hold a small pooja at home, maybe to calm the air or maybe just to breathe hope back into the walls of our house.
When I stepped into the living room, I noticed how every corner reflected the restlessness of the past days.
Nani was sitting quietly on the sofa, her fingers counting the number of mantras that she was reciting .
Maa, with tired yet determined eyes, was seated in front of the small temple, reciting mantras with folded hands.
From inside, I could hear Papa's voice humming faintly , he was still bathing, preparing himself to join the prayer.
"Shreya," Maa called softly without breaking her rhythm. "Beta, thodi der aur jaag lo. Pandit ji aane wale hain. Jab woh aayenge toh gate tum khol lena, hum sab pooja mein baithe honge. Uthna mana hota hai."
I simply nodded. "Theek hai, Maa."
The thought of staying awake didn't feel too difficult, but honestly, I just wanted to curl up in my blanket and shut out the world. So instead, I slipped into my room, stretched lazily on the bed, and began scrolling through my phone. Anything to numb the restless thoughts.
That's when it happened—
Ding dong !!!!
The sharp ring of the doorbell sliced through the soft chanting of Maa's pooja. My heart skipped.
I frowned, muttering to myself, "Pandit ji jaldi kaise aa gaye?"
Without my glasses, the world was a blur, but I knew I couldn't ignore the sound. With a reluctant sigh, I set my phone aside and dragged myself toward the main door.
The metallic handle felt cool under my fingers. I twisted it and pulled the door open
and froze.
Standing right there, framed by the morning glow, were Reema Aunty and Sanjay Uncle.
They weren't strangers, not at all. Their presence carried the comfort of familiarity, but it was still unexpected. My lips parted in surprise, words failing me.
Before I could even greet them, a blur of excitement shot forward -
"Cheyyyaaaaaa!"
It was Vidhi.
She ran into my arms and hugged me so tightly that the air rushed out of my chest. My confusion melted instantly into warmth.
"I really missed you but you haven't kept your promise. You said that you'll come to see me but you never showed up ," she mumbled against my shoulder, her voice carrying that childish honesty no one could fake.
I smiled, my arms wrapping around her slender frame. Vidhi never called me didi or even Shreya. To her, I was always " Cheyyya " her special name for me, something that belonged to us alone.
"I missed you too, Vidhi," I whispered, smoothing her hair. "Chalo, I promise you later we'll go out for your favourite ice cream. Just you and me."
Her eyes lit up instantly, sparkling like stars, and she nodded eagerly.
And in that brief moment, standing at the doorway with Vidhi clinging to me, I felt something unusual stir inside me
a soft reminder that even amidst chaos, life sometimes sent little pockets of light.
But what I didn't know then was that this morning, starting with an unexpected doorbell, would open more than just a gate.
It would open a chain of events… ones I wasn't ready for.