The Strangers - Across the Silent Heartbeat-Chapter 22: Ayesha Becomes Part of the Family

Ayesha found herself visiting Arjun quite frequently. Sita and Rajesh treated her like she had been homebred. Every visit had some experience in store for her. Exploration was definite; coupled with it came laughter, learning, and love.

In the afternoon glory, Ayesha showed up with the box of sweets that she might have bought from some renowned shop at Dhaka. She handed that to Sita with a saucy gesture and face welcome on her face. "Thanks, dear. They look delicious!"

She had spent the entire day in the kitchen with Sita, cooking traditional Indian food. Sita explained and taught Ana how to prepare each and everything that happened to be Arjun's favorite. The recipes and techniques of cooking help work wonders when it comes to connecting a person. It was fragrance; the air was filled with bursts of their laughter and endless chatter. Her initial awkwardness melted when Sita opened her heart toward her.

Sita and Ayesha had been relating stories about Arjun ever since he was born, ever since they started cooking. "He would always be so shy—you know—like, he would always hide behind my saree whenever guests came over," Sita said and suddenly burst into giggles. That small image of Arjun behind his mother's saree was such a vivid picture in Ayesha's mind that she let out a sudden guffaw.

Finally, after a long time, they all sat down to dinner. For all these hours, Ayesha had been helping with kitchen work. Rajesh was complimenting her; she got along so well with dinner preparations.

"This is excellent, Ayesha. You really have a head for cooking," he told her.

Arjun was looking toward her with pride and told her, "See, I told you they would love your cooking."

He went on updating her with the evening breeze coming in on thoughts of dinner, ready to be served, while speaking of dreams where the future lay for him.

He took her hand in his; at that moment, passion and happiness were both there in his eyes.

He said she was a part of him. "Oh, I'm so grateful you're here," he said softly.

She bent her head toward his shoulder and smiled. "So am I, Arjun. Your family is so beautiful. I don't know—something about this place. I kinda feel like I'm at home here."

One week later, she went to the house of Arjun with her violin. The music was in such a tune that it filled the house with tunes which Sita and Rajesh listened spellbound, and he watched how the love that he had in his heart filled every aspect covered by admiration for Ayesha.

Though they had in mind plans for the day, after all, a surprise celebration was planned for his parents in the mode of decorated houses full of colored lights and many other decorations just to impart some impression of the small family celebration. Ayesha. The excitement was there even in Arjun, and so were Sita and Rajesh themselves as they held parts of the celebrations in hand with immense excitement.

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Next evening, all of them danced to the folk music. Ayesha was such a great dancer; even her steps were so becoming. He couldn't even get his eyes off her—a good sign that Arjun was already entirely under the mesmerization of beauty and grace in Ayesha. They laughed together, danced together, and hence made some memories which will always endure.

She shared with her—the kind of advice which was most precious. The wisdom and experience of years would be given away so generously, but then it would be so precious. And Ayesha would soak in every bit, take it all in. "You do own a really beautiful heart, Ayesha. I am so glad Arjun found you," she said and clutched her hand.

She was being treated in a way to which she never accustomed herself; she stood less as his visitor than as his sister. Bonds of love and trust between them grew deeper and deeper with every visit.

He felt that with Ayesha, he got a young spirit who brings joy, brains, and passion to their boy. The girl tries her best to bring out only the best in him. At the end of it all, she said, she makes their son happy, because in fact they had sincerely realized, will be everything that they would ever want for their son.

Added to those weeks, months increased in bonding between Ayesha and Arjun; they clung closer. Together they stayed against everything life poured over them, thick and thin. And with each day, a little more love stuck to this beautiful tapestry of shared experiences and moments cherished forever.

It was such an emotional moment that amidst flowers and soft breeze, Sita turned back and then pulled toward Ayesha.

"You know, Ayesha, you have brought in so much cheer into our lives. You are like family now."

Ayesha's eyes misted. " Thank you, Sita. That means so much to me."

The more she spent time with the family of Arjun, the more she began to realize that very slowly indeed, some form of solace might be found again in life. Just the home away from home, being with people in front of whom she can really be herself—who understands her—with something really special at its core among this lovely family.

So much was hoped within it; it was their new beginning. Far more colors continued to be added to the story of love each day until it filled the painting of life with colors and became a memory worth keeping for the years.