Family of Shaows

[sexonmind]

Chapter 9 part 3

Aruna returned to Sunandha's house the following evening, carrying the air of someone who had successfully wrapped up a long and tiring task. She found Sunandha in the living room, going through a photo album.

"Everything went well in Kakinada," Aruna began, sitting across from her stepmother. "How was the ceremony here?"

Sunandha glanced up, a warm but tired smile on her face. "It went smoothly. A few relatives stayed longer than expected, but overall, it was peaceful. Look," she said, sliding the album toward Aruna. "These are some of the photos from the ceremony."

Aruna flipped through the pictures, her sharp eyes scanning each face. The familiar faces of relatives and acquaintances filled the pages until she stopped abruptly. Her gaze lingered on two men standing near the back of a group photo—Yedukondalu and Anand.

Her heart skipped a beat, but she masked her reaction with a casual smile. "Ah, I see everyone made it," she said, feigning indifference as she flipped to the next page.

Sunandha nodded, oblivious to Aruna's internal turmoil. "Yes, it was good to see so many people come together to honor Narendra's memory. Those two," she pointed at Yedukondalu and Anand in the photo, "seemed particularly close to him. They spoke a lot about the old days."

Aruna’s smile widened, though it didn’t reach her eyes. "How nice," she said, closing the album and handing it back to Sunandha. "It’s comforting to know people still remember him fondly."

But inside, her mind was racing. Yedukondalu and Anand... of all people.

She quickly composed herself and added, "It’s a good thing I went to Kakinada. It seems I avoided unnecessary drama here."

Sunandha raised an eyebrow. "Drama?"

"Oh, nothing," Aruna said, brushing it off with a laugh. "Just a thought."

As she went to her room, Aruna couldn’t help but smirk to herself. Her decision to attend the Kakinada ceremony instead of staying at Sunandha's had been a calculated one—and it had paid off. If she had been here, there was a real chance Yedukondalu or Anand might have brought up the scandal from her past, unraveling the carefully constructed life she was building.

For now, she had dodged the bullet. But Aruna knew she couldn’t rely on luck forever. Yedukondalu and Anand might not have said anything this time, but they were loose ends—and loose ends had a way of causing trouble when left untied.

Back at the college, Babu and Jasmine were sitting on the steps of their campus library, watching the sunset. Their usual spot. Jasmine sipped on her lemonade, while Babu tore pieces off a sandwich, tossing crumbs for the birds nearby.

“So,” Jasmine started, “how’s your brilliant plan for the group project going?”

Babu smirked. “Brilliant is the right word. Give me some credit.”

She rolled her eyes. “You haven’t started, have you?”

“Not the point,” he said with a laugh, dodging her question. “Anyway, let’s talk about you. Still working on getting rid of that ‘dangerous vibe’ you seem to have? Or are you fine scaring off all the guys on campus?”

Jasmine shot him a look. “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’re one of those people who think I’m some femme fatale or something.”

Babu shrugged casually. “Not saying I do. But some might.”

She raised an eyebrow, curious. “Like who?”

“Well...” Babu hesitated, looking down at the crumbs on his hand. “Vicky, for one. He has a lot to say about you, you know. Like, how you’re way out of everyone’s league or whatever.”

Jasmine narrowed her eyes. “Wait, you’ve been talking to Vicky? What’s he been saying?”

Babu leaned back, sensing her growing interest. “Nothing much. Just... he mentioned your birthday. Said he stayed at your place that night.”

Jasmine paused mid-sip, her expression unreadable. “He told you that?”

“Yeah,” Babu said, looking at her carefully. “Not like he was bragging or anything. Just... mentioned it.”

She put her lemonade down, crossing her arms. “And you believed him?”

He shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I? I mean, it’s not a big deal. You’ve been friends forever, right? Makes sense.”

Jasmine stared at him, searching his face. “So, you’ve thought all this time that he stayed over... and you never brought it up? Never judged me?”

Babu tilted his head, confused. “Judged you for what? You’re an adult, Jasmine. Your life, your choices. I just figured it was none of my business.”

Her chest tightened at his words. For weeks, she’d noticed how Babu treated her—always friendly, teasing, but never disrespectful or condescending. He didn’t make her feel self-conscious, even when others whispered about her.

“Babu,” she began, her tone softening, “Vicky and I... we did try to be something more at one point. But it didn’t work. We’re just friends now. That night... he stayed over because he got drunk, and I didn’t want him driving. He slept on the couch. Nothing happened.”

Babu nodded slowly, his expression calm. “Figured it was something like that. Vicky’s lucky, though.”

“Lucky?” she echoed, surprised.

“Yeah,” he said with a smile. “To have you as a friend. You’re loyal, and you don’t let people push you around. That’s rare.”

Her heart skipped a beat at his words. She looked away, suddenly flustered. “You’re such a weirdo, you know that?”

“Thanks. I try,” he said with a grin, tossing the last crumb to a bird.

Jasmine couldn’t help but smile, but deep down, something shifted. Babu had thought the worst—believed the rumors—and yet, his behavior toward her never changed. He hadn’t judged her, hadn’t treated her differently.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, she realized for the first time that there was more to Babu than she’d given him credit for. A seed of something unfamiliar—admiration, maybe even affection—had been planted.

Few days later, Babu sat at the corner table of the café, scrolling through his phone while waiting for Gita, Their meeting was Setup over the phone last night.  A few minutes later, Gita walked in, carrying her bag slung over one shoulder. She spotted him immediately and waved with a smile.

“Babu Anna! Sorry, I’m late. Got stuck in class,” she said, sliding into the seat across from him.

“No worries,” Babu replied, setting his phone aside. “What’s up? You seem pretty busy these days.”

“Tell me about it!” Gita sighed, resting her chin on her hand. “This semester is killing me. Engineering’s no joke, you know? Assignments, projects, deadlines—it’s endless.”

Babu chuckled. “I don’t envy you. College life, huh? At least you’ve got some direction. I remember being clueless during my first year.”

“Clueless? You? Hard to believe,” Gita teased, her eyes twinkling. “What did you even do back then?”

“Let’s just say I spent more time figuring out what not to do,” Babu said with a grin. “But seriously, you’ll be fine. You’ve always been smart, and you’ve got that determination. Just don’t let the pressure get to you.”

Their conversation shifted to lighter topics—funny professors, campus gossip, and random stories from their childhoods. Gita found herself laughing more than she had in weeks.

As they were talking, a group of Gita’s friends passed by the café window. One of them nudged another. “Hey, isn’t that Gita? Who’s that guy she’s with?”

“Wow, he’s cute,” another whispered. “Think she’ll introduce us?”

Later that day, Gita’s friends cornered her in class. “Okay, spill! Who’s the guy you were with at the café?”

Gita blinked, startled. “Oh, you mean Babu Anna? He’s just a family friend.”

“Anna? Come on, Gita. He doesn’t look like an ‘Anna’ kind of guy. He’s seriously handsome!”

Gita brushed off their comments, but the teasing left her feeling self-conscious. The next few times she met Babu, she noticed her own hesitation before addressing him as “Anna.” Eventually, it slipped away entirely, and she just called him “Babu.”

Their meetings remained casual, but Gita began to pay closer attention to him—the way he spoke, the way he made her feel comfortable, and, most importantly, how he never judged her for anything. Slowly, their friendship deepened, and Gita found herself looking forward to their conversations more than ever before.

Back at the Government quarters in the quiet living room, where Aruna and Sunandha sit together. Sunandha is flipping through a magazine, while Aruna seems unusually thoughtful, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of the sofa.

“Amma,” Aruna began, breaking the silence.

Sunandha looked up, surprised by her tone. “Yes, Aruna? What’s on your mind?”

“I’ve been thinking… I want to start working.”

Sunandha’s eyes widened with delight, and she set the magazine aside. “That’s a wonderful decision, Aruna! I’ve always known you have so much potential. I’m so proud of you.”

Aruna gave a faint smile. “Thank you, Amma. But I’ll need a little help. I was hoping you could talk to Purushotham about giving me a job. He manages so many businesses, and I’m sure he could find something suitable.”

Sunandha paused for a moment, considering her request. “That’s a good idea. Purushotham is a capable and understanding young man. I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to help. Let me call him now.”

She picked up her phone and dialed Purushotham’s number. It rang twice before he answered, his cheerful voice carrying through the speaker.

“Hello, Aunty! What a pleasant surprise,” Purushotham greeted warmly.

“Hello, Purushotham,” Sunandha replied with a smile. “I need a favor from you.”

“Of course, Aunty. Anything you need, just say the word.”

“Well, Aruna has decided she wants to start working, and I immediately thought of you. Is there a position she could fill in one of your businesses?”

Purushotham’s response was immediate. “Aruna wants to work? That’s fantastic! Of course, Aunty, I’d be honored to help. She can start whenever she’s ready. I’ll personally make sure everything is arranged.”

Sunandha’s face lit up with gratitude. “Thank you, Purushotham. I knew I could count on you.”

“Aunty, it’s the least I can do for our family. Just tell Aruna to drop by, and we’ll get everything sorted.”

Sunandha hung up and turned to Aruna, her smile brimming with pride. “It’s done. Purushotham is more than happy to help. He said you can start whenever you’re ready.”

Aruna gave a small nod, her expression steady. “Thank you, Amma. I promise I’ll make the most of this opportunity.”

Sunandha placed a hand gently on Aruna’s shoulder. “I know you will. This is a big step forward, and I’m proud of you for taking it.”

Aruna nodded again, a flicker of determination crossing her face. Though Sunandha saw this as a chance for growth, Aruna already viewed it as an opportunity to steer her life—and perhaps others’—in a direction of her choosing.

Aruna arrived at Purushotham's office with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. The polished interior, bustling employees, and efficient atmosphere of the building spoke of his success. As she entered his private cabin, Purushotham greeted her warmly, gesturing for her to take a seat.

"Welcome, Aruna. I’ve been looking forward to this," he said, closing his laptop and giving her his full attention.

“Thank you, Purushotham,” Aruna replied, still unsure about what to expect. She took a deep breath and decided to address the matter directly. “I wanted to talk about my role here. What position am I starting with, and what will my responsibilities be?”

Purushotham leaned back in his chair, smiling. “You’ll be joining as the Assistant General Manager.”

Aruna’s eyes widened in surprise. “Assistant General Manager? Purushotham, that’s… that’s way more than I expected. I thought I’d start with something small, maybe even as an unpaid intern. I don’t want any special treatment just because of our relationship or because Amma asked you.”

Purushotham’s expression grew serious. “Aruna, I understand where you’re coming from, but I can’t treat you like just another employee—not because of Sunandha Aunty or even our bond, but because of Narendra Uncle.”

Aruna tilted her head, curious. “What do you mean?”

Purushotham sighed, his gaze distant as he began narrating. “Back when I was struggling to find my footing, your father was a pillar of support for me. I had just started working for a small company after college, and I was unsure about what direction my career would take. One day, I met Narendra Uncle at a family function. He took an interest in my plans and aspirations, and he saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself.”

He paused, his voice thick with emotion. “Uncle didn’t just give me advice; he went out of his way to help me financially and emotionally. He even vouched for me when I decided to start my own venture. Without him, I wouldn’t be where I am today. He believed in me when no one else did. His trust and support changed my life.”

Aruna listened intently, her emotions a mix of pride and sorrow as she thought of her father.

Purushotham continued, “So, when Sunandha Aunty called me, asking if I could give you a job, I didn’t see it as a favor. I saw it as an opportunity to honor your father’s memory. You deserve a position that reflects the respect I have for him—and for you. You’re not getting special treatment, Aruna. You’re getting what I believe you’re capable of handling.”

Aruna was silent for a moment, absorbing his words. She felt a deep sense of gratitude and a renewed determination. “Thank you, Purushotham. I’ll work hard and prove that I’m worthy of this position.”

“I have no doubt you will,” he said with a reassuring smile. “And remember, I’m always here to guide you.”

As she left his office later, Aruna couldn’t help but feel a mix of pride and responsibility. Her father’s legacy had paved the way for her, and she was determined to make the most of it. But deep down, she also saw this as an opportunity to shape her future—and perhaps gain some control over the dynamics within her family.

Continued in next part