26th May 1997

Last few days had flown by for the family of four and now the day was here for Eva and Daadi to travel back to India.

Eva had packed her bags the night before and now was spending the little time she had left to clean her room and making sure to put the pager in the box of memories underneath the stacks of envelopes away from Vikram just in case he decided to come into her room and be nosy. Eva was closing the closet door when Adil stepped into her room exclaiming "cous you still packing?! You and Daadi have a flight to catch come on hurry up!"

"I'm coming" Eva mumbled to the amusement of Adil who rolled his eyes. He left her in the room.

Eva grabbed the closed rucksack bag on the bed alongside looking into the small mirror brushing back any hairs. Pleased to see that her hair was cooperating, she stepped out of the bedroom closing the door behind her to go down the stairs to meet up with the others.

Surprised to see the door open Eva stepped out to see the twins chatting eagerly with Paul leaning by the driver's door with a different car.

"Paul! Why are you here? Again?" Eva exclaimed strolling up to them as three pairs of eyes shifted their gazes to look at her.

"We invited him to come pick you and Daadi up" Adil replied.
"She would not bother talking down on you in the car with Paul there beside you" Aadesh added with a gentle smile.

"Aww you two can be so sweet when you want to be" Eva cooed at the twins who shrugged their shoulders.

"Anyway we have things to do. I'll miss you couz. Please do not forget to greet our family back home for us" Aadesh responded moving forward to give his cousin a tight hug, letting go to allow Adil press a kiss on her forehead and give his own hug.

"He wants to use this chance to see Sophia while I'm the third wheel sadly" Adil sighed wrinkling his nose at the thought.

Wordlessly Aadesh dragged his brother away from the pair to walk elsewhere.

"Love don't give me that look. I hate when you look at me with disdain. The twins were right don't you think?" Paul addressed with a lopsided smile.

"Ugh Paul you never go by the rules. I feel you do these surprises to get some fun out of this" Eva responded pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Now love why would I follow the rules? Aren't rules meant to be broken? You should know by now I will never play with your emotions. I am too much of a gentleman to try and hurt my precious friend" Paul drawled sweetly while drinking from his jug of jasmine tea.

Just as Eva was about to respond to his statement Daadi walking out of the front door to see her granddaughter and that same boy from last week together chatting. This was not tolerated by the old woman.

"Child why is the door wide open? You want thieves to enter and steal everything eh?! Lock the door! We do not have time to waste." Daadi barked startling poor Eva as she obeyed leaving Paul to face the old woman.

Paul inwardly rolled his eyes at the treatment that Eva had to face because of this old woman.

Wish my pal was here to see this for himself. He thought inwardly.

"So how is your father young man? Has his health become better?" Daadi inquired curiously.

"He is getting much better each day with the medicine" Paul answered faking a sad smile at the old woman.

"That is good news. Let me give you some more money to help out" Daadi replied eagerly going through her purse to find a tenner to hand over to Paul.

At this point Paul just kept his mouth shut knowing any protest would just egg on the woman to take the money. He bought his hand out watching the tenner fall onto his palm. Once in his hand he put the money into his wallet for safekeeping (he was going to give the money to his nephew when he sees him). Thankfully Eva came back seconds later to see Paul putting his wallet in the back pocket of his navy blue jeans.

"Now let us go. You can sit in front Eva" Daadi barked to the duo. The pair nodded together but secretly rolling their eyes at her behavior.

Once everyone was sat in the car with seatbelts secured against their chests, Paul started the engine and they were on their way to the airport.

Two hours later after a quick farewell from Paul the two family members immediately gave their bags to the checking section to be weighed. Knowing their luggages were secure they walked quickly to the gate of their destination.

.

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Eight hours later the two women walked out of the airport together both exhausted by the long journey. Eva was grateful they had packed three suitcases instead of six Daadi originally wanted to carry but the twins and Vikram persuaded her out of the idea. Standing under the shade the airport roof thinking quietly for a moment till Eva decided to ask what the plan was.

"Daadi where are we going?" Eva questioned fanning herself using a rolled up newspaper.

"Child we will visit my sister. After seeing her we will make our way to Delhi early in the morning tomorrow. Is that clear?" Daadi replied in tired voice.

"Yes Daadi that sounds wonderful" Eva replied happily at the chance to see her other Daadi who loved her.

Without a word Daadi's eyes swept around the area when she spotted a young man wiping the windows of the neon green and yellow taxi car. The young taxi driver paused his task wiping the sweat off his forehead to spot two women watching him not too far from where he stood.

They look lost. Perhaps this will be a chance to make some cash today.

He thought silently.

Abandoning his car he approached them striking a conversation with Daadi over the taxi prices.

Minutes later the young man was gritting his teeth as he held his hand out waiting for the cash. Daadi dropped the money onto his hand with a smug smile finding his expression to be quite hilarious. While Eva watched on pitying him for submitting to her demand in prices.

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The pair stepped out of the taxi sighing heavy turning around to face the taxi when they saw the driver come out of the car to unlock the back boot bringing their luggage out then placed the suitcases in front of them then left wishing the duo farewell.

Now standing in front of the door, Daadi knocked three times stepping back hearing the approaching foot steps walking towards the door. The door opened revealing Daadi's fraternal twin in a nightgown and hair plaited back into a loose braid.

"Riya? What are you doing here?!" Adra gasped wondering why her sister was here at this time of the night.

"I have come back with Eva it is time for the marriage union. There is nowhere else we can go till we go to Delhi tomorrow. Come child" Daadi explained to her sister as Adra stepped aside to allow her sister and granddaughter entry into her home.

"Why did you not call?" Adra questioned sighing.

"We did not need to" Daadi huffed back at her sister as Eva turned around to bring the luggage inside the home while the sisters walked further till they were in the living room.

Now seated in the room under the cool air blowing from the ceiling fan above the two sisters sat side by side staring each other down.

Daadi noticed her twin was still slim with strands of grey peppered in the toffee brown hair and hazel eyes a complete opposite to her own heavy set frame and jet black gradually graying.

"I see grey hairs sprouting in your hair Adra" Daadi commented to her sister.

"I can see the same grey hairs Riya. We are not young women anymore" Adra replied back with a sigh.

"How is your husband and your sons with their wives?" Daadi inquired shifting the conversation to another topic.

"Neither of them are home tonight they will be back tomorrow evening. How is the planning for Eva and how are my other babies doing?" Adra replied.

"Humph the boys are well but nothing is going well, none of the best shops in London are good enough for this wedding. That is why we are back home to find something better" Riya complained to her sister who could only stare back at her infuriated.

"Did you give her the chance to show you something to try before you said no?" Adra asked her sister.

"Of course! What she showed me was too bright for her brown skin! I did not want her to stand out against Vikram" Daadi answered.

"Bahan you always want control eh? The girl cannot help why she was born!" Adra snapped at her sister. She was tired of the constant belittlement towards their eldest granddaughter.

At that moment Eva walked into the room to see the two sisters were glaring each other down.

"I am going to bed it is late. I will see you all in the morning" Riya said rising to her feet and walking out of the room leaving the duo alone.

"Did she say something crazy Daadi Adra?" Eva asked curiously sitting by her side with a small smile.

"Vivu do not mind that old woman she is never satisfied now how are you! You can tell me all about the United Kingdom" Adra replied with wave of her hand, changing the subject to find more about her.

"Well um ..." Eva began to explain to Daadi Adra about her adventures in the United Kingdom till she was cut off by the older woman when she heard she had met someone.

"Wait child who is this young boy?! You are gushing so much about him and his friend? Eh was It Paulo?" Adra pointed out with eyebrows raised smirking at her grandchild.

"His friend's name is Paul Daadi and ah yes he is a good friend of mine---"Eva continued on before she was cut again off by the older woman.

"I doubt he is a friend child I know you are lying" Daadi chuckled, wagging her finger at Eva.

"Ok he is more than a friend... You do not mind he is not of Asian descent?" Eva confessed sadly.

"Now child why would I care? History is repeating itself again. I just wish you had met him on better terms. I wish your parents had not allowed Riya to have control over everything. If she had tried it with me I would have not been able to be with your grandfather today" Adra advised to Eva who breathed a sigh of relief knowing at least she had someone who had her back over what was going back home.

"I wish I could get out of this arrangement Daadi. Vikram is not right for marriage. The things he has done to me..." Eva answered with a tired yawn.

"My sister is only doing this to make sure wealth stays in the family. But I do believe something will happen to get you out of this situation child. Let fate do its work and enjoy the time you have with that young man" Adra advised patting her hand in assurance. Not listening to any protests from her granddaughter Adra stood announcing they should get some sleep.

Daadi Adra guided Eva to second guest room whereas Daadi Riya was asleep in the first guest bedroom. Once Adra saw that she was comfortable she left to go to bed herself.