“You’re not bothering me,” Meera said. She crossed the kitchen and ruffled his hair in the way she’d come to do when he’d forgotten to eat. “How much do you need?”
Step 2: The Money Meera opened her purse and handed Aarav some cash—enough for a deposit on the ticket and a little for the first day’s expenses. He started to refuse, face lighting with discomfort, but she stopped him with a gentle look. “You’ll pay me back when you can. Or don’t. That’s not the point.” She set a small notebook next to the cup of chai and wrote, “Goa Trip Fund — Aarav.” “We’ll call it an advance on memories,” she joked. He laughed, and the sound filled the kitchen in a way that made them both lighter. “You’re not bothering me,” Meera said
Rajeev, watching from his armchair, finally relaxed. The tension that had defined their blended family for five years began to dissolve. Neeta wasn't a threat to the memory of Aarav’s biological mother; she was a bridge to his independence. Step 2: The Money Meera opened her purse
