Aroma of "belongingness"

Having grown up in an orphanage, I was unaware of many family traditions, and whenever I saw my friends celebrating their joys, sorrows, and festivals with their family members, I felt not only alone in the world but perhaps the most unfortunate person. After completing my studies, I started traveling to many different countries because of my job. I met many different kinds of people. We experience all sorts of things in life, and we learn something from everyone, but this was the first time a week of my life became memorable. Due to my work, I had to stay in another country for a few weeks. This wasn't new to me, but staying there felt a little difficult. It was my first day at the office, and I met many new people, people with different personalities, but everyone was special in their own way. That's where I met Siddharth, and circumstances were such that I just wanted to forget that encounter, but that didn't happen. It became the most special encounter of my life. Siddharth and I were working on the same project. We had very different ways of thinking, but our goal was the same. We agreed on some things, but mostly we disagreed, which led to arguments. We had to submit design drafts to some customers, and he rejected the design I had created. Because of this, we had a fight in front of everyone in the office. Some of his words stung me like thorns, and I left the office. A few hours later, I received a call from him. I answered the phone. He asked me, "Where are you? Leaving the office in the middle of the day is wrong, don't you know?" I replied, "You finish your work and send the design to the customer. I've taken the day off." Saying this, I hung up the phone and just sat alone and sad on the office rooftop. A few hours later, I came down from the building to go to my room. I thought about booking a cab, but my phone had switched off. This place was new to me, and I was also feeling scared. Just then, Siddharth stopped his car in front of me and said, "I'll give you a ride. It's going to rain, and you'll get sick if you get wet." Looking at the weather outside and feeling apprehensive, I said, "Okay," and got into his car. We drove a little further, and then Siddharth said to me, "I'm sorry for what happened at the office. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."I couldn't help but laugh when I saw his innocent face as he apologized. Our argument was over now. We reached my room in no time while talking. I asked Siddharth if he had eaten, and he said no, he was very hungry. I told him to come in, I would make food for myself and he could have dinner with me. After thinking for a while, he said, "No, maybe some other time..." Saying this, he left. I went to my room, made food for myself, and after finishing my work, when I went to sleep, the half-hour conversation we had in the car kept running through my mind. It felt like I was missing Siddharth. The next morning when I went to the office, my eyes were searching for Siddharth, but he wasn't there. I found out he had taken the day off. The office felt empty without him, and I couldn't concentrate on my work. After finishing all my work, I went to my room. I made food for myself, and then there was a knock at my door. I opened the door and saw Siddharth. I smiled at him, invited him in, and set two plates on the dining table. While I was serving the food, he sat silently. I asked him what was wrong, I had never seen him so quiet. He said, "I wasn't feeling well today, and I didn't see you all day either. I don't know why, but I just wanted to see you. By evening, I couldn't control my desire." Interrupting him, I said, "Why, didn't you fight with me today? So the day wasn't complete?" My words were meant as a tease, but the truth was, I also felt a sense of incompleteness today. We ate our food in silence, and Siddharth just got up and left without saying anything.He started taking my tiffin box without asking me, and whenever I opened my box, I would find it empty. I don't know why, but he had developed a habit of eating the food I cooked. He started coming to my room to eat dinner with me every night. We both started getting used to each other's company. He started taking care of every little and big thing about me, and now I also started caring about everything he did. After finishing work at the office, he told me, "Come with me, I want to take you somewhere." He held my hand and took me downstairs to his car. Before I could ask him anything, he said, "Just sit down without asking any questions." I didn't say anything and went with him. He took me to his house. I asked him, "Why did you bring me here? What happened?" He said, "Just come with me." I don't know why, but I felt like asking him questions, but I just wanted to hold his hand and walk with him. I went inside, and it was as if everyone was waiting for us. I met his parents and his siblings there. It felt like they had known me for a long time; I wasn't a stranger to them. For the first time today, I got the opportunity to sit with a complete family. I could hear everyone's conversations and laughter, which was giving me a lot of peace. Then Siddharth's mother said, "Come on, it's time to eat. Everyone come to the dining table." I went to the kitchen with his mother, but his sister held my hand and took me to the dining table and said, "You sit comfortably, we'll do it." I felt a sense of belonging with them. I felt good with all of them. It felt like I had found a family. Then I saw the dishes on the dining table, which included puran poori, vegitable and some sweets. The aroma of the food was delicious. I asked Siddharth's mother, "Aunty, what is this?" I couldn't finish what I was saying when Siddharth came to me, and everyone in the house was looking at me with smiling eyes. I couldn't understand anything. Then Siddharth said to me, "You've come to the house for the first time, that's why Mom made this. Listen, I want to share my joys and sorrows with you. I want to travel every journey of life with you." I was very surprised and I couldn't understand what to do, but my heart started beating fast. The sparkle in my eyes and the happiness inside me were something I had never felt before. Siddharth said to me, "If you want to stay with me, just take one step towards me." With a smile on my face, I moved towards him. The atmosphere of the house had completely changed; it was as if happiness was roaming around the house. Then Mom said, "Okay, everyone sit down now and eat, the food is getting cold." We all ate together. It was the first time I was eating with the whole family, where everyone felt like my own. We spent a very good time. It was getting late, so I told Siddharth to drop me to my room because I had to go to the office early tomorrow. I was just about to leave the house after meeting everyone when Siddharth's mother said to me, "Siddharth told us about you. You are the first girl he has liked. Do you know why Puran Puri was made at home today?" I replied, "No, Aunty." Then she explained that it's a tradition to make Puran Puri when the daughter-in-law comes home for the first time. From today onwards, you are a member of our family, so now call me Mom, not Aunty." I called her Mom for the first time. Today, I not only found a life partner but also a mother, father, brother, and a sister. This trip to my office gave me the most special thing in life: I found a whole family here. The taste and aroma of Puran Puri lingered in my life. Made with unparalleled flavors and several beautiful traditions, this Puran Puri became the most beautiful fragrance in my lifeThis was the first time I had experienced eating a meal with a family. It was very special, and now I know that I have a family too.....!!!