Shantivan,

Manorama was walking back to her room, hurriedly, before anyone could notice her presence and didn't see who was in the front. 

"Mami, what happened?" Anjali asked, tensed when she was coming down and bumped into a running Manorama.

Manorama was stupefied and didn't know what excuse to give. She rolled her eyes from left to right and back to left in worry and touched her head, acting as if she is in pain, "Anjali, my head is aching, can you please massage it a little?"

"What's the need to even ask, Mami? Let's go, I'll massage and you can sleep," Anjali offered, worried for the only woman who was always on her side.

Manorama nodded, weak and stumbling on her way — all an act. Anjali helped her to walk to the door of Manorama's room and helped her sit on the bed, ready to massage her head as went up to the dressing table to get the needed oil, adjusting the temperature of the AC so that it doesn't hurt her Mami's head more.

On the other side, Arnav made sure Khushi completed her food and had her medicines without which she wasn't allowed down to the hall.

They made their way toward the hall.

Hall,

Devyani Raizada was informed by JP and right now sitting in front of Ayush Mehrotra and the Guptas, having done with the introduction. All of them were having drinks including Payal who was introduced to Ayush. Payal never saw anyone from her mother — Garima's family relatives. This is the first time she saw someone. Akash had woken up and was freshening up in his room.

When Arnav along with Khushi entered the hall, Garima was the first one to get up and ask, "Khushi Bitiya, how are you?"

"I'm good, Amma!" Khushi smiled, walked up to her mother, and hugged her tightly. Garima caressed her head, smiling at her daughter.

They got out of the embrace only when Khushi heard someone calling her name.

Ayush had imagined a little 8-year-old Khushi looking at a 23-year-old Khushi in Garima's embrace. She had grown up to be a beautiful girl. She had become thin a little. He could only think looking at her lean form. She was a little chubby girl in her childhood. Looking all red and beautiful. Not that she isn't looking beautiful now. She's even more beautiful like the same baby girl when she was born. Her hazel eyes are the same. Twinkling in happiness. Her cheeks were the same too, red and all chubby. He saw the bandage on her head and remembered Garima's words — that she was hit by someone. Just reminding of the words are poking his nerves, raising his temper.

Khushi's reply to Garima had cooled him down and he didn't know when he whispered her name.

Khushi looked at the new face in curiosity. She looked around and found no relative of hers. Is the man in front of her the relative? But she never saw him. Garima followed her gaze and decided to introduce Ayush.

"Khushi, he's your Chacha(uncle). Your father, Karthik Mehrotra's younger brother," Garima said, a little anxious about her reaction, and as she expected, it shocked Khushi.

Khushi never remembered any memories before her kidnap. The faces of every one were just blurred except for her mother and father. And now getting introduced to her Chacha is a shock to her. She didn't even remember she had an uncle.

"Chacha?" she whispered, confused, widening her eyes a little. Her head ached when she tried to remember more. Noticing the change in her stance, a worried Arnav was already beside her, taking her in his arms.

(Uncle?)

"Bitiya, don't try to remember anything! Just relax," Garima caressed her daughter's head, worried for her. Whenever it comes to the forgotten memories she had before she turned nine, she'd become anxious — always but started recovering soon as she grew up She somehow expected the same reaction from her and warned Ayush before taking him to Khushi.

Turned out her hunch wasn't wrong after all.

Ayush was looking at an anxious and confused Khushi all the while.

"Don't you remember him, Khushi Bitya?" Devyani's voice boomed in the silence. She was confused when she didn't see any recognition on Khushi's face and Garima's words only added to that. She did not know the truth, so, that was obvious.

"No," Khushi murmured, slightly. Arnav made her sit on the sofa and sat beside her.

"Khushi has no memories of what happened before her 9th birthday except a few flashes, just her mother and father's face she had in her memories," Garima too sat on the other side of her. Ayush followed after Garima.

Devyani was confused at the information and asked the next question that automatically came into her mind, "Is it because of the accident Khushi Bitiya had gotten into? But she got into an accident when she was 8, isn't she? Or is it 9?"

She asked since she thought it might be the reason behind Khushi's forgotten memories.

"Partially, yes! But she was kidnapped again after that. The trauma had completely erased her memories after that." Garima looked at Khushi who looked calm now, with her husband's arms around her. Khushi knows she was kidnapped by someone and although she remembers seeing the faces who kidnapped her and the faces who saved her, all of their faces and the events were blurred — all black and grey. Khushi had accepted her fate and tried her best not to stress out, tried recovering from the stress the words gave her. The years of practice had given her enough strength not to react wildly to her kidnap conversation.

While it was a known thing to Payal and Gupta(s), Raizadas were shocked who was in the hall — Devyani and Arnav.

"Kya/What?" Devyani and Arnav uttered at the same time, shocked at the new information they weren't aware of.

More so intensely, Arnav — who didn't know about his wife's childhood much.

Garima didn't want to dig the grave and open up nightmares again. That would be exactly that if Raizadas and Khushi knows. It's not the right time too, her daughter is just out of the hospital, and throwing her marriage on fire by revealing the past isn't any good.

Her son-in-law and her daughter might develop differences. Although it didn't seem a possibility to her, she couldn't take any chance.

To divert everyone, and looking at Akash who was coming down the steps she asked, "Where's Manorama-ji and Anjali Bitiya?"

Devyani looked at Payal and was about to ask her when she uttered, who already went to Manorama's room while coming down — to ask for her lunch but they dismissed her, "I knocked on her door. Anjali Di opened it and said Ma-ji has a headache and she is massaging her, that they'll not come down for an hour or more. "

"Manorama?" Ayush whispered, reminded of a woman named Manorama who entered his brother's and his brother's wife's life a long ago.

"Manorama is my son's second wife, and that is Akash, Manorama's son," Devyani turned towards their guest and answered, smiling a little.

"And Payal Bitiya's husband," Garima passed, and Ayush acknowledged, nodding his head, as he stood up shaking his hands with Akash and on realizing who Ayush was, Akash sought blessings. Khushi's Chacha is Payal's Chacha too and he being he, took his blessings.

On the other hand, Khushi and Guptas were shocked. They didn't know about the fact. But Payal was calm, she got to know that recently when she was going through her husband's childhood photos. Her husband could only nod at her confirming the truth, telling about his blood mother with whom he had no memories, he was too small to remember anything. Except for the photos, he had nothing to tune into for looking at her and himself in her arms.

"You could have met Manorama and Anjali but they seemed to be bu.." she trailed off and Ayush only shook his head.

"That's fine, I can meet Manorama-ji and Anjali Bitiya later," he warded off her words.

Devyani smiled at him. Ayush and Garima coming out of the stupor; were soon engrossed in talking to Khushi and how they met Ayush in the temple where they left for Satsang to. Not revealing more details that could stress her.

Khushi being Khushi had tried to be positive and happy meeting her Chacha after a long time. They talked for a long time as HP set the table for lunch.

Khushi would have talked to her Chacha more if he wasn't interrupted by the phone call. A phone call that made him afraid and anxious.

"I need to go, Devyani-ji," he came back to the hall after attending the call, spooning his expressions.

"Have lunch with us and go," Devyani was about to call him for lunch when he came with his words to exit.

Garima could feel something was wrong and looked at her late brother-in-law's brother in curiosity.

"No. I'm sorry but it's an emergency. I'll come again. For now, I've to go," he dismissed her words, apologizing to her to which Devyani could only nod.

Ayush turning towards Khushi who looked sad by his departure, consoled her, caressing her head, smiling at her, "I'll come soon, Sweetie. Take care!"

He kissed her bandaged forehead and got up, getting ready to go. Guptas too took their leave. Khushi and Arnav dropped them out and after hundreds of words that were meant for her health, and warning her not to run around and follow the doctor's instructions, they went away.

While Guptas were busy dwelling on Khushi, Ayush, masking his anxiety, told him to take care of Khushi and send him the medical reports. He wanted to be sure of her health and Arnav nodded, understanding his worry, and comforted him with just his words — he'd take care of his wife, his breath unlike before, and send him the medical reports.

Ayush nodded, a little relieved as they hopped into the SUV they arrived with.

After Khushi was done bidding bye to a disappearing SUV while Arnav shook his head at her another one of the craziness, bidding bye to a disappearing vehicle even if they are not aware of her presence could only be done by Khushi, his wife, a single piece of human on the earth.

Ajeeb(Wierd) Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Riazada!

They walked back to the hall, Devyani was having her lunch along with Akash and Payal, and Arnav made his way toward their bedroom along with Khushi instructing HP to bring his lunch upstairs. As they entered their room, Arnav thought she'd ask about what her Chacha had talked about with him looking at her thoughtful face. But she was Khushi and with Khushi, one can be unpredictable except her husband. Alas! This time he was wrong.

"Arnav-ji, I didn't know Mami is Mama-ji's second wife. Why has no one told me before?" she asked about the other thing that was nagging her mind from the time she heard about it. She even observed

"Maybe the topic never came, Khushi. What is there to hide it anyway?" Arnav shrugged, making her sit on the bed, and adjusting the pillows by the headboard, he made sure she was comfortable. He really didn't want to hide it. It's just that the topic never came and he never had the chance to talk to Khushi about it.

"Akash Jiju.." she trailed off, not knowing how to ask it to face.

"Akash is Mama's and Lalitha Mami's son. He is 1 year old when Lalitha Mami died of post-pregnancy complications," Arnav understood his wife's incomplete question and said to her about Manohar Mama and Lalitha Mami.

"Achha." She bit her lip, looking down. Akash was just 1 year old when his mother died. She was feeling bad for her brother-in-law.

(Oh!)

Arnav passed her more information when she looked at him expectantly, "Mama married Manorama Mami after two years. Manorama Mami used to work at Raizadas for a few months before Mama married her. Akash was 3 and a half years old then. He got to know about this after he grew up and had no issues with the truth."

Khushi nodded her head, acknowledging the truth, and wanted to see Lalitha Mami, "Can I see Lalitha Mami?"

"I'll ask Di. She has those photos," Arnav mumbled, to which Khushi bobbed her head, cutely. She is feeling sleepy and was about to yawn when she heard her husband mutter, "Aren't you sleepy?"

In reply, she completed yawning! Medicine's effect! Arnav made her sleep on the bed properly, tucking her under a thick bedsheet, and adjusting the temperature of the AC, he patted her head who was already sleeping. It didn't take a few seconds for her to fall asleep.

He kissed her forehead, smoothening her cheeks, and only got up when he heard the knock on the door.

HP was there with his food! He needs to have his diabetic medicines too.

———————————————

In the car,

Garima who was sitting beside Ayush had sensed him worrying over something and asked, not holding it up, "What happened, Ayush Jiju?"

"Maya attempted suicide." It was a simple statement but had a lot of meaning behind it.

Maya Mehrotra was his wife, who hid the fact that Khushi was alive all these years and made sure he never contacted Garima. She insulted Garima so badly, that she had no way but to run away from Mumbai with a little Khushi. Maya was after Khushi when she got to know Khushi's dead body wasn't recovered at the accident spot. Thanks to a few good people and Garima who were the reason Khushi was alive. Sensing a danger from Maya, Garima never tried to contact anyone from her brother-in-law's family.

"Hey Bhagwaan," Garima was worried. Even if Maya was cruel to her and Khushi, it was about one's life and that worried her. What could drive a strong woman like Maya to commit suicide? Guilt.. she trailed off not wanting to continue her thoughts.

(Oh, god!)

"We'll come too," Madhumathi from the backseat said wanting to accompany him.

"No. Not now. Let me handle this," he denied. Is it even true that Maya tried to suicide or she had bribed someone to lie again?

"Arohi might be alone in the hotel. What must be her state?" Garima thought about the little girl about 11 years old. Ayush's and Maya's 11-year-old daughter.

"I'll leave Arohi with you for a day if the situation is worse."

"That would be good," she murmurs. Arohi is reminding her of little Khushi. Kids are to be surrounded by positivity and she'd try her best to help Arohi. She had no malice towards the child, so what if she was Maya's daughter? She wasn't even having any strong negative feelings toward Maya.

———————————————

It was a narrow lane in one of the poor areas of Delhi. Sheetal was roaming here and there in the narrow lanes, weak and without food knowing police would never search for her in these areas.

Until she finds some money, she could travel to another city and escape from Delhi, But she doesn't have a single rupee in her hands and the hospital gown with no single jewelry on her body didn't help much.

That was only one young boy who noticed her. He recently joined in the police station as a peon and observed the photo that was kept on the missing board in the station.

He immediately called one of the constables he know and informed him about Sheetal, keeping an eye on her movements.

The police station was one hour away from the slum area and he used to go on his motorbike. The police reached the area after one hour and the young man showed them the shed under which Sheetal sat, all weak and tired.

"How do I get the money? I'm damn hungry! Shyam's again in Jail and by now Arnav would have known about me. I can't go back like a fool. I'd need to trap another person. All of that stupid Sneha! Let her rot in hell with her mad son," she cursed Sneha under her breath, rats were running in her stomach. The only option left for her was to beg! These areas could afford her a penny and a bowl of rice. But does she want that? She looked down on such people, always and no way, she'd beg them.

What else was left to do? Steal?

"Excuse me?" she was thinking a lot about how to get the money when she heard a voice.

"Yeah?" she looked at a man who was dressed in civil. She didn't know he was the police and soon other constables joined him, shocking Sheetal who was about to run away.

"You're under arrest," he cuffed her with handcuffs, cornering her, not allowing her to move from the place.

"How can you arrest me? What did I do? I didn't do anything wrong," she screamed, trying to free herself from their hold.

"Take her to the jeep," he instructed the others who took a screaming Sheetal to custody.

All thanks to Arnav who instructed the police on a personal basis while messaging Aman to bring the files on Sheetal, he also messaged ACP, to file an FIR on Sheetal for cheating his family with a fake kid. And the ACP did as he knew the capability of ASR. Already his team had neglected Shyam's case and he escaped before. To which ASR's wrath was yet to come. That would happen soon when either there would be a phone call between them or a personal meeting. The phone call was better, tho! ACP hoped!

"Sir, we found Sheetal Kapoor. She's in our custody," he called ASR, hoping it would lessen the wrath of ASR, and thankfully, as if the god had granted his wish, ASR muttered in a calm voice, "Great, I'll be coming to the station soon!"

"Sure, ASR! I'll be taking her to the same station as Shyam's."

"But put them in different cells, I want no communication between them." ASR who had completed his lunch had ordered.

"Okay, ASR. I'll make sure of that," he agreed, walking up to his jeep and Arnav cut the call.

He wanted to freshen up and walked towards the cupboard to take out clothes when he heard HP knock on his door again.

"Arnav Bhaiya, Aman sir is here."

Finally! Aman is here with the files.

"Tell him to sit in the study room," he commanded and HP, nodding, walked away.

Sheetal is caught and her history will be caught too! 

To be continued..,

Let me know what you think about the update.

Chacha - Uncle

Bitiya - Daughter

Sheetal is caught and her deeds will have proof, too!

Why Maya attempted suicide? What do you think?

How's the twist about Manorama?

What do you think about a 9-year-old Khushi's kidnap?

Regards,

polymath_land

20/01/2021