Siddhi Raichand watched her daughter and son stand at the door of the mansion, when her car swifted through the entrance. She smiled to herself. The driver trod down and pulled open the gate to her side.

She retrieved herself from the car and walked towards them as they came forward with satisfactory glitters in their eyes.

" Happy Birthday my baccha!!  " , she hugged Maya first, who reciprocated warmly.

She then hugged Jai tight, and kissed him on the forehead.
" I missed my babies so much. " , she spoke.

" You ought to, mother! Who leaves like that? " , Jai complained.

The driver had already carried her strollers inside, when the three of them walked in through the door.

" Maya.... So what are your special plans for the night? " , Siddhi smiled at Maya.

" I don't remember having special plans on my birthday though. " , she replied back, erasing every smile from her mother's face. But she herself looked quite calm and uncomplaining.

" I asked her if I could arrange for a party. She blatantly denied. I was hurt, but who cares. " , Jai chattered.

Siddhi passed a smile onto him.

And immediately, her eyes caught the unusual.

A woman, with an unfamiliar face, stood at one corner of the living room.

What almost freezed Siddhi, was the hijab that was tightened around her face. She was smiling at her.

A world of questions buzzed in her head. She shifted her gaze to Maya and Jai.

Jai reassuringly stared at Sonara, who was otherwise in a terrible inner struggle, when Siddhi Raichand gaped at her, measuring every inch.

Maya smiled at her mother.

" Mom, she's Sonara Parvez. Mine and Jai's friend. "

This was the exact introduction they had rehearsed. Breaking of the shell could follow anytime, judging the flow of the wind.

Siddhi Raichand was taken aback more than anything on earth.
Sonara came forward.

" Assalam Walaikum aunty. " , she gestured.

Surprised enough to even utter a word, Siddhi only managed to nod.
What exactly was weaving in the house at the moment, was totally beyond her senses.

" Mom, sit. You must be tired.

Nandini!!!
Bring some tea and snacks for Mom. She's home. " , Maya raised her voice.
Then almost pulled Siddhi down on the sofa while sitting beside her.

While Siddhi couldn't shift her gaze from the hijab clad woman in black, who was time and again staring at Jai, she was more displeased with the fact, that he was reciprocating the glances.

" So, dad isn't returning home for another fifteen days. Right? "
Jai said, still standing.

Siddhi nodded again. Unmindfully.

" What happened Mom? Where did you drift away? " , Maya shot.

Siddhi looked at her once, then at Sonara.

" Is she a friend of both of you? How come? I hardly know of you having common friends, most importantly, friends who are..... " , Siddhi now looked at Jai.

" ....who are Muslims? " , Jai finished, without a slight quiver in voice. But Sonara's face went pale, her throat dry.

Siddhi kept her gaze fixed on him, while he smiled wide.

" Staying together with none of you around made us realise that we brother and sister have quite many things in common.
I knew Sonara incidentally, while Maya knew her through someone else.
She brought her home one night, because Sonara was in distress, with a child in arms.
While nowhere on her face was it written she was a Muslim, and no thunder broke loose on this house when we welcomed her without Raghav Raichand's permission. " , Jai completed.

And found a proud Maya staring at him. An equally glowing Sonara took deep breaths.

Whereas Siddhi gawked at him, as if it wasn't even her son talking.

Her face had clear lines of dissatisfaction.

" You talk as if Raghav Raichand isn't even your father, Jai.
You sound so different in such a short period of time, since we left. " , her voice trembled, as she turned to Maya.

" While I was thinking all these while that the siblings were fighting amongst themselves....when Jai disapproved a Muslim employee in Rangruchi, because his father did not like the idea, while you threw him out of the company for the same.

All I see now is you both equally interested in housing some damsel in distress, as if oblivious to the fact of what might be coming when Raghav Raichand steps in the mansion. "

Siddhi Raichand spoke in a single breath.

A silence engulfed the entire mansion following this, with only the sounds of Nandini placing cups and plates on the table.

Sonara did not even let loose a breath. A shiver arose from her insides, but she silenced it with all her might.

Nandini left. Maya passed a smile on to the questioning face of her mother.

" Times change Mom. And the change in time doesn't take much time either. You should be happy that your siblings have begun to understand each others needs. Because their parents have forever been busy with their own needs more than theirs. " , Maya regretted the last couple of words for a second.

Because they had struck a deal, of not hurting mom at any cost in the first place. Sonara looked at her immediately. However, Jai looked unperturbed.

Siddhi was now deeply gaping into her eyes.
" Wow.

We never looked upto your or Jai's needs. Do you want to say that now? Specially Jai's? "

" Great that you cared to leave me alone finally. Why don't you ask Jai, who's standing right beside you?
Ask him, if he has really been taken care of, or just moulded according to your wishes. " , Maya knew she was not in a position to control the lava boiling within her brain for years now.

" Maya!!!!  " , Siddhi stood up.

Sonara shivered.
Jai jumped in to hold Siddhi's shoulder while Maya kept sitting with cold stares.

" Calm down Mom! It's not so. You both have always been supportive of us. But sometimes it's okay to accept changes, let go of old ideals, curse ourselves for having been so stupid to have such ideals. It's okay. " , Jai spoke very softly.

Siddhi pushed his hand away from her shoulder. And glared at him.

" What ideals do you want to let go off now? Your fathers' ?
Wow Jai, slow claps!!! 
You, like your sister, wish hell to break loose again on this house.
Don't you all ever wish to provide me a little peace in life?? " , Siddhi Raichand shouted.

The whole house echoed back her words.

Sonara found streams flowing down her eyes. Maya stood up from the sofa, walked towards her and held her back. Sonara looked at her with welled up eyes, thankfully.

" Why are you screaming, mom?
I don't believe this!!
Just a Muslim friend of ours makes you so insecure!!
Or is it the fact, that you are afraid of your son drifting away from how you designed him? " , Maya almost hissed.

Siddhi fell mum, her eyes red and welling up.

" Di, please.... " , Jai interrupted.
" Mom, why and how do you think Sonara can disrupt peace of Raichand mansion?
Can't we be a little more accepting? "

" More accepting??
It isn't about being more or less accepting.
It's all about being extemely rebellious.
And you have been brainwashed by your sister in the same line.

You bring in a Muslim woman in a house that still has a highly orthodox guardian, and you think it's not a big deal??

That's only because you haven't seen your father's worst.

But you have seen, haven't you, Maya?
Then how did you even take the path of bringing your brother to your line?  " , Siddhi Raichand hissed back.

Sonara could not bear anymore. She stepped aside to leave the place.

" Sonara!! You aren't going anywhere!! " , Jai's baritone shook the hall.

Maya was about to burst as well, but looked at her brother. He raised his palm at her, assuring to take over.
Sonara slowly walked over and stood beside Jai.

Siddhi threw a glance at both of them, trying to judge the equation they shared, and almost freezing within at the possibilities.

" I don't really know what worst of father you are talking of, Mom. But I do know that he has snatched away Maya's love from her life. I have never been told, but I am capable enough to guess.

First of all, you might have judged something regarding Sonara, being my mother. Otherwise you wouldn't have gone over the top and began screaming over Sonara's presence in the house.

Second, Maya hasn't brought me into any of her lines. It's my life, and don't you think that I can be moulded by any of you. I choose, what I think is right, even if that means discarding my old ideals. "

Jai took a deep breath. Three pairs of eyes fixed on him with different expectations.

" Sonara isn't just my friend.

She isn't just a damsel in distress who happens to be a Muslim.

She isn't a temporary guest to Raichand Manson either.

She's my life.

I love her, I love her child who's mine as well.

She's my would be wife.

And I won't mind anyone who comes in between, in the name of 'ideals', even if the person is my own father. "

Calm before the storm.

Sonara stood like a statue, staring at her man. She had even forgotten to breathe.

The dams to Maya's eyes broke loose.
A pair of deep set eyes, of the man she loved, ran through her brains.

And Siddhi Raichand felt she was going to die soon.

A long moment passed this way...

At the end of which...

Consolidating all her might, Siddhi Raichand slapped her son.

With the faintest hope, if this could get him back from the edge of a cliff he was almost at the verge of falling into. Not only himself, but he was about to pull the woman who he claimed to be in love as well.

Because there wasn't a chance they could stand the wrath of Raghav Raichand.

And this time, Siddhi Raichand would definitely die, seeing both her children drifting apart from life, with two burdens.

Love, and religion.

_______

Hello,
Back after a long time with Aurore.
I have decided to not write anymore altu faltu idhar udhar ka stuffs, concentrate and finish this before August 15th. Only this.

The banner has been made by Chrisma. Thank you for that.

The cover, I ordered for and got it designed by @.Lovelydreamer.
It's extremely beautiful according to me.

Don't forget to vote and comment.