Alia was lying in her room deep in thoughts and was still in her school uniform as she had taken all her clothes when she left from there. There was a knock on her door and Shashank entered her room with food. She sat up. “Bacha, have food and then I will buy you some clothes, I know you took all your clothes with you and now you have none left,” he said, she somewhat smiled and took the food from him. He began to leave but then she stopped him. He turned to her. “Who made the food?” she asked.

“Me, who else?” he asked. “You? You never used to prepare food before, I never saw this avatar of yours before, dad,” she said in a shock. “So now you saw it, have it, and then I will take you with me,” he said and again began to leave but she stopped him and stood up. “Dad, when will you make me meet bhai? And have you talked to mom about me staying here? Is she okay with it?” she asked and he sighed. “Beta how many questions will you ask in a go? You will get your answers, please right now have food,” he said.

“Dad please? Tell me? Else I won’t have anything nor will I go with you for shopping,” she said and pouted, he chuckled. “What did I say earlier? You have to wait for some days to meet Dev,” he said. “Why? Who took him? Do you know? How do you know? Where is he?” she asked and he firmly held her shoulders. “Beta, that’s what I am saying, finding him would take time meri jaan,” he said. “Okay, but remember do it soon, it doesn’t matter if he’s my half brother because a brother is a brother, I don’t have any other siblings,” she said folding her arms on her chest, he nodded and caressed her hair.

“Okay bubba,” he said. “And give me my full answer, have you talked to mom about me staying here? Is she okay with it?” she asked. “Yes beta, I will talk to her,” he said. “What? Means you didn’t talk to her? And brought me here just like that? Call her, talk to her, now,” she said and sat on the bed frowning at him. He nodded and phoned Ishwari who picked it. “What’s it Shashank?” she asked angrily.

“I am just telling that Alia is staying with me for some days,” he said and she got shocked. “What? How dare you?” she asked. “She agreed to it, now she only wants to know if you’re okay with it,” he said and she sighed. “Make me talk to her right now,” she said and he gave her the phone. “Hallo Alia, how’s you bacha? Is everything okay?” she asked. “Mom I am fine, dad just came to the school all of a sudden and took me saying that he would make me meet bhai, but I have to wait for some days,” Alia told her.

“What? Bacha give the phone to him,” she said and Alia gave him the phone. “Why are you angry Ishwari?” he asked. “You were careless with Dev and now you want Alia also to go  missing? Bring her here immediately, when you didn’t do anything before to find Dev, what would you do now? You’re the world’s worst father to separate a daughter from her mother, its just your trick to keep her with yourself that’s it, I know you won’t make her meet Dev, Shashank, bring her back to me,” she said angrily.

Shashank kept the phone on speaker. “Alia, I am forcing police by my power to find Dev, don’t you trust me?” he asked. “I trust you dad, but mom?” she asked. “Ishwari, agree yaar please, you also can’t separate a daughter from her father, when I am saying I will take care of her and bring back Dev then I will bring him back, then we all will stay together like a happy family,” he said. “Don’t even think of it, you cheated on me once, I won’t let you cheat me again, I will fight for Dev and Alia both, they both will stay with me, and you will be alone as per your karma,” she said and disconnected the call. He put the phone back in his pocket.

“When did you cheat my mom?” she asked. “Beta it was a mistake,” he said. “Such a mistake that broke our family, dad,” she said sadly and tears rolled down her cheeks. He hugged her. “I am sorry,” he said. She calmed down after sometime and he broke the hug. “Dad, did Dev bhaiya took money from you?” she asked after stifling her tears. “How did you know?” he asked.

“I heard Mauli aunty say this that Ishita aunty told her about all this, and she was telling mom,” she said. Oh, so Mauli knew it already and was pretending to not know because she wanted to get the truth out of me, very cunning of her to cheat me, and she also knew Ishita and actually Ishita lived with her only, she knew about me and Ishita as well and she was protecting Ishita and hiding her giving her safe havens, but Ishita wasn’t there when I went there so that means she escaped with her fiance. But when will she hide? I will find her at any cost. He thought.

“Oh, baby, yes he did take money, around one lacs,” he told her. “But dad, what did he do of it?” she asked. “I don’t know baby, seriously,” he said. “So then I will tell you, my brother’s way of getting money was totally wrong, but his intentions weren’t wrong, even Nalini didi’s epilepsy treatment costed that much only, and that’s where all the money went, for her treatment. For that he took money, that was the real reason, hiding about your affair is totally off topic,” she said.

He smiled. “Aray wah, my baby is so mature even after being just fifteen years old,” he said. “Yes, I told you to clarify that my brother isn’t a bad person, he never was, I was about to tell mom and Mauli aunty about all this, but before that only you brought me here,” she said sadly. “Okay bacha, tell them later, have food, don’t you get tired by talking too much? Oh wait, I know it all,” he said and she looked on, he touched her forehead and gasped. “You have a fever? That’s why talking too much?” he asked and she chuckled.

“Yes,” she said and laughed. “Check dad’s fever, remember how you did it in childhood?” he asked smiling at her.

Flashback:

All of them were sitting at the dining table, Shashank talked a lot while eating. “Ishu, listen, pass me the salad, and also the water, dessert, everything, Alia, have salad in a big quantity, and also have dessert, take everything, Dev, you eat dessert more than the food, have food and then dessert, okay, and Ishwari, you overeat and vomit, eat in limit,” he said in a go making the trio laugh.

“Shashank, talk less, eat more, use your mouth for eating, okay?” Ishwari said laughing at him. He was eating too fast. “Dad, what happen? Why in so much hurry? Take it slowly,” Dev said suppressing his laughter. “Bhai, when do you talk too much?” Alia asked and Dev got thinking. “When I have a fever,” he said. “Dad also might be having a fever, I will check,” she said and got down her chair and went to Shashank.

He looked on. She smiled and held his hand placing her one hand on his forehead and the other behind his head and pressed it tightly, Ishani and Dev laughed, Alia came back and sat on the chair. “He really has a fever,” Alia said, Shashank laughed. “Scientist Alia invented a new way to check fever, not by touching forehead, but pressing it,” Shashank said. She smiled cutely. “Alia, what was this?” Dev asked. “Bhai, you did it once to me,” she reminded. “Oh, that, I was joking,” he said and chuckled. “But it was a cute way of checking fever,” Ishwari said, Alia and Dev smiled. “Beta continue it even when you grow up, I liked it,” Shashank said and the duo smiled.

Fb end.

Alia leaned forward and placed her one hand on his forehead and the other behind his head and pressed it. He closed his eyes as if relieved and smiled. She also smiled. “Come on, enough talking, eat it up haan,” he said and left, she began to eat. He phoned his private investigator. “I am sending you a photo of a girl, find out where she lives, and when you get her, message me the address immediately,” he said and disconnected the call, he sent Ishita’s photo and put his phone back in pocket and smiled. “Ishita is mine because the child she’s carrying is mine,” he said to himself.

Ishita came to Raman and showed her mehndi to him. “See Raman, how dark the mehndi is, it means you love me a lot,” she said smilingly. “You got to know it now?” he asked and pouted. “No silly, the mehndi is just a proof of your love,” she said. “The proof of my love is this tiny thing in your tummy,” he said pointing at her tummy eyeing it lovingly. She gasped and looked down at her tummy and touched it caressing it.

She smiled. “Aww, how cute, you’re right, this baby is the proof of your love, and… Raman… I want him to look exactly like you,” she said looking around his room turning her back towards him and he got closer to her and took her in an embrace from behind surprising her. “Obviously he or she would look like me, and I have been praying day and night for a baby girl, I want a little Ishita walking around the house with her little feet. She would even try your lipsticks when she will see you using them, and she would even try your shoes, how cute,” he said resting his head on her back and she chuckled.

“Yes, she would imitate me in my absence,” she said and he lifted his head. “Not in your absence, in loneliness,” he corrected and she nodded smilingly. Reema came there with Raunak and knocked on their door, they separated from each other and blushed. She cleared her throat as she walked inside. “What was happening? Romance? Before marriage? If mom sees this, she won’t allow, its not permissible for bride and groom to see each other before marriage,” Reema teased and placed Raunak on the bed.

“Aray Reema, don’t tell please, its impossible not to meet living in one house,” Raman said with a puppy face. “Yes Reema don’t tell, baby can’t live without seeing the father,” Ishita said tilting her head. Reema laughed. “Okay okay, relax, your secret is safe with me, one day when all this would happen with me, then even you would save my secret guys, so you guys would pay back at that time, remember,” Reema said and winked. “Okay,” Raman said. “Done,” Ishita too agreed. Reema smiled. “By the way do you have someone in your life?” Raman asked.

“Not now but maybe sooner or later someone would come,” she said and blushed. “Look, he isn’t in her life yet and she’s blushing from now only,” Ishita teased. “Yes, when he would come, she would be blushing crimson red, and won’t even need to apply blush on,” he said and Ishita laughed and nodded. Reema chuckled. “Remember to tell us before mom and dad Reema, because we would have to convince them for you,” Raman said. “Okay SIL and bro, done,” she said and went. Raman picked Raunak and smiled at him kissing his cheek.

“Look Raunak, look at Ishita mumma and your little sibling, both are awesome, you like Ishita mumma?” he asked and Raunak looked at Ishita and took a strand of her hair playing with it. “He likes you,” he said getting amazed and Ishita took Raunak from him and played with him. “Take care of your tummy Ishita, be careful that you don’t get hit over there,” he said and placed a pillow covering her tummy and she smiled. “World’s most caring father,” she said and he smiled and she continued playing with Raunak.

Pragati saw Nalini sound asleep and went out of the house to the nearest pet shop. She looked around inspecting all the pets and smiled looking at a budgie. “How much does it cost?” she asked. “One fifty rupees only,” said the shop owner and she gave the money to him. “I want pink one,” she said and the shop owner opened the small door of the cage and took out the pink budgie transferring it to another cage and gave it to her and explained everything to her. She nodded and bought some food for the budgie and walked out of there and then to her house. She unlocked the house and saw Nalini walking to the door and stopped her closing the door.

“What are you doing? Where are you going?” she asked. “Pragati, where is Dev?” Nalini asked. “Dev? He brought a gift for you and told me to give it to you? Won’t you see it?” she asked smiling at her and Nalini gasped. “Gift? What gift? Where is it?” she asked. “OMG, relax, first have a seat, then look for yourself,” Pragati said and led her to the couch and made her sit, she sat obediently and waited for her to show her the gift. Pragati placed the cage in front of her surprising her and Nalini smiled.

“Oh my God, a budgie? Take it out, I want to play with her,” she said and Pragati opened the door and placed her hand in front of the budgie. It hesitantly hopped onto her fingers. “Good parrot,” Pragati praised caressing its little head and took it out carefully. She got up and placed the budgie on the floor. Nalini stood up and then sat down to play with the budgie, she kept scratching its neck with her fingers bonding with it and got busy with it. Pragati stood up and sat on the couch admiring the little budgie and her sister who was smiling after a long time.

Flashback :

Dev had come to their house to meet the sisters basically Nalini and was talking to her. Pragati had went to another room in order to not disturb them but later she got the urge to drink water and passed by them. “Dev, I want a little budgie parrot, who I can play with, and who would keep me so busy that I don’t get stressed out and won’t have a seizure, it would feel so good,” she said placing her head on his shoulder.

“Baby, soon we would marry and have a child, and then you won’t even need a budgie, wait till then, what say?” he asked and she lifted her head. “Dev, it’s such a long procedure,” she said and pouted causing him to laugh. Pragati looked on from the kitchen and she also chuckled. “What?” she asked Dev who couldn’t stop laughing. “Long procedure? As in? What are you saying? Of course it’s a long procedure, a child isn’t a vegetable to be brought from a market, of course it would take time, what are you expecting?” he asked.

She chuckled. “Nothing dear, just that, it just came out, nothing else, but, it costs too less, come on Dev, I love budgies. Even in childhood, I was never given a toy bird to play with but my father always used to buy budgies and I got habitual to play with them, but all of them died. But even if I get it one today, I would still play with it and remake those memories,” she said and he smiled and slowly engulfed her in a hug knowing that she might be sad.

She hugged him back, Pragati smiled seeing the duo. “Baby, I have heard that when a pet dies, usually its because its so sick that he can’t survive, and second reason is that it takes away the death of the people living in the house on their heads hence saving them,” he told her. She kept quiet and just tightened the hug in response. He hugged her even more tighter and ran his fingers in her hair. They remained in the hug for sometime and then broke the hug. “I will bring,” he told her and she smiled, he smiled back. Pragati admired the duo.

Fb end.

Today Dev is not here yet I brought her the budgie she always wanted because she was right that she would be busy and would have no time to take stress. Pragati thought and watched as the budgie climbed in Nalini’s lap.

After sometime, Shashank brought back Alia from shopping and she went to take a shower. He sat on the couch and heard someone knocking on the door of their house. He stood up and opened the door and he got shocked seeing Ishwari. She entered inside. “Where’s my daughter? Bring her here,” she said.

“Ishwari calm down,” he said holding her shoulders. “Ali…,” her voice trailed off as he palmed her mouth. “Stop it!” he whispered angrily. “Mmmmm,” she said through his hand and he stomped her feet on the floor but it was of no use. He dragged her to the kitchen. She struggled to get out of her grip. He picked a knife shocking her and placed it on her kneck, she widened her eyes as he grabbed her hands in one hand and pulled her, her back clashed into his rock hard chest. “Move or speak a word and I will kill you right here Ishwari,” he whispered and she got shocked. He moved his hand from her mouth.

“You want to die?” he asked, she began to sweat. “Shashank, look, don’t kill me, you can’t do this, you married me, you had a child with me and I also took care of your child, how can you kill me? If someone else would’ve been there, she wouldn’t have taken care of Dev but would have tortured him like a stepmother does. But I brought him up by love, I am a mother of two children, you can’t kill me, please don’t kill me,” she said trembling badly.

“Baby, you have to die, else you will take away my daughter from me,” he said and smiled evilly and stabbed in her tummy palming her mouth, she gasped and tears came to her eyes. She closed her eyes and he smiled and lifted her in his arms and took her outside the house and dumped her on the street far away. He went back to his house and cleaned the blood from the floor and his hands. “Finally, one tension is gone,” he said and smiled.