Avantika, who had a doubt on Vineet since quite a few times and at the moment, she has got the opportunity to clear her doubt. 

''Bhai dekho na, ye kitna cute hai na!" She exclaims, pushing the baby towards him, making him hold her the little boy which he couldn't deny, neither he wanted to. 

His thin and soft lips, smooth body, little eyes and that tiny little nose, how cute!! He couldn't resist but smiled at the boy. Suddenly he felt like screaming around the room telling every person that this cute little boy is his son. But When he looked up, his smile faded, a weak Anamika was gazing at him lying on the bed. Oh, she will be this way all her life binded to the child and household. His heart sank at the mere thought and turned his head to the other side, trying to avoid the thoughts. 

Avantika nudged him,'’Bhai aap kahan kho gaye!? Acha abhi batao aap mujhe jyada pyar karte ho ya baby ko?? Pehle toh aap humesha kehte the aap sabse jyada pyar mujhe karte ho par abhi aisa lagta nahi mujhe!! Batao batao, aap hum dono cutie mei se kis cutie se jyada Pyar karte ho!?” Avantika questions disturb him and shock others. How can she ask such a question?  There is no point, yeah, he may love his sister and child, and the love cannot and should not be compared.  

'’Avantika, beta ye kya baat hui? Aise bhi sawal koi puchta hai kya?” Shakshi says. 

'’Aisa bhi kya pucha meine mumma? Bhai hi toh kehte the wo mujh se sabse jyada pyar karte hai par dekho abhi wo baby ko dekh dekh ke muskura rahe hai bas. Bhai bolo, who do you love the most?” She nudged her brother who's all of a sudden in a dilemma. 

Anamika was confused at his silence, she thought it to be the easiest question for him as he's been too clear with her about his ideologies but when his sister is questioning him, he's silent. 

'’Aapke bhai aapse hi sabse jyada pyar karte hai bhabhi, don't worry. Aapki jagah wo kissi ko nahi denge!” Anamika exclaims when Vineet took too much time to reply but her reply only deepened Avantika's doubt who stared at Anamika for moments. 

Sachin was already impatient to hold the child,he almost snatched the boy from Vineet. 

'’Sachin aaram sey!!” Vineet almost screams out With the sudden pull, feeling his friend's action may hurt his child - a sudden restlessness rush through his vine. 

'’Lo dekh lo!! Tumhara bhai apne bete ko jyada pyar karta hai, aise chilla raha hai maano main isko maar raha hoon. Tumhare liye itna concern na hai usse!'’ Sachin teases Anamika who though chuckled but Vineet’s facial expressions says something else while Anamika's gaze tells a whole lot of story and she needs to know them. 

But at the moment, the family is enjoying the newcomers' company except Kokila and partially Vineet too. Later at the end, a doctor enters the ward and direct them to leave the mother and child for some time so that they can rest, also the can discharge them by evening so they need to do the formalities - to be precisely say, Vineet was asked to do the formalities for he's the father of the child. 

Without a word, Vineet nods and moves out, Rajat followed him. 

'’Mere piche maat aa Rajat please. Main fir wo sab sunne ke mood mei nahi hoon.'’ He told his friend while taking fast steps but Rajat was no less. 

'’Main tujhe wo sab fir kehne bhi nahi aaya hoon, main toh bas ye janna chahta hoon tu itna natak kar kaise raha hai? Bacha tujhe chahiye nahi, uske abortion tak ki baat keh di aur aaj jab behen ne pucha toh bache ko dekh ke aise smile kar raha tha maano kitna pyar ho uss se, ye natak kyun? Ya tune ye thaann rakha hai sab takleef bas uss bechari ke jholi mei hi dalni hai tujhe!?” Rajat questions him to which he stop and turn to him sharply. 

'’Main tujhe koi jawab dena jaruri nahi samajhta!” Vineet declared, because he doesn't have any answer. 

'’kyun? Jawab nahi hai? Vineet tujhe pata hai teri problem kya hai, tu apne zidd mei andha ho gaya hai, itna andha ki tune apne dil ki awaz tak ko sunne se inkaar kar diya. Apne bache ko haath mei leke teri sakal pe saaf dikh raha tha tere mann mei kya hai, jab Sachin ne bhi bina bataye usse liya tab bhi tu jaise ghabra gaya uss se jahir hai tere dil mei kya hai par tu ye manega nahi kyunki apne zidd ke aage tujhe kuch dikh kahan raha hai par teri zidd siwaye pachtawe ke tujhe kuch nahi degi. Waqt aab bhi hai Vineet, apni galti sudharne ki koshish kar warna pachtana padega tujhe!!” Rajat tried to show him the mirror but Vineet got irritated with it. 

'’Enough Rajat!! Main kya kar raha hoon kya nahi uss se tujhe koi fark nahi padna chahiye. Don’t try to interfere in my personal matters!” He screamed at him and moved to the reception, leaving a dejected Rajat behind. 

….

Anamika got discharged, the family took her home where Shakshi welcomed her with aarti and helped her settle in her room. As they were tired, the family decided to take rest but Vineet moved to the study citing some work and Avantika finding it as an opportunity to secure herself in Anamika's room, directly asking her about the matter. 

'’Nahi!! Nahi bhabhi! Aisa kuch nahi hai!!'’ Anamika defended, she doesn't want her child to be called by names. 

'’Fir bhai Itne off se kyun laag rahe hai! Main kaafi time se notice kar rahi hoon wo kate kate se rehte hai, mostly bahar hi rehte hai jaane kyun? Anamika I know there is something warna bhai tumse dur nahi reh sakte, main jaanti hoon unko.'’ Avantika insists on knowing what is disturbing her brother, that he's distancing himself. 

'’Main sach bol rahi hoon bhabhi, I don't know why he's being like that. Aap uss se hi puch lijiye, shayad wo bata de aapko agar kuch hai toh!” Anamika suggested, brushing off the dust from her shoulder for she's not answerable to his deeds, he must answer his deeds. 

Avantika sigh and takes her leave asking her to rest. She directly headed towards the study but was stopped by Kokila in mid - way. 

'’Avantika, tum abhi tak kamre mei nahi gayi? Doctor ne tumhe bhi rest karne ko kaha hai, kya tumhe yaad nahi!?” Kokila scolded her. Avantika tried to defend herself but the lady was not in mood, so she ordered her to move in her room and take rest. Half-heartedly, Avantika had to head to her room but with the determination to converse with her brother at night. 

….

Vineet was in the study, lost in his thoughts. Trying to fight with the emotions he's going through, actually he doesn't know why he is feeling that way? He never wanted the child for the child is only going to bring problems in her career and he can already see the change but then, holding the boy in his arms felt so good, he just wanted to live in the moment not caring about anything just nothing not even the thing he has been stretching this long. 

Vineet doesn't want to feel that way but now he can't help it, his mind is still occupied with his thoughts. A sudden urge to see him and hold him develop in his heart again. He closed his eyes tightly to stop himself from thinking about him but that was something out of his control and he didn't realize when and how he left the study and reached his room to find Anamika sleeping soundly with the little boy beside her wide awake but quiet.

Vineet walked to them with cat paws and gently laid beside the boy - oh such magnificent smile!! 

The little boy stretched himself  on the bed to which he took him up in his arms in the next instance but his movement disturbed Anamika's sleep who was left shocked at his presence and moreover with the baby in his arms. She took the boy from him because she can't trust him with her child. 

'’Wo…ye..'’ He couldn't find a word to explain his act while she cut him off saying he does not need to be concerned about her child. 

Her words felt like needles but he accepted and moved in the balcony, after all she's right, he doesn't have any right over the child, he needs to stay away from him and he will do that!! 

…..

To be continued…..