The once harmonious atmosphere of Vineet's home was shattered by a sudden outbreak of the news that he and Anamika had kept hidden for months. His family was disappointed and in dismay and now over that Kokila was spewing venom about Anamika, accusing her of being a jinx who had brought nothing but misfortune upon the family.

Vineet's blood ran cold. He had always loved Anamika, and the thought of her being blamed for their problems was unbearable. The root of the conflict lay in their differing views on family planning. His initial reluctance to accept the child had created a rift between him and Anamika but that doesn't define his love has lessened for her, no, it hasn't!

"How can you say such things about Anamika?" Vineet shouted, his voice trembling with anger. "Aap maa hai uski aur aap hi uske baare mei itna ganda bol rahi hai, shame on you. Wo aapse itna pyar karti hai, sabka itna khayal rakhti hai aur aap? Aap uske baare mei aise bol rahi hai. You have no right to speak such words against her, I'm not going to take it."

Kokila's face contorted into a sneer. "You're just as bad as her or me! Tum khud apne bache ko apnana nahi chahte kyun tum kuch aur chahte ho par wo ladki kahan kissi ki sunegi jo tumhari sunti. Aur ye path toh tum mujhe naa hi padhao toh acha rahega, jisse khudka bacha gawara nahi wo mujhe seekh dete acha nahi lagta!"

Sachin couldn't stand anymore, he had enough of his mother's hate towards Anamika. He leaped to his feet, his face flushed with anger. "Enough is enough Maa! Aur kitna zeher uglengi aap uske khilaf? Bigada kya hai usne aapka? Aap khud toh kabhi usse kuch de nahi pai toh at least ye zillat bhi mat dijiye."

Kokila retorted, "apni zaban sambhal ke bolo Sachin. Meine itna bhi kuch galat nahi bola jo tumtum mujh se unchi awaz mei baat karo, yaad rahe maa hoon main tumhari!"

Sachin chuckles sarcastically, "wo maa jismei thodi bhi mamta nahi hai apne bachon ke liye, hai toh bas nafrat!"

Anamika, who had been listening from her room, couldn't contain her tears any longer. She stepped out, her face pale. "Enough," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I can't listen to this anymore. Kyun itna tamasha laga rakha hai aap logon ne? Mujhe kissi ki humdardi ki ya kissi ke taano ki koi zarurat nahi hai na hi main kissi se ye umeed rakhti hoon so just leave!" She shouted.

Sachin approached her, wrapping her in a comforting hug. "Anu aise mat bol, main tere saath hoon aur rahunga chahe koi aur ho na ho!" He exclaims, glaring at Vineet and his mother.

Anamika nodded, her eyes filled with sadness. "It's ok bhai, main khudka khayal rakh sakti hoon aap fikar mat kijiye." She responded coldly and parted herself from him, after all he had hardly been there all these years.
...
The room was filled with a tense silence. Anupam tried to calm the situation, but his words were drowned out by the escalating argument. Kokila continued to hurl insults at Anamika, accusing her of being selfish and ungrateful.

Anamika's eyes filled with tears as she tried to defend herself. "Maa, please stop. Ye aapka ghar nahi jo aap yahan tamasha karo aur main chup chap sun lun. In Fact, aapko yahan rukne ki bhi jarurat nahi hai." Anamika firy told her mother.

Kokila's face hardened. "You think I care about you? You're nothing but a burden to this family. Main toh waise bhi yahan rukna nahi chahti thi wo toh baki ne zabardasti ki baki mujhe apne hone wale pota ya poti ko tumse aur tumhare uss manhus bache se bahut dur rakhna hai kyunki main nahi chahti uspe tumhari parchai bhi pade."

Vineet couldn't take it anymore, "just shut up!! Savvin apne maa ko le jaa yahan se warna main kuch kar baithunga. Itni ghatiya soch hai inki, apni beti ke baare mei kitna ghatiya sochti hai aap, kitna girengi!?" He shouted over the lady who just laughed at his words.

"Ye tum keh rahe ho? Jisne ek course ke liye apna bacha apnane se inkaar kiya hai? Jo ek course ke liye, jis ladki ke piche paaglon ki tarah pada tha usse nazar utha ke dekh tak nahi raha, tum? Tum mujhe keh rahe ho main ghatiya hoon? Really? Tum kya ho?" Kokila's words pierce like needles in his heart, his mind suddenly blank, his body cold. He couldn't understand what to do and almost ran towards his room.
Anamika watched him go, her heart heavy with sorrow. This is all she had earned in her life, hate and mercy, never love.

Kokila, seeing Vineet leave, turned to Anamika with a venomous glare. "Dekha sach karwa hota hai par hai toh sach hi, tumhara sach!"

Anamika's voice trembled, her confidence now breaking, "chale jaiye maa, I don't want to see your face!"

Kokila scoffed. "Tumhe kya lagta hai main tumhe dekhne mei interested hoon? Huh, you've brought nothing but misery and misfortune. Main toh tumse kosho dur rehna jyada pasand karungi."

Here in the room, Vineet finds himself lost. He had loved a woman dearly but has failed to give her the love and support that she needed at the most crucial phase of her life and even now when she needs him the most, her mother totally being an unbearable woman he just ran away just because she showed him the mirror? This is not done on his part, he needs to be there because he's the reason for the mishap going with her.

Without wasting a moment Vineet again reached the Hall only to witness Kokila's harsh words.

“Bas!! Agar aapko iss se kosho dur hi rehna hai toh aab tak khadi kyun hai yahan?” He shouted.

Kokila didn't back down. "Arey,lagta hai zameer jag gaya tumhara par kya hai na main toh sirf sach bata rahi hoon aur ye baat jitni jaldi samajh jao utna acha hai tumhare liye aur sabke liye bhi."

Vineet's anger boiled over,”meine apne ghar mei ye bakwas karne ki ijazat aapko nahi di hai."

Kokila sneered. "Mujhe tumse koi ijazat chahiye bhi nahi par haan tum shayad dekh ya samajh nahi paa rahe ho main kya keh rahi hoon. Kya tumhe nahi dikhta iske aate hi tumhare saath kya kya hua? Log kya kya pukarne lage tumhe? Aur aab iss bache ke aate hi tum sabki nazaron mei gir gaye. Kya iss se sabit nahi hota ki ye…"

Vineet grabbed his mother-in-law by the arm, his voice filled with rage. “Shut up! Just shut up! You're going too far. Aapko pyar se kahi baat toh samajh aa nahi rahi hai na."

Kokila struggled to break free, her face contorted with anger. "Badtameez haath choro mera!"

Anupam tried to stop Vineet but it was too late. The damage had been done. The once peaceful family had been torn apart by a storm of anger and resentment. Vineet pushed out Kokila from his house, who took it as an insult, she shouted and screamed, cursed Anamika and the child until Vineet shut the door on her face.

“Ye sab aapki wajah se hua hai bhai!” Avantika spoke as she stood by a broken Anamika, her tears uncontrollable hearing her mother.

“Chhoti please, don't start it again!” Vineet tried to shut her but was it under his control anymore? No!

“Kis kis ko chup karega tu? Mujhe toh aab bhi yakeen nahi ho raha tune itna kuch kar diya!” His mother showed her dismay and disappointment.

“Aapko kya laga tha jo ladka aaj tak apni baat sab se maneata raha wo dusro ki feelings samjhega kabhi? Umeed toh kabhi thi hi nahi bar kuch trust tha aab wo bhi tut gaya!” Anupam let out a deep sigh.

While his parents scolded and showed their disappointment to him, he just stared at Anamika who was shattered, her eyes screaming her pain. And Sachin was staring at her too, gathering courage to speak up.

“Tune mujhe kuch kyun nahi bataya Anu? Kya itna paraya hoon main ki tu apna dukh bhi sajha nahi kar sakti mujh se?” He asks, holding her hand.

Anamika cast a look at him with her teary eyes,”aap mere apne the hi kab bhai? Aur kya karte aap sab jaan ke? Kya hi kar lete aap? Kuch badal nahi sakte the aap bhai, waise hi jaise pehle kuch nahi kar paaye, fir kyun batau main aapko kuch? Kis kis se apna tamasha banwau main? Dukh sanjha karne ke liye dukh mei saath dena hota hai aur main jaanti hoon wo aap shayad nahi kar paate, fir kyun khamakha pareshan marti aapko?” Her words were like needles in Sachin’s heart.

“Anu!” Sachin tried to speak but Anamika left the place, she didn't want to hear anything from him or from others.

… .

Leaving Avantika at her parents' place, Sachin reaches his home. His mother was in the Hall, sipping her tea which only angered him more.

He was furious with her. He confronted her about her behavior and demanded that she apologize to Anamika.

“Main? Main maafi mangungi uss se? Kissi keemat pe nahi!” Kokila refused, insisting that she was right.

Sachin was heartbroken by her stubbornness over that he was broken in bits with Anamika's words and was not ready to take anything from his mother.

“Thik hai maa!! Agar aapki yahi icha hai toh yahi sahi. Aab aap mera bhi ek faishla sun lijiye, aaj se aur abhi se main aapse aur iss ghar se sabhi rishta todta hoon. Main abhi aur issi waqt ye ghar chorr ke jaa raha hoon kyunki main aab aur iss narkh mei nahi reh sakta!!” He shouted and ran to his room, leaving a shocked and spellbound Kokila behind.

The family was in turmoil. Vineet and Anamika were trying to hold things together, but the rift between them and Kokila seemed irreparable. Sachin's anger was growing, and he was determined to cut ties with his mother altogether.

.....

To be continued..