Hola Everyone,

It's Wednesday and I am here with the next update. Thank you for your votes and comments. Means a lot.🙂🙂🙂
Without further ado, here is the next part of this story. Hope you like it :-

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"AUN.... AUNTYJI.... AAP?? YAHAN??" stammered Sonakshi as she saw Ishwari at the door of her house, she blinked her eyes a couple of times to make sure that it was Dev's mother standing before her. Numerous thoughts were running in her mind. Why did Auntyji come to her house? Did she come to know about her actual reason for leaving the job at Ishwari Niwas? Was she here to warn to her to stay away from her son? Did she come to speak to her or her parents?" her trance was broken when she heard Ishwari's voice.

"Nutrition...Andar nahi bulayegi?" she asked seeing Sonakshi lost as she replied "So...Sorry Auntyji... Aaiye na andar" she said inviting Ishwari inside the house just as Asha came at the door "Kaun hai Sona?" she said, as soon as she looked up she was surprised to see Ishwari at their home. "Arey Ishwariji Aap?" she said, the surprise in her clearly evident as Ishwari smiled while Asha continued "Andar aaiye naa" she said inviting her inside, looking at Sonakshi she said "Tu bhi naa Sona, Ishwari ji ko aise darwaze par khada rakha hai" she said as Sonakshi looked here and there embarrassed as Asha led Ishwari inside the house.

  As Ishwari came inside the house, she looked around. It was the first time she was visiting the Bose house as she asked, "Ji Baaki sab kahan hai?" as Asha replied "Ji wo Bijoy aur Saurabh kuch kaam se bahar gaye hai aur Maa yahin paas main apney ek Saheli keg har gayi hai" she said as Ishwari nodded while Asha continued "Baithiye na Ishwariji" she said, everyone settled down on the sofa in the living room. Sonakshi and Asha both were still perplexed at the sudden visit of Dev's mother.

"Kaafi aacha ghar hai aapka?" said Ishwari as Asha thanked her while Ishwari continued "Aur Ashaji, kaisi tabiyat hai aapki? Aur ghar pe baaki sab kaise hai?" she asked as Asha replied "Sab theek hai Ishwari ji, Aap bataiye aapki tabiyat kaisi hai? Sona bata rahi thi ki do din pehle aapki tabiyat achanak kharab ho gayi thi?" she asked as Ishwari looked at Sonakshi, surprise writ on her face, she wondered how Sonakshi came to know about her health, Did Dev tell her? On the other hand, Sonakshi could exactly understand what was going through Ishwari's mind, her facial expressions had clearly conveyed it.

"Wo..Wo Nikki ne call kiya tha Auntyji aapki tabiyat jab kharab ho gayi thi. Ye poochney ke liye ki aapka diet kya hona chahiye" said Sonakshi answering the unasked question which was running on Ishwari's mind as she smiled listening to her, it was not her son she thought.

"Waisey Ishwariji, aap achanak yahan? Koi baat thi kya?" Asha asked, finally asking the reason for her visit to Bose house as Sonakshi waited with bated breath for Ishwari's answer.

Ishwari took a deep breath as she spoke "Ji mujhey...mujhey aapsey aur Bhai sahab se Dev aur Sonakshi ke rishtey ke baarey main baat karni thi" she said as a burst of joy and elation spread through Sonakshi's heart while Asha was surprised but the smile on her face clearly conveyed the delight she felt listening to Ishwari's words.

"Lekin..." said Ishwari and paused in hesitation pondering whether to continue or not which confused both Asha and Sonakshi, "Lekin kya Ishwariji?" asked Asha wondering what Ishwari wanted to speak while Sonakshi's heart was beating at the rate of knots as Ishwari said "Uss se pehle main Sonakshi se akele main baat karna chahti hoon" as both Asha and Sonakshi looked shocked to say the least, they had never expected this.

"Ji..Ji zaroor... Sona Tu Ishwariji ko apney kamre main le jaa. Main inkey liye chai aur naashtey ka intezaam karti hoon" said Asha regaining her composure as Ishwari replied "Ji iski koi zaroorat nahi hai" she said "Arey aise kaisey Ishwari ji, Aap pehli baar humarey ghar aayi hai. Toh humey khatirdari ka mauka toh dijiye" said Asha with a smile as Ishwari smiled as well.

"Chaliye Auntyji" said Sonakshi as Ishwari got up and went towards Sonakshi's room along with her while Asha left for the kitchen.

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Just as Sonakshi was about to enter her room along with Ishwari her phone buzzed with a message, accompanying Ishwari inside the room she opened the messaged to read it, it was from none other than DEV who had messaged her.

D: I am leaving home right now, meet you in some time my love.

S: Hi Dev, sorry I cannot meet you right now. Caught up with some work. Will let you know once I am free

The very next moment her phone rang, it was DEV calling her while Ishwari turned to look at her. Sonakshi was confused, on one hand she wanted to pick up the call and speak to Dev but on the other hand the presence of Ishwari was stopping her from answering his call lest she feels bad about it.

"Nutrition, Tera phone bajj raha hai" she said as Sonakshi fiddled with the phone still wondering whether to pick up the call or not "Koi zaroori call hoga Sonakshi, Tum baat karlo. Main yahan tumharey kamrey main intezaar karti hoon" she said as Sonakshi nodded in agreement, excusing herself she went out of the room.

"Sona, Koi problem hai kya? Tum mill kyun nahi sakti? Aisa kya zaroori kaam aa gaya achanak? Pata hai main Sunday ke liye kitna wait karta hoon tumsey milney ke liye aur tum bol rahi ho ki tum mill nahi sakti" rattled of Dev as soon as Sonakshi picked up the call.

"Dev, Calm down aur meri baat toh suno. Achanak ek zaroori case aa gaya hai iss liye mujhey hospital jaana hoga" she lied, though she wanted to tell Dev about Ishwari's visit she could sense that Dev was unaware of it and to top it she did not want to jump the gun and tell Dev about the reason for Ishwari's visit before talking to her lest they both were left disappointed if things did not happen like they hoped for.

"This is so unfair Ms.Khargosh, here I am dying to meet you and you do not have time for me" whined Dev like a child as Sonakshi chuckled and said "Dev, Even I want to meet you but this is urgent. And anyways everything is fair in love and war Mr.Obhodro" she said.

"I will let you go this time, let me know once you are done.  We will meet" he said as Sonakshi replied "Sure, now bye. Got to go" as Dev replied "Bye, love you, I will be waiting" he said as Sonakshi smiled "Love you too" she said and cut the call. As she cut the call she sighed, composing herself she went towards her room probably for the most important talk of her life. Only she knew the nervousness she was feeling at the moment, the thought of talking alone to Ishwari was making her restless and edgy.

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Sonakshi slowly opened the door of her room to find Ishwari long closely at the Tagore portrait on the wall. The sound of the door opening made Ishwari aware that Sonakshi had returned as she  to look at her "Tumhara kamra kafi khubsoorat hai Nutrition" she said with a smile  as Sonakshi smiled as well "Thank you Auntyji" she said as Ishwari replied "Baitho Sonakshi" she said asking Sonakshi  to sit she went towards her bed and sat on it waiting for Ishwari to continue, Ishwari turned away from Sonakshi looking out of the window into oblivion, she seemed to be in deep thought contemplating on how to take the conversation forward.

"Tum yahi soch rahi ho naa Sonakshi ki main tumsey akele main kyun baat karna chahti hoon?" asked Ishwari and turned towards Sonakshi "Hai naa?" she said as Sonakshi slowly nodded her head in agreement as Ishwari continued "Dev aur tumharey rishtey ke baarey main baat karney se pehle main Tumsey mere aur Dev ke rishtey ke baarey main baat karna chahti hoon Sonakshi" she said as Sonakshi kept looking at her wondering where Ishwari was going with the conversation.

Ishwari kept quiet for some time before she spoke again "Dev 8 saal ka tha Sonakshi jab uskey papa ka dehant hua tha. Mujhey aaj bhi wo din yaad hai, kabhi kabhi aisa lagta hai jaisey kal ki hi baat ho jab mera aat saal ka Dev apney pita ke chitta ko aag laga raha ho" she said and paused trying to compose herself, remembering the past was difficult for her but she knew she had to do it, for herself, for her son and probably for their future as well. Tears made way from her eyes as Sonakshi's eyes glistened with tears as well, she got up and held Ishwari's hand trying to reassure her that everything was fine.

After a few moments Ishwari spoke again "Pata hai Sonakshi uss din Dev ka pehla sawal kya tha?" she asked as Sonakshi looked at her clueless while Ishwari continued "Usney mujhsey ye poocha ki jiss bhagwan ki main har roz pooja karti hoon usney hum sab se humari khusiyan kyun cheen li. Kyun usssey aur uski behno ko apney pita se door kiya. Mere paas uskey iss sawal la koi jawab nahi tha siway iskey ki ye sab kismet ka khel hai. Lekin mera Dev uss baat ko maan nahi paya. Uss din uska vishwas Bhagwan par se uth gaya tha jo aaj tak barkaraar hai" she finished as by now tears were flowing unabashed from Sonakshi's eyes imagining the pain the 8 yr. old boy and his younger sisters would have gone through after the loss of their father.

"Uss waqt humari aarthik paristhiti bhi kaafi kharab thi, lendaar humesha paison ke liye ghar ke chakar lagate, gandi gandi baatein kehtey, yahan tak ki kuch log toh aisey they jo apney paison ke badle mere shareer ka sauda tak karney ko tayar they" she said and paused as Sonakshi shivered listening to her, though Dev had never spoken about their struggles much she knew that they had faced a lot of difficult times but listening to Ishwari today she could not imagine the pain she along with her kids would have gone through.

Ishwari continued "Pata hai Sonakshi jab bhi lendaar ghar par aatey paison ke liye main apney bachon ko bistar ke neechey chupa deti taaki wo apni Maa ko zaleel hotey huey naa dekhe. Lekin Dev, Dev sab samjhta tha aur mujhsey sawal bhi karta lekin main usey taal deti ye kehkey ki ye bura waqt hai, thodey din main khatam ho jayega" she choked as Sonakshi quickly made her drink water and made her sit on the bed allowing Ishwari to compose herself.

After a few moments Ishwari spoke again "Uss waqt main ghar ghar kaam karti thi, logon ke taaney, unki gaaliyan sunti. Kai baar aisey khayal bhi aaye ke apney bachon ke saath aatmahatya kar loon taaki aisey dard bharey zindagi se chutkara miley. Lekin phir jab bhi apney bachon ka chehra dekhti toh mujhmey jaan aa jaati" she said as paused as Sonakshi was stunned, she had never imagined that the pain Ishwari had gone through that she had contemplated ending her life, the tears in her eyes were flowing unrestrained as Ishwari continued.

"Main apney bachon ko ek achi zindagi dena chahti thi Sonakshi aur isi liye mujhey mere bachon main chun na pada. Riya aur Nikki toh chotey they lekin Dev aur Neha se mujhey kisi ek ko chun na padha taaki humari zindagi sudhar sakey" she said as Sonakshi kept quiet, the amount of information that Ishwari had just shared with her was overwhelming her.

"Aur isi liye Neha mujhsey gussa rehti. Lekin main kya karti Sonakshi uss waqt haalat hi aisey they ki mujhey apney ek bachey ki aarmon, uskey sapno ko todna padha taaki mere doosrey bachon ki zindagi sawar sakey. Kya main galat thi Sonakshi?" she asked as Sonakshi replied instantly "Nahi Auntyji, uss waqt aap ke haalat hi aisey they ki aapko aisa faisla lena padha. Shayad main agar aapkey jagah hoti toh main bhi aisa hi faisla leti" she said amidst her tears as Ishwari wiped her tears and smiled.

"Lekin iss sab main Neha ke saath saath main ne Dev ke sapno, uski armano ka bhi gala ghot diya Sonakshi. Main ne uss par poorey parivaar ka bojh daal diya. Aur mera Dev, wo bhi bina kuch kahey, bina kisi shikayat ke apni harr zimmedari nibhata raha. Wo jo bhi karta apney parivaar ke liye karta. Aur main bhi khush thi mera beta apni har zimmedari acchi tarah nibha raha hai. Aur shayad yahi meri sabsey badi galti thi, shayad Dev ke zindagi ki sabsey badi gunehgar main hi hoon" she said as Sonakshi was confused wondering what Ishwari was alluding to.

"Auntyji, ye aap kya keh rahi hai. Ismey aapki kya galti hai? Aap jiss paristhiti main they uss waqt aapko jo sahi laga wo aapney kiya aur wahi sab ke liye sahi tha, aur jahan tak main Dev ko jaanti hoon wo kabhi aapko kisi bhi baat ke liye doshi maan hi nahi sakta" she said defending Ishwari as she smiled.

"Main jaanti hoon Sonakshi ki mera Dev mujhey kabhi kisi baat ke liye galat nahi samjhta. Meri har baat uskey liye pathar ki lakeer hai" said Ishwari and paused. After a few moments she continued "Aur yahi meri sabsey badi galti hai" as Sonakshi looked on with a questioning look on her face while Ishwari continued.

"MAIN NE APNEY BETE KO YE TOH SIKHA DIYA KI DOOSRON KE LIYE KAISEY JIYA JAATA HAI, PAR MAIN USEY KHUD KE LIYE JEENA SIKHA NAHI PAYI"

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Done.
Please ignore the grammatical mistakes and see you in the next update.

PRECAP - A MOTHER's REQUEST 😮😮, WHAT WILL IT BE???🤔🤔🤔