"Oh dear, I forgot to tell you Manhar Ji's program to visit Pahalgam is postponed. Seeing his favourite cookies Manku insisted on having one. He is just a child... He said they are delicious, so we thought of tasting the food cooked by your magical hands. So what brought you here?" Aruna conveniently burdened her son, and continued, "Oh silly me, you must be here with something related to work. Are you short of material?

"Do you need anything, Nidhi?" Aruna asked again to get her attention.

The hurt written over Nidhi's face didn't go unnoticed by Aruna. Earlier she never bothered but this time she pulled her son in front and asked him to apologise to his aunt for opening the box.

"Are you angry with me for eating the cookies and bread you made for Chachu? Do you want me to eat mud again?" Himank (Manku) asked in his childish voice.

"Never, I can never be angry with you, Manku. Next time whenever I make them, I will send them to you if you like them!"

"Good- Good.... they were very yummy."

"Did you come here to play with me, Chachi? Let me bring marbles, we will play together." The child shouted and ran inside his room to bring the new game his father had brought.

"Boji, I came to give you the shawl, I finished it. Have a look." Nidhi unfolded the wrap and put both designs on her shoulder to let the lady compare. However, this move didn't go well with Aruna.

"Oh, Nidhi, what a blunder you committed, this shape and this tone of green are not the same... Hey, did you not match the original shade?... Didn't I tell you it should be the same?"

"Boji, I used the threads you brought" Nidhi replied calmly, folding the designs neatly once again. She was supposed to copy the designs only yet she did check the shades and they seemed to match well in bright daylight. Instead of being thankful, this family was hell-bent to find her faults.

"Of course, they were my purchase. .... You don't have the power to buy them, but do you not have eyes to compare the colours wisely before using them. Now how will I face my friend? ... I have to use it for myself. It's not returnable. I have to compensate her in some other way... Why did you do that Nidhi? ... It was the first time I asked help from you and you did this to me."

Heartbroken, Nidhi returned to the cottage with a sullen face. She cursed herself for agreeing to the shrewd lady's request. "I should not have fallen for her crocodile tears."

The old widow in the neighbourhood had heard the loud reprimanding of the second daughter-in-law in the Dhar House. She had witnessed the hard work of the young girl since yesterday. She was aware the meal was not cooked in the cottage, and the girl had slept on an empty stomach at night. She couldn't resist her desire to reach and warn her.

"She was fooling you, Fauji ki Lahri (soldier's wife). She had not borrowed that piece from someone else. It was her own. Yesterday morning, I saw her shawl hanging on the rooftop. It was soaked in rain, that's why the colours of the thread bled."

"Don't you know your both sisters-in-law are jealous of your talents?... Aruna even challenged some lady to bring better than hers and yesterday she tricked you into making you work for her.

Do you think the colours were not matching?

They were and tomorrow on Man's birthday, that crooked lady will now boast her new shawl to her friends at the party."

"Preet Jhayi, I didn't know." Nidhi puckered her lips. She always thought she was wise enough but. Preet too sighed. She knew the young girl was no match for the ladies of the Dhar family.

"I hope Pawnu returns soon and takes you along... Any news of his return?" Preet asked and got the same reply.

The cruel reality check was hard for Nidhi. Exhausted from the hard day and work, she closed the door of her cottage without replying.