Mom's condition had worsened. She was coughing so violently that I feared her having tuberculosis. When I returned home yesterday, I thought she was going to interrogate me, but she didn't say anything.

Infact, when I mentioned about Mahreen's invitation, Mom gave me permission in one go. I was surprised and even felt like going as Mahreen looked very hurt after my refusal yesterday, but when Mom's fever increased after she dropped off Srishti at her school, I thought it better to cancel my plan.

I knew Mahreen would understand after I told her about my mother's condition. Therefore, after waking up late in the morning, I carried on with my daily routine and did household chores and let Mom rest.

To both mine and my sister's surprise, Mom herself kept telling me to go to Mahreen's event as she had requested so politely and had even helped me before. I was confused because I thought Mom was very annoyed by me attending parties, but now she was herself forcing me to go.

Even when I kept telling her that I was going to stay at home to look after her and Dhara Di, she kept repeating the same thing like a parrot. In the end, my sister also got convinced when Mom said that I could easily attend the event as she would be resting in the afternoon as it is and won't need my attention.

After listening to both women telling me to just leave and not worry about them, I confirmed with them one last time and checked the time. The inauguration was going to start within an hour, and I was running late.

Mom told me to just wear the new t-shirt and the recently washed jeans as I didn't need to dress up much for such afternoon events. I followed her advice, and Dhara Di reminded me to buy a bouquet on my way.

I left for the event myself, but it felt like I was forced out of my house. Mom even locked the door behind me. She kept telling me to remember how Mahreen had helped me and how I should not decline her invitation, or my impression would turn bad.

My mother's attitude seemed very odd. I kept thinking about it even when I bought a bouquet and entered my train. I reached Kurla and decided to not trouble Hriaan. I was already late, so I was sure he or his driver would have already left. I looked around for the rickshaw stand and started walking towards it, but a loud honk scared the shit out of me.

I looked back and recognised Hriaan's sports car. He motioned for me to hurry up. I entered his car, and he put my bouquet on the back seat. He gave me a once-over, and I knew what he was thinking.

"I was running late, so this the best I could come up with," I explained before he could judge my attire. "Sorry for making you wait."

"I didn't even say anything," he argued. "Let's go. Mahreen wouldn't have let me in without you anyways."

I smiled sheepishly. Hriaan shook his head as he complained about how Mahreen was totally obsessed with me. When we reached the venue, Hriaan gave me my bouquet and went to park his car. I slowly observed my surroundings.

The flower decorations were really cute, giving a feeling of a fairyland. A lot of guests had already arrived and were roaming around.

The bakery was in the shape of a cottage with a lot of lawn space around it. A huge standee with the bakery's name and inaugration details was placed near the front gates, and I wanted to take a selfie but couldn't because of my sister's phone.

Judging by the preparations, I knew it wouldn't have been a surprise if Eknath Uncle was the one who had gotten the contract to organise this inauguration.

I felt very fluffy after observing the beautiful decorations, but my mood went all down when I spotted Jaiswal Aunty among the guests. I was staring at her, and then I saw Tejas approaching her.

Wow, I am shocked to see Ayzere not being present. Guess she either didn't tag along or left for her country.

"You didn't go in yet?" Hriaan asked as he arrived after parking his car.

"I think I should return," I said.

He pursed his lips when he noticed where I was looking at.

"You won't have to deal with her today," he said.

I nodded and followed him. I kept my pace slow, and once we reached inside, Hriaan bumped fists with Tejas after greeting Jaiswal Aunty. I didn't say anything and kept my distance. I sensed Jaiswal Aunty staring at me, but I ignored her.

And like I had promised myself, I didn't pay any attention to Tejas also. It was difficult, but I had to force myself. Only if I acted strict with myself was I going to be able to control my heart also.

I searched for Mahreen, and once I spotted her, I went to greet her and her mother. Mahreen was overjoyed when she saw me, and I thanked my mother in my mind for forcing me to attend the event because I could clearly see how much Mahreen was happy to see me.

I gave the bouquet to her mother and congratulated her for the new achievement. Like Mahreen, her mom was also very warm and welcoming. She told me to enjoy the delicacies and have fun.

The inauguration was already done, and I felt bad that Hriaan missed it because of me. I made a mental note to not bother anyone again if I was invited to such events in the future.

I thanked Mahreen's mom and excused myself as the mother-daughter duo had to attend to other guests too. I looked around, my mouth watering at the delicious treats surrounding me. There were donuts, waffles, cupcakes, muffins, garlic bread, cheese cake, chocolate fundae, and that crescent-shaped sweet bread that I forgot the name of.

Apart from these, there were various varieties of pastries and tangy snacks too. I wanted to eat all of them, but before I unleashed my gluttonous side, I first observed what other guests were doing. Some had plates or glasses in their hands, so I also picked up a small dish and roamed around to pick up my first treat.

Everything looks so tasty. Which one should I eat for round one?

As I was pondering over which pastry to eat, I noticed a cupcake landing on my plate.

"Just pick any one randomly in case of confusion," Tejas said and dropped a muffin alongside the pastry.

I glanced between him and my plate and concealed my surprised expression.

"Thank you," I said in a plain tone.

I moved away and sensed him tracking me as I went to another table hosting different kinds of breads. As Tejas suggested, I just picked one randomly and decided to find a secluded spot.

I went to a corner table and sat down. From my spot, I got a nice view of both the front lawn and the backyard. I ate my pastry and ignored the curious stares of Jaiswal Aunty as she entered the bakery and called Tejas towards her.

I stole a few glances and noticed how sweet she was with her son. And Tejas was also very polite and continuously smiling in his mother's presence. I observed them for some time and then refocused on my plate.

The weather was calm with a light drizzle, and all of the flowers were dancing with the wind. The scenery was very pretty. I had finished my round one's share, so I got up and selected snacks for round two.

Even if I was ignoring Tejas, his advice kept ringing in my ears, and my plate was filled up within seconds. I moved back to my earlier spot when I noticed Mahreen waving at me from outside. She motioned for me to join her and others in the backyard.

I hesitated and signalled back that I was okay by myself, but she shot me a glare. Taking a deep breath, I picked up my plate and went outside. I walked carefully as I didn't want my Jenga-looking cake to fall off, but when I reached Mahreen's group, Hriaan suddenly moved back and accidentally hit me with his elbow.

I tripped on my feet, and in order to save my treats, I planted myself in the ground.

"What's wrong with you, Shorty?" Hriaan looked down at me with furrowed eyebrows. "Are you auditioning for a 'damsel in distress'? Why do you keep falling down?"

I huffed and started pushing myself up. I was going to stand on my feet when a hand entered in my vision. I glanced at its owner and shook my head.

"Thank you for your help, but I am fine," I told Tejas.

He rolled his fingers back in his palm and stepped back. "Okay."

Once I got up, I felt like punching Hriaan on the back as he had a mocking smile while stuffing his face with garlic bread. I didn't resort to violence as I was in someone else's event, and I remembered what Mom had said about maintaining my good impression.

Mahreen asked me if I was hurt, and I assured her that I was okay.

"Why didn't you help her?" Tejas asked Hriaan.

Hriaan shrugged. "My hands are full, bro."

Tejas shot his best friend a disappointed look. He glanced at me, and I pulled a poker face. My snacks were ruined, so I moved to get another meal, but Tejas stopped me.

"Take this," he forwarded his plate, "I didn't eat from it, so it isn't ort."

Don't get defeated so soon, Bhoomi. You are a warrior, remember that.

Aren't you exaggerating now?

I am just helping you remember your resolve.

"It's okay," I told Tejas. "I will just get another plate."

"You don't have to," he insisted.

"Please don't bother about me and continue."

"I am not giving you poison, so why are you refusing?" Tejas asked, his voice turning icy.

I opened my mouth to argue, but Hriaan moved between Tejas and me.

"If you guys are just going to fight, then can I have these snacks?" he asked and moved his hand towards Tejas's plate.

Tejas slapped Hriaan's hand away. "Go and get yourself another one."

Hriaan looked at him in accusation. "How cruel of you, TJ - I never imagined that I would live to see such a day when my own best friend would discriminate against me."

"Please give it to Hriaan," I told Tejas.

Tejas frowned and punched Hriaan on the shoulder when Hriaan grinned like a kid after getting his wish fulfilled. He offered that he would share with me if I was feeling sad, and I shook my head at him.

Since Tejas and I both didn't have anything to eat now, I had no choice but to leave alongside him to get ourselves extra servings.

I kept a decent distance from him, but I was having a hard time ignoring his laser-like stare.

Why is he looking at me like I have committed a crime?

I think he was just trying to help, Bhoomi, and nothing else.

No, I won't fall into your trap and get fooled by Tejas's nice behaviour again. He must be just acting like always since he can't openly show his distaste in front of Mahreen. She always fights with him, so he must be avoiding getting in trouble with her unnecessarily.

But, I don't think-

Shut up!

I filled my plate and hurried off towards Mahreen. Tejas also arrived soon after, and I kept my eyes on my food and didn't let Hriaan steal anything. After finishing the second meal, I asked Mahreen about the washroom and went to answer the nature's call.

Five minutes later, I was out and was going back to my friends when a very familiar figure passed in my peripheral vision. The backyard had lots of trimmed bushes, resembling different animals and the height reached upto 5-6 ft. I turned my head in the direction of that familiar figure and saw it rushing near the area where all the extra supplies were kept.

Is it Mom? What is she doing here? And why has she covered her whole face? Even if she has worn a very different saree and hid all of her face, there is no way I can not recognise my own mother.

The alarm bells rang in my head. I didn't call my mother and slowly hid behind the bushes. I noticed her standing behind a huge decorative mannequin; she was continuously looking here and there.

After a few minutes, Eknath Uncle arrived with something in his hands that looked like cheques. My doubt was confirmed when Mom folded her hands in front of Eknath Uncle and bowed furiously. I tried to hear what they were saying.

"Hey, Shorty, what are you-"

I clasped Hriaan's mouth with my palm. He furrowed his eyebrows, but I pushed him down with me and peeked out of the bushes to see if my mother had noticed us or not.

Fortunately, she didn't, but she started leaving hurriedly. Hriaan tugged at my hand, and I whispered to him to keep quiet. I removed my hand when he nodded.

"What happened?" he asked.

I almost mentioned my mother but bit back my words. I didn't want to worry him when I myself didn't know the whole thing.

I lied and pointed at Eknath Uncle, and Hriaan got convinced that I was just hiding from my employer. He told me that it must be my muscle reflex that I was avoiding Eknath Uncle without realising that I wasn't working at the moment.

I let him tease me, and when he left for the washroom, I called up Mom. I followed her as she left the premises, but she didn't pick my call.

Just confront her, Bhoomi.

I also want to, but I am sure it will be useless. My mother can easily blame me for taking her as a wrong person, and she may even come up with a solid lie on the spot. She has a fever, so why did she come so far in such harsh climate? And if she wanted me to know about what she was doing, she would have asked me to contact Eknath Uncle myself. But, she didn't. She forced me out of the house and came here herself.

I think she was going to meet Eknath Uncle somewhere else, but somehow she couldn't, and that's why she hid her face as she knew I was going to be here. Mom, what exactly are you up to?

Mom had left from the back side street of the bakery, so I didn't waste any more time and took an autorickshaw after her. I noticed Hriaan waving at me when he saw me leaving, but I called him up and told him that I had to leave urgently as I wouldn't get trains later.

He complained about the excuse and said that he would have dropped me home like yesterday, but I refused and told him to not think much and just handle Mahreen for me. I knew he wasn't fully convinced, so I lied about my phone battery dying and cut the call.

I didn't leave my mother's sight for even a second. My heart-rate was increasing as I trailed her. All kind of negative thoughts were building up, and I just wished that she wasn't going to some drug peddler or someone with an illegal business.

My confusion rose when she alighted at our home station, but instead of taking our usual route, she went towards the main road.

It was raining continuously, but I didn't leave my impromptu mission. I hid in a shop when Mom suddenly stopped and looked around herself. After staring in every direction like a tigeress, she removed her goggles and entered the jewellery shop behind her.

I waited for a total half an hour when Mom exited the jewellery showroom with a fanny pack and continued on the main road. After a few minutes, she entered our local bank.

I let her do whatever she wanted, and after coming out from the bank, she took a short-cut for our chawl. I called her number, and she again didn't receive my call. I looked at her back, and my eyes widened when Mom took out a smartphone from the fanny pack and called someone.

What the fuck?

I instantly called her, but her phone kept ringing. It wasn't showing busy or engaged.

Who is she talking to then? And where did she get that phone?

My feet automatically moved in her direction, but before I could reach her, my phone rang up loudly. I instantly silenced it and picked up the call when I saw Ritvik Bhaiyya's caller ID.

"Bhoomi, come to the government hospital instantly. Aunty is unreachable, and the doctors are asking for the close relatives," Ritvik Bhaiyya announced.

"What do you mean?" I asked worriedly.

"Just come, okay? Don't panic. I am here, so hurry up."

Dhara Di!

Without thinking about anything, I turned around and ran to the hospital. The thought of taking Mom with me didn't even cross my mind. When I reached the hospital, Akshay's second younger sister, Meera, was waiting for me outside, and she instantly guided me towards my sister's room.

I noticed Ritvik Bhaiyya in a discussion with a doctor, and when he noticed me, he pulled me and told the doctor that I was the patient's sister.

The doctor instantly scolded me and asked how could my family leave Dhara Di by herself when her condition was so serious. I started shivering when I was informed that my sister just survived a severe panic attack.

Ritvik Bhaiyya hugged me and told me to calm down. He told the doctor that I was just a college student and wasn't aware that my sister was alone at home. The doctor still lectured me and left to attend to Dhara Di when the nurse called him.

"Relax, Bhoomi, your sister is okay now," Ritvik Bhaiyya consoled.

"How did this happen?" I cried.

Meera rubbed my shoulder. "Bhoomi Didi, when I came back from school, aunty asked me to look after Srishti and left to get your godadhhis (mattresses) from Rituja Aunty. Dhara Didi told us to play on the terrace as we were disturbing her a lot, but the rain started, and we came back downstairs.

"Dhara Didi had fallen asleep, so I took Srishti to my home to play with my new dolls. I got scared that aunty would return soon, so I went to check on Dhara Didi, and that's when I saw her shaking violently. I rushed out to call for help, and fortunately, Ritvik Bhaiyya was near the house, so he quickly took her to the hospital. We were calling aunty, but she left her phone at home only."

I thanked Meera and Ritvik Bhaiyya for taking the swift actions and saving my sister's life. Soon, Mom also arrived in a frenzy.

"Bhoomi, where is your sister?" she asked as tears rolled down her cheeks.

I looked at her blankly. "Where were you?"

Mom looked at me innocently. "I just got informed and came from the market. Stop asking me and tell me how your sister is."

I felt my blood boil. "Maa, I asked where you were!"

Mom's eyes widened at my sharp tone. She sat down on the floor and kept crying.

"Bhoomi, what's wrong with you?" Ritvik Bhaiyya scolded. "How can you talk like this to your mother? Can't you see she is also worried just like you?"

I took deep breaths. Ritvik Bhaiyya was right. I was angry at my mother for lying, but I masked my rage and consoled her. She looked at me sadly, and even though I didn't want to, I still apologized for raising my voice on her.

The doctors let us meet my sister after two hours, and my mother hugged her eldest daughter tightly. I also met Dhara Di and didn't ask her anything as advised by the nurse.

I noticed the emotional exchange between Mom and Dhara Di, the earlier incident of me trailing my mother flashing in front of my eyes.

Mom is still lying. If she won't reveal it herself, then I will also continue my investigation that I had abandoned earlier - I won't stop until I find out the truth.