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This chap is affectionately dedicated to -
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"Have you ever been in love?
Horrible isn't it?
It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up..............."

Dev looked around amazed. If truth be told then he had never imagined that Adishri and Manjiri's maternal house was so pleasant but dusty. The whole place was remote, small but populous. The simplicity and the authenticity of that place had literally bowled him over. He was visiting there for the very first time. He couldn't make it to there when Ved and Adishri or Shaurya and Manjiri got married since both the marriages took place in the main city centre, Agra rather than that outer district of Agra.

"We are at the right place, right?"

Dev asked sparing a glance at Shaurya. It had been more than a minute now since they had pressed the doorbell twice. Shaurya nodded discreetly joining his both of his hands to greet an old man passing by. He remembered him, he was a neighbour living in the house adjoining to Dwarka. On noticing his brother do that, Dev too imitated the same thing and then softly asked when that lady disappeared in the neighbouring house.

"Then why no one's coming out?"

"How am I supposed to know that?... Call her."

Shaurya murmured, he looked a bit ill at ease, he was never comfortable with that whole atmosphere around. It made him nervous for some reason. Barely had he raised his hand to press the button of the doorbell yet again, then he heard a lady's voice.

"Who is it?" Both Dev and Shaurya looked up, towards the balcony of the house from where the owner of that voice kind of shouted, "Oh, I'm coming. Please wait."

"I never knew both the Bhabhis' aunt is quite young of her age."

Dev was tempted to comment that. However, Shaurya was quick to cancel out that assumption.

"Shut up! That wasn't their aunt."

"Then?"

Dev asked and that was when Shama opened the door for both of them.

"Please, come in." As they approached the drawing hall, Shama asked her kids and Vidhi to let the guests sit peacefully. "Kids take your toys inside. Play there. Give some place to sit."

Kids ran inside, disappearing behind the drawn curtains. Shaurya's eyes were desperately in search of a pair of eyes, his heartbeat picked up pace when faint sounds of somebody's approaching footsteps reached his ears.

However, that wasn't her but her aunt who appeared from behind the curtains.

"Who is it, Shama?"

Shaurya stood up in order to greet her. He remembered the last time when he was about to touch her feet and he was told not to. Since making sons-in-law touch his elder in-laws' feet was considered wrong in their eyes.

"Namaste!" Mrs Megha Rao added chancing a glance at Shama who stood behind her couch, "Shama, bring some water for the kids. Prepare tea..."

Dev immediately chimed in.

"No, thank you, Aunty, but none of us drink tea."

"Coffee then."

"Only water will do. Don't bother yourselves unnecessarily."

Shaurya replied hesitantly. He wasn't really sure of how possibly an ideal son-in-law should act in particularly that moment. All that was way too awkward. He tried hard to think of how he had observed Ved handling such undivided attention aptly.

"Oh come on!" Mrs Megha Rao smiled a bit before turning and wordlessly giving instructions to Shama. And just as Shama was about to walk away, he heard her mistress instruct some more, "Call Miru and check how long will it take?"

To that Shaurya shared a glance with Dev. Taking the hidden cue, Dev questioned,

"Is she not at home?"

"Young'un has gone to temple to inquire details of her Dadiji's Shraadh (first death anniversary). Priest had only called her to give the list of items required for that day."

Shama answered in place of her mistress offering a glass of water to each. Mrs Megha Rao filled in more before taking a sip of water from her glass. "It is scheduled on this Friday." Suddenly her gaze fell on Dev who was waving to someone behind her. She turned to look.

"Vidhi, why are you hiding there? Come here. Did you greet your Fufaji? Say Namaste! "

In hearing her grandmother's words, that little girl hid more in the layers of the curtain. Mrs Rao asked again.

"Coming or not?"

"No, I'll not come."

Vidhi answered back whilst giggling. Mrs Rao was quick to use her tactic almost immediately.

"Ok then. I'll send your Bua with them. See he is already here to take her..."

"No, Bua will stay with me only." Vidhi whined emerging from behind. Shaurya had to appreciate that little girl's confidence when she directly challenged him, that too when she was speaking to him for the very first time. "Fufaji, you won't take her, right?"

Luckily, he was saved from answering that when the doorbell rang and Vidhi ran out to check who it was. It was someone from the neighbourhood who needed to speak to Mrs Megha Rao thereby she too went there after asking both the Mohan cousins to freshen up and make themselves comfortable.

Shaurya stepped out of the washroom as he freshened up. Regardless of the length of his travelling span, he always preferred rinsing his hands and face with soap the minimum if in case taking a shower was not in his reach. He was finding a place to spread his wet towel in the verandah where a few other clothes were already spread for sun drying, just when he noticed Manjiri getting inside the house with some polybags in her hands. However, she failed to note his presence. Perhaps her focus was somewhere else or perhaps it was because of the clothes who were surrounding him.

She hung all those polybags on the toggle of the side wall of the verandah and went near the handpump to wash her hands whilst asking something from Shama who was working in the kitchen.

"Shama Ji, why are a few cartons still unopened? Please bring them here from the drawing hall..."

The rest of the words never came out from her mouth as she walked over towards the place where the clothes were spread, to wipe her face in one of the towels from there. For a moment, she couldn't believe her eyes. Was he really there?

He slightly inched towards her. She blinked, her lips parted a little, clearly taken aback at his presence. She frenziedly took a few steps behind.

Seeing her do that, Shaurya didn't move any further. He stared at her. The person in front of him wasn't the person he thought he would see. What has she made out of herself? Her face and eyes seemed to have lost it's usual contents, both appeared dull. Her skin tone had turned a shade darker.

She was wearing a olive green coloured plain, cotton saree. Her hair had been neatly tied up in a bun, though a few strands still managed to come out and cloak the side of her face. He didn't know if she was adorning all that because of the setting she was in or if it was some religiously important day. Well her visit to the nearby temple could also be another convincing reason. Her look was simple, still the red glass bangles in each of her hands and the red colour on her hair partition stood out.

"Here you go!" Shama approached and oscillated her eyes in between the couple when Manjiri didn't respond, "Young'un?"

Manjiri took those cartons from Shama's hands with a nod, not showing any reaction whatsoever. And then quickly walked past her inside.

Shaurya couldn't understand anything, whatever it was, it was beyond his cognitive skills. Now he realised, why wise men had said that falling in love is like holding a candle.

Light... Melt... Hurt... Burn... Dark!

It was a high time! Rocket science should be convinced to compromise cause nothing in the world was more difficult than love.

"Met her? Did you guys hug?"

Dev asked as he observed Shaurya walk towards him and take a seat next to him on the couch.

Shaurya turned to him in response and noticed that Dev had his stupid infamous grin pasted on his face. He couldn't help but wonder why he looked so cheerful nearly every single time? Quite stupid of him to think that hugging could also be possible in such absurd scenario.

He kept on wordlessly glaring at Dev until and unless Dev himself made his grin fall.

"Sorry! What did she say then? And what did you speak to her?"

"How could I speak anything? She didn't even find it right to acknowledge my presence. She ran away looking at me as if she saw a ghost."

Shaurya sighed, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was around. He obviously didn't require any audience.

"Oh!" Dev thinned his lips. He had full trust that things would surely fall into the right places once Shaurya and Manjiri decide to catch up. He just didn't want Shaurya to feel disheartened, in order to lighten up the situation and mood, he attempted to joke, "That's why I asked you to shave off your beard. It really requires a trim just as your hair."

Shaurya literally regretted even getting into that. Manjiri and Dev were the two names synonyms of headache for him. He was so done. He got up without saying anything and marched towards the open lawn. The last thing he wanted was to be followed by Dev there too.

However, luckily, it wasn't Dev who was following but...

"Fufaji, you're going out? Come, I'll show you my baby Tulsi plant."

Vidhi excitedly held Shaurya's hand and attempted to lead him near a lane of small clay pots, not waiting for his reply, whilst prattling about something to two other kids. Shaurya assumed that those two kids belonged to Shama, Rao family's househelp.

If it was some another day then he sure wouldn't have dared to equate with tiny humans, but since, off late, his equations with adults were no good as well, so he just let himself try his luck with the young ones. And if truth be told, then he actually felt fine with them, omitting the part that he didn't find anything purposeful in their talks and revelations.

_

_

_

"Sometimes, the greatest courage is in admitting our own vulnerability.............."

"Make sure this gravy doesn't get thick. Keep stirring." Mrs Megha Rao cautioned Shama before turning to Manjiri, "Till then, Miru, you go and take out that new crockery set from that upper shelf of your room."

Manjiri was in deep thoughts as she was brushing up the utensils with the help of a moist cloth. She had never expected so much happening in a trice. Who had guessed that the one who could depict bitterness at night, could even show up to the subject of that bitterness the very next day.

She couldn't help but let her uneasy thoughts slowly becoming more difficult - 'Why is he here?', 'Has he got something important to say?', 'Is he here to let her know his final decision?', 'Would he like to hear her once before reaching to any conclusion or did she actually deserve what was running at the back of her mind?', 'Has he too started thinking that their relationship has got no hopes?'

His sudden showing up meant what? Could a person's bitter state of mind be changed overnight?

Did his presence was an indication to something which she was fearful of?

No, she didn't have that courage to hear what he what he was there to say. She was afraid that it might come around to the same hurtful arguments.

She was literally not psychologically prepared to hear his questions or to give him explanations as of yet. She admitted that she was at fault on majority of things and she was really sorry for everything. But perhaps she was too late to address anything since it looked like he already had made a decision for both of them.

"Bhabhi, you were..." Dev's sudden loud voice made Manjiri startle at her spot. The bowls in her hands were almost ready to touch the ground when she managed to hold them back firmly, "God! You scared me, Bhaiya."

"Relax! It's just me." Dev whispered staring back at her apologetically. He realised that there were two more individuals present in the kitchen other than Manjiri. Acknowledging their presence with a slight smile, he turned towards Manjiri again, "By the way, I was saying that today I realised why you used to miss this place so much."

"You liked it?"

Manjiri asked surprised, a little glad that finally someone from Mohan clan liked her world. Dev exclaimed with a bright grin in response.

"I loved it. It's a whole different vibe to be here. The people out here are so sweet just like that translucent sweet candy which you gave me to eat..."

Shama added to give completion to Dev's words, shifting closer to Manjiri giving her more utensils to clean. Most of the tableware was made in stainless steel.

"We call it Petha. You know trip to Agra is incomplete without digging into it."

Dev smiled and then spared his glance all around the kitchen. He looked impressed. The authentic smell of hand ground spices was something worth mentioning. He noticed how all the ladies there were working barefoot, hence telling him that it was an auspicious place for them. He immensely got rid of his crocs, leaving them at the doorstep, he walked in more.

"What are these special arrangements for?"

"For you people."

Mrs Megha Rao answered as she grinded something in the marble mortar with help of a pestle. Dev felt amused. The idea of such grand feast preparation just because of the arrival of two individuals didn't appear convincing to him.

"But I'm going to my friend's place in a while. Poor food!"

"So then Damaad Ji will go with you too?"

Shama asked with somewhat disheartened look. Dev smiled and then shook his head in negative. He noted how the looks on both the elderly ladies took a drastic change with him shaking his head in no.

"Why so much relief and joy with this particular revelation?'

"Ohho! He's this house's permanent guest of honour. One has to treat him with utmost respect. I very well remember how Dadiji used to leave no stone unturned whenever Ved Damaad Ji used to visit here." Shama exclaimed going back to whatever she was doing. Taking a slight pause, she added softly, "If she would be here today, her enthusiasm in making all special arrangements for her dearest granddaughter's husband would be a sight to watch."

Manjiri blinked peering at Shama. She couldn't help but agree with her. Her grandmother despite being very ill at health never used to compromise with the hospitality aspect. She further noticed her aunt leaving the kitchen on receiving a phone call.

"Woah! Such royal treatment just for getting married to a girl from here." Dev added leaning against the kitchen counter, "There's no issue if people are celebrating their sons-in-law. But in my opinion, when the time comes, people should celebrate their daughters and daughters-in-law too."

Manjiri inwardly sighed, glad with the fact that her aunt didn't hear Dev's words. She might have thought that those words were targeting her and Manjiri obviously wasn't wanting that.

"Feminism has come a long way, but so far to go, yet..."

Shama muttered in support of Dev's words and that was when her gaze fell behind Manjiri. She found Shaurya approaching with Vidhi and her kids falling into step behind him and debating about something within themselves.

"Umm. Your husband left the keys of your house at the doorstep."

Shaurya informed. To which Shama took the keys from his hands and offered him a sheepish smile with a nod.

"Why did you bring them? There was no need to bother yourself. I would have taken from him myself."

"That's no big deal. He said he was in a hurry."

No sooner did Shaurya shrugged that, then he found a little hand gripping his fingers in order to draw his attention.

"Fufaji! This boy is snatching my doll's hair. Slap him."

"Vidhi."

Manjiri's tone came out sharp and loud, issuing a warning. And that was enough for the little girl to leave Shaurya's hand and grab the loose end of her aunt's saree.

Manjiri inwardly smiled at her niece's pouting face. That was her way to tackle the annoyance or dissatisfaction targeted towards her.

"Bua, I'm hungry. I want one Petha."

Vidhi murmured as she managed to sit on the counter after climbing on a big steel container of rice. Dev was surprised with the way she aided herself so effortlessly.

Vidhi was for sure a notorious kid. She looked cute but those little butterfly fancy clips holding her short hair made her look more cuter. Dev was tempted to touch her itty bitty fountain ponytail, on top of her head.

"Don't touch my hair. My clips are new."

"Wow, will you give me one?"

Dev asked detaching his hand from the little girl's curls. Shama made a leave from the kitchen when she heard her phone ringing.

"No. It won't look nice on you. You got short hair."

Vidhi refused blatantly making Shaurya look at Dev and Vidhi with a curious gaze. His gaze too got steady on his wife who first handed over a piece of sweet to her niece and turned around to give some to Shama's kids too. She even gave one to Dev who gladly accept it. And finally she turned to look at him, their eyes got locked. Their eyes seemed to say it all what their mouths couldn't.

Manjiri wasn't sure what would be right for both of them. She had come to understanding that he was a good person and she was anything but good. Maybe, everyone was correct in saying that he deserved better.

No loyal person deserves to be with a partner who doubts his loyalty.

No trustable person shouldn't be entitled a life with a partner who questions his credibility.

She blinked uneasily on registering that she would never be good enough for him, in her mind and looked away, breaking that contact. She tried to look back at Dev and Vidhi.

"Alright, give one for my wife then. She got long hair."

"You got a wife?" Vidhi asked crossing her arms against her chest. "Show me then. Where is she?"

"Will you give me if I'll show her to you?"

"Depends."

"On?"

Dev asked amused. He loved kids and especially those kids who could talk to him, not the ones who only whine. And Vidhi definitely turned out to be smart one of her age.

"Your wife. I only share my things with good girls."

Vidhi answered whilst shaping a small amount of well kneaded dough into a shape of a duck. Amused Dev looked at Manjiri,

"She's so cool. Even ahead of Vaidik in terms of sass."

"She loves dancing to her own tune."

Manjiri sighed peeling some onions for the tempering of the dal. Dev moved his arm to loop both of her shoulders and remarked in a frisky low voice, though loud enough that even Shaurya heard that.

"No wonder she's a Rao inheritress. Pun intended." Manjiri looked at him, she wasn't actually aiming to shot a glare at Dev. But the way she looked at him appeared like that. Stifling up his chuckle, Dev added giving a squeeze to her shoulders. "Was just kidding. Relax!"

And just like he used to at their place, in their kitchen, he wordlessly started helping her. Manjiri protested but Dev was definitely not the one obeying.

Few minutes passed by, Dev managed to make a conversation with Manjiri whilst working together. Vidhi was busy playing with that dough while Shaurya who didn't know what exactly to do, where exactly to go, leaned against the wall and busied himself in his phone.

A car honked outside. Dev quickly left the chore at hand as he knew that his friends were there to pick him up. "Bhai, can you help her in filling these water bottles. I should get going." Dev spoke to Shaurya, not waiting for his reply and handing him the empty bottles.

"No, I can manage..." Manjiri spoke up but stopped when she noticed Shaurya walking up to stand beside her and open the tap of the earthen clay pot. She turned her gaze to Dev, "Bhaiya, call your friends inside for a while. Taiji won't like if they'll go without..."

"Nobody would actually wish to come, Bhabhi. The fact that we are already running late. So bye guys. Bye kids, will bring you chocolates in the morning as promised."

"Good. Bye!"

Vidhi muttered with disinterest while Shama's kids waved their hands at Dev with smiling faces. The little one from the two even hugged his legs making Dev smile more. He then turned to look at Vidhi,

"Won't you give me a goodbye hug?"

"No."

Dev's eyes got widened. He actually wasn't expecting that. He always thought he was everyone's favourite and especially children were his real fans. But who knew he was living in a delusion. He couldn't help but exchanged a glance with Shaurya who seemed to be enjoying that. And before he could even react, Vidhi herself explained.

"Daddy says hugs and kisses are only for Mumma, Daddy, Bua, Shama Aunty, Dadi and her friends. They are only the safe people."

"I'm a safe person too since I'm your Bua's friend."

Dev urged making Vidhi look at him properly, as if examining.

"Daddy will come tomorrow. I'll ask him if Bua's friends are allowed me to hug or not, then will see."

"My God! Rao genes supremacy!"

Dev shook his head in utter helplessness and dashed out. As Shaurya was unscrewing a bottle's cap, it fell down and rolled over to Manjiri's feet.

Both of them crouched down to pick that up almost at the same time. As their fingers brushed, their eyes flew up to meet each other. He stared at her closely. His eyes seemed to question her many things. She was finding it utterly difficult to match his intense gaze.

On feeling a unsettled, she took a moment in looking down. Shaurya got up on his feet and that was when Vidhi announced holding the ladle.

"I'll do this today. I learnt it yesterday."

"No, Vidhi. Playing isn't allowed near the gas stove."

Manjiri urged, Vidhi argued whilst emptying the bowl of finely chopped tomatoes in the boiling oil pan, which was already containing onions and chillies.

"Ain't playing, Bua. Only helping you..."

Little did that little girl can know that her that one move could harm others, specifically Shaurya. The swift introduction of water of the tomatoes in the superheated oil made the pan to spit out that water. With water droplets, oil ones came along with the ride and finally injured Shaurya's knuckle and arm. He whimpered making his wife come running to him.

"Vidhi! You don't listen these days. Despite telling not to, you still went on. Now, see you burnt him."

Manjiri sternly yelled at her niece taking his hand in hers. He watched on surprised. It was the first time he was seeing her being so authoritative. He then looked at the little girl who looked awfully clueless, he intervened retracting his hand back.

"It's ok."

"No, it's not." Manjiri spoke up taking his hand back and leading him to the washbasin, all the while directing her annoyance at Vidhi, "Now, I'll seriously go back cause Vidhi has stopped listening to me."

Vidhi ran out of the kitchen. Shaurya stared at Manjiri as she first put his hand under the tap of running water and then applying some toothpaste over his now-turned red skin.

"Let me do it."

He urged trying to pull his hand back. But she didn't allow him.

"No, let me. These burns will turn into wounds if not..."

"These wounds are apparent. You're able to see them. Then why you've decided to turn a blind eye to my real wounds which are day by day spreading to my heart?"

Shaurya mumbled making Manjiri crane her neck to look at him. Her hands momentarily stopping at what she was doing. He blinked and then took his gaze off her face.

"Leave it now, I'll manage."

"I'm doing it na." She added, her voice turning heavy at last. "I accept that I'm the reason of your pain. And I've distanced myself only to minimise that..."

"But guess what? Your tactic didn't work." He remarked, unconvinced. "You're not minimising but only amplifying my pain with every passing day. Your tactics are as dumb as your logics, Silly Head."

She swallowed hard. She opened her mouth to perhaps say something but then shut it immediately, taking a few steps back. He too took some steps back.

"Say it out clearly that you too thought that I would harm you or your dignity if you would continue to be with me. You too think of me as an abuser, a wife-beater, right?"

She snapped her head to meet his eyes, puzzled. Shock was written all over her face.

"What are you saying? I'm not getting..."

Her words were interjected by her aunt's loud voice from the hall.

"Miru, why hasn't the food served yet. What would Shaurya Ji would think? Make it fast."

In a blink of an eye, Shama came running into the kitchen.

"Sorry, the call took long. It was from..."

"No worries. Call Taiji for the dinner till then I set the table."

Manjiri managed to utter that. Shaurya sighed and decided to walk out from there.

"No, you go and bring her. I'll manage this all." Shama voiced looking at Manjiri and turned towards Shaurya when he was making his way out from there, "Damaad Ji, please take a seat."

"Where are the kids?"

Manjiri asked. To which Shama replied.

"I saw them running towards the verandah."

Manjiri was about to walk towards the verandah when Shaurya passed her.

"Allow me."

She couldn't say anything. She only nodded and was about to flee from the scene when his hand on her wrist stopped her. Her eyes instantly searched his eyes. He looked a bit unsettled, annoyed maybe. And that mere look was enough to make her gulp hard.

"Will you believe me today if I say that I've only loved you?"

She blinked, straightening up. Her eyes displayed earnestness to him. She took another two steps towards him to whisper out,

"Will you believe me today if I say that I too have made sincere efforts to sail our boat?..."

"Our suffering is caused by holding on to how things might have been, should have been, could have been....................."

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[Next update will unlock with the attainment of 350+ votes on this update and gaining of 700+ followers on Sonali_nefelibata.]

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"JI HUZOORI".

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This is it for now. Hope you liked it. I am sorry for the mistakes.

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