Morning 5:00 am

Naira opened her eyes and smiled a little. She saw Shiv sleeping peacefully holding her shirt.

Naira slowly came out of the hug. She turned and saw Akshara sleeping leaning to the bed.

Akshara's tear stained face crushed Naira's heart into pieces. She got up and covered Akshara with blanket. She placed a kiss on her forehead.

Naira left the room. She wanted peace of mind. Naira went to the garden and sat on a bench.

Kartik came and sat beside her.

"Why are you so good?" Kartik asked.

Naira knew his presence but didn't say anything.

"Are you angry on me?" Kartik asked.

Naira was again silent.

"Naira I promise I'll never hurt you. I'll never let anyone hurt you. I'll spend my life even as your servant. You know what I mean." Kartik tried to be funny.

"If life was this simple I wouldn't have been here. All alone...." Naira wiped her tears.

"You are alone because you didn't let anyone come near you. You yourself made decision of yours and Choti Maa's life. It's not right Naira." Kartik got angry.

"You are also doing the same. I'm refusing but you are forcing to make me love you. Aren't you taking decision of my life?" Naira questioned.

"I want to give you happiness." Kartik justified.

"I also wanted Mumma to be happy. What you think? If in childhood I came to Mumma and told her everything....would she have been happy?" Naira raised a question.

"No she wouldn't have been happy. But she would have taken care of you so that you can forget that past." Kartik explained his point of view.

"Life isn't easy Kartik. You easily said this. But I know how much Mumma would have been hurt. Every day every second.....she said right....he was a monster. A monster who knows how to destroy every one's life." Naira was breaking.

"Naira!" A voice came from behind.

It was none other than Akshara.

Naira didn't look up. Akshara sat on her other side. Kartik was abt to leave but Akshara signalled him not to.

There was silence. Akshara kept her head on Naira's shoulder.

"Yes he was a monster. But I always loved you Naira. When he took you away from me.....I wasn't understanding what to do. We found you every where. Next day we came to know that the car which Ritu Raj was driving met with accident and it blasted. They found your blanket in the lake. They claimed you dead. I didn't believe them. I waited for you. My heart knew you will come. But mind thought you will not. No person can return from death. If I tried more to find you....our state wouldn't be like this. Forgive your Mumma. Because of me you beared that. If I listened to my heart and went against everyone to find you...may be I would have saved you. Forgive me Naira." Akshara broke down.

Naira wrapped her arm around her mother. Akshara cried her heart out in Naira's embrace.

"MUMMA!!!" Naira spoke with pure love.