"Sister, I will bring a few night dresses to him by evening. By then I will meet the doctors." Shivaay inwardly sighed as his wife completely ignored him for a couple of days.

Shivaay looked around the hospital room and his eyes settled on his wrist. The IV tube was attached to one of the nerves in his right hand and his left wrist was bandaged properly. He had broken his foot bone during the tumbling process, so the cast was on his foot. His body trembled, his backbone throbbed thinking of taking up that step. 

"Annika?" He called out to her. She took her time to face him when she did she was stern. She crossed her arms and raised her brows enquiringly.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't rational. I understand now, why you did that." He gulped down the content of his throat before looking at her straight eyes.

"We will talk about it after receiving the discharge. Take rest. I will talk to the doctor." Saying so she hurriedly strode out of the ward.

Thinking of her behaviour Shivaay knew it was all because of him and his actions. She yearned to be someone's top priority, to be loved immensely. But with him, her entire life was shattered. Her belief in life was broken down. She lost her belief, morality, principles in herself. He could do nothing other than feeling thoughtful on the matter.

He was brought to the present when Gauri, Omkara, Rudra and Bhavya barged into the ward. He looked at all of them with an alien expression. When he glanced at Gauri he was stunned, she was with a small human creature in her arms, wrapped around in a comfy blanket. He passed a tight-lipped small smile to them.

"How are you? We were tensed." Omkara breathed in and started with his hollow deep voice.

"I'm fine. Nothing you should be worried about." Shivaay struggled to adjust himself to the back pillow then Rudra came over forward and assisted him.

"Jiju this is my daughter Misha. She is 4 months old. You wanna carry her?" Gauri came toward to ease the awkward silence.

Shivaay eyed the little human and smiled watching her. She was gaily throwing chubby limbs in the air and peeking from her blanket at the foreign surrounding.

"No, I'm fine." He straightforwardly refused and turned his face to another side. Bhavya comprehended something off in him but shrugged it thinking it be one of the behavioural changes.

"Jiju she is a nice girl, just try to carry her. You would feel comfortable." Gauri adamantly attempted to pass her daughter to him. Bhavya stepped into the situation and struggled to stop her, but she was so brat that she didn't stop.

"I said I don't want to. Not a child born out of wedlock." Shivaay roared with anger. His eyes were spitting out an amber flame.

Omkara was taken back with his sudden outburst. He thundered in his anger. How dare someone call his daughter names? Gauri was awestruck, tears were ready to spill through her doe moulded eyes. She felt anguished at the thoughts of her daughter, someone was pointed fingers at her daughter. As a mother, she felt failed to protect her daughter from the world.

"Remember Shivaay you are focussing fingers at my daughter. Don't you tempt repeat this or you be strangled with my bare hands?" He whispered yelled at him. Shivaay didn't look shocked. But instead, he was calm and composed.

"I had told you before, Rudra, he is an unappreciative bastard. My parents raised him like their own child, what did he do? He killed my father. Even the shareholders follow his path blindly. He is manipulating all. He is a true Rascal. " Omkara screamed at Rudra. Rudra was off-guarded with his brother.

"O he is not at guilt. He's been framed by someone. He is our brother, he saved us from the man you call father. And now stop talking sick of them. " Rudra sincerely answered back with the same intensity.

"Who asked him to save us? Oh, I didn't ask for nor I'm not grateful for that. His father had multiple relationships and his beloved sister is also a 'child born out of wedlock'. How dare he call my daughter names? " Omkara flung his hands in the air and howled staring at Shivaay.

"Well, I agree with what my father did. But he never wanted to gain money using his son. He loved me and Prinku beyond money, not like your father who tried killing for just a few million. My father failed as a husband but not as a father. As a father, he was much better than yours." Shivaay confided with a smile that meant to provoke him.

"We all made you realize your mistakes and helped you unite with my sister. Is that you all give, as respect? " Gauri asked. Bhavya was wide-eyed with her abrupt change. She very well knew what was coming up next.

"I'm thankful for that. Truly. But if we go in that way, it was my wife who talked with your bloody bitch of a son father. That is the reason you have been married to your secret boyfriend with a daughter. This is the reality. " Shivaay slowly got on his foot and walked past them balancing himself on the cold floor, to reach the window side.

"Shivaay Gauri just passed the child, only to comfort you and how could you call her with names. After all, she is your niece. You have no liberty to speak in such a manner. Now apologize. " Om gritted his upper jaw with his lower and spoke dangerously.

"I told the truth. What I meant was actuality, your daughter was born out of wedlock. Means illegitimate. And you are no one to me. " Shivaay shrugged his shoulders while answering back.

"Shivaay. Now apologize!" Shivaay turned to the door, only to find  Annika standing over there with Khanna and Rehan. By her look, he knew she had listened to every single word.

"Shivaay she is a baby. Baccha hai, we should never speak like that. " She walked to him and said.

"I won't. You don't know what he said. I was just trying to speak the truth, that she is an illegitimate child" 

"Again? Recollect, you are speaking to Omkara Singh Oberoi's daughter. " He marched towards him and held cloth around the neck of his hospital dress and yanked him towards him.

Rudra hastily walked to them and began separating them from each other's clutches. Omkara stopped panting huffing and puffing with seething anger. Annika rubbed Shivaay's back to calm his breathing.

Rudra glared at his brother, Om. He knew both Om and Shivaay were wrong at places. Shivaay shouldn't have called such names to a baby and Om shouldn't have dragged about Prinku and his parents. But now what Omkara did was incorrect. Shivaay was just out of anxiety and Omkara had charged on him. Rudra with his all strength whacked his brother, Omkara.

"Both of you are wrong. But that doesn't mean that you can manhandle him. He is sick. He is not ungrateful instead you are. " Rudra pointed his fingers at his face.

"Wow. Wow. Now you have sided with him. Great. You're not my brother instead you're his. " Omkara angrily spat. While Gauri held his arms, sending all strength to him. By now by the little child in her arms started wailing with the loud commotion.

"Yeh bhai ke baare mein nahin, sachchaee ke baare mein hai. It's about the truth. " Bhavya authoritatively spoke.

"Will you?" Annika expectantly looked at Shivaay. Khanna and Rehan had helped them back to his bed.

"I won't." He firmly answered, looking at Rudra. The emotions visible on his face were foreign to him.

"Gauri and Om, I'm sorry on my husband's behalf. No child should be called like that. I'm extremely apologetic. " She folded her hands into a namaste and spoke, lowering her head.

Shivaay was himself ashamed, as his wife bend over her head in front of those people. He attempted to nudge her after the couple had left the room sobbing about their daughter, but only to receive a glare in return. 

"Khanna Ji, ask him to come home when he is fine. The doctor permitted to take him by tomorrow. I will go home with Rehan" Annika gestured Rehan to follow her.

"Annika. Listen to me. Please." Shivaay tried walking up with Khanna's help but stopped when she whirled back and shot a glare at him.

"You come home with Khanna Ji when your anger is faded. Chachi Ji will be coming at night with your food, behave well." Annika warned before moving out.

"I did a mistake, Khanna," Shivaay whispered. Rudra smiled sadly as he didn't even dare to meet up his eyes.

.

"Did your son, Omkara allow you to visit me?" Shivaay asked looking at Jhanvi. She was sitting next to his bed, cutting the apple and passing it to him.

"You're my son too Shivaay. I may not have given birth to you but I have raised you. You are more than my children. " Jhanvi emotionally said unable to absorb his jabbing words.

"Agar mom hoti, my life wouldn't have been like this. She would have listened to me, my wife. She would have been when my wife needed it the most. " Shivaay tried to smile through his layers of tears.

Jhanvi stiffens hearing about Pinky. Never in these years had he voiced out his wanting for mother. It was always Jhanvi and Tej. She felt offended as Pinky's topic came over.

"Even I'm there Shivaay. As a mother in law to Annika. I have wholeheartedly blessed her. Both Annika, Gauri and Bhavya are all same to me. How can you say it?" Jhanvi wiped her tears through her back palms and stared at him to speak up.

"I'm not saying that you didn't love me, but I'm saying that you didn't love like your other sons. Maa hamesha maa hotee hai" Jhanvi for the first time in decades felt not being a mother to Shivaay.

"Apane Jo Gauri ko attention diya, that she was pregnant. Vo one per cent mere biwi ko dena chahiye tha. " Shivaay whispered not wanting her to hear.

"She was in front of my eyes. She was just sad about you, I don't know why you're speaking this."

"How can you notice it, when all were busy pampering Gauri, apparently who was pregnant? I and Annika were about to be parents. I got to know a few weeks back" Jhanvi stayed shocked.

Indeed she had no idea regarding this. Her mother in law, Kalyani never accepted Annika as Oberoi bahu and she had only formal greetings with her. About, herself she was so engrossed in her husband's death, that had to divert her attention to Gauri. All forgot about Annika.

"Well, she terminated just when she was about 10 weeks. You all didn't even notice her absence when she was with her Chachi Ji getting treated" Shivaay wiped his tears furiously.

"She felt neglected. I can't even imagine her state back then. Not at least as family members but as a human being, you should have conversed with her regularly. It was me a criminal you all thought not my wife right? She was pregnant without her husband's support." Shivaay pulled his lower lips between his teeth, trying his best not to cry in front of her.

"Is that the reason why you tried cutting your nerves? Death isn't only the option. Babies come and go" Jhanvi attempted to think positively. Only if she knew it wasn't.

"No, it wasn't. I agree I was devastated knowing that truth. How do you feel when you're planning to start a family for a long time? Like all, I was saddened.  The reason why I tried cutting my nerves was Annika. I wasn't eligible for her. She needs to be cherished but with me, she is suffering along with my fate. I tried pushing her away but she loves me to extend that I had to take this step." Jhanvi busted out whimpering hearing him,  understanding his dilemma.

"When Prinku came unannounced I didn't fall vulnerable. When my mom shot herself I didn't, I didn't hate the baby instead I was fulfilling her as an elder brother. But when I saw your granddaughter I felt unsuccessful. Even I would be a proud father, if not being a superhero saving your sons. I regret standing like a wall to them. I just spoiled, mera aur Annika ka life."

"I'm not blaming you or others. It's just my fate." Shivaay shrugged his shoulder as he continued.

*****

Hello! I got my phone repaired. And a big fat happy new year. May this year evolve to our previous lifestyles.

Hopefully, our school is organising a vaccination camp for the 15-18 age group on 3rd January. Being the most senior in the school we will be getting the shots in priority.

Being in class 12, I'm scared of another lockdown. If they take that step. Previously our term 1 was soo bad if the cases increases and term 2 does not take place, the boards will be considering term 1 only. Which none of us want.

And here in Bangalore, cases are increasing day by day. Hope for the best.

:-P