Nitya was arranging the washed clothes into the wardrobe, Manvi entered in and hugged her from behind. Nitya was surprised at the sudden hug from her, she asked "mannu sab thik hai?"

"Aap naraz ho mujhse?" she asked and Nitya was surprised at her sudden question.

"Main kyun tujhse naraz rahungi?" Nitya asked the reason why she (Manvi) felt she would be angry at her.

"Toh aap itne ukhde ukhde kyun ho..?" she asked.

Nitya turned towards her and glanced at her surprisingly. She never expressed in front of her about her problem, how did she find out that something is bothering her. Manvi grabbed her hand and said "Aap jante ho na.. Aap mujhe kuch bhi bata sakte ho! Main bhale hi choti hun aapse par aapke dard ko aapki takleef samajhti hun! Agar main aapki thodi se bhi takleef kum kar sakti hun toh please mujhe batayie"

Nitya wanted to reveal but stopped expressing herself as she knows Manvi would immediately confront Kaushalya and create a scene which will upset Kaushalya even more and moreover Kaushalya would again insult Manvi which she can't bear for her. Nitya cupped her face and said "tere rehte.. Mujhe kya takleef ho sakti hai mannu?"

Manvi pulled her to the bed and made her sit on it. Manvi stared at her and said "saaf pata chal raha hai kuch aapko pareshan kar raha hai Di.. bachpan se janti hun aapko! Aunty ne phir bache ko leke aapko taane diya?"

Nitya was silent, Manvi fumed in anger "God.. isliye I hate marriages! Pehle shaadi karo phir gharwale aur samaaj chahta hai bache paida karo! Wo ho jaye toh unhe bada karo.. Inn sab mein ek aurat kya chahti hai, kya mehsus karti hai ye koi samajhta hi nahi hai" she spoke hatefully.

Nitya held her hand and said "jaane de mannu.. Ye choice meri khudki thi! Aniket se shaadi karne se pehle hi main jaanti thi Maaji kaisi hai.. Maine koshish ki sab karne ki par.."

"Par auntyji ki soch aap nahi badal paayi! Aapne job karna bhi chod diya! Wo toh aapko respect bhi nahi deti hai.." Manvi said Nitya was now scared that if she could to know Kaushalya had prepared divorced papers and planning Aniket's second marriage a storm will be in the house.

Manvi got on her knees and kept her head on her lap, she said "saalo pehle.. Aap mujhe bachaya tha Di.. maa ke jaane ke baad bua bhi meri shaadi karana chahti thi aur mujhe kuch banna tha! Aap unse ladke mujhe apne saath apne paas le aaye phir mujhe hostel bheja meri padhai ki zimmedari uthayi!" tears slipped down her eyes.

Nitya kissed her head and said "kaise nahi karti mannu? Behen hai tu meri.. Teri khushiyon se badhkar kuch bhi nahi hai mere liye"

Manvi looked up to her and said meaningfully "aur mere liye bhi! Aapko Aunty kitne kadve shabd sunati hai wo mujhe chubte hai.. Adopt kyun nahi kar lete ho aap aur jiju kisi bache ko?"

Nitya smiled painly "phir toh maaji uss bache ko apnayengi nahi aur apnaya bhi toh apna khoon nahi hai ke taane zindagi bhar deti rahengi.. Aur main apne swarth ke liye kisi masoom ki zindagi barbaad nahi kar sakti mannu.. Humhe girke jo chot lagti hai usse zyda takleef apno ki berukhi aur unki baaton se hoti hai"

Manvi got up and gave a tight hug to Nitya, she was elder but sometimes elders do need someone to console them. Manvi's hug worked as some relief for Nitya, they remained in the hug for a while and then parted with a familiar voice.

"Haww... bhabhi maa iss badtameez ladki ne aapko rulaya" Aarav said.

They parted the hug, Manvi stared at him and shouted "kabab mein haddi banne aa gaya.."

"Excuse me.. Main iss ghar mein rehta hun tum iss ghar ki mehmaan ho so technically you are kabab mein haddi between me and bhabhi maa" Aarav spoke possessively.

Manvi moved towards him and asked "tumhari problem kya hai?? Khana tum mujhe pehle nahi khane dete ho.. Di ke saath baat karti hun toh beech mein tapak padte ho! Jalkukde kahike"

"I am not jalkukda.. Nakchadi kahiki" Aarav fired back.

Nitya sighed deeply as they started again. A minute ago, Manvi was emotional and now she is fighting with Aarav. Nitya stopped their fight "bas karo tum dono...zara zara si baat pe ladte rehte ho!"

"Bhabhi Maa ye ladti hai aap chalo mujhe aapko kuch dikhana hai" Aarav grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Manvi.

Manvi inhaled deeply "I hate him so much..." she murmured and walked out of the room.

Aarav showed her the new dress designs and ideas for the fashion week. Nitya gave him some advice and he smiled "ye toh bahut acha suggestion hai bhabhi maa.. Main abhi isko add kar leta hun"

Nitya smiled and Manvi stared at this, she thought "he is annoying but Di ke chahre pe smile le hi aata hai! Bas yahi ek acha kaam karta hai"

After some time, Manvi and Aarav went out of the house for some work. Nitya went to Kaushalya's room with the food. She said "maaji please khana kha lijiye aapne do din se kuch nahi khaya hai"

Kaushalya threw the plate on the floor and shouted "mujhe nahi khana hai khana! Ab ya toh meri jaan jayegi ya tum mere Aniket ki zindagi se bahar"

Nitya was concerned as nothing eating food or even drinking water will affect her health. She said "maaji.. Kyun aap apni tabiyat kharab kar rahi hai?"

"Ye jhoothi fikar dikhane ki zaroorat nahi hai tujhe! Mere bacho ko toh apni muthi mein kar rakha hai lekin main tumhari kisi bhi baat mein nahi aane waali hun! Chup chap talaak do mere bete ko nikal jao! Taaki koi toh use baap kehne waala iss ghar mein aaye.. Aniket kehta nahi par kya wo pita nahi banna chahta hoga? Wo nahi chahta uske baad koi uske karobar ko sambhale?? Haan??" Kaushalya confronted her. Nitya was silent hearing her words. She wasn't wrong, Aniket doesn't express but he does desire to become a father.

Kaushalya suddenly began to couch, Nitya moved to her and tried to give her the glass of water which was kept on the side table. She attached it to her lips but Kaushalya remains stubborn refusing to drink it.

Nitya grew more worried that her health had started to detoriate. She requested "please maaji paani toh pilijiye"

Kaushalya pushed her hand away and the glass fell on the floor. "Nahi peena hai mujhe jao yahan se.. Chod do mujhe apne haal pe" she shouted while coughing badly.

Nitya walked out of the room, she immediately called Aniket. Aniket was in the important meeting with business clients. He disconnected her call, but Nitya called him again. Aniket finally excused himself and picked up the call "Nitu.. main bahut important meeting mein hun"

"Aniket.. Maaji ki tabiyat kharab ho rahi hai! Meri toh sun hi nahi rahi hai wo please aap aa jayie" she requested.

Aniket was shocked hearing her, her voice was tense and he replied "main aa raha hun ghar.. Aaru aur mannu??"

"Unhe nahi bataya hai maine.. Dono bahar hai aap jaldi aayie" she said and ended the call. Aniket asked his team to handle the meeting and left for home.

Nitya had already informed the family doctor who would reach home in a few minutes. She stood outside Kaushalya's door and kept an eye on her. Kaushalya begins to lose her consciousness, Nitya enters the room and grabs her hand "maaji.."

She made her lay properly on the bed, and the servant came with the doctor. The doctor checked Kaushalya while Nitya remained seated on the bed beside her. She was feeling sympathetic towards her, she can't be selfish to snatch a mother from her both sons for her own happiness.

The doctor finished her check up and informed her "Dekhiye.. Na khane peene ki wajah se inka bp bahut low ho gaya hai! Agar aisa hi chalta raha toh inki tabiyat aur zyada bigdi toh.."

Nitya looked on at her, she prescribed some medicines and left from there. Aarav was standing at the door and had listened to the doctor's words. He thanked the doctor and went to the medical store to get medicines for his mother. He had many questions in his mind. Why she wasn't eating food for two days? Aniket and Nitya were lying to him all the while? He will surely get answers from three of them.

To be continued...

❤️ ❤️ Hope you like it.