***not edited..

*****************************

"Your mother will be okay Mrs. Oberoi. Her blood haemoglobin levels are moderately low and that can be corrected with some iron sucrose injections. Later, she can be shifted to a course of tablets. Make sure that she will not skip eating diet rich in iron," the doctor advised and Gauri nodded her head.

"She is adamant on not staying here for more days doctor."

"No issues, you can take two doses in a gap of two weeks. Take the first injection here and the rest, you can make her take it in your local hospital."

"Thank you so much."

"Pleasure. Let me know when we can schedule the appointment for her."

"Sure, I will talk to her," said Gauri and took her leave to join her mother and mother in law who were waiting for her outside the doctors cabin.

"I am not going to stay here any longer," Sharada announced to her daughter who rolled her eyes in response.

"You don't need to maa, we are going home now."

"Finally!! I thought we are going to stay here for days. Doctors and their never ending tests," Gauri heard her mother say.

"You are not supposed to talk like that maa. You have some deficiency in blood and so..."

"Is it serious Gauri?" Jhanvi questioned in worry.

"No maa ji. Doctor said that it is a common ailment."

"What is the need for so many tests for a simple illness? I tell you, they are here only to loot people," Sharada stated.

Jhanvi chuckled and she continued.

"I am telling you Gauri, I am feeling absolutely fine. Don't waste money unnecessarily."

"Maa, how do you know that you are alright? The doctor said..."

"He doesn't know anything. Mujhse sab pata hai, I have seen it in many movies and serials," she argued and Gauri sighed tiredly turning to her mother in law for help.

"Okay, let us leave this discussion for now Sharada ji. Do you not want to go home?" said Jhanvi.

"Haa Jhanvi ji. We should leave or else they might admit me here. Come fast," she agreed before hurrying outside.

***************************************************

They were travelling in the car when Sharada thought it was the right time to warn her daughter.

"We left the discussion alright but I am telling you beforehand. I do not want any more blood to be drawn from me and no more injections."

"Your mother reminds me of Rudra when he was a child," Jhanvi said with a chuckle and Gauri smiled looking at her mother.

"In other words maa ji is saying that you are throwing tantrums like a child," she said and Jhanvi widened her eyes.

"No Gauri, I did not mean it that way."

"It is okay Jhanvi ji. I did not take any bad from it," Sharada said with a smile making her relax.

"So, Rudra did not like hospitals too. What about Damaad ji?" she asked and Gauri eagerly waited to know the answer.

"Om was a very obedient child. No such tantrums at all. Though Rudra made a fuss to go to the doctors while he was with me or others, when he was with his brothers, he used to go quietly. Those three brothers were inseparable since they were kids," she said with a fond smile.

"I am happy that despite all the problems and negative environment at home, they maintained their bond. No matter what, they have each other's back."

"That's what siblings do, don't they," said Gauri with longing.

Sharada turned to her daughter with a solemn look, knowing the depth of her words while Jhanvi looked on in confusion. Silence prevailed for the remainder of the ride, the mothers having their own thoughts on the reaction while the daughter reminisced her time with her blood sister.

They were just about to reach the mansion when Gauri's phone rang, disrupting the quietness.

"Hello, Bhavya," said Gauri answering the phone.

"We are five minutes away in reaching the mansion."

"Yeah, I will come to Rudra bhaiyya's room. You wait there."

"What is it Gauri?" Jhanvi asked.

"Bhavya wanted to talk about something regarding Sahil's kidnap issue. I told her that I will meet her in Rudy bhaiyya's room after I help maa to get to the guest room."

"You go meet her. I will take Sharada ji," said her mother in law and she looked at her mother who nodded her head, gesturing her to do as asked.

The trio reached the destination in no time and Gauri exited the car to make her way inside the mansion. Sharada stared at her daughter's retreating back while Jhanvi put a hand on her shoulder.

"Did..uhh... Gauri have any siblings Sharada ji? She spoke as if she was missing somebody," asked Jhanvi.

When Sharada looked at the driver skeptically, she nodded her head in understanding. Then getting out of the car, she first took her to the guest room and waited patiently to see if her daughter in law's mother was okay with answering her question.

Truth to be told Sharada Sharma always thought of what her condition would have been after her husband's untimely death had it not been for her Gauri. She never once thought of her as an adopted child though her brother and his wife reminded her of the fact time and again.

Thinking that by taking responsibility of one girl, they were doing good to them until her husband died of a heart attack. She did not ask her daughter if she ever wanted to know about her elder sister for whom she cried for months after they took her from the ashram. Today when she heard the yearning in her daughter's voice, all she could feel was guilt.

Guilt of separating two sisters who loved each other. Maybe she and her husband should have left them together rather than breaking them apart.

"If it is very personal you can choose not to answer..." Jhanvi tried to dismiss her earlier question.

"Gauri had an elder sister Jhanvi ji," Sharada revealed.

"Ohh, then.."

"Me and my husband, it was our fault. We separated them when we took her from the orphanage."

Jhanvi widened her eyes at the information as the former continued to explain.

*****************************************************************

"She wantedly created a scene on the day of pooja so that Svetlana got the pen drive," Bhavya told a seething Gauri.

"Choti maa crossed all limits this time Bhabhi, I wanted to tell you first before I tell O and Shivaay bhaiyya," Rudra said.

"Is everything okay between you and O?" he further asked her.

"You shouldn't tell this to anyone Rudy bhaiyya," Gauri said in a controlled tone.

Bhavya and Rudra exchanged looks before they turned back to her.

"Bade bhaiyya is already cross with Choti maa ji. If he gets to know of this, there is no way he will forgive her," she explained.

"He shouldn't Bhabhi," Rudra said in anger.

"I have respected her for her age till now. Otherwise, for all the pain she made my brothers go through, I would have screamed at her in front of the whole family."

"That will only make matters worse."

"There is no way she will change. I think we are expecting too much from her."

"I think Rudra is right Bhabhi, this is not the time to keep silence," said Bhavya.

"Bhavya, I am not worried about what will happen to her. I am worried about Bade bhaiyya. He doesn't deserve that hurt. Not when he is finally happy after all these months."

Rudra closed his eyes for a few seconds and paced about the room to control his rage.

"Is this it then? Ignore such a big betrayal?"

"No, I am not that forgiving either Rudy bhaiyya."

That made relieved smiles appear on the other two faces.

"What are you going to do?" Rudra asked eagerly and her sister in law smiled.

********************************************************************

Pinky was switching channels on the TV in her room when the door opened with a loud bang.

Frowning, she turned to look at the intruder only to widen her eyes at the least suspected culprit.

"You? Are you planning to break that door?" she asked when she saw her walk in with her heels clicking on the floor, not bothering to be polite.

"I am asking you something."

Gauri snatched the remote from her hands, switched of the television and threw the remote on the couch getting undivided attention.

"Ye kya badtameezi hai Gauri."

"You started it Choti maa ji," came the cold reply.

"What?"

"It was you who meddled with video yesterday. Wasn't you?"

Pinky widened her eyes for a fraction of a second before she recovered.

"What non-sense?"

"Yeah, it is nonsense that you thought I would believe that video. It is nonsense that you thought of creating a rift between me and Omkara ji using that video."

"Have you hit you head somewhere..." Pinky still stay put on her denial when Gauri showed her a palm.

"I have always given you respect which you did not deserve. That doesn't mean that I will stay that way when you insult my husband," she growled.

"How dare you?"

"Do not think that I will stay quiet if you dare do such a thing again Choti maa ji. I have enough evidence to prove your deed and even if I do not have it, bade bhaiyya would believe me if I say what you did."

"Really? Do you think my son would believe you over me?"

"You know him better and he knows you better maa ji. If you behave, I will think of not revealing it to him that you were behind Sahil's kidnap too," she threatened.

The elder woman stumbled back in dread not expecting the warning.

"In all your hatred towards Anika Bhaujai, you forgot the basic humanity. Svetlana used you to get a tool which she would be using against the whole Oberoi family. If anybody got an inkling that you made her work easy, I need not tell you what would befall upon you."

If Pinky was good at hiding her shock before, she didn't put much effort this time.

"How... how do you.." she weakly mumbled.

"You can bury a dead body to rot but you cannot bury truth Choti maaji. It will nourish and get back alive."

"I...I did not know that she was plotting against the family," she mumbled weakly.

"I thought she was going after Jeth ji alone."

"Tell that to everybody after I rat you out," said Gauri glaring at the woman.

"No," Pinky screeched making Gauri smile in triumph.

"I don't understand what is so wrong that Anika Bhaujai cannot be your son's wife. They love each other and they are happy with each other."

"I will not allow that fatichar to stay in this house for long."

"You will Choti maa ji. If you do not want to lose your son and stay in this house as a respectable elderly, you will do as I say," Gauri announced as she put her foot down firmly, making the other take a step back in defeat.

**********************************************************************************

Omkara got back home after a busy day which involved talking to people who do not know of art and worse who do not have an idea what they wanted out of him. After dealing with a series of meetings with sponsors of his upcoming exhibitions, all he wanted was a relaxing bath and sometime with his wife.

After getting his refreshing bath, he looked around the mansion asking for her when he got to know that she was with his sister in law.

Taking purposeful steps, he reached his destination and knocked on the door of his brother's room.

"Oh, you are back Om. Where is your tadibaaz brother? Unko ghar yaad nahi aati kya?" Omkara heard Anika speak in sarcasm.

"Ummm, I only talked him in the morning Bhabhi when he said he has a busy day ahead."

"Great, no body has any idea of where the bagad billa went," she fumed outwardly.

"Is Gauri inside Bhabhi?" he asked timidly, not sure if she was going to fire him for his brother's carelessness.

"Yes, why do you ask?" came the reply making him give her a tight smile.

"I was searching for her since I came back," he answered as he entered the room.

Omkara looked around and found Gauri sitting on the cushioned wing chair near the study table, her head inside a book.

He knew she heard him from the way she shifted in her place trying hard not to show him her face. Smilingly, he walked towards her and settled beside her in the small space, almost falling on her.

Gauri gave up her act, pulled down the book and glared at him, only to get a wink.

"You can sit here Om," Anika offered the chair.

"No Bhabhi, we are good," he said putting an arm around his wife making Anika smile.

"Your brother should learn something from you. Like a good husband you returned home early and you want to stay with your wife. But your brother,.." she clicked her tongue with a shake of head.

"Jab dekho files, meetings. Doesn't he know that he has a wife waiting for him at home?" she continued to ramble.

"How long has she been on this?" Omkara whispered to his wife as he smiled and nodded to his sister in law.

"Since an hour," Gauri whispered tiredly.

"Oh God. Aren't you tired? Let us go to our room," he asked her.

"Will you say the three words?" she asked back.

"What three words Gauri?" he acted ignorant and she huffed in annoyance.

"I am not coming anywhere with you. I am sleeping here," she announced and he raised an eyebrow.

"Achaaa? What makes you think that I will let you be here?"

"I told Anika Bhaujai that I will stay here. It is our girls night out. You wouldn't want to disrupt it. Do you?" she smiled sweetly.

"You will do it yourself Gauri," he whispered back.

"Me?.. ha ha ha.., nice joke."

"Will you come with me nicely bidding a bye to your buddy or should I lift you up and take you out myself?" he said smiling at something Anika shouted at.

Gauri widened her eyes and turned to him when he wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

"She will have a field day teasing you tomorrow. Do you want that?"

"This isn't fair. I want to hear your confession from you," she said with a pout and he stopped himself from pecking her.

"Don't tempt me to kiss you here Gauri. Get up now," he warned and stood up from the seat.

"Umm, I will talk to Shivaay the first thing tomorrow Bhabhi. He should know that he has to give you time," Omkara said throwing his brother to the wolves.

"Yes, please do that Om. I am fed up of his ways," Anika asked for help.

"For now, we are tired and I am taking Gauri with me to sleep."

"But she said we will be having a night out."

"She changed her mind. Didn't you Gauri?" he asked his wife.

When she didn't answer, he stooped as if acting to lift her when she gasped and stood up making him grin.

"What is it Om?" Anika asked watching him go statue in the position.

"Nothing, I thought I dropped my pen," he said and got up.

"Bhaujai, umm... I think bade bhaiyya won't like it if I sleep here right. We will plan it some other time maybe," she said and Omkara nodded a yes.

"Good night Bhabhi," he said and without wasting time, whisked his wife away.

Gauri repeatedly told herself not to give in to her husband's charms all through the way that he dragged her. Nevertheless, once he locked the door of their room and pinned her to it taking her lips in a hungry kiss, she didn't put much effort in opposing him.

*******************************************************************************

That is what I could manage today....

Until the next one, signing off, yours Soujanya.

**************************************