One month or so has passed after the picnic. But Jasmine still could remember how much she enjoyed in the picnic. They played all sorts of games and enjoyed a lot. The lunch, snacks and other things on that day also were very good.

Ragini was not coming to school. A leave letter has been sent to the school informing that she was suffering from fever. As one of her close friends Mounika already went to her home three days back and saw her.

"It is worrying to me that she did not recover from her fever yet." On that day Mounika said with Jasmine.

'It is worrying to me also. She is the first friend I have made up in this school. I want to go to her home and see her." Jasmine said.

"We both shall go to her home on the evening of this day. First we go to our homes, tell our parents about our visit and then go to her home, what do you say?" Mounika suggested. "You know Ragini is one of my close friends."

"I know about that." Jasmine nodded her head. Jasmine still could remember the day when Ragini came to her and asked her to excuse Mounika. As Mounika said Ragini was a close friend to Mounika.

"I have no objection that both of you to go to her home. I am also feeling worry that she is suffering from fever like that." Malathi said. "Tell her that we are here to help her in whichever way she wants."

"Alright mom. Now I go to Mounika's home. We both are going to her. Ragini is the best and close friend to Mounika. Even more to me also. Mounika also is very much upset that Ragini is suffering like that." Jasmine said.

"Okay dear. You both safely go and come back. Is her home far from here?"

"Not of course. We can quite comfortably go to her home and come back by walk." Jasmine said.

It took only ten minutes or so to Jasmine to go to Mounika's home. She was greeted warmly by Mounika's mother Prameela.

"Mounika is in bathroom. She will be here just in no time." With a smile on her lips Prameela said. "Make comfortable yourself in that chair."

"Its alright. No problem aunty." placing herself in that chair, Jasmine said.

"I think Mounika and you have become very close friends. Mounika is very often talking about you."

"We both are very close friends now, of course. But there is not much to talk about me." While her small charming smile playing its role on her lips, Jasmine said.

"Is Mounika talking about our divorce to you at all?" after few seconds pause, with a small voice, Prameela asked Jasmine.

Jasmine shocked on hearing that. Immediately there came a troubling expression on her face. "No aunty. She did not say anything about divorce of anyone. Why are you asking me like that?"

"Her dad and I are going to be divorced. It is surprising to me that she did not say anything about that to you till now even you are such a close friend to her." there was a doubtful expression on the face of Prameela.

"There are limits even between close friends also I think." Jasmine said. "She did not say anything about your divorce. I don't know about any divorce." Jasmine was feeling quite uncomfortable to lie like that.

"But it is true. It is going to happen." Prameela said. After few seconds pause, looking pleadingly into the face of Jasmine, she said again. "Will you please do me a favour?"

"Tell me aunty. You need not ask me like this." trying to keep the expression on her face plain, Jasmine said.

"Will you persuade Mounika to stay with me after divorce? She is so much adamant to stay with her father."

"Aunty how can I do that? Mounika did not even tell about your divorce issue to me." Jasmine continued her lying.

Prameela about to say something more but then Mounika came there. "Here your friend has come. Do you know for how long Jasmine is waiting here? Once you are in bathroom you just forget time." Looking accusingly at her daughter, Prameela said.

"I am sorry." Mounika said. "Mom, shall we both start now?"

"Of course you can. I think I also have seen that girl on one or two occasions. You took her to our home." Prameela said.

"Yes, you saw her mom. She is very lean. You recommended her to take healthy and more food to become stout." With a smile Mounika said.

"That is very important. If we don't take healthy and heavy food we shall become prey to fevers like these. Tell her now also to take healthy and heavy food."

Mounika and Jasmine laughed on hearing that. "Sure I do say so to her. I say to her even that this suggestion has come from you." Mounika said.

Then Jasmine and Mounika came out of Mounika's home.

"Your mother seems to be in a jovial mood on this day." Jasmine said while they were walking towards Ragini's home.

"Our mother usually be in a jovial mood. Only one thing makes her upset and irritated. The thoughts about my father." Mounika said.

"How unfortunate! He is such a good man." Jasmine sighed. After some silence she said again "Do you know what your mother talked with me?"

"You know I was in bathroom and I could not hear your conversation at all." Mounika said. "Just tell me what transpired in between you both."

Then Jasmine explained to her what she and Mounika's mother talked. "Is it is so?" there was surprising expression on the face of Mounika.

"Yes, I said I did not know anything about their divorce."

"You did a very nice thing." Mounika nodded her head. "She must not know that you are helping me in this issue."

"You need not tell me about that." Jasmine said. "But she is as much desperate to keep you with her after divorce as she is for divorce. I am thinking it is a positive point on our side."

There was some more silence between them both.

"If you are adamant enough not to stay with her after divorce she may drop the idea of it." Jasmine breaking the silence said.

Mounika sighed. "May be. But what would be the use? They always quarrel together, hate each other. Sometimes I am thinking and expressed to you also that it is better let them take divorce and live separate rather than quarreling always and hating each other always."

There was some more silence before it was broken by Mounika "Something about this Ragini is troubling me."

They were willfully walking slowly to talk more and more.

"What is that?" frowns gathered on the face of Jasmine.

"She appeared very much upset before getting this fever. I have asked for the reason about that but she did not tell me at all."

"I see." Jasmine nodded her head.

"I am feeling that this has something to do with her friendship with Pramod." Mounika said.

"What the bloody hell it means?" suddenly Jasmine stopped and looked into the eyes of Mounika. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know." Mounika nodded her head helplessly. "Why she became upset before getting fever like this? I have tried a lot to know why she was worrying but she did not say anything to me."

"We cannot say anything about that." Jasmine also became upset on hearing that.

They both reached Ragini's home. They were warmly welcomed by Ragini's mother Menaka. But it appeared that Menaka was very much upset.

"Why aunty? What is happening?" looking anxiously into the face of Ragini's mother, Jasmine asked her.

"Her temperature is not coming down. Her fever is high most of the times. Doctor also cannot say why she is suffering so." There was anxiousness in her face.

Jasmine and Mounika looked into each other's faces. "Can we both go in and see her? We both are so much desperate to see and talk with her."

"Alright then." Ragini's mother said. "Go and see her. Tell her that there would be no problem whatsoever to her. She is the only daughter to me and I have no problem whatsoever financially or otherwise." She said.

Ragini's mother was working as a post master in the town and Ragini's father died when Ragini was just four years old or so. But Ragini's mother never preferred to remarry. Ragini was the only daughter to her mother and there were no financial problems to them. Even the house they were living was also their own and a costly one.

"Alright aunty." Mounika nodded her head.

"It seems that she is very much upset for something. I have asked her many a time about that but she did not say anything at all. But you see that she shares that with you atleast."

Mounika nodded her head once again.

"Ragini is very good girl. She always hears whatever I say to her. Her suffering like this is torturing me like any anything."

"You stay here aunty. You please don't come with us. If you are with us, she may not share the things freely." Jasmine said.

Ragini's mother smiled and said. "I do as you say. But see that there shall be no problem to her at all."

They both nodded their heads and entered into the room of Ragini.

They felt shock seeing Ragini like that. She became even leaner and completely upset. She just attached to the bed like a sheet. Mounika went fast and touched her hand. It was very hot. "Ragini" with a small voice she called her.

Ragini opened her eyes and looked at Mounika "Oh, you came!" She said. Her voice was also very weak and quite inaudible.

"Not just me. Jasmine also has come." Mounika was trying to stop her tears. She just could not control herself seeing her friend like that. When the last time she saw her, Ragini's condition was not this much worse then. She slumped on the left side of Ragini on the bed.

"Welcome into my home Jasmine. I am happy that you came to my home." Trying hard to concentrate on Jasmine, Ragini said.

(..........to be continued)

(I hope you enjoyedit so far. Please don't forget to rate and review it. I update the next chapteras early as possible.)