Maa don't send lunch for me and Sreedhar today. We are going out with a client " told Sudhir

" Which client Rajasekhar asked. I am not aware of any new client "

" Papa Sreedhar is working on the retail plan right. It is not actually a client, but a friend of mine who has some experience in retailing. He is in Jaipur for couple of days. So thought of meeting him with Sreedhar. If everything goes maybe we can get his support for opening our retail stores.So it can be both personal and professional "

" ok ok now I get it. Sreedhar's retail plan. Go ahead"

This was the first time Sreedhar was feeling tensed. He had not been caught in his life this much red handed. He had wriggled out of every situation. Well Murali Bhaiyya was there as his barrier. What all Bhaiyya will ask and what all he will answer. He had never had many informal talk with his elder brothers who were 13 and 17 years elder to him respectively

It was an apprehensive, fidgeting Sreedhar who sat opposite Sudhir for the lunch in a plush restaurent's executive room.

Once the waiter left after serving them lunch. Sudhir got up and went near Sreedhar and gently touched his shoulder.

" Sree wont you tell your brother the pain you have kept locked in your heart. Wont you share the fight you are waging to get your love with everyone's acceptance. I am your brother Sree, not enemy. Why did you feel I wont support you if I know the truth. Sree I had given up every dream of mine and have accepted the life elders have chosen for me so that Dadaji doesn't reach you and Murali. I wanted to be the shield for you both. I wanted to bargain with my sacrifice for giving you both what you wanted whether career or marriage.

I have given away US dream, married Vindhya and living a contended life with her because I don't want to burden Tilak Bhaiyya with more guilt which Dadaji and Papa have burdened him with. Murali is not there. Fate has taken him away. But if I cant give you the life you want my brother my sacrifice is in vain. So please tell "

" Guilt for Tilak Bhaiyya. And how did you know.." asked Sreedhar

Sudhir went back to his place " I will answer all your questions. But first tell me your relation with Suman. Tell me everything. And if she loved you how did her marriage with Murali happen"

Sreedhar started telling. From how he met Suman and how their relation blossomed, how she had warned him about her father, how he wanted to marry her with everyone's permission, his US trip, how Suman was cheated, her suicide attempt and the forced and bullied marriage that happened to her. He told everything except the rounds in Durga Temple. That was personal very personal to him and her.

" She tried to commit suicide" asked Sudhir

" Yes if Aleena had not seen her , well that's it. That's the confirmed attempt. But I feel she had attempted it once again. Her being on the side of the car to me feels like second suicide attempt only which I don't think she will accept now "

" You most certainly are correct Sreedhar. Suman had confused me a lot. From the time I saw her on the wedding day, I knew something was amiss about her. She was a rock in the wedding mandap. Not how a bride should be. Her eyes were blank or rather you can say dead. She was unsteady during pheras and her mother had to help her. She didn't utter a word or show a nod of recognition when everyone was introduced to her post wedding. She reminded me of someone exactly 15 years ago and I knew then itself that girl loved someone else and was really worried for Murali. I felt this girl is just standing on a simmering fire and it will burst the moment she just had her husband in the room. I had decided after going home I will warn Murali, but then destiny had other plans"

" But how did you know it was.. asked Sreedhar"

" How did I know it was you. Do you even realize Sreedhar how much Suman had changed post you have come. I have seen the robot in the dinning table. She will do what is told. No questions asked. I had a doubt when Vindhya told me she cried like mad after seeing you. And you rushed to Delhi. Without you both knowing I have been observing you because of my doubt. I have seen the chit she passes to you and I have many time seen the silent conversation you both have with eyes. I wanted to confirm before I confronted you, so yesterday in college while your friends were distracting Vindhya and you were busy observing her, I just took the college magazine Riya so conveniently put aside and opened it. And I saw the photos of yours with Suman. One the dance photo and the other you both holding the Best Jodi Prize. And Sreedhar it is not only your college, it is my college also. I studied there 15 years back and I also know the nook and corner of the college.

When you guys took me to the cultural hall, I casually opened the celebrations magazine. I just wanted to see you both were there in some cultural fest and yes it was there. Dancing together for Valentine function of the college. Did I need anything else to ascertain your relation. I had understood you still love her and she loves you too but the customs and traditions stands between you. You are struggling alone in the house to give her a space, to make people see what she is, to make her story known to everyone else in the family. She is living on the eternal hope things will change. She is standing there every minute, away from you when she has the first right on you.

" But Bhaiyya you told Suman looked like someone you saw 15 years ago and then what is Tilak Bhaiyya's guilt" asked Sreedhar.

" Yes Suman looked like someone I saw 15 years ago. Your Tilak Bhaiyya in the wedding Mandap"

" Tilak Bhaiyya. Did he.."

" Tilak Bhaiyya was not like this Sreedhar. I know how he was. You all remember him like this only because when the change happened you were only 7 years and Murali 9 years. Tilak Bhaiyya was a very carefree young man. He had loved life. An open rebel and used to get beatings from both Dadaji and Papa. Even Maa had not spared him. Not at all religious, not much interested in business, he loved music. Studied music hiding from dadaji. Dadaji caught and trashed him and stopped his musical classes. He was an ok student and many times he shared class bunkings with me. Principal called Papa many times and he will get more beatings. But Bhaiyya continued to be a rebel unabated."

" Falling in love with Anusree was also his rebellion" as he had told me.

" Anusree, you know her"

" Yes everyone here around those time would have known her. She was the daughter of our bookkeeper Harkishoreji. Bhaiyya knew her from childhood and I guess somewhere in teenage it blossomed into love. When he joined office post graduation Anusree used to bring lunch for her father and that store room used to be their place of romance"

" Tilak Bhaiyya and romance, I cant imagine and you came to know about it secretly"

" No Sreedhar, just like you and Murali me and Bhaiyya shared a very close rapport, atleast till his marriage. He himself had told me about his affair and all mostly in the letters he wrote as I was in hostel at that time doing graduation"

" Then what happened. Dadaji caught them.."

" Yes Dadaji caught them, but I guess Bhaiyya as usual had his rebellion plan. The last letter he wrote to me told he was planning to marry Anu in temple and elope."

" But I guess he was caught before he could marry I feel" told Sreedhar

" Should have been. Even I don't know. In hostel it was told to me that Bhaiyya's marriage is within 2 weeks and on the same day Dadaji is doing my roka also"

When I came home all I saw was a shattered Tilak Bhaiyya. He refused to talk. Maa at that time mostly listened to Dadaji only. When roka was planned I saw Tilak Bhaiyya pleading with dadu for leaving me. Dadu pretty much insulted Bhaiyya and asked him to see my pain as his punishment for his rebellion. Hearing that I didn't fight. I didn't want to give him more pain, pain for falling in love. I accepted dadu's conditions. To leave PG and to marry Vindhya. Thankfully to hide all other information from maa they agreed to her one condition. Marriage of myself and Vindhya will happen only when she turns 18. That was a big breather for me, else I would have been tagged with a 8th std girl for a wife. He laughed.

" What happened to Anusree" asked Sreedhar

" No idea, I didn't see her after I returned from hostel. You know community meetings and in the case of such affairs always the woman suffers that too when she is from low caste. In all probability dadu would have outcast the family with the help of that temple priest "

" Sreedhar I want you to fight. This society, this traditions its irrelevance fight it the right way Sree. You are on the right track. Believe me I will support you. Papa has to pay me, he has to pay me big time and it will be your dream I will be bargaining for what I have given for the family its honor"

" I couldn't give Tilak Bhaiyya what he wanted because I was younger, but I am elder to you and I am responsible towards you. I don't know whether Anusree was right for Bhaiyya but Suman is the right woman for you. I know it"

Sreedhar hugged his brother and for the first time felt one way or the other all their paths have crossed