Her back was turned to Ambar who stood at the entrance of her room while she saw her sister arranging the pillows of her bed.

She wasn't actually ready but she had to disclose it to her because she had promised him. Her uncle!

The moment Amrita noticed her, she stiffened.
Ambar turned white as a ghost when she saw her coming forward. 

"Hey! You didn't tell me, you started packing?"

"I had to. I'm leaving in three days." Ambar tugged a small smile on her face.

"Yeah... I know." Amrita sighed. This was really hard for her as well but this was the best chance one could ask for, A golden opportunity for her sister to achieve heights.
To stand on her feet and become what she always wanted to be.

"It's good that you didn't cancel your visa otherwise it would had taken another month for your new visa and it would had affected your studies too." She said whilst nodding.

"Yeah... I forgot about it after I got this job. I didn't even remember about that until Vashisht mentioned it when I called him to inform." She told Amrita whose mouth twisted downwardly and her eyes lost the shine which she just had it before.

"I'm sorry Amy! I couldn't fulfil my promise... I trusted my parents with the money but..." Amrita's voice trailed off.

Ambar's face drained all the colour. She instantly grabbed her hands and held it tightly. She was definitely going to tell her now.

"It's fine... It doesn't matter anyway, I'm going and I should thank you because, it's your savings that I was able to apply for the visa with Vashisht and I don't have any heart feelings against anyone. You didn't do anything wrong and neither... Neither did they." The last part came out in a whisper.

"You don't hate them?" Amrita's eyes widened. She didn't expect this.
After all, they were so vile to an innocent soul like her so she should had definitely hated them for the way they treated her. "Why don't you? Weren't you hurt after what they did?" She couldn't stop herself from asking.

Ambar let out a huge breath.

"Honestly, I was but not anymore...." Her eyes nictated, "After knowing the reasons behind their crude behaviour, I don't feel anything but pity for them." Ambar said.

"Reasons?" Amrita was baffled, "-And pity for what?"

"I'm not sure whether I should really tell you this or not". She pursed her lips, "It's their part to tell you". She added.

"Their? Ambar, I'm not going to see them so it will be better if you tell me now." Amrita admonished.

Why was she talking in puzzles?

"You have to meet them, Dida. you have to clear this squabble with them or it will just lead to more complications." Ambar spoke out loud.

"Ambar, You're confusing me. Please enlighten me, properly." Amrita breathe out.

Ambar bobbed her head. "Karun... He played a very nasty game." Amrita knew he could always stoop so low to get his hands on the things, he always desired but what did he do this time?

His name itself made her go rigid but nevertheless, Ambar still continued, "He maliciously told them everything which caused uncle..." She paused to gauge her reaction, "He. He had a heart attack and was in hospital for three days." She finally blurted out.

Amrita gasped, her hands immediately covered her mouth.

"Dad!" Tears cascaded down her cheeks. Ambar instantly embraced her as she broke down in her arms.

"I'm sorry Dida, even I was astounded to see him there but he's fine now and he actually wants to meet you as he requested me to tell you this." She said whilst hugging her.

"Is he still at the hospital?" Amrita queried feebly. She was bawling her eyes out.
Ambar patted her back.

"Yes, he is but he'll get a discharge tomorrow morning and he wishes to see you... at home." She replied, wiping her tears, gently.

"I'm not sure, Ambar. I can't face him. It's all my fault." Her voice turned into a shrill and muffled sobs escaped her lips.

"He needs you, Dida. Please meet him... Please." Ambar entreated as she peered into her teary eyes.

Amrita mashed her lips together before voicing out.
"Okay. I'll go."

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It was almost midnight when he returned after a long hard day at work.
The house loomed in darkness and the silence was everywhere around as he assumed that everyone were probably asleep by now.

His steps proceeded towards his brother's bedroom to check how he was.
The doctor had already briefed everything to him on the phone which came out as a relief to him.

He quietly entered but was surprised to find him still awake. He looked lost and gloomy as his gaze were on the clock in front of him.

"Bhai?" Nakul's voice was hoarse.

Mayank's eyes roamed to his brother..
His face lightened up with a small smile which indirectly indicated that he was delighted to see him.

Nakul held his hand and surprisingly Mayank had a grip on it. Nakul's lips curved up into a huge smile.

One the other hand, Mayank  wanted to talk and ask him numerous questions which had already eaten up his brain since the time he was conscious but his voice... it was a lot more tougher for him to speak. He moved his lips.

"Shi-k.." And he tried once more.

Nakul gulped a lump in his throat.

"Shi-kha?" He was finally successful in his attempt to pronounce his wife's name.

Nakul was contemplating with himself. His heart ached already to see his brother in pain and revealing the reality of the accident would just fuel his brother's suffering even more.

Mayank waited for him to say something...
Anything.
Why was he awfully quiet? Didn't he get it?

He was the only one with whom he could talk to.

Damn, his voice... Why wasn't he able to move or speak? He didn't like his body not being in his control anymore.

How long will he stay like this?

"You should sleep, Bhai. It's late." Nakul muttered disrupting his thoughts and walked out, leaving him with a new batch of doubts, filling his head.

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Ambar decided to accompany her as she didn't wanted Amrita to go anywhere alone especially when that filthy hawk was waiting for his prey outside to pounce on but yet again she didn't wish to come across her aunt.

Her hatred from their previous encounter was still afresh in her mind so she decided to drop her off and meanwhile visit her own house to collect her stuffs and most importantly, her passport there. 

She feared a little but just hoped for her uncle to at least not let his wife treat their daughter the way they had treated her in the past.

Mr. Grumpy was again no where to be seen. She didn't even know whether he really came home last night.

He was drowning himself in work or was he really ignoring her? She didn't know.

She dismissed those thoughts immediately and dashed into Aakash's room to get him ready.

She wasn't certain of leaving him here but she had to ask for his permission first. Her boss's permission.

She tried to call Nakul but he disconnected it on the first ring itself which made her scowl at him but instead she got a message from him.

She huffed in agony but eventually opened it.

It read. "In a meeting, why did you call?"

At least he was not avoiding her.

She quickly typed. "I'm going home to collect stuff with Dida. I thought of taking Aakash with me, is it alright?
Mrs. Melanie will stay here with Mr. Suri. We'll be back in some time."  And she hit the send button.

After few minutes her phone buzzed with a new message again and she opened it in a jiffy.

"Do take the driver with you and if there's anything wrong, please call me. Take care."

The anger which had subsided within her was  replaced by the gratitude for him.

From his words it showed he still cared for her though.... as A FRIEND ONLY and he had already specified it earlier in his own ways which caused her heart to tingle in the beginning and then finally lose it to him.

"Amy! I'm ready... where's Amrita maa?" Aakash interrupted her. Ambar shook her thoughts and buttoned his collar.

"Uh... She's feeding your Dadda." Ambar replied and Aakash giggled, "But Dadda is a big boy then why is she feeding him?" She chuckled and Aakash grinned at her after she pinched his nose.

"My kiddo! You ask too many questions." She laughed and kissed his cheeks.

"Let's go." Amrita quickly joined them and they left with the driver.

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Amrita was highly trepidatious about going back to that place again which was once her home where she lived with her parents and sister.
She had spent twenty three years of her life in that house.

Ambar was able to sense her apprehension... She was more worried about her condition.

Her inner turmoil was definitely not good for the baby.
She just prayed for everything to be fine.

The car halted in front her house.

Amrita's head turned to Ambar who placed her palm on her cheeks.

"It's going to be alright." She told her and Amrita nodded.

"Where are we?" Aakash asked her.

"It's my house. I'm here to meet someone." Amrita smiled at him and ruffled his hair before getting out of the car.

"Call me once you're done." Ambar reminded her.

"Okay." She sighed before walking through the gate and the car engine roared to life once Ambar spared a last glance at her.

"Where are we going now?" Aakash enquired. The boy was eager like always.

"My home." She replied.

"Wasn't that your house too?" He asked and she smiled before responding to his question.

"No... Never was."

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"Oh My God! Ambar, how are you?" Rachana hugged her immediately. She was really meeting her after a very long time.

"Happy as always." She answered with a grin.

"And who's this little boy?" She referred to Aakash who looked at her then shifted his gaze to Ambar.

"He's my friend." She beamed at him and he smiled too.

"Come!" She gestured to welcome her inside but Ambar refused.

"No, Rachana! We're running out of time. Can you please hand me the keys?" She politely requested.

"Yes dear! Just a second." She went to grab the keys while Aakash waited with Ambar outside.

"Didi, I want my ball." A boy stopped by the door.

"Here are your keys." Rachana came out and handed the keys before she saw the boy who was very intently looking at Ambar and Aakash.

"Who's this kid? I never saw him before." Ambar smiled at him.

"Oh Ambar! This is my brother 'Rahul'. He resides with my family in Nashik but now on he'll be staying here with me. He wants to study here and he just got admission in St. Xaviers." Rachana notified her and Ambar nodded.

"That's my school too!" Aakash chirped.

"Really! That's so great. I'm so excited to study there. I heard there is a huge playground too." Rahul spoke.

"Very huge." Aakash spread his hands wide, "Playing football there would be so much fun." Both of them started their interaction about the football.

"Do you want to play now?" Rahul offered him.

Aakash eyed Ambar and she immediately bobbed her head positively, "But don't dirty your clothes." She chided.

"Okay." He said and ran with the boy towards the stairs.

"Kids!" She shook her head and Rachana chuckled.

"Anyway, thank you for the keys." Ambar said and walked to her flat.

Once she opened the door, she saw everything on it's place and the house looked definitely clean.
Indeed Rachana was looking after her house in her absence.

As she stepped inside, her eyes shifted to the huge portrait of her parents with her on her last birthday before their death.

She could never forget that day. They made it so special for her.

She traced her hand on the picture. She loved them so much.

Her eyes glinted with tears. She planted a kiss on the portrait before starting to pack her stuffs including her passport, her documents file and few of the things which she'll be needing once she take off.

After she was done, she came out and locked the door properly before handing back the keys to Rachana.

Aakash and Rahul were still playing when Ambar called them.

Finally they bid their respective farewells and departed to pick up Amrita on their way back home.

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