Mr. Shekhar, aap office mein aa sakte hain kya?" Shekhar's manager called him.

Shekhar turned off his computer and went to his manager.

"Close the door and have a seat," the manager said as he tapped his files.

Shekhar closed the door and sat across him. "Anything wrong, sir?"

"Aapne akele kuch nahi kiya. Baat yeh hai, ki hamari company loss mein jaa rahi hai. Aur hamare board ne company ko sell kiya hai, Bajaj group ko."

"Sir, main..."

"BG ki taraf se directives aye hain ki hamain downsize karna hai."

Shekhar was slowly understanding what was about to come.

"Aur iski wajah se hamein kuch logon ko let go karna par raha hai. Unfortunately, next week aapka last hoga."

"Lekin sir, aise hi? Bina warning ke? Abhi mein aur naukri kahan se dhundun ga?"

"Please Shekhar. Don't make this personal. Sirf aap hi nahi hai iss list mein. Hamain thore aur logon ko bhi let go karna hai. Agar aapko recommendations chahiye to woh aap maang sakte hai. That is all for today."

Shekhar quietly stood up and went back to his desk. His manager picked up the phone. "Ji, Mr. Basu. Aap ka kaam ho gaya."
_________________________________
Prerna woke up lazily in her own home; no kids or responsibilities to tend to. She took her time going downstairs and made her own breakfast and tea. Sometime later, Suman joined her.

"Accha sun, Prerna. Kuch dino mein karwa chaut hai. Toh main soch rahi thi kyun na hum dono shopping kar ayein?"

Prerna was stunned as she listened. She couldn't fast in pregnancy, could she? But then, if she didn't, then people would ask her why.

"J..."

"Kaise rakhe gi?" Shivani butt in as she came in from outside. "Kis ke liye rakhe gi? Apne woh, zabardasti wale husband ke liye? Ya Anurag, jisne iske liye, hamare liye apni hi family se fight ki. Jo isse pyaar karta hai?"

"Iski marzi kis ke liye karna hai. Lekin rakhna to parhe ga na? Abh shadi ho gayi hai iski. Nahi rakhe gi toh log kya kahein ge?"

Prerna secretly caressed her belly. "Aap theek keh rahi ho, bhabhi. Main vrat rakh loon gi."

"Theek hai. Phir hum shaam ko shopping jate hain."

In the evening, Shekhar came home early. Suman didn't notice his bad mood.

"Pata hai, parso karwa chaut hai. Uske liye main aur Prerna shopping ja rahe hain."

"Jao," Shekhar said as he sat on the bed, distracted.

"Aap, saath nahi aayein ge? Main aapko pehen ke dikhaungi..." Suman went on about how she would shop for them, but Shekhar ultimately snapped.

"Nahi jana mujhe! Waise bhi mere paas fazool ke paise nahi hai. Tumne jana hai, jao. Main nahi aasakta!" Shekhar stormed off.

Suman, embarrassed, slowly went to the door after him, and bumped into Prerna. Suman smiled and wiped her tears, heading back inside.

Prerna followed. "Bhai ne nahi jaana, toh koi baat nahi. Hum dono to jaa rahe hain na? Hum shopping karlein ge."

"Lekin, Prerna. Paise..."

"Aap paison ki fikr nahi karo. Mr. Bajaj mujhe emergency ke liye de kar gaye hain. Abh iss se badi emergency kya ho sakti hai?"

Later in the day, Suman, Prerna, and a reluctant Shivani went to the mall to get their shopping done. Mahesh went with them too. They were going down an escalator when they saw Anurag on the top floor. Anurag saw them too, and made a dangerous stunt to join them.

"Anurag! Tum pagal ho gaye ho?!" Prerna scolded him.

"Tumhe to pata hai na. Tumhare piche paagal hoon."

"Tumhe kuch ho jata toh?"

"Toh koi baat nahi. Tum se mil liya na."

Prerna shook her head with a smile and lead him to the restaurant they were heading to.

"Marne ke ilawa kya kar rahe thay tum yahaan?"

"Woh, parso karwa chaut hai na? Uske liye apni sisters ko shopping karwa raha tha."

"Good. Hum bhi karwa chaut ki shopping karne aaye hain."

"Dekha. Tumne mere liye vrat rakhne ka socha hi, aur main itne bare stunt se bach gaya."

Prerna was shocked at his dialogues.

"Tum mere liye rakho gi na? Vrat?"

Mahesh noticed his sister's hesitation to answer.

Before Prerna could answer, Suman got up and told them they had to get home. They said bye to Anurag and went home.

At night, Prerna video called Rishabh to talk with Kukki. She checked up on her daughter and asked what the doctor had said. Prerna went to sleep satisfied that Kukki was getting better.

The next day, the day before karwa chaut, Prerna took every opportunity to eat. She had to fast for the eyes of others, but didn't want her baby to suffer when she couldn't eat. Through out the day, Prerna helped herself to hidden snacks here and there as she helped the community set up for tomorrow's festival.

Finally, it was the morning of karwa chaut. Prerna helped herself to food in her room before she went down to join Suman for the breakfast. Prerna tried not to exert herself too much, doing as much as she could while sitting down. Still, she was plenty tired by the time of the prayer.

The community had made a whole party in the street for the couples to break their fast. The moon was coming up but Anurag still wasn't there. Prerna tried calling him, but his phone was busy.

"Prerna, muhrat nikla jaa raha hai. Aapke pati abhi tak nahi aye?" A pandit asked her.

"Woh, kaam mein busy honge na."

"Woh kaam mein busy honge aur tum sara din bhuka guzaar do gi? Agar woh dus minute tak na aye, toh tum dhruv tara dekh kar vrat tord lena."

Prerna smiled and nodded. The pandit blessed her and left. It was getting 15 minutes late and Prerna was getting hungry. She tried calling Anurag, but his phone was still busy.

Elsewhere...

"Hello? Anurag? Tum abhi tak nahi aaye? Priyu tumhara wait kar rahi hai!" Shivani scolded him on the video chat.

"Sorry, sorry! Main aane waala tha, lekin aik important meeting aagayi aur khatam hone ka naam hi nahi le rahi. Aisa karo, meri phone pe meeting kara do Prerna se, woh, yahaan shakal dekh ke vrat khol le."

"Accha, tehro. Mujhe di ko dhundne do."

...

Prerna got upset and got her stuff to break her fast. She looked at the moon through the sieve, and when she turned to face the North Star, she saw Rishabh at the end of the street.

Rishabh saw her holding the sieve and shoved through the horde to get to her. Prerna was so hungry, she was about to pass out from weakness. Just as she was falling, Rishabh grabbed her. He stood her up and grabbed the glass from her tray nearby and helped her drink.

"Mr. Bajaj? Aap kabh aaye?" Veena asked as she had come over behind him.

"Sorry aunty, aane mein der hogayi. Woh, Kukki ghar mein neend se irritated hai lekin Prerna ke baghair soay gi nahi."

"Oho, accha lejao. Lekin agli baar ruk ke jaana."

Rishabh smiled. "Ji. Chalein?" He asked Prerna and she nodded. He helped her walk through the crowd, but before they could reach his car, Prerna started to waver. Rishabh picked her up bridal style and sat her down in the passenger seat.

"Aap hosh mein to hain? Kisne kaha tha aapse fast karne ko?" He scolded her as he was driving.

"Abh shadi..."

"Shadi ho gayi hai toh kya hua? Aap pregnant hain, aur iss halat mein aapko fast nahi karna chahiye. Waise bhi hamara rishta aisa nahi hai ke aap mere liye fast karein."

Prerna kept staring out the car while Rishabh was scolding her for fasting. She couldn't decide if she should be happy that he was concerned for her, or mad that he was yelling at her.

"Gari rokein!" Prerna suddenly yelled, and Rishabh stomped the breaks.

"Kya hua? Aap thik hain? Doctor ke paas lejau?"

Prerna unlocked the door and went out. Rishabh quickly followed her, and was stunned to see her at the snacks stall.

"Aapne iske liye car stop karwai?"

"Haan, bhook lagi hai. Aur mera mun kar raha hai chaat vaghera khaane ko. Bhai saab, do plate chana chaat, aur tikhe wale pani puri."

The shopkeeper nodded and started making the pani puri. Rishabh watched in horror as the man made the snacks with his bare hands.

"Aap yeh sabh khayein gi? Itna unhealthy aur unhygienic hai."

"Abhi to daant rahe thay ke maine kuch khaya nahi. Maine yeh khaana hai aur main yahi khaungi!" She took her first plate and went to sit on the bench.

Rishabh sat with her and watched her as she ate with gusto. She offered him some but he refused. Prerna teased him about being too fancy to eat street food.

Eventually, after she was satisfied, Rishabh took Prerna home. Kukki was already asleep by the time they arrived, but Prerna changed and got into bed beside Kukki.