When the mind is at peace, the body reciprocates a sense of calmness and positivity.
After Bondita's heartfelt confession about her undeniable love for Anirudh, both of them felt at peace.
Tears of happiness had flown from their eyes as they seeked refugee in the warmth of each other's arms.

The night was peaceful. Although the mountain sky lighted up with occasional thunderbolts, heralding the advent of early summer, the nature otherwise reeked serenity.
Bondita and Anirudh slept in their rooms, dreaming about the sweet possibility of their future, unaware of the nearness of the storm that awaits them.

Suddenly, Anirudh shifted sides in his sleep, with an unknown discomfort and an unseen apprehension, he slowly opened his eyes to drift back to the darkness of the thunderous reality.
Something just moved past his closed translucent door, a shadow... but, not of a human. It was small, and Anirudh heard a soft creek on his door.

Without wasting any time, he sat alert, upright in his bed. The storm outside had already ripped the village off the faint thread of electricity and cold darkness dominated the night with its overbearing numbness. Grabbing the torchlight, Anirudh got down from the bed and inched towards the door stealthily.

"Who's it?"
Anirudh's voice deepened as his eyes looked around, getting acquainted with this new darkness. Suddenly, his eyes fell on the ground and he saw a small figure hurdled in one corner infront of his door.
The torchlight fell on the figure as Anirudh let out a sharp gasp.

"Mira!!"

Mira was lying on the floor, hurled up, infront of Anirudh's door, her body covered with a thin bedsheet.

"What are you doing here in the dark?" Anirudh asked her sharply.

Mira looked up.
"I sleep here." She spoke softly as her small frame struggled to sit up supporting her protruded belly with her hand.

"What do you mean by you sleep here?" Anirudh asked again.

"I sleep here every night. I feel scared in that room. So I sleep here, at your doorstep."

Anirudh was shaken beyond words. This sudden unwelcoming surprise made him gape at the young girl in despair.

"Mira... You possibly can't... How can you?"
Anirudh let out a deep sigh to calm himself down, as his hands brushed his hair backwards pressing his forehead lightly in the process.
He kneeled on the floor infront of her and started to speak slowly.

"Mira... You shouldn't be sleeping here. My door is not a place for a girl to sleep at. You understand me?" Anirudh's voice was stern.

"Are you mad at me?" Mira asked him softly.

"Mad?.. Mira.. I'm not..." Anirudh paused again trying to find the right calming words. "Alright listen, if you are scared, I'll ask Koeli to sleep with you." He tried to explain instead.

"But, I don't want her to." Mira paused. " I sleep here as I feel safe here. No one knows. I sleep after everyone sleeps and I get up before anyone else does." Mira tried to reason with his words as her hands caressed her heavy abdomen reflexively.

"Mira... You can't do this you know. This is not right. Please go back to your room."

Mira suddenly jumped up as her eyes widened in an unknown excitement.

"Do you want to feel him?" She grabbed Anirudh's hands without giving him the time to react.

"Feel whom?'
Anirudh asked in astonishment as he felt his hands to be placed on Mira's swelled up belly. And, even before he could recoil, he felt a sudden jerk, a movement inside her as he finally withdrew his hand with a twitch.
" Did it just...?" He couldn't complete his words as he felt Mira's head slowly leaning on his left arm, as she rested herself on the strong muscles.

"Yes... He realised it's you... " She said softly as a smile escaped her lips.

Anirudh had never experienced anything like this before as his heart started to beat faster at this tender encounter.
He made no attempts to move, letting Mira rest in comfort.

"It's incredible Mira..." His eyes reflected a happiness alien to him till that moment.
"So, he'll be what... My nephew? I don't mind a niece either." He smiled.

"He will be whatever you want him to be." Mira replied reflectively, without making any attempts to lift her head from his arms.

Anirudh sat quietly, leaning against the half opened door of his bedroom, his hands lay rested on his folded knees. Mira sat still beside him, leaning against his arms, desparate to steal a little warmth from him with the hope of filling her lifeless future with a little dash of color. And somewhere, Anirudh too, realised her need. She was his sister... atleast that's what he thought her to be, and hence she was his responsibility. And at that moment, he felt its important to not steal away this little happiness and solace from her traumatic modest life.

"Do you remember your promise?" Mira asked him slowly, breaking the silence of the ambience.

Anirudh didn't reply. Instead he nodded his head gently, letting out a deep sigh.

"Mira... What would he call me as?"

"Kaka?" Mira replied slowly, as her eyes narrowed down in a question.

"No... Mama." Anirudh replied.

Mira sat upright and looked straight into Anirudh's eyes.

"I think I love you." Her voice quivered in an earnest longing.

"I know." Anirudh paused as he forced a smile in his face. " And, I love you too Mira... Exactly the way an elder brother loves and protects his sister!"

He ruffled her hair gently as she held his hand and it close to her lips.

"But..." Her voice was choked as a painful defence escaped from her mouth, filling her big eyes with tears.

"But... There is no but Mira. You are my sister and I'm your elder brother. And, this is the only love I have ever had for you."
Anirudh freed his hands from hers and wrapped her shoulders around instead, making her rest her head on his arms again.

"And I promise... I'll take care of my little sister and my nephew as long as I live."

The doorway passage lighted up with a loud thunderous lightning as Mira curled up to him even more.

"I'm scared." She whispered.

"Don't be... Your big brother is here." He said as a smile of relief brightened up his shadowed face.