The car stopped in front of the police station, as dushyant put the brakes on the car, unlocking it and taking out the keys after turning off the engine, getting out of the car, when he noticed ishita uncomfortably held onto her seat belt, not even close to taking it off. 

"ishita..." called dushyant ,bringing her back to earth, as ishita looked over to him in confusion, he meanwhile unfastened her seat belt, making her realise what had happened, embarrassed, she quickly pulled it back up to its carrier. 

he sat back inside the car on the driver's seat, as he placed his hand onto hers. 

"it's ok...hamara lawyer already pahuanch gaya hai papers ke saath, main abhi sign karunga, ACP kardega, they'll let him go, tension mat lo zyada." assured dushyant, as ishita nodded, faking a smile. 

"acha chalo thik hai, nahi pitaai karunga uski, bas pareshaan mat hua karo tum..." remarked dushyant, as ishita chuckled lightly. 

"aur  please cheekhne mat lag jaana uspe ghar jaate hi...let's just talk to him first. " requested ishita, as dushyant sighed in defeat. 

"ab pata hai itne pyaar se bologi, main mana toh karunga nahi...ab chalo, apne laadle ko lene..." grumbled dushyant, as if he was a five year old instructed by his mom to do his homework when he wanted to go out and play, meanwhile ishita got out of the car, amused by his antics. 

she looked at the board at front, reading 'defence colony police station', as it seemed just like it did a few years ago. 

16 year old ishita, agitated, sat outside the police station on the bench nearby. Her legs fidgeted. Suddenly, a constable came from inside.

"Tum ishita dutta ho?" questioned the man, as ishita nodded, getting up from the bench.

"Aayi nahi tumhari maa?" questioned the man, as ishita shook her head in no, disappointed.

"Beta, ab tumhari behen ko humein kaise chod de? Vandalism, property damage aur reckless driving ka aarop laga hai...tum toh shareef lagti ho, samjhao usse." Rebuked the man, as ishita shook her head down.

"Uncle, woh gaadi joh usne todi, woh.. Gusse mein tha. Usne hamare papa ko, uhmm, dekh liya tha kisi aur aurat ke saath...woh kaafi betrayed feel kar rahi thi. Aap please usse chod dijiye na ek warning pe, she's only 14.." attempted ishita to make the man understand their situation, the man seemed to have sympathetic look in his eyes, when he placed his hand on ishita's shoulder. The touch was intrusive, making her feel uncomfortable, as ishita glared at him, his hand sliding down her arm, only for her to slapping it off herself.

                                   ***

Ishita and dushyant, sitting at the passenger's seat and driver's seat respectively, their eyes fixed on the road ahead, as nihaal had his head rested back, seated on the backseat, as ishita looked back.

"How are you feeling now? Is the nose bleed better?" asked ishita with sincere concern, as dushyant only glared at him from the rearview mirror.

"You should be thankful, bas mrs singhania ne tumhe dekha, unhone charges press nahi kiye aur sorry pe tumhe jaane diya. Warna jitna gaali galuach karke aaye ho tum,  arjun ka sarr phodne ke saath, 5 saal ke liye andar jaate!" Exclaimed dushyant, not at all shying from a rebuking tone, expressing his disappointment very clearly. Nihaal who managed to sit up, his nose not bleeding anymore, only looked at his dad  in annoyance.

"Nihaal, beta batao humein please hua kya tha... We know tum aisi harkatein nahi karte ho, kuch hua hoga." expressed ishita her faith and affection towards nihaal, contradicting dushyant completely, as nihaal was perplexed.

"Ishita koi fayda nahi hai isse pyaar se baat karne mein, dekh raha hoon main isse bade dino se, kuch zyada hi jawaani ka josh chad raha hai isse... " dismissed dushyant ishita's statement completely, as she glanced at him, reminding him of his earlier promise.

"Rehne do mom, papa ki laadli gayab hai,  kisi pe toh frustration utaarna hi hai.. Toh main hi kyun nahi, mujhe toh paida hi inhone iske liye kiya hai.. " stated nihaal bluntly, as dushyant, clearly not happy about it, was starting to get enraged.

"Nihaal kaisi baate kar rahe ho...bete ho tum hamare, we love you." attempted ishita to stay patient through his wrath, making him scoff.

"Oh please mom! Maine sun liya tha aapko aur nani ko baat karte hue! Papa ne bina bataye aapko condom utaara tha na aapko pregnant karne ke liye! Aapko kya laga, ek chota sa 10 saal ka bacha hai, bas khelne gaya hoga kahin, sunn bhi le toh usse kya samajh aayega, huh? Arre aap kitna denial mein rahogi yaar! Yeh aadmi chahta hi nahi tha ki aap ek graphic designer se zyada kuch bane... Yeh aapko bas ek pyaari si supportive wife ki tarah rakhna chahta the joh ghar mein inke bachein paale. Pata hai kyun? Kyunki yeh aapko control kar sakte hain phir! Jaise yeh sabko control karna chahte hain...he cannot trust anyone, arre chachu ko MD banne nahi diya, ki woh board of directors mein aa jayenge. Koi bhi joh inke kareeb hai, uske upar hone chahiye yeh hamesha!" Ranted out nihaal, his rage slightly fading away, as he looked away for a while, his eyes starting to get moist, he placed his hand on the back of the driver's seat, bending over to face dushyant, who maintained a stoic face, continuing to drive, nihaal was visibly hurt.

"Main 10 saal ka tha...aap mere papa the, mere hero... Mujhe aisa laga jaise, main aapko jaanta hi nahi tha...kyunki mere papa meri maa ki saath aisa kaise kar sakte the? Ab mujhe lagta hai, ki aap bhi toh   yahi soch rahe honge, jab apne dadaji ko uss dusri aurat ke saath uss din dekha tha. Aap bharosa hi nahi karna chahte ho kisi pe, hurt hone ke darr se...toh aap unhe control karte ho, taaki aapko apne aapko vulnerable na hona padhe, apne darr ke saath... Shayad aap isliye mujhe pasand nahi karte, ki main aapki baat nahi maanta jasmine ki tarah.. Main toh bas itne saal se aap pe gussa tha, socha ki aapko bhi hurt karke mujhe khushi milegi... But, mujhe nahi milti dad... Nahi milti woh khushi...bas ab mom pe bhi gussa aata hai, ki unhone kyun maani nani ki baat, aapko chodha kyun nahi... Par sach mein, main bas chahta tha aap phirse wahi papa banjao mere liye...And just... L--ov-e... me-----" Chocked down nihaal, as he started to cry on dushyant's shoulder.

Dushyant, who had been not saying a word throughout it all, not even moving his gaze, put a brake on the car, as he turned back and gave his son the much needed hug.

Ishita, who had been completely shook by this, was hit with another flashback.

16 year old ishita stood with her head down in front of her mother, who was furious.

"Main aa rahi thi na ishu! Kya zaroorat thi unhe phone karne ki? Arre ek police waale ko thodi der handle kar sakti thi tum? Ab unka ek aur ehsaan le liya... Arre waise hi iss aadmi ne moh dekhane laayak nahi chodha hai aur tum! Tum uske saamne bhi sharminda kar rahi ho? Arre usse toh phir woh aurat achi hi lagegi.. Uske bache nahi hai joh arrest hote hain yaa iss tarah ek police waale pe haath uthate hain...Ab zyada musibat banne na hum uske liye, woh alimony ya childcare bhi nahi denge... Ab yeh nahi sudhar sakti, tum toh sudhar jao, badhi ho, zimmedar bano!" Yelled her mother, infuriated, as a tear secretly rolled down her eyes.

Ishita, now, a mother of 10 year old nihaal and 11 year old jasmine, was sitting beside her mother in her old bedroom, as the children played outside.

"Beta, kabhi-kabhi galti se bhi yeh sab ho sakta hai, shayad condom phat gaya hoon.. Unhe laga tum pills pe ho toh.. " attempted her mother to rationalize ishita's concern that dushyant stealthed her.

"Maa... Par... " ishita fumbled, her worries seemed to be trivial to her.

"Beta, tum samajhdaar ho, tum toh samjho...kabhi-kabhi apna ghar basaye rakhne ke liye galtiyan maaf kardi jaati hai.. " suggested her mother.

"Maa, par yeh dhoka hai.. " argued ishita.

"Beta, usne bhi toh tumhari galtiyan maaf ki hongi... Aisa toh nahi hai, tumhari taraf se kabhi kuch galat nahi hua hoga.. " replied her mother, enough for ishita to know, her concern would only matter to her.

Ishita, looked over to her son, who had stopped crying now, starting to calm down.
She glanced at him with a loving smile. He gazed back at her, as she mouthed a simple, 'I love you', which was suffice.
                                  ***