Recap : Death of Ishana's parents. Durga Sharma leaves for Krishnapuram

Sharma Bhavan : Four days after Durga Sharma had left for Krishnapuram

Third Person's POV

Durga decided to stay in Krishnapuram for three days and conduct the funeral for his sister and her husband. He completed the funeral rites and then started back home. His family had missed him a lot in the last three days. He had spoken to them on the phone and assured that he would be returning that day.

At eight o'clock in the morning:

As soon as Durga garu stepped out of the car he was surrounded by his children."How are you dad? We were so worried and on top of that you had to go through all of that alone." Sharan started as soon as he saw his father.

"We missed you dad" the twins said.

"I am okay Sharan and I missed all of you too." Durga garu replied.

"Let's go inside and continue talking" Sharan suggested. The twins nodded and when they were just about to walk into the house Durga garu called out to them.

"I have a surprise for you girls. Ishana, come out dear."

The girls then noticed that someone else had stepped out of the car on the other side. The girl was lost in her thoughts and was pulled out of them by Durga's voice. She noticed the people standing in front of her and offered them a week smile. She looked pale.

Veena and Varna were excited at the new entry while Sharan was suspicious.

"Who is she dad?" he questioned in a blank tone.

"She is Ishana, my sister's daughter. She is here to stay with us for a few days." Durga answered his son's query.

The words angered Sharan. How could his father bring that cheater's daughter home. She betrayed him but he is still trying to help her. He looked at her and tried to control his anger. Looking at his expression Ishana too thought that something was a miss. He observed her head to toe and she gave him a smile that made no effect on him.

Sharan tried to object but his father did not let him do that."Give me sometime. I shall explain everything." he said.

The twins were excited that they had another companion. They almost dragged Ishana into the house.

"I need an answer dad" Sharan started as soon as the girls left.

"Calm down Sharan. She is a simple girl, not some criminal."

"And how would you know that dad? You have met her for the first time too. She could be anything." Sharan questioned. His anger was getting the better of him.

"Sharan she is my sister's daughter. Yes this is the first time I am meeting her but she reminds me of my Padma. She has lost her entire family. What do you expect me to do? Leave her? Alone? You do know what happens to orphan girls right and why should she be an orphan when she has us?" Durga explained his point.

"Just stop it. There are a lot of orphans in this world. Can we protect all of them? This girl's mother betrayed you. How can you guarantee that she wouldn't do the same? I am not going to allow this" Sharan stated firmly. Why was his father so worried about her?

"How can I punish her for her mother's deeds? Would you say the same thing if one of your sister's was in Ishana's place." Durga didn't know how to get his son to understand him. When had his son turned so cold-hearted?

His fathers words fueled his anger but Sharan decided to leave the matter for now. His father was not seeing any reason right now and arguing with him would only be futile. He walked away from there trying to decide what he could do about this.

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Next morning

Sharan went to wake his sisters up like he did everyday.

He could see Varna but Veena was completely covered by the blanket. When will this girl learn to wake up on time? he thought as he pulled the blanket from her clutches.

He was met with a shocking sight after he dragged the blanket off. It wasn't Veena who was under the blanket, it was Ishana. Just then Veena walked out of the washroom when Sharan was standing shocked.

Looking at his bewildered expression Veena asked,"What happened bhaiyya?"

"No need to worry bhaiyya. Ishana didi slept with us last night." Varna assured him.

That girl was sleeping with his sisters now? he couldn't believe it.

"How dare you sleep with my sisters?" he shouted as his anger erupted.

It was the last straw for Ishana who was already too tired with everything happening around her. She let the room with tears in her eyes. Nobody would have treated her that way if her parents had been with her.

"Why are you acting so cruel bhaiyya? She hasn't even been here for a day and you have already broken her to tears" Veena questioned her brother.

"I don't care if she is laughing or crying but I do care what happens with my sisters" Sharan replied to her query.

"Have you forgotten that she has lost her parents less than a week ago?" Veena tried again.

"And that is supposed to make a difference how?" he said.

"Nothing. I am just doubting if you are even a human being bhaiyya." Veena said.

"You don't have to think so much. I am not a human. I don't have any feelings. Now go and get ready. You have college today" he didn't wait for her reply and left their room.

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At the breakfast table

"You are getting late. Finish your breakfast quickly." Sharan told his sisters as he settled down into his chair at the table.

"We are not going to college today" Veena announced with finality in her voice.

"You guys have started again. No excuses. You must attend your classes regularly" Sharan chastised his sisters.

"Ishana didi is new around here and we want to support her. We are going to stay back in the house today." Varna put her reasons forward.

"No need for that" Ishana said as she entered the dinning room along with Durga, surprising Sharan. Durga is holding her by her shoulders just like he held his own daughters.

"Please don't disturb your schedule for me. I am comfortable here. I am not someone who is important for you" she added.

On hearing this, Sharan regretted the words he had used for her this morning. Ishana looked on the verge on crying while Durga tried to console her.

"Dear, you are part of our family. Veena and Varna are your sisters. You are not a stranger to us." Durga tried to assure her.

"No uncle. I don't deserve your love. I know that my mother betrayed you in the past but she really did love you. She always talks about you. She had always wanted to apologize to you but before she could.." Ishana trailed off. She swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing,"I am apologizing to you on behalf of my mother. Please forgive her" she requested.

"Ishu..." Durga said surprised at the apology.

When Ishana heard the name by which her father had addressed her, she burst into tears, unable to control her emotions any longer.

"That's what my appa used to call me" he said in between her sobs.

"Hey stop crying. Is this your new plan to gain attention?" Sharan asked her thoroughly irritated at her behaviour.

Durga glared at his son before turning back to Ishana."If that is the case then I will call you Ishu.. You will not miss your father then. You can call me appa, if you want to only"

"Oh god. Are you really doing this dad? Are you adopting this girl?" Sharan questioned exasperated with the turn of events.

"I don't have to adopt her. She is already my daughter" Durga told him.

Ishana hugged Durga emotionally.

"Then she is our sister. Our Ishudi. How is it Varna?" Veena exclaimed in excitement.

"Great.." Varna answered with a smile.

"Now no more crying or staying alone when you have two sisters you can share anything with." Veena continued.

"For you we have decided to skip college today." Varna announced.

Sharan looked at his sisters, irritation etched across his face.

"Don't glare at us bhaiyya. We are not scared of you" Veena said looking at her brother.

"Do whatever you want to do" He left the place.

"Do you know Ishudi, our brother is the best we could have asked for. He is a different species though, he loves us a lot but he does not know how to express it." Varna explained to Ishu who laughed at that.

"Finally, I saw a smile on your face. You have a beautiful smile. I hope that it doesn't fade away." Veena sent a little prayer to god.

While Sharan on the other did is shocked at his dad's proclamation. How could he say that she is his daughter? His love is only for his children. We vowed to not let her interfere between them or to take away their privacy.

He might have been a little sympathetic when he saw her crying but that didn't mean he would allow her to enter the world that he had so carefully crafted in the last ten years. They were just adjusting to this world, he didn't need anyone to come and mess it.

"I am not going to allow a stranger to come and mess it up" he thought.

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Sharma Bhavan : Night time, the same day.

"Okay tell us what will make you happy?" Durga asked Ishana.

"I am already happy. I got a new family here. What more could I ask for?" Ishana answered.

"Technically we have always been family. You are our aunt's daughter." Varna pointed out.

"But I think Sharan garu does not like me" Ishana shared her worry. She did not want to be a burden on anybody.

"It's not like that. We've already told you about his behavior, haven't we?" Varna questioned, understanding her worry.

"He is kind but he is also very possessive of his family. He doesn't want us to share our love with anybody else." Veena added.

"I think it is better if I leave this place. I don't want to a burden to anybody and I also think that I come with bad luck. God takes away all the people who love me." Ishana spoke in a low voice as she thought about her parents. What mistake of hers was she being punished like this?

"Did god ever tell you this?" Ishana shook her head in negative at Durga's query, he continued."Then how can you assume things? God tests all of us and these tests only make us stronger." He tried to explain to her that her way of thinking was wrong.

"No uncle. I don't want to live here. If I stay here he might take you away from me too."

Sharan just about had enough. He had been listening to this conversation standing at the door and at that point he shouted,"Stop this. You! Shut up" he added turning towards Ishana.
Ishana was shocked seeing Sharan at the door when she didn't expect it. She stood up immediately.

"Do you think you are the only person in this world with problems? And what is this nonsense you are going on about god punishing you? There is no god. You have to trust yourself. When you set an ambition and strive to achieve it, you will definitely succeed. A totally pessimistic person like you will know nothing about it.

Have I asked you to leave my house? Open your mouth and answer my question."

"No" came Ishana's reply. She was caught by surprise with his sudden entrance.

"Then why are you assuming that I don't like you?" Sharan continued.

"Me.. I..." Ishana stammered.

"Did I ask you to answer then why are you answering? Open your mouth only when I ask you to."

Ishana was shocked at his words. She looked at him with disbelief. She have seen a lot of people in her life. But the man standing infront of her was someone beyond understanding.

"Sharan leave her. Please" Durga tried to calm his son.

"I am talking to her dad... not you.." Sharan did not relent.

"Your parents are not the first people to die. All of us have to die one day, that doesn't mean that it is a punishment to our family. It is just the way of nature. You will not leave this house until I permit you to do so. Do you understand?" Sharan said while Ishana stands there without replying.

"Open your mouth and reply" he said.

"Yes" she said finally.

"Will you dare to disobey me?"

"Not this time" came her reply.

"What! So you will disobey me in the future?" when she did not answer he continued,"why aren't you answering?"

"How do I know which question to answer to and which to stay silent for?"she said

Sharan widened her eyes hearing her reply. He didnt expect such a bold reply from her.
Sharan's family tried to control their laughter at his expression.

She waited for a moment before continuing, "If you want an answer..." She trailed off.

When Sharan didn't say anything she asked again.

"Excuse me. I am asking you,Do you want an answer or not?"

Sharan replied in a trance. "Okay. Tell me"

"I shall obey you this time. I shall leave this place only if you permit it but I can't follow everything you say. I have my own opinions and I can take my own decisions. I will do something only if I want to." She said courageously.

He looked down simply nodding. He understood that she is not like the way he imagined. His assumptions on her were completely wrong and now she proved it.

"Where were you hiding till now Ishudi?" Varna asked in awe. She had never seen anyone silence her brother.

"I don't think it is safe to stand here anymore. My brother here is trembling with rage and the best thing to do is avoid him. Let's go" Veena observed. All four of them left the place, leaving a confused Sharan behind.

"Did I make the wrong decision by letting her stay? If this continues then she will become the owner of this house soon. She went from being a mouse to a lion in a second. I need to be careful" Sharan thought.

"Well mister. Anger is not a good substitution for other emotions. For whatever reason that you wish to not feel any other emotion, you aren't too bad." Ishana thought.

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Precap : Ishana and Sharan moments

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Final Editing Done On: 13/10/2018
Edited By: k21pt11