"Hume ye rishta nhi karna". Rita said making Sidharth shocked. 

"Mom..." Sid looked at her in disbelief but she ignored him and didn't even looked at him even once.

"Bhaisaab... aap bilkul chintha mat kijiye... hume aapse koi naarazgi nhi hai. Mai samajhti hu aapki majboori. Aapko safai dene ki koi zarurat nhi hai". Rita said to Santhokh as a lone tear escaped from her eyes. Sidharth was standing there numb trying to process what he just heard. 

"Ab hum chalte hai... Aaj shaam ki flight hai humari. Packing bhi karni hai". Rita said before pulling Sidharth's hand and dragging him from there. He was not in a mental state to protest so he gave up and went with her. Vikas also followed them to the car. On reaching near the car, Rita left Sid's hand bringing him back to the reality. Sudden anger rushed inside him. He was feeling hurt and was not ready to accept whatever just happened.

"What the hell was that Mom?" He snapped at Rita. "Kyu bola aapne aisa? Haaa... Aapne hi to Shehnaaz ko pasand kiya tha na mere liye? And now suddenly aise kyu bola aapne?" She held her head down like a culprit in front of her son. 

"Sidharth... hum chalte hai. Ye rishta nhi ho sakta". She repeated the same making him more frustrated.

"Wahi to mai pooch rha hoon kyu?" He shouted banging his hand on the car making Rita flinch a little. She was well aware about his anger.

"Sid relax... Aaram se baat kar". Vikas said.

"No yaar... Humesha har cheez inke hisaab se nhi ho sakti... Inhone bola shaadi karlo inhone bola mat karo... I can't do this shit everytime yaar." Sid said to Vikas. Vikas sighed in defeat. 
"Mom... tell me the reason. Aapne achanak ye decision kyu li?" He turned back to Rita and held her by her shoulder. 

"Ye decision mera nhi Sana ka hai". Rita said in a low voice, still not meeting eyes with him.

"What?" Sidharth asked in shock and Rita felt his grip loosening from her shoulder. "Sana ne...?" He asked more to himself. Rita looked to see his face and her heart clenched.
"Mom... aapko meri kasam hai sahi se batao ke kya hua... Kyu bola Sana ne aisa?" 

She started narrating the whole scene to Sidharth. 

*

Santhokh, Pammy and Rita entered to see Sana lying on the bed. Her face looked pale and tired in a sky blue hospital gown. She was extremely weak that she couldn't help herself to sit properly. Their heart ached to see her condition. They made her sit on the bed, leaning her back to the headboard. They kept a fake smile on their faces for her sake but she hasn't smiled at them since she opened her eyes. They got confused seeing her guilt ridden face. After a few minutes of silence, they somehow managed Sana to utter something. Her voice was also weak. 

Rita was sitting on the bed caressing her hair when she placed her head on her shoulder. Pammy and Santhokh was standing beside the bed.

"Aunty..." Sana spoke on her chest. 

"Haa bol na baccha..." She said with a smile.

"Main...wo. Mujhe ye shaadi nhi karni". Sana said leaving all of them shocked. Rita looked at Santhokh in horror still holding Sana. 

"Ye kya bol rhi hai tu Saanu?" Santhokh snapped at her and Rita asked him to stop as she heard Sana's soft muffling her chest.

"Beta... kya hua? Aise kyu bol rhi hai? Tujhe Sidharth pasand nhi hai kya?" She asked calmly. But Sana didn't replied. Her muffling became louder. Rita rubbed her arm. "Usne gussa kiya kya tujhpe? Hmm? Bol na... Kuch galti hui usse?" Before Rita could complete Sana raised her head and looked at her.

"Nhi Aunty... wo sabse accha hai. Wo kuch galat kar hi nhi sakta". Sana said and a smile crept on Rita's face.

"To phir ki problem hai puttar tenu?" Santhokh asked in a calm tone, moving closer to her. "Tune hi kaha tha na ke wo tera bohot khayaal rakhta hai... beta, usse accha ladka tujhe poori duniya mein nhi milega... Ye jaankar hi meri beti ke liye maine Sidharth ko chuna hai". 

"Wahi to problem haina papa... wo bohot accha hai. Lekin mai usko deserve nhi karti..." She started sobbing. "Dekho na meri haalat... Kal humare liye kitni khushi ka din tha. Kitna khush tha wo. Lekin meri wajah se sab barbaad ho gya na... Meri zindgi aise hi hospital mein katne waali hai. Aur meko uski zindgi barbaad nhi karni. Wo hoga bohot bada mahaan, isiliye usne ye sab jaante hue bhi mujhe accept kiya hai. Lekin mai selfish nhi ban sakti..." She cried her heart out holding Rita's hand. All of their eyes welled up.

"Beta lekin hum Sidharth ko kya bolenge? Jaise tu usko pasand karti hai waise wo tereko bhi karta haina... Kis muh se bolenge hum usko?" Pammy asked.

"Wo samajh jaayega... wo bohot samajhdaar hai aapne hi kaha tha na aunty. Aur wo yaha pe aapke kehne pe aaya tha. Wo rishte ke liye maana kyunki aapko mai pasand hu... Ye bhi aap jaake bologe to wo maan jaayega". Sana said with pleading eyes.

"Nhi... aisa nhi ho sakta... Hum ye rishta nhi tod sakte". Santhokh said sternly which made her cry more harder and she was again facing difficulty in breathing. They started panicking and suddenly a nurse came and put on her oxygen mask and made her lay down. She was still holding Rita's hand and was looking at her with pleading eyes. Rita knew how much of a stubborn she was and this will worsen her condition. Santhokh was adamant but Rita knew he could not refuse Sana at any cost. She left the room and came outside.

*

"Agar hum iss halat mein usse lad padte to uski tabiyat aur kharaab ho jaati Sidharth. Isiliye maine socha ke ek baar wo theek ho jaaye phir aaram se baat karenge. Lekin utne mein usne sabko convince kar liya. Tujhe to pata haina kitni ziddi hai wo aur uski zid ke saamne ye log kuch nhi sochte. Aur mere liye bhi abhi uski khushi zyada important hai". Rita said and noticed Sid getting more angry. He was clenching and unclenching his fist, trying not to burst out right now. His eyes were red and Rita slowing placed her hand on his bicep.

"Mujhe usse milna hai... abhi". He said sternly looking into her eyes. 

"Kyu?" 

"Milna hai to bass milna hai..."

"Nhi abhi nhi... Abhi tu gussa hai. Uski halat theek nhi hai. Gusse mein pata nhi tune kya bol diya aur uska stress bad jaaye.... Tujhe baat karni hai to subah aaram se baat kar lena... mai lekar aaungi tujhe". Rita said calmly.

"I want to talk to her bloody now". He said and walked inside jerking off her hand. Rita and Vikas followed him inside calling him from behind which he ignored. He reached outside Sana's room and her family was still there. All of them were sad about Sana's decision but were helpless as they can't stand against her will. Santhokh stood up from his seat seeing an angry Sidharth rushing towards them. Sid took a deep breath before speaking to Santhokh.

"Uncle, mujhe thodi der Shehnaaz se baat karni hai". He said sternly. 

"Sid maine bola na subah kar lena...." Rita shouted on him. 

"Mom please.... maine bola mujhe abhi milna hai to milna hai bass...." Sid said to her and again turned to Santhokh. He was confused as he don't know what to do. Sidharth was visibly angry and he don't know if it would be right to let him inside. Plus, Rita was standing behind him indicating Santhokh ji to say no. 

"Beta... wo abhi wo so rhi hogi..." Santhokh said.

"Sidharth... tum jao. Baat karlo usse..." Paarth said from behind. He was also angry with this decision. 

"Nhi... Sid ghar chalo mere saath abhi ke abhi". Rita said.

"Jaane do aunty ji... Unka matter hai. Unko solve karne do. Sidharth please go in". Paarth said making Sid nod at him. 

Sidharth entered to see Sana sitting on the bed leaning towards the headboard wearing a hospital gown. Tears were freely flowing from her eyes and her face looked white and pale, almost lifeless. He felt a sudden pain in his heart seeing his chirping bird like this but his anger didn't lessen a little bit. She noticed his presence, and straightened herself and wiped her tears. She sneaked at him once and saw him clearly angry. Later she didn't had the courage to look into his eyes so she kept her gaze down. He stood in front of her with his hands crossed to his chest. 

"Mai aaj jaa rha hu wapis. And this is the last time you're seeing my face". Sid said in a cold voice making Sana look at him with tears.

Rita and the rest of the family were waiting outside anxiously. They don't know what Sidharth was gonna say and how she will react. He was clearly hurt and angry and Rita very well knows he don't have control over his tongue when he's angry. She just hoped he don't say anything that will worsen her condition.
Suddenly the door flung open earning there attention and they all turned to see Sidharth rushing outside without looking at anyone. Rita called him from behind - "Sidharthhh...."

"Mai Ghar Jaa rha hu... Shaam ko flight hai aur meri packing bhi poori nhi hui". Sidharth said in a cold voice, his back facing them. She saw his hand was fisted.

She along with the rest of the family entered Sana's room and saw her crying on the bed, covering her face with her palm. She got worried seeing her and sat beside her caressing her head.

"Bacche... Kya hua? Kuch bola tujhe usne? Gussa Kiya tujh par?" She asked but Sana just sobbed on her shoulder.

"Sana tu please rona band kar... Teri tabiyat kharab ho jaayegi". Niti request and she calmed down a little bit.

"Ab bata kya bola usne... Gussa hai kya tujhse wo? Mai baat karungi na... Tu bol". Rita said cupping her face. Suddenly she giggled with tears shocking everyone. And then her cheeks turned red not because of crying.

"Aap shaadi ki date fix kardo!" She said blushing.

♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎

𝚁𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖,
with_love_Anu ✨