Little Hearts❤❤❤

74. Pihu's Family

Maitri didn't utter a single word, fearing she might wake Priya up but her gestures showed that she loved her sister. That love might not be the purest of all but still, it was there.

She was caressing Priya's hair when she started mumbling in deep sleep. Ram, Maitri and Sandy all became very attentive to understand what she was talking about but they were almost incoherent. The one and only word they could comprehend was 'Maa'.

With tears in her eyes Maitri turned to Ram.

Maitri(with a whisper): Maa...ko pata hai?

Ram didn't know what to respond so he just shook his head gently and saw Maitri nod. Her gaze again shifted to Priya. Ram on the other hand turned to Sandy, asking her how to handle the situation but her blank expression told him that she also didn't know.

And then it hit Ram that Meera has been in police custody and if she went to jail, she might also get unwell just like Priya and it didn't feel right to him. He was witnessing Priya getting more and more sick each passing day and he definitely won't wish for that to happen with someone else and that too with her mother who was way more aged than her and more than anything, whom he once called 'maa'.

Suddenly feeling anxious, he took out his medicine box from his pocket and had his stress pill. He had to decide something and he needed to do it quickly.

He saw Maitri stand up and go out of the room in a hurry, calling someone. He followed her with Sandy and saw her getting frustrated as Meera didn't pick up her call.

Maitri: Hadd hai. Itna kya Vaishnodevi mein pooja dene jana ke itne din beet jaaye aur Maa ek call na uthaye...Neeraj Maa ko call lagake dekho.

Neeraj: Maitri tumne try kiya na...main...

Maitri gave him a death glare. Neeraj turned to Ram and gave him a look as if everything was his fault and started to make a call to Meera who obviously didn't pick up.

Maitri then turned to Ram.

Maitri: Jiju...I think Maa ko pata hona chahiye. Pri di unhe pukaar rahi thi neend mein. Aap lekar aa sakte hain unhe yahan? Main bohot din se try kar rahi hoon par Maa kabhi kabhi call karti hai aur wapas bhi nahi aa rahi. Meri delivery hai kuch din mein aur inka Bhagwan Darshan hi khatam nahi ho rahe.

And that was it. Ram knew what he needed to do. He needed to get Meera out of there.

Ram(with a nod): Main try karta hoon. Tu shant hoke baith thoda. Itna stress thik nahi hai tere liye.

Maitri again sat down and started sniffling. Sandy sat beside her and started caressing her back. Neeraj closed his eyes in frustration as he saw Maitri's tears. Ram noticed his indifference towards Maitri's feelings and felt really bad for her. He pulled out Chocolate bar from his pocket and sat beside her, holding the Chocolate in front of her.

Ram: Maitri...Priya will be okay. Hum sab hain na...sambhal lenge. Tu please ro mat aur stress bhi mat le bilkul.

Maitri wiped her tears with a smile and took the chocolate from him.

Maitri: Thank you.

Ram: Tu aayi kyun? Call kar leti mujhe...baat kara deta main Priya se.

Maitri: It's okay...(with a smile) main pregnant hoon Jiju, tabiyat kharab nahi hai meri.

Ram gave her a small smile.

Maitri: Aap thik ho?

Ram nodded.

Ram: And how's the little one?

Maitri(with a chuckle): Very good. Kicking all day long.

Ram also let out a chuckle but no one else could comprehend how hollow and broken he was feeling inside other than Ram himself. With years of practice he had mastered how to mask his intolerable pain behind his bright smile and that saved him today also.