Dance Se Dosti

Revelations

6 months before...
"Mom!?" Kria called out as she entered through the surprisingly unlocked door of Ghai House.

"Kria! Beta, oh thank god!" Smriti rushed towards her daughter and bear hugged her. The familiar feeling brought so much comfort that the dam Kria held on broke instantly. Her limbs lost their strength and she leant on her mother for support as tears flowed down her cheeks. Her voice broke and she wept on her mother's shoulders.

"Its okay beta... its okay... I'm here beta... sab kuch theek ho jaayega..." Smriti held her daughter in her arms. They stood like that for a while and slowly moved into the dining chair.

Smriti Ghai poured in a glass of water for Kria and she slowly sipped on it.

"Drink it beta... stop being formal! Paani piyo!" Smriti encouraged her daughter to finish the glass. She was sliding into the strong asserting character. Maybe she felt it would be comforting for Kria if she did so. Maybe it could help her forget the recent events.

Kria looked at her mother slowly. Her teary red eyes never faltered searching for answers. Her face was drooped in sorrow and her shoulders concaved in exhaustion.

"Go take rest beta! Mein khaana banaati hoon." Smriti said and led her daughter to her room to which she obediently complied.

Once her daughter left for her room, Smriti dialled on her phone. It was going to voice mail. She tried again but this time the cell didn't connect at all. Suddenly

Smriti gathered the files from her table. She rushed to Kria's room but stopped in front of the doorway. She saw her daughter passed out in fetal position on the bed. She slowly moved beside her and covered her body with the comforter and then gently caressed her head.

"Beta come down.. garam garam roti aur tumahari favorite saoji style mutton kheema ready hein beta... come!"

"Bhook nahi hein Mom..." Kria mumbled keeping her eyes closed.

Smriti sighed. She had a lot to tell her daughter about what she had been working on for past many years. Especially what was happening right then as well as what was going to happen. But will she be able to handle it? She had just gotten her heart broken.

Smriti kept brushing her daughter's hair lovingly with her fingers deciding to reveal it all. She couldn't care for Kria's reaction. They were out of time.

"Kria.. I have to tell you something...

yeh bahut important baat hein... you know.. for more than 20 years I have been working for the Agnihotri family."

"Like as in Shivam?.."

"He is their nephew. There were 3 initially. Kamal, Shekhar and Deol."

"I know Deol! Swayam's mother told me.. he was their brother in law!"

"Yes... and then they killed Shekhawat's sister. Taani's mother. And then Deol changed from being an occasional drunkard to a complete alcoholic. And then his brothers killed him too... I don't know why.. but I think he must have become a liability to them. I was told that Swayam had shot down Deol but actually he was smothered in the hospital bed. You should read these files! Isme sab kuch hein beta!!"

"Why mom?"

"We don't have much time... they will be coming for me anytime! And I want you to know the truth!"

"What? Mom, calm down!! Who will come? Is it the Agnihotris? B-But why?" Kria was fully awake now. She noticed the panic in her mother.

"Because Kria, I am the only one who has come this close to uncover the reality of events! Most importantly what they have planned with some unknown entity! I suspect it was when your father started uncovering their secrets that they..." she took a deep breath. Kria understood what she wanted to say. Her mother continued, "..Now I know their secrets which means I have become a liability for them now."