Always Besides You.... (Editing)

37.

"Hi Sir. Hi Arvind." She greeted followed by a lady in her mid twenties.

"Purvi..." Sangita mumbled.

Laksh and Sanskar frowned seeing a familiar face nearing them. Have seen her somewhere! Sanskar thought.

"Ms. Mehta is here!" Shanaya introduced the lady accompanied her.

Laksh and Sanskar looked at each other in shock and later at Arvind to which he nodded his head lightly.

***

"Purvi Mehta." She joined her hands to greet the the Senior Maheswaris and smiled warmly.

Sanskar and Laksh remained puzzled on witnessing a warm and approachable version of Ms. Pooja Mehta a.k.a Lady Hitler before them. A different face with almost same features but the stark contrast in behaviour intrigued them.

But Mr. Mehta had only one daughter! Even though the private affairs of Mehta family were held secretively, the Maheswari family had met the Mehta family years ago.

"Sorry, Pooja will be a little late. She had some urgent meeting." Purvi said sweetly. "And congratulations." She handed over a small bouquet she carried to Parineeta. "I was informed very late about the get-together. Else I would have reached earlier. And dad and mom conveyed their wishes to you all for the new journey."

"We are very happy that you came, beta... But get-together?" Annapurna caressed her hair and trailed off in confusion.

"Aunty..." Arvind called out and nodded her assuring.

"There's no get-together happening here?" Purvi asked looking around. The hall is decorated lightly in a pleasant manner. But the air is tensed around her.

And her gaze stopped at a familiar face. "Git.. Sangita.." Purvi took long strides towards Sangita engulfed her in a warm hug while Sangita remained perplexed.

"What are you doing here?" Sangita's voice came out as a whisper.

"Leave me... What are you doing here? You knew them before?... You never told me, Sangita." Purvi chirped while the Maheswaris chose to be silent spectators to see the scene unfolding without interruptions.

"When did you come back to India?" An anxiety laced her voice even after masking her emotions.

"Day before yesterday. I wanted to visit here from long and got the chance now." Purvi chirped again excitedly like a small girl. "You were here and Pooja didn't even bother to tell me!"

"Pooja....?" Sanskar consciously interrupted the small conversation, his voice confused.

"Yeah Pooja, your business associate, my sister." The pride in Purvi's voice brought a smile as well as tears to Sangita.

"But we knew only about one daughter, beta." Durgaprasad was doubting his memory finally. Did he really forgot about another daughter of Harshvardhan Mehta?

"She is my adoptive sister, uncle." Neither Purvi's smile faltered nor her pride. "And I didn't wanted to be in limelight as a Mehta. So she always chose to step ahead for me. But Dad spoke to you on this long ago."

***

"Are you guys serious? She is my sister, for God sake! Why would she even want to hurt your family, the family which is close to Papa's heart?" Purvi spoke exasperated and slumped to the nearby couch.

"Purvi, come." Sangita held her hand and pulled her upwards. "You need to leave from here."

"No! I'm not going anywhere. Let Pooja come. I want to clear the things! What's with people picking up some random accusations on my sister? She just came to India one year before, that too after 12 years. And you all are speculating that she's....."