Anamika tells Ruhana that her friend Tina used to supply drugs in the college. At the prom, Tina mixed drugs in her juice and Anamika could not help but ask for more. Anamika looks at Ruhana and tightens her grip on her hands.
"Us din toh late ho gaye they toh main Tina ke yahan ruk gayi thi, aur fir jab ghar aayi tab sar bhari tha. Par uske agle din, Tina blamed me for something I didn't do." Anamika says.
"Kya hua tha, Ana?" Ruhana looks at her.
"Tina ne kaha ki I seduced his brother, maine fayda uthaya uska, just because main nashe mein thi." Anamika says and pauses at the moment.
"par, ye sab uske bhai ka game plan tha. He tried to touch me inappropriately , aur agle din mujhpe blame kardiya. Aur fir, they asked me to pay for their drugs." Anamika says and hangs down her head.
Ruhana is in a state of shock. Her sister hid all of it from her. She didn't even think that she'd hide such a big thing from her. Anamika looks at Ruhana and nudges her.
" Di kuch bolo! Maine sach mein kuch nahi kiya tha, bas jab maine undono ko oppose kiya toh wo mujhe blackmail karne lage." Anamika sits on the bed and breaks into tears.
"I am sorry, Di!" she says tearily.
Ruhana looks at her, she's trying to grasp what her sister has just revealed to her. She looks at Anamika, who's crying.
"Tune ye sab mujhe kyun nahi bataya?? Haan! Itna sab kuch hua aur tune mujhe batana zaruri nahi samjha!! Dekha kitni problem ho rahi hai!!" Ruhana scolds her, but her voice is heavy.
Ruhana can't see her little sister in tears, and so, she rubs off her tears. Anamika looks at her.
" Meri himmat hi nahi hui aapse kuch Kehne ki. Jeeju bhi pata nahi kya sochte. Mujhe laga wo log bhool jayenge. Jitna main tina se door hone ki koshish mein thi, utna wo mere kareeb aa gayi. Aur mujhe drugs..." Anamika pauses, unwilling to finish the statement.
"Tune mujhe bahut hurt kiya hai, Ana!! Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha main kya karun?? Tujhpe gussa karun ya tujhe samjhaun!! Main toh tujhe khud se zyada mature samajhti thi. Aur tune.." Ruhana says and turns to the other side.
Anamika hugs her in the next instant, keeping her head on her back.
"Please Di! Aap please mujhse baat karna band mat karo. You know it, main aapke bina nahi reh sakti. I know maine galti ki, aapko bata deti toh ye sab na hota." Anamika says tearily.
"Toh jab main kuch puchti hoon toh kyun nahi batati!! Agar bataya hota toh itni takleef nahi hoti! Na tujhe, na mujhe. " Ruhana says.
"I know!" Anamika says but suddenly starts to breathe heavily.
That's the effect of the drugs she had been taking since months, and now not having them makes her restless and breathless. Ruhana gets alert and makes her sit on the bed, and embraces her in her arms.
She begins to smear her back. Getting the warm embrace, Anamika falls asleep in her sisters' arms. Ruhana makes her sleep on the bed and covers her with the duvet. She kisses her head and leaves the room, closing it.
*****
Ruhana sits on the couch, holding her head in hands. Anamika's words are echoing in her ears. She has gone through so much, but didn't tell her anything. She doesn't know what to do about the problem, but firstly, she wants her sister to be drug free and she will get her all the possible treatment. She sighs deeply when a babyish voice breaks her trance, it's her daughter. Vineet had taken Ruhaani to the park and both father and daughter are now back.
"Mumma! Dekho balloons!" Ruhaani stands in front of her and smiles broadly.
"itne saare balloons!! Kya karogi?" Ruhana asks as she sees a whole bunch of balloons.
"Isme 10 balloons hai - - 5 Ruhaani ke, 5 Maasi ke hai. Aapko pata hai, wo uncle na khush hogaye they jab papa ne itne sare balloons kharide. Unhone smile kiya." The little girl shares her joy.
"Aur aaj toh Ruhaani ne apni chocolate share bhi ki!" Vineet says and tells Ruhana how Ruhaani asked him to buy one more chocolate bar and gave it to the daughter of the balloon vendor.
"Arey wah! Aaj toh Ruhaani ne acha kaam kiya. Aaj hum prize denge, par pehle jao, hands and legs wash karo and kapde change Karo. Dinner ke baad mumma aapko prize degi" Ruhana says.
"Yay! Maasi kahan hai?" Ruhaani asks.
"Wo so rahi hai na, tum jao apne room mein. Jab Maasi jaagengi tab unhe balloons dedena!" Ruhana says and the little one agrees.
She rushes into her room, and their maid, Radha follows her. Vineet sits beside Ruhana.
"Ana ko tez bukhar hai toh Dr. Sandhya ko call karun?" he assumes, she's sleepy because of the fever.
"Nahi Vineet! She's fine. Usne mujhe Bataya kya hua uske sath. Lekin Vineet, mujhe dukh is baat ka hai ki usne mujhe kuch nahi bataya. Kya galat baaton pe mera dantna itna galat hai, ki Ana ne mujhe kuch nahi bataya." she looks at her hubby.
"Nahi Ruu! Maine kabhi aisa nahi kaha. Galat baaton pe dantna aur samjhana zaruri hota hai. Main tumhe kuch kuch keh deta hoon, iska ye matlab nahi hai ki tumhe kuch Kehne ka haq nahi hai." Vineet tries to convince her.
"It's your values! Aaj Ruhaani ne chocolate diya ek bachi ko, I am sure, Anamika ko bhi toh tumne aise hi values diye hain. Kabhi kabhi kuch galtiyan ho jati hain, kismat ke aage hum pyaade hai bas." he says.
"Tum chinta mat karo, anamika ka treatment karvayenge hum. Aur jo hua, wo hua, usey ek bura sapna samajh lo, I am sure, meri saali sahiba ab aisi galti dobara nahi karegi." Vineet says.
Ruhana looks at him and he assures her by his eyes. She smiles lightly and keeps her head on his chest, while he embraces her in his arms. He smears her head and says something that leaves her surprised. She parts the hug and looks at him, while he nods his head affirmatively. She sighs deeply and again hugs him, while a memory of the past strikes her mind, and a smile graces her lips.
To Be Continued.
What did Vineet say?
What did Ruhana recall?
Will things will be fine?
Stay tuned.