Here's the 82nd chapter.
Enjoy reading.
Focusing his vision straight on the road, Shaurya was driving the car. He was on his way home from Anokhi's PG.
He was thinking what would he say on reaching there; not that he was skeptical of Badi Maa or Bade Papa's persuasion, but what if they asked him something to which he would have no answer, or couldn't answer.
He shrugged off the irrational thoughts and continued driving smoothly, catching frequent glances in the rear-view mirror at the three people in the back seat, one of whom was in a state that made him feel "miserable". He looked in the mirror every now and then to make sure they were all comfortable.
He was mentally preparing himself for what he would do once he got home tonight. The idea of persuading Badi Maa and Bade Papa had no place in his mind right now; all he could think about was how he was going to deal with his Princess once he got home.
Several thoughts raced through his mind as he realized that his Princess would have to spend the night away from her Mumma; he was unsure whether he would be able to fill the "void" left by her Mumma's absence; would he be able to provide his Princess with the "care" she required in such a delicate situation. All of this was messing with his head, but he was bracing himself for the fact that he would undoubtedly be by his Princess's side until her Mumma recovered, and that all of Mimi's responsibilities would be HIS until then.
He didn't think for once about why he was being so cautious, protective, or vigilant for his Princess; all he knew was that he didn't want his Princess to feel even the "slightest" of discomfort, and that achieving this would bring him ultimate peace.
His Princess would most likely stay with him until tomorrow, and some arrangements had already been made for her, with his sisters providing the most support in this situation.
After he had exited the hospital, he had gone outside into the parking lot, where his sisters were waiting for him. By then, Reema had left for the hostel saying goodbye to her friends as it was already too late.
After getting into the car, Shaurya and Betty were on their way to Sabharwal Mansion with Mimi when Bebo suddenly asked him to drive the car to Anokhi's PG. Shaurya was perplexed as to why she was asking for it until Bebo explained that since Mimi would be living with them, so they would need her personal belongings for tomorrow. Shaurya then realized she was right, and he drove the car to Anokhi's PG in accordance with his sisters' directions.
Betty had the keys, so they could enter Anokhi's room. Shaurya didn't go upstairs; instead, he remained outside with his Princess in his arms, waiting for his sisters to return after gathering the needed things.
Bebo and Kitty, who had gone upstairs, had spent nearly fifteen minutes looking for the desired items, such as Mimi's toothbrush and a pair of clothes for the next day. Though they had felt for a moment that they were "invading" someone's privacy by searching for these items, they couldn't help but do it because it was the need of the hour, and anyways, Anokhi was a close friend of theirs, so their self-doubt had eventually died down.
After his sisters arrived downstairs, Shaurya handed Mimi over to them, who got inside the car, and he, too, sat inside, and they headed for their home.
Shaurya was relieved to have his sisters with him; he couldn't imagine how he would have managed his Princess or dealt with her in such a "sensitive" situation if his sisters hadn't been with him. Having them by his side made him feel a lot better.
Mimi, who had awoken from a brief nap after much crying, still had wet eyes. She was still crying, but her whimpers had subsided, and she just clutched her Kit-Kat Mausi, who was holding her. Mimi had no idea where she was being taken; all she knew was that she was surrounded by people she knew and that she was safe with them. She was still wishing for a glimpse of her Anumaa, whom she was dying to see right now, but to no avail. Small tear drops escaped her closed eyes, and Kitty and Bebo tried their hardest to provide her with the comfort she required.
They were all waiting for the moment to return home because the day had been full of chaos and exhaustion, leaving everyone, especially Shaurya, physically and emotionally drained. They just wanted to get back to their homely surroundings as soon as possible.
The car continued on its way to Sabharwal Mansion, all the riders champing at the bit to reach their home...
The Sabharwal family members were in a depressed state ever since they came to know about the riot fiasco.
It was late in the evening when Gayatri grew tense as her daughters hadn't returned yet. She then called her daughter, and Kitty informed her that Aastha had gone missing, and that she and Bebo were staying at Anokhi's PG with Mimi until Anokhi returned. Gayatri was caught off guard when she heard about her Aastha Bhabhi's disappearance. She had been praying ever since for her to be found and for Anokhi and Shaan to be safe there. She hadn't told anyone about Aastha's disappearance until she learned that three people had been injured in the riots.
As night fell, she had become petrified as there was no word from her daughters that Aastha had been found. She had called them herself at that point, and she had received the devastating news that Aastha, Anokhi, and Shaurya had been admitted to the hospital due to injuries. It had shocked and horrified her, and she couldn't help but inform Devi Bhabhi, knowing she might be concerned about Shaurya, who hadn't returned home either.
Devi was flabbergasted when she learned of Shaurya from Gayatri. He had gone into riots to find his mother, Aastha Kashyap, which gobsmacked her. She had been so shaken by the fact that he risked his life to look for that woman. She was bewildered as to what had occurred between them for things to take such a bizarre turn.
She was very relaxed here, after Shaurya had left for Shaan's flat, that her tactical plotting would succeed, and that the fear of Shaurya's hatred for Aastha fading would be erased forever, but she got caught in her own trap. She had hoped that after instigating Shaurya against Aastha, when he arrived at his Dad's flat, he would be even more enraged with his mother, thereby widening the rift between them, which was her ultimate goal. But she had no idea that things would turn out this way, making her predicament even more difficult.
Right now, all she could think about was her son. She had no idea what had happened there that had caused Aastha to go missing.
After leaving Shaurya's room post inciting him against Aastha, all she knew was that they were going to have a tiff between them, but she had no idea this mishap was going to happen. She was deeply concerned about Shaurya's condition. Though she was flummoxed as to why Shaurya put himself in danger while searching for his mother because it indicated that he still had sentiments for Aastha, but she didn't dwell on it further because his son's well-being was the top priority of her mind. She was just hoping to see her son safe.
Everyone was waiting in the hall for the twin sisters and Shaurya to arrive. Kitty had informed them over the phone that they would be arriving home soon. Devi was pacing around restlessly, while Tej sat on his throne, stiff and calm as always. He, too, was concerned about Shaurya and, like his wife, hoped that all three would arrive soon and find them safe. Gayatri and Kanchan were, as usual, silent companions. Alok sat on the sofa, catching glimpses of the clock every now and then.
Their long wait was finally over when they heard the sound of a car horn from outside. It signaled the opening of Sabharwal Mansion's gates and the arrival of the members they had been waiting for...
Shaurya let out a long sigh as soon as the car came to a halt. He parked it on the right spot, and everyone got out of the car.
Mimi didn't even tend to look around because she was clutching her Kit-Kat Mausi. She was extremely upset for not being able to see her Mumma, and she remained cuddled up in her Mausi, silently weeping.
Seeing Mimi's quandary, Bebo stroked her hair.
Shaurya walked up to them.
"Kitty..."
The sisters looked up to see their Shairya Bhaiya standing there. He extended his hand and gestured for the baby girl to be handed over to him.
Kitty looked at Mimi, then back at him. She moved Mimi gently from her embrace to Shaurya Bhaiya's embrace.
Mimi as usual was silent, and she didn't bother to say anything. She realized she was in her Laddoo's arms and rested her head on his shoulder, her wet eyes closed. Shaurya was upset and comforted her by placing his warm palm over her head. Even though his Princess had stopped crying, her tears hadn't. It stabbed his heart even more that his Princess was shedding silent tears.
Nonetheless, the time had come to go inside. They all started moving towards the entrance...
"Parjai ji..."
"Lagta hai vo log aa gaye..." Alok said as he stood up.
"Haan... Main dekhti hoon..." Devi said.
Devi was about to walk up to the door when she noticed Bebo and Kitty were already there.
The sisters stepped inside.
Devi, who had been restless until now, rushed towards them, but she abruptly stopped in her tracks, taken aback by the scene unfolding in front of her the next moment.
As soon as Bebo and Kitty moved away, Shaurya's figure emerged from behind. Everyone was relieved to see him safe and sound, but the moment he stepped inside the threshold, they realized it wasn't just the trio, and that there was one "additional" member with them, which left them baffled.
Devi found her son carrying someone in his arms whom she had never seen before, and her face was hidden in Shaurya's shoulder.
The other members were in the same boat as Devi, wondering who the tiny human form with their Shaurya was ?
"Yeh tum apne saath kise laaye ho Shaurya ?..." Words finally escaped Devi's mouth.
Shaurya, who had just walked in, looked at his Badi Maa before turning to face the little girl whose frame was leaning against him and whose misty eyes were still closed.
He prepared himself and began walking silently towards his Badi Maa. Bebo and Kitty approached their mother and took their position beside her.
Tej rose to his feet.
Everyone was waiting for Shaurya to say something.
"Shaurya beta..." Devi stroked Shaurya's hair as soon as he approached her, relieved to see him safe. Until now, she had been absolutely petrified.
"Tum theek ho naa beta..." she said. Her main concern at the moment was him, and she momentarily forgot about the mini human being in his arms.
"Jee Badi Maa..." Shaurya began to say, "Mein theek hoon..." he responded calmly.
Devi was relieved to hear it, and her gaze now turned to the tiny figure in her son's arms, whom he was carrying. She couldn't even see the face clearly.
Before she could ask her son again, Shaurya himself spoke up.
"Badi Maa..."
"Actually yeh..." he turned to face his Princess, and Devi looked their as well, catching a glimpse from the side, a baby girl with a dull face buried in her son's shoulder.
"Beta kaun hain yeh ?..." Devi inquired once more, perplexed as to what an unknown girl child was doing with her son.
"Badi Maa..."
"YEH MIMI HAIN..." Shaurya finally said.
"Mimi ?..." Devi looked befuddled, so was Tej and Alok. But Gayatri and Kanchan had figured out who it was, and they turned to face Betty, who confirmed their suspicion with a blink.
"Shaurya beta... Yeh bachchi tumhaare saath kya kar rhi hain ? ... Aur itni raat ko yeh humaare ghar pe ?... Mujhe toh kuch samjh nhi aa rha beta... Aakhir hain kaun yeh ?..."
"MIMI ANOKHI KI BETI HAIN BADI MAA..." he ultimately broke the shell.
Devi, Tej, and Alok were startled as soon as the words reached their ears.
"Anokhi ki beti ??..."
"Yeh ladki..." Devi glanced at Mimi, "Yeh ladki Anokhi ki beti hain Shaurya ?..."
"Jee Badi Maa..." he replied.
"Lekin Shaurya... Yeh bachchi tumhaare saath kyun hain ??... Vo Anokhi ki beti hain to uske saath hona chaahiye naa use !..." Devi was mystified.
Mimi, who had her teary eyes closed, became alert and fluttered her eyes open, but she didn't dare to raise her head from her Laddoo's shoulders to look around because the surroundings were completely "unfamiliar" and "frightening" to her. Furthermore, she sensed an altercation was taking place there, which increased her fear, but because she was in her Laddoo's arms, she felt safe and kept herself hidden in his embrace.
"Badi Maa..." Shaurya spoke up.
"Kitty ne shaayad btaaya hoga Chachi ko... Anokhi hospital mein admit hain... Uska treatment chal rha hain..."
"abhi tak hosh nhi aaya hain use..."
"Doctor ne bola hain ki kal subah tak use hosh aa jaayega..."
"Aise mein Mimi akeli kaha rehti... Isiliye main-..."
"Isliye kya Shaurya ??!!..." Devi cut him off right away. She had already deduced why Anokhi's daughter was with her son.
"Anokhi behosh hain toh hume usse kya lena – dena beta ??..."
"Tum uski yaa uski beti ki chinta kyun kar rhe ho ??..."
Shaurya fell silent as he listened to her. It was what he was worried about because he had no answer to this question. He knew something like this was coming.
"Is bachchi ki Maa behosh hain aur is vajah se tum use uthaakar ghar le aaye ??..."
"Shaurya tum jaante bhi nhi ho ise !... Kya zaroorat thi aise ek anjaan... Airi - gairi bachchi ko yaha lane ki ??..."
"Badi Maa ???..." Shaurya was totally shocked.
"Yeh aap kaisi baat kar rhi hai ??!!...", he exclaimed, devastated by her words. He didn't expect this coming.
Mimi sobbed and hugged her Laddoo even tighter, close to his heart, her teary eyes squeezed in sheer terror of the loud voices. She was terrified after hearing the war of words and realizing she was in a place she had never been before. She didn't have a "homey" feeling, nor did she had her Anumaa with her, which caused her to break down in tears even more. She simply held tight to her Laddoo, trusting that he would not harm her and that she would be safe with him.
Hearing the soft sniffles, Devi and the other members' attention were drawn to the puny girl who appeared to be cuddling up to Shaurya. This act of Mimi snuggling close to Shaurya was witnessed by all, and it had left Devi, Tej, and Alok dumbstruck, as it clearly indicated that the little girl knew Shaurya well.
Shaurya looked down at his chest feeling a tug there. He was taken aback as realization dawned upon him that his Princess was "shivering", her face buried against his chest, and his shirt clutched in her small fists.
WAS HIS PRINCESS SCARED ??... This thought broke Shaurya's heart.
Shaurya realized right away that he needed to get his Princess out of the situation, as she was most likely afraid of the new environment and his conversation with Badi Maa. He regained his composure, and began to speak to his Badi Maa in calm tone.
"Badi Maa... Mimi koi ANJAAN nhi hain..." he emphasized as he spoke up.
"Shaurya tu... Tu us chhoti ladki ko jaanta hai ? ..." Tej spoke up, his gaze fixed on the girl in Shaurya's arms. He, too, was inquisitive as to why Shaurya had brought an unknown girl child to home.
"Jee Bade Papa..." Shaurya answered, and Devi was left speechless.
"Please aap sab log uske baare mein aise mat boliye..."
"Use main yaha laaya hoon aur vo meri RESPOSIBILITY hain... I promise kisiko koi takleef nhi hogi..." he said this to make it clear that his Princess will not cause any inconvenience to anyone.
"Badi Maa..." he turned to face her, "Aapko apne Shaurya par to vishvaas haina... Uske naate hi sahi... Mimi ko please aise mat boliye..."
"Vo koi AIRI - GAIRI nhi hain... Vo M... Meri..." his voice trembled, "MERI PRINCESS HAI VO..." his eyes glistened. He couldn't bear hearing this word for his Princess, Anokhi's daughter.
Devi was astonished.
Why was he addressing the little girl as Princess ?
"Dekhiye... Main jaanta hoon... Aap sab logo ko ajeeb lag rha hoga ki main kisi ko bina btaaye Mimi ko yaha le aaya..."
"Lekin main use aise situation mein bilkul bhi akela nhi chod sakta..." he clarified.
"Lekin Shaurya..." Devi tried to intervene.
"Please samajhne ki koshish keejiye Badi Maa..." Shaurya said in a calm tone this time.
"Badi Maa... Aap ek baar khudko meri jagah rakhkar dekhiye... Aapko bhi ehsaas hoga ki maine jo kiya usme kuch galat nhi hain..." he said earnestly.
"Aapko pta hain..."
"Jab Princess ko Anokhi ke treatment ke baare mein pta chala toh use kitna bada jhatka laga tha... Vo kitna ro rhi thi..." he felt painful recalling that sight.
"Vo toh bechaari ab jaakar thodi shaant hui hain Badi Maa..."
"Ab tak to vo roye jaa rhi thi... Abhi bhi ro rhi hain Badi Maa... Dekhiye..." his throat constricted, and he held his Princess a little tighter and comforted her by placing his palm over her head. Mimi felt at ease as she felt the warmth of her Laddoo's arms around her, and she kept her eyes closed.
Devi looked at her son's gesture, and not only she, but every other member present was surpried by the sight of Shaurya comforting a distressed child.
"Ab aap btaaiye Badi Maa..." Shaurya turned to look Devi in the eyes.
"Aap meri jagah par hoti... Toh kya is chhoti si bachchi ko is haal mein akela chodkar aa jaati ?..." he said, his voice deep and full of compassion for his Princess.
"Shaurya..."
"M... Main..." Devi was at a loss for words at this point. Her son had shown her the mirror, causing her to realise that she was reacting in this way for no reason other than the fact that the girl was ANOKHI'S DAUGHTER.
Shaurya's words had an effect on her, and she began to wonder, even if Mimi was unknown to them, she shouldn't have spoken in this manner because where could the little girl stay while her mother was unconscious, as she had no one else here except her mother Anokhi.
This made her feel somewhat sorry.
"I think... Aapko aapka javaab mil gaya hoga Badi Maa..." Shaurya said, seeing his Badi Maa silent. He didn't expect his Badi Maa to react this way.
He never expected her to refer to his Princess as "Airi-Gairi". He was too upset to listen it. Perhaps his Badi Maa's dislike for Anokhi prompted her to say that, he reasoned.
"Anyways..." Shaurya went on.
"Main aap logo ko bta doon... Princess aaj humaare saath yahi rahegi... I mean mere saath..."
"Main use apne saath rakhunga... Aur uska khyaal rakhunga..."
"So kisiko bhi koi pareshaani nhi hogi..." he clarified.
He held his Princess firmly in his arms and said, "Main apne room mein jaa rha hoon Badi Maa..."
"Princess vhi rahegi..." he added, and soon he walked away from the grim situation with Mimi.
Devi couldn't say or deny anything else after Shaurya showed her the mirror. She just stared at his receding figure in a daze, as this was something she never imagined to see.
Shaurya speaking against her was the first time she had seen it, and she couldn't even say anything. She wasn't in favor of Mimi staying in Sabharwal Mansion, nor did it sit well with her seeing the little girl's attachment with her son. It made her cautious as to how they both knew each other and why Shaurya was so protective of her, but later she shrugged it off, thinking that perhaps Shaurya had done it out of "humanity", as it was true that how could he leave that little girl alone in such a situation.
"Devi..." Tej's voice caught her attention.
"Tujhe kya lagta hain... Shaurya jo kar rha hain vo sahi hain ?..." he asked, his voice serious.
"Haanji Parjai ji..." Alok, too, joined in.
"Mereko toh yahi palle nhi pada abhi tak ki Shaurya us ladki... Kya naam tha... Haan MIMI !... Shaurya aakhir Mimi ko jaanta kaise hain ??..." Alok was mystified.
"Aur iske alaava bhi... Aapko nhi lagta Parjai ji ki Shaurya us bachchi ko lekar kuch zyaada hi pareshaan ho rha tha..."
"Arre Anokhi Bhalla ki kudi hain toh vo jaane... Humne uski beti ka theka le rakha hain kya..." Alok blew up his nonsense, due to his dislike for Anokhi.
Devi looked at Alok, then at Tej. She could tell by their expressions that they were thinking the same thing. Tej was also wondering what made Shaurya so concerned about the little girl.
They were utterly amazed to see Shaurya's caring side, which they were totally unaware of. They don't get to see such sights every day, but Anokhi's daughter made it possible for them to see Shaurya's soft side. They were anticipating to see the face of the girl, but they couldn't because it was hidden in Shaurya's embrace.
Devi was deep in thought. After what Alok said, she was pretty skeptical of Anokhi's daughter being close to her son, but she eventually decided not to think about it any further as it was only going to be a matter for tonight.
"Tej..."
"Hum jaante hain ki vo bachchi Anokhi ki beti hain... Lekin..." she paused for a moment.
"Lekin Shaurya bhi sahi hain..."
"Us bachchi ka yaha Anokhi ke alaava hain bhi kaun... Aise mein vo kaha jaati... Isliye Shaurya use yaha le aaya..."
"Aur vaise bhi Tej... Ek raat ki hi toh baat hain..."
"Hume iss baare mein zyaada nhi sochna chaahiye..." she stated.
Tej looked on as he listened. He thought maybe what Devi was saying was right. So he didn't think about it any longer and just let it go.
Soon everybody retired to their rooms.
Devi was on her way to her room, but Mimi's thoughts lingered in her mind. She, too, was puzzled by Mimi's "ease" with Shaurya, as she had never witnessed her son being so gentle with anyone. He was too protective and tender with her, as evidenced by the way he was caressing Mimi's head and securely holding her in his arms. This made her wonder if Shaurya and Mimi's "togetherness" should be a matter of "concern" for her.
Should she allow it to happen ?
Will Shaurya's bond with Mimi cause friction between her and her son's bond, who had recently spoken out against her ?
What if Shaurya's attachment to Mimi grows stronger and becomes a thorn in her way ?
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF SHAURYA'S AFFECTION FOR MIMI MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT FOR HER, AND END UP LEADING TO SOMETHING SHE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED IN HER WILDEST DREAMS ?
Dozens of questions had discombobulated her thoughts, and she later felt she was probably overthinking.
She convinced herself that Shaurya was gentle with Mimi simply because she was a child in a "pitiful" state, and that any other person in Shaurya's place would have reacted the same way.
Soon after, she pushed those unneeded doubts to the back of her mind reasoning that she didn't need to ruminate on them any longer because it was only for one night, and that she was unnecessarily overcomplicating Mimi and Shaurya's bond.
She went to her room, reassured.
LITTLE DID SHE KNOW HER DOUBTS WOULD COME TRUE IN FUTURE...
How was it ?
Do tell me in comments 😊