Tears pooled in her eyes upon listening the incidents happening with her Didi. In the beggining she was angry at Anirudh Dada but the angry quickly resided but the anger for Somnath Dada and Kaka sasurji filled her mind with rage.
"Meri Didi ko yaha itna kuch sehna para, or mein waha apni jindagi aaraam se bita rahi thi" said Aashritha her voice breaking, her heart felt heavy.
"Tumahri koyi galti nahi hai Aashi!" said Batuk carresing her back
"Kaka sasurji or Somnath dada ne ye socha bhi kaise?" said Aashritha her voice full of rage
"Kaha tha na boudi ne ki Log dushmani mein andhe ho gaye hai" said Batuk
"In logo ko sach ka aaina dikhana jaruri hai" said Aashritha gulping her eyes determined
"Aap kya soch rahi hai Bahurani?" asked Bihari
"Hum bhi chalenge Kaka sasurji or Dada se milne!" said Aashritha
"Theek hai chalte hai" said Batuk
The three of them entered Tulsipur and went towards Roy Choudhary Mansion.
Upon reaching the house Aahritha yelled loudly.
"Jameendar Babu!" said Aashritha "Bahar aaiye"
"Kya hua kon ho tu-" came Sampoorna but the pair of eyes made it clear that it was none another than her sister Aashritha.
"Aashritha" Sampoorna whispered
"Kya hai or ye larki kon hai?" said Somnath coming along with Kaka
"Kon ho tum ab bataogi?" said Trilochan
"Maa ye kya ho raha hai or ye didi kon hai?" said Sashwati
"Aashritha" said Sampoorna answering her daughter
"Aashritha Mausi? Par aap to bolti thi ki vo bahut shaant swabhaav ki hai to ye Anirudh Dada ki tarah cheekh kyu rahi hai?" said Aashritha
"Jab paap hua hai to Prakop to jhelna hi hoga na" said Sampoorna
"Ab bhooth banke kya khari ho batao kon ho?" asked Trilochan again even after having a vague idea of her identity
"Aashritha!" said Aashritha, she had no last name she had no Identity other than being a Doctor
In an instant the men with gun raised their guns on her forehead.
"Niche karo bandook! Kya hua ek akeli ladki kya bigaar legi tum logo ka?" said Aashritha loudly
"Ae ladki kyu aayi hai tu yaha?" said Somnath venom dropping with his tounge.
"Sachaai ka aaina dikhane aayi hu main aap sabko, jo aap bhool gaye hai" said Aashritha
"Jameendar babu aap bade hai na aapse shruaat karte hai"
"Chup kar Kaka se baat karne ki koi jarurat nahi hai or tum log dekh kya rahe ho kya bola hai koi Das parivaar ka dikhe to goli maar do" said Somnath
"Chii Somnath Roy Choudhary chii! ek aadmi hoke ek aurat se dar gaye tum?" said Aashritha "Or vo bhi itna ki ek akeli aurat pe paanch paanch goliyaan chalwaouge?"
"Chup himmat kaise huyi apni gandi jubaan se mera naam lene ki, maaro isse goli, Bondita ke jaisi ye bhi Khudgarj hai jaise usne humare saath chal kiya ye bhi karegi, or apeksha rakh hi kya sakte aisi behno se jo bina baap ke badi hui ho"
"Bondita or Aashritha saath saath rehte hai na marenge bhi saath hi!"
Aashritha was full of rage she steeped inside the house
"BAS BAHUT HUA!"
Whack!
Aashritha slapped Somnath.
"YAAD RAKHO MEIN AASHRITHA HU BONDITA NAHI JO HAR CHEEJ PE MANJOOR HAI BOLTI JAYEGI"
Trilochan and others looked at her shocked while Somnath held her wrist which she twisted and left harshly.
"Jameendar Babu haath nahi kaape aapke? Mooh nahi khitkhitaya? Aapki antaraatma ne dhitaara nahi jab aap meri Didi ke saath itna bura karne waale the?"
"Meri didi Dost banke, Vaijanti banke is ghar mein aayi taaki apse mil sake aapka aashirwaad le sake is dushmani ko mita sake par aapne kya kiya?"
"Chandrachur jaise ghatiya insaan se shadi karwa rahe the aap didi ki, Sanyasini banana chahte the uske mooh mein jalta hua koyela rakhwate aap?!"
"Bhool gaye apne inhi haato se kabhi apna aashirwaad diya tha aapne, jab koyi saath nahi deta to meri didi ne diya tha, yaad dilayu jab Sampoorna didi shaadi karke aayi thi aapka bharosa kisine nhai kiya maine bhi nahi par meri didi pagalo ki tarah sabko bolti rahi ki aap aisa kuch kar hi nahi sakte"
"Dushmani itni badi ho gayi ki bhool gaye aap sabko?! Abhi bhi aapne kya kuch nahi kiya meri Didi ke saath, aapko kya lagta hai bebas hai vo nahi Gold medalist Barrister hai chahti to itna kuch jo aapne kiya tha na uske baad aap par case kar sakti thi par usne aisa kuch nahi kiya ek baar phir usne aapko maaf kar diya"
Trilochan was trying to explain but his mouth didn't work anymore his heart knew that the girl infront of him was right but he couldn't confess it he had a big ego to do so.
"Or Somnath Roy Choudhary, Tumhe Dada kehti thi meri didi, Dada ka arth pata hai 'Bhai' or bhai apni behen ko kisi bhi haalat mein bachata hai naaki usse khud khatre mein dhakelta hai, par aapse to baat karna hi bekaar hai"
Aashritha turned towards Sampoorna
"Aapne bhi yakeen nahi kiya apni behen par Badi Malikin" said Aashritha
Sampoorna joined her hands infront of her crying furiously.
"Maaf karde mujhe Aashritha maaf karde"
Aashritha nodded no and gave a small smile hugging her.
Aashritha turned her heels and went out and held his hand Batuk squeezed her hand in comfort.
"Or haa yaad rakhiye Anirudh Dada or Bondita didi ko jeene dijiye apni jindagi, or agar meri Bondita didi ko ek kharoch bhi aayi na to samajh lijiye ga ki aapki sabse badi dushman Kalindi daas nahi Aashritha hogi, or isko halke me mat lijiye ga"
They went from the house together.
"Batuk!" said Trilochan's voice
"Bas kaka mujhe ye umeed nahi thi aapse" said Batuk dissapointedly
Trilochan could hear his heart mocking him but his brain was not going to comprehend it.
The ride back to their rented house was a quiet one neither did Batuk say anything and neither did Aashritha.
After an hour they reached the house and quietly went in.
"Aashi?" said Batuk
As soon as Aashritha heard Batuk's voice she broke down crying. Loud muffled sobs could be heard, Batuk ran to Aashritha as she slipped down on her knees crying loudly.
"Sorry! Sorry, maaf kardijiye mujhe Batuk, mujhe Somnath dada ko thappar nahi maarna chahiye tha is tarike se baat nahi karni chahiye thi, pata nahi mujhe kya ho gaya par jab Somnath dada ne Bondita didi ke marne ke baat ki to mujhe bahut gussa aagaya" she said sobbing as Batuk carressed her back soothingly.
"Aashi, Main gussa nahi hu jo tumne kiya vo sahi kiya uski jarurat thi, Somnath dada jis tarah ki baate kar rahe the vo uss thapad ke hi layak tha, Jaanta hu ki Kaka bade hai or Dada bhi par Bade humesha sahi ho vo jaroori to nahi hai na" said Batuk
"Par vo mera parivaar hai Batuk, ab koi apna hai mera jo mujhe chahta ho koi parivaar hai mera? Thakumaa nahi hai, maa se mili nahi hu par dil kehta hai ki vo bhi gussa hai, Tupur ki jindagi kharaab ho gayi hai us, Kaka sasurji or Somnath dada to chehra bhi nahi dekhna chahte hai" she said still crying.
"Kisne bola tumhare apne nahi hai, Tumhara parivaar hai, us parivaar mein bhi bahut sadasya hai batau?" said Batuk and Aashritha looked at him with confused face "Us parivaar ka sabse pehla sadsya hai Batuk Roy Choudhary, phir hai Bondita Roy Choudhary, Anirudh Roy Choudhary, Sampoorna Roy Choudhary, Shashwati Roy Choudhary, Tupur Bannerjee, Tapur Das"
Aashritha just looked at him tears still flowing from her eyes.
"Dekho kitna bada pareevaar hai" said Batuk trying to make her smile.
Aashritha hugged him tightly wanting to stay in the comforting embrace forever.
Batuk was lost in his thought, Aashritha whose name alone meant, someone who gives shelter, who is selfless. The girl who can make anyone feel like home by her comforting smile was crying because she apparently had no family, the one who gives shelter to others under her love, herself can't call anyone her family. For Batuk no place was home, no place gave him shelter, Aashritha did, Italy was a unknown country not just for him but for her also but Aashritha made Batuk feel like he was back in Tulsipur back at his home, the apartment in Italy didn't gave him shelter but the one with whom he used to live there with did. Batuk was intelligent it did not took much time for him to understand the reason of him almost forgetting about Tulsipur, all because of he did not miss Tulsipur he used to miss his Aashi their memories that resided to Tulsipur alone.
While Batuk was lost in his world he did not notice that his Aashi had fell into deep slumber in the comforting embrace not wanting to wake her up he sat their leaning on the pillar not moving an inch.
('。＿。｀)
"Batuk?" said Aashi as her sleep was disturbed by the sunrays that filled the house.
"Argh!" Batuk groaned
"Aapne uthaya kyu nahi mujhe?" said Aashritha worriedly scanning his face.
"Man nahi kar raha tha" said Batuk tucking her hairs
"Aapko dikkat hui hogi na?" asked Aashritha
"Bilkul nahi" said Batuk and smiled.
Suddenly there was knock on the door.
Aashritha looked at Batuk with a scared look.
"Kuch bhi ho jaye kisi ko pata nahi chalna chahiye hum kon hai" said Batuk to Aashritha
Aashritha pulled pallu on her head, and went open the door.
As Aashritha opened the door she was surprised to see the villagers there. The people first scanned her face and her condition then looked at Batuk who was coming there.
"Ji?" said Batuk
"Dekha maine bola tha ki ye dono kuwaare hai!" said a voice among the people
"Ae ladki tujhe sharam nahi aati, ek kuwari ladki hoke ek ladke ke saath puri raat chii chii" said a lady
All the villagers started talking bad about her.
"Is ladki ka charitra hi kharaab hai!"
"Aisi ladki agar samaaj mein rahegi to humari bahu betioyon ko na jaane kya kya seekh degi!"
"Isse yaha rehne nahi dena chahaiye!"
Batuk could sense Aashritha getting ready to argue them but they couldn't do it, that would just bring them in spotlight.
"Ek minute ji!" said Batuk with a fake south Indian accent.
"Kya hai?" said a villager in angry tone
"Aapko kon kehta ki ye meri patni nahi hota?" said Batuk and held Aashritha hand
"Kya matlab kon kehta hum andhe hai kya na hi haath mein shakha pola hai, naa hi maang mein sindur to kuwari hi hui na!"
"Ayiyo, Hum log dakshin se aata waha par shakha pola, or sindur nahi kiya jaata" said Batuk
"Tum log agar dakshin ke ho to iss ladki ne Bengali saree kyu pehni hai?" asked a lady Batuk gulped trying to think.
"Arrey meri Paatti, matlab meri amma ki amma bengali thi unhone hi mujhe sikhayi thi to main yahi saree pehenti hai" said Aashritha in south Indian accent.
"Haa ji" said batuk "Aapko sharam nahi aati aise subah-subah kisi ke ghar aake chilane lagti?"
"Shama kijiyega" the man in front said and all of them returned
Batuk and Aashritha looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Thank god!" said Batuk
"Ab khana kaise banau?" asked Aashritha
"Matlab?" asked Batuk
"Hawa bananugi kya, ghar mein kuch nahi hai" said Aashritha
"Ruko thode paise hai unse thoda bahut samaan aa jayega kal se mein hospital join kar lunga" said Batuk
"Theek hai, ab mein jaake naha leti hu tabtak aap jaake aaloo, kuch masale or aata le aayiye" said Aashritha and Batuk nodded.
"Or ab jab ye dakshin Bharat ka drama shuru kiya hai to wahi kariyega" said Aashritha
Aashritha took two sarees with her and wore it like a half lehenga, in south Indian style.
Batuk came back home with a bag full of ingredients.
"Aas-" he stopped as he saw Aashritha entering in south indian look
"Kya hua?" asked Aashi smirking her eyebrows raised
"Y-ye tum" he couldn't speak as the ingredients fell from his hand and his moth was open.
Aashritha giggled looking at him and came near pecked his lips teasingly.
But before she could go away more than two steps, Batuk held her wrist pulling her towards him and pinning her on the pillar.
Aashritha's breathe became uneven and she looked down shyly.
"Kya hua abhi thodi der pehle to bahut chidha rahi thi mujhe?" whispered Batuk in her right ear
"B-batuk"
"Hmm?"
Batuk's breathe fell on her neck and in another moment Batuk attacked her lips hurriedly sucking her lips hardly.
"Do you even know how innocent you look? What am I thinking right now?" said Batuk huskily.
"N-no" said Aashritha "B-but you can tell me"
Batuk smirked moving towards her chin when a growl came from his own stomach.
Aashritha looked towards him smiling as Batuk blushed and scraped his nape.
"Bhookh lagi hogi naa? Mujhe to bohot lagi hai" said Aashritha going to make food and Batuk too helped her.
After an hour a simple Aaloor Dom and luchis were ready.
"Chaliye jaldi se khaate hai ab!" said Aashritha and dragged Batuk on the mat sitting there, eating and feeding each other.