Sreedhar opened his eyes. He was in a room. His vision was blurred. There was pain in his body. But it seemed subdued. But he managed to finally see both his parents looking eagerly at him.
" Maa" he called . Maheswari got up and took bottle of water.
" Beta first have some water. Don't try to talk much ". She made him drink water.
" Maa I am fine. I will manage" . He turned and looked at his father
" Papa are you angry"
Rajasekhar caressed his son's hair " No not angry, but concerned, afraid because it seems my chote ustad has grown up. He is no longer the boy who used to jump in my lap and demand stories when I read newspaper "
" Papa I.."
" No need to justify yourself Sreedhar. Papa knows you. You love and care for everyone. But take care of yourself also beta. Sudhir had to arrange some police protection both in hospital and home "
" Why any concern. Mahantji sent people .."
" Mahantji wont come near you. But media is after us. Some sting operations seems to have happened. Police had come seeing that chandelier was delibrately untied. So Sudhir has filed a case against 2 gundas for delibrately trying to harm you and defame Suman. Media now wants to get access to you and Suman. Especially Suman as the network didn't show her face or tell her name. So we decided to restrict it by deploying some police. We don't want Suman to unnecessarily come in public glare"
Sreedhar closed his eyes. Shekhar and Aleena has intelligently kept Suman out of the picture. It was good that way. Else it wont take time for people to connect 2 and 2 and bring their back story.
Tilak and Sudhir walked in. Sreedhar smiled at them. They patted his cheeks. " You are a hero " told Tilak. A little girl of about 12 opened the door of the room. Her mother came running behind. " Manju, don't disturb"
Girl didn't seem to care. She walked confidently near Sreedhar " Uncle will you give me a shakehand. I don't have paper and pen with me. Else would have taken autograph."
Her mother tried to intervene. Maheswari stopped. Girl went near the bed. Sreedhar tried to stretch hand, his shoulder was paining.
" Beta come after 2 days. Uncle will give you shake hand. Now he has pain" told Sudhir. The girl smiled, planted a kiss on his cheek , waved her hand telling she will come back again as her mother dragged her.
Maheswari and Sudhir laughed as Sreedhar blushed. " Maa now little girl has given kiss. Now after tonight's programme of maryada and bandhan if young girls stand in queue in front of this room what will I do. I should have taken 20 whips " teased Sudhir
" Bhaiyya this is not fair " Sreedhar made face.
Maheswari got up. " Beta I am going. Need to prepare dinner for you. Listen you will have khichdi and haldi wala dhoodh till your bruises are healed. I will send Suman along with Tilak to bring you dinner "
Rajasekhar looked at his wife and Sreedhar looked at his mother. It was unexpected. Sudhir saw his brother's eyes welling up with tears in anticipation. He knew the person Sreedhar needed most at this moment was Suman. But Maa taking such a decision.
" Why are you looking at me. That girl will be sitting distraught at some corner in the house. Before she goes into next silence, before she starts brooding again the thought process has to be broken that she is responsible for this. This is the only way"
As Tilak took them in car Rajasekhar looked at Maheswari. He knew there was no point arguing with her. She had taken the decision. Yes the tradition had hurt her laadla and Suman was the girl who tried to protect her laadla without thinking about any tradition. So it was clear to Rajasekhar that now with respect to Suman and Sreedhar tradition will hold little place for Maheswari. More changes were in offing for him. He was not sure where all this was going.
It was around 7pm when the car turned into Varma mansion. Most of the media people had gone after their wait turning futile and with Sudhir giving official statement to police. But as they stepped in they saw some ladies and men from their community were there in the hall. Renuka and Vindhya were there. Suman was not to be seen anywhere. Before Maheswari could ask anything Renuka told " Maa kids are with Suman. These people have come to meet you "
" Suman where are you. Come down." Called Maheswari loudly
" Maa I am coming" Suman came and stood in the hall reluctantly. None of the people moved, they didn't tell anything also.
Maheswari dragged her and made her stand beside her " This is my DIL Suman. She is not an evil omen. She is a simple girl. She tried to protect my son Sreedhar yesterday and I don't consider her poison near Sreedhar. To ensure everyone understand it, I have taken decision that Suman will take lunch and dinner to hospital for Sreedhar and once he is back from hospital till he is completely well she will make food and give to Sreedhar . I do not want any sympathy for my son. Only people who can respect this decision of mine and treat my DIL as a normal human needs to talk anything to me. Else everyone can go "
Suman looked at her MIL with respect tears brimming in her eyes. She had not expected this. She can give him food. She can see him.Vindhya looked at the girl's relieved face.
One lady got up, went up near Suman, held her hand and told Maheswari. " Maheswariji what do I have against Suman. My sister is a widow. She is also suffering the same fate. But she has a baby. This girl has not lived a day as a bride. We are afraid of Mahantji. Hence didn't tell anything. But today Sreedhar beta has made us realize our mistake. We came here to tell that if anything happens to you or family we will be there to support you. If Suman beti goes out today, tommorrow my Chameli can also go"
" Maheswariji yesterday Haldi and Kumkum fell on Suman. She has Maa Durga's blessings. She cannot be evil omen " told another lady
A man got up " Rajasekharji our family have suffered a lot with Mahantji. He wanted that useless Sartaj's son to marry my young daughter Malavika. When I refused they tried to abduct Malavika. If not for my sister's family in Delhi, Malavika would have been trapped. He still takes money from us telling he will tell wrong details to Malavika's sasural. We know Sudhir beta has lodged complaint on attempt of attack on Sreedhar beta and defaming Suman beti. I am also going to put charge against him for exhorting money"
" Feel today night's programme will help us as someone outside Jaipur will look into this as the current officers are corrupt" said another man.
Maheswari looked at them . " Maheswariji if you still don't want to believe us let me tell you from next week I will send by 5 year old Sayali to Suman as her dance student and we anyways need your bahu to paint our sarees for Karwachauth and Diwali. So keep her free enough to do this work for us . Now atleast trust us" told Anuradha a close friend of Vindhya whose MIL and SIL were also there with her.
Maheswari smiled for the first time. Rajasekhar thanked them and for the first time after the incident he began to relax. People were supporting his son, his family's decision.