Suman came down with sarees in hand and started doing embroidery. She was followed by Poornima who came down with her books and sat on the dining table. Soon Sreedhar came out with some books, paper and pen. He too sat at the dining table.
Renu was tidying the kitchen and Maheswari was just checking everything. Vindhya had gone to put kids to sleep.
" Now what is this Poorni. It is 10pm and Suman, Sree why this night out" asked Renu
" Maa board exam is only 10 days away. I need to do lots of problems in Maths. Let me finish the question bank on simultaneous equations"
" Bhabi Sudhir Bhaiyya has given me ultimatum. For all the hungama I have created with Naina Rawat I need to finish the retail plan within this week and give it to him. He had managed the business issue in short term with the contacts Tilak Bhaiyya got from Bombay Business Meeting. But now he wants to have an alternate long term plan so that we are no longer dependent on whole sale alone. In office there is enough work. So I can only finish now right" told Sreedhar
" Holi Bhabi. 3 days later it is holi. You know how much my work was affected with Mahasivrathri hungama. Need to close everything by tomorrow " told Suman
" So you have ensured even I don't need to sleep " told Maheswari.
" Maa no need. You please go. I am here right. I will ensure these people are doing fine" told Renu
" Bhabi you go and sleep. I will give Horlicks to Poorni and if Sreedhar wants tea I will make that for him" told Suman
" What about you. Like 2 days back. Sleep with needle and cloth in hand" told Maheswari and Suman smiled sheepishly. Sreedhar bowed his head. Renu and Maheswari smiled. Sreedhar had held Suman's hand in sleep and Suman held it back. They got up early next morning only to find they were holding each other's hand and to realize they were sleeping in Maheswari's lap .Now Sreedhar asking for lullaby and Suman sleeping with needle and cloth in hand had become one of the jokes in the family. Even kids knew it.
" Maa and Renu Bhabi you both are going and taking rest. I am here. Anyways Sudhir is not yet back from Gurgaon. So I have to serve him dinner. I will take care of three monkeys" came in Vindhya
" Yaa that is better Vindhya. Let us go Renu" told Maheswari and they walked to their respective rooms. Once they were gone Vindhya told " Sreedhar are you sure you didn't do any bak bak in your sleep. Gone to hear lullaby "
" Bhabi now you too. How in the world I was supposed to know she will sleep with needle and cloth in hand and Maa will make her also sleep in her lap. I usually don't do any bak bak in sleep. So wouldn't have done"
" Vindhya chachi by the look of dadi doesn't seem Sreedhar Chachu or Suman Chachi have done some bak bak" told Poornima
" Chota detective concentrate on Maths " told Suman
" Fine fine let me get back to work " told Poornima and started to do her problems. Sreedhar started writing ferociously and Suman immersed herself in work. Vindhya sat observing Suman's work.
" I am not getting this equation. What is the problem" Poornima looked at her worksheet, keeping the pen to the chin
" If you change the position of x and y how you will get it done" Poornima looked upto see Sudhir standing by her side
" Oh yes. Thank you Sudhir chachu. It was so simple" told Poornima
" Sudhir you still remember all this " asked Vindhya
" Vindhya numbers were like my breath once upon a time. How can I forget. I am very much hungry"
" You come freshen up. Let me just heat your dinner" told Vindhya
Soon Sudhir came down and Vindhya bought his dinner, Horlicks for Poorni, tea for Sree and Suman.
As Sudhir ate he asked Sreedhar " Sree how does it look. I mean I am very much serious. We need to have a proper back up plan and we want it quick also"
" Bhaiyya I have gone through whatever Murali Bhaiyya has done. I am taking a different approach to his plan. Don't worry, you will have the entire business plan in your table in one week"
" Retail business was his dream" told Sudhir
" I know Bhaiyya. How much Murali Bhaiyya wanted to get into that segment. From the time I had gone for Economics main for graduation he used to discuss with me various aspects of economics in retailing. We used to have extensive discussions also. And reading the plans it is evident that he has applied quite a lot of my theory" told Sreedhar
It was then everyone looked at Suman who was listening " Suman ..
" No Sudhir Jethji. Don't think I am sitting here so you should not be discussing about your brother and his dreams. I was connected to him, but I don't know him. To be frank I didn't even know the name of the man who was marrying me because at that point it didn't matter to me. Through these conversations I am also knowing him which I want to. I owe atleast that much to the person who took me as his wife in good faith"
" Suman I don't know how you manage to have this much will power after going through so much" told Sudhir
" Jethji actually I don't know how long I will be able to go like this. Everyday when I see Maa I feel guilty. I feel like I am breaking her trust. How will I make her believe when I decided to stay here I didn't know Sreedhar was Murali's brother. How will I make her believe if there was one person I didn't want to meet in my life ever was Sreedhar and the only thing I wanted him to know was the news that I was married so that he will move on.I feel like to go and tell her the truth and if she says I cant be in this house, so be it I will go.
Then I look at Sreedhar. His pain. His guilt every moment asking me to give him a second chance to make everything alright. Asking me to hold on. Then the happenings around where Suman Varma is the harbinger of change for many. And I choose silence" she was crying now.
"Suman are you mad.Not wanting to meet Sreedhar. You think he wouldn't have tried to dig out the truth of your marriage. You very well know him. Would he have believed in any hearsay. Wherever you had hidden yourself from him, he would have moved heaven and earth to find you. Most important, accept that your deepest feelings always wanted to meet him. Because you need him as much as he needs you. Me and Sudhir know everything. Maa knows you were not in agreement to marry Murali. We will open up the things at the right time. I am sure Maa is not going to ask you to go or she is going to distrust you. I know Maa. She will understand you. We will ensure you get your Sreedhar with her blessings" told Vindhya holding her.
Sudhir looked at Sreedhar. He had gotten up and stood near his room. He went near him. Sreedhar hugged his brother " Bhaiya she is getting punished for loving me. She is not at fault. I ..."
" Sreedhar Chachu, Suman Chachi I still have 10-15 questions to work in my QB and I have boards. If you both cry like this I cant work on them. Does both of you want me to flunk my boards" asked Poornima.
Suman and Sreedhar smiled. Vindhya patted the girl. Sreedhar came back and started writing his plan, while Suman went back to her work. Sudhir and Vindhya shifted to kitchen and started their usual cat fights occasionally checking on the trio