It was evening. Devika and Suman were in Devika's new home. Morning a small ceremony was conducted and Devika entered the house. Poorni, Vaishu and Aakash helped her with the house arrangements. Maheswari had sent Suman to the house in the afternoon with lunch for everyone and told her to come back only after Devika is properly settled. She said she will send Sreedhar to bring her and the kids around dinner time.
Now since almost all the work was done the kids had gone with Vaishnav to his haweli and both Devika and Suman knew there is very less chance of them coming back on their own as they will be busy playing.
Now Suman was telling Devika how she has landed the job. " Suman do you really mean to say Gauthami coming and me getting job was not coincidence. It was all planned and done by Sreedhar and your friends gang."
" Yes didi. It was all planned and executed by them. They didn't want our family to know such things are going to happen. You very well know how everyone will behave if they have a hint of you getting a job ."
" Yes Suman. Telling them directly and me coming for job was never possible. This also just because of your mother and Maheswari Aunty I was able to come. Now I am happy Suman. Both my girls can study and I need not fear about their early marriage and a fate like mine" told Devika .
" Hello ladies can I interrupt you" hearing the voice at the door Suman and Devika turned only to see Sreedhar grinning at them.
" Yes you are allowed to interrupt, only on one condition. You are going to eat chilla and tea made by me" told Devika.
" Of course I am hungry as I came straight from work." told Sreedhar
" Ok then let me go to kitchen and you spend time with my sister. Don't try to be naughty. I am observing ". Sreedhar blushed and Devika laughed seeing him as she walked to the kitchen.
" So how are you feeling" Sreedhar asked Suman as he took her hand and caressed it.
" Do I need to tell Sreedhar what I am feeling. You should be knowing. Without telling a word to me you have done so much for my didi" told Suman.
" Sumi is she not my didi. When my relations are yours, shouldn't your relations be mine too. Stop using " I, me and my", let it be " we, us and ours as there is nothing that we don't share with each other. You are part of me and I am part of you."
" Agreed now what is the plan for Pritam Bhaiyya. Have anything in mind " asked Suman smiling.
" Exactly Sreedhar I also want to ask that. Is there any hope for Jyothi. I am terrified thinking about her " came Devika with chilla and tea. She gave it to Sreedhar and Suman and sat opposite to them taking a plate for herself.
" Sumi, didi I have something in mind. But need to discuss with Gautham. Only then I can tell it clearly. I am going this Sunday to Delhi to meet my friends Gautham and Kailash as they are going for training."
" Why Gautham Bhaiyya Sreedhar. He wont be there naa" asked Suman.
"Sumi only Gautham is going to Mussorie. His family will be in Delhi only. Gautham's dad is a doctor and he will know good gynecologists in his hospital. Jyothi Bhabi's condition demands that we need to ensure she gets proper medical care in a new place. Also the support they require when the baby comes, Supriya aunty can make arrangements. All these are as much important as job for Bhaiyya." told Sreedhar.
" You think of every minor aspect right Sreedhar" asked Devika
" Nothing like that didi. I miss a lot of things. Sumi's condition is the biggest proof of what all I could miss and what all I could do wrong" told Sreedhar.
" Didi don't get him started. Only I know how much is closed inside him which he is hiding in his smile " told Suman.
" By the way didi do you know Sulakshna Rajput" asked Sreedhar to divert the topic.
" Sulu Chachi. Yes she was actually Pritam's father's first wife. She ran away when she knew she was going to have a second girl child and our family will kill the child. Why, why you are asking" asked Devika.
Suman told Devika about the incident in Ajmer and how it was told she had a semblance to Sulakshna Rajput's second daughter Mandavi who is now an IAS officer.
" So Sulu Chachi did succeed in bringing up her daughters. I don't remember much Sreedhar. I might have been five or six when the incident happened. Meenakshi was two year old. I only know that Prathana Devi was about to administer her medicine for inducing abortion that day night and she went away in the afternoon. Our family told everyone Sulu Chachi ran away with her lover and so they married Virender Chachu a second time."
" But Devika didi how did you know it was girl child in those days. Pritam Bhaiyya seems my age so Mandavi didi might be couple of years elder to him. Scanning started in India in early eighties or at the most late seventies. I can understand the female foeticide of Suman's sisters but in early seventies, how is that possible " asked Sreedhar.
" I don't know Sreedhar. All pregnant ladies used to go to Prathana Devi's ashram from late sixties. As far as I know the deliveries happened there in the ashram. At birth if it is a girl child she gives some powder to the child and the child dies and then it is told it is still born. But then the methods changed. From when I don't know. But atleast for six or seven years people would go to ashram to know the gender of the child. Whether she had a illegal scanning machine I don't know. What all happens in that mysterious ashram also I don't know, whatever I tell is hearsay . I only know she is a creep . Yes my husband left me but one thing I am thankful to him is the fact that he didn't take me to that spooky ashram for doing abortion. He allowed our daughter to be born" told Devika.
" So Meenakshi didi and Mandavi didi are our cousins. Hope we can meet them " told Suman as Devika collected their plates.
" Sumi I guess we should go and get the kids and proceed home. Didi any issues you know haweli is nearby and you should call Vaishnav. Will make arrangements to ensure you get a phone connection soon" told Sreedhar as he got up.
Devika patted his cheeks " you know I am very happy to get a brother like you. " Sreedhar smiled at her as he walked outside along with Suman.