Me and my family were enjoying the snacks I had bought to celebrate my ass getting saved from eliminations, but I was suspicious about how my sister and mother were behaving.

Mom and Dhara Di were not looking at each other and were telling other family members to relay their messages to each other. When I had come home, I had instantly noticed the tension in the air, but since Dad was at home, I didn't want to stir up any trouble.

Srishti was also behaving weirdly and wasn't playing around like she usually did. I was afraid if my sister's ex-husband, Shailesh, had come over to my place in my absence.

When the dinner was over and we were done spreading out our mattresses, I put on our favourite comedy show on the TV, and when I saw that my father, niece, and sister had gotten busy watching the show, I went inside the kitchen to check on Mom.

As expected, she was busy sorting out vegetables for the next day's breakfast and lunch, and after seeing her aimlessly banging utensils and the poor vegetables, I confirmed that she and my sister did have a fight with each other.

"Mom, are you not going to tell me what happened?" I poked my mother.

"Nothing happened. Sleep early. Don't waste your time thinking about stuff that has not happened," Mom scolded.

"So something definitely happened, right?"

"Bhoomi..."

I held Mom's hands. "You and Di fought again? Was it because of Srishti? You can tell me; what's the use of me working so hard if my family is going to fight with each other?"

"You won't understand." Mom sighed.

"Really?" I retorted. "I didn't know you gave birth to a daughter without a brain. It must have been really difficult to raise me, right?"

Mom glared at me. "Don't make such stupid jokes. Your sister also taunted me like this only. She said I am controlling her. Tell me, Bhoomi, am I that bad of a mother? I am just worried about everyone. I don't want Srishti to get bullied, but why won't Dhara understand? I know I messed up her life, but why won't she understand that I am really sorry for what I did? No matter how much I try, I know your sister still thinks of me as her enemy."

"Will you explain the whole thing? I can't take sides without knowing anything," I said.

"Let's go on the terrace. A few clothes need to be fetched," Mom said.

I read between her lines and assisted her. We went upstairs after checking that others were fully engrossed in the comedy show. There were actually a few clothes hanging on the ropes, but we didn't collect them.

My small tin shed had been empty for a long time, so Mom and I crunched ourselves inside it when a lightening struck in the sky.

"I think Dhara is thinking about Ritvik a lot these days," Mom announced. "It is not good. She should realise what her reality is. If she acts like this, how will I control Srishti?"

"Control?" I asked. "Why do you want to control Srishti? Did she do something? And how are you so sure about what Dhara Di is thinking?"

"I found Ritvik's photo under her pillow. As you can already imagine, I scolded her about it, but I was surprised when she snatched that photo from my hands. I had to drop Srishti off to school, so I didn't bother Dhara about it, but when I went to Srishti's school to pick her up, I was informed by the teacher that Srishti's father had come and taken her with him."

I widened my eyes. "So Shailesh did come! How dare he? He didn't harm Srishti, right? Did he threaten you again? Was Dad at home that time?"

Mom raised her hand to shut me up. "Calm down. Fortunately, it wasn't Shailesh. Ritvik had picked up Srishti from her school, and that little troublemaker even told her teacher that Ritvik was her father. When I came home, I was shocked to see Dhara holding Ritvik's hand. The door was open when I came home, Bhoomi. What if someone had seen both of them like that? Srishti was also calling Ritvik 'Papa, Papa!' like a parrot.

"I got so angry that I told Ritvik to leave. Of course, he didn't say anything to me and left, but after that, Dhara looked at me like I had committed a crime. Before I could say a word, she started shouting and repeated how I had ruined her life and was again trying to control her. Seeing her, Srishti also started crying and blamed that I was trying to keep her away from Ritvik and didn't want her to have a father.

"Bhoomi, I was really shocked. Dhara has blamed me before, but she never tried to bring Ritvik between our fights. This time, it was only about him. Dhara got so hyper that she started hyperventilating. I was also mad at her, but I shut my mouth and gave her medicines. She resisted, but I managed to hold her down, and since then, she and Srishti are not talking to me.

"What am I supposed to do? I am not understanding why Dhara is behaving like this? I can understand Srishti as she is a kid, but her mother? Why isn't Dhara trying to realise that she and Ritvik can't be together? She is giving false hopes to her daughter also. Her condition will worsen if she keeps building fake dreams like these. And you know what? It was Dhara who had called Ritvik and told him to pick up Srishti from her school. Why would she do that?"

I carefully listened to what Mom told me. After pondering over it for a few minutes, I remembered how happy my sister looked whenever Ritvik Bhaiyya's topic came up or when she hid his photo under her pillow. I knew she was happy to live with us, but there was a part of her that was still hurting for something she had lost.

I looked at Mom. "Maa, why can't Di and Ritvik Bhaiyya be together?"

Mom's face paled. "It is impossible. I will never let that happen!"

"But why? You also very well know that Ritvik Bhaiyya hasn't married yet, right? Who do you think he is waiting for? What's wrong with him meeting Di and Srishti? He is Di's best friend, and it would have been so much better if both of them had gotten married. Ritvik Bhaiyya's parents had even suggested that, but you refused that time. Why are you still refusing now?" I complained.

"Because Ritvik does not deserve it," Mom said sadly. "It was me who had gone to his house and insulted him and his parents when he had asked me about marrying Dhara. At that time, I was blinded by my greed and didn't want any kind of trouble in the marriage I had fixed with Shailesh. Ritvik's family was also financially weak like us, and I didn't want my daughter to suffer again.

"I only wanted her to have a luxurious life that I and your father couldn't give her. She had already made lots of sacrifices, so when Ritvik had come to discuss about Dhara with me, my temper went to my head. I only saw his poverty and felt that if I agreed with him, I would fail as a mother."

Mom wiped her tears and looked at me earnestly. "Bhoomi, I feel so embarrassed and guilty now that I remember what kind of filthy words I had used for Ritvik and his parents. I am so ashamed that I don't even look at his parents in the eyes. My greed ruined my daughter's life. I don't want Ritvik to suffer because of my mistake. He is still young and capable. He can get any nice unmarried girl to be his wife.

"I am not worried about him, but about Dhara. Whenever she sees him, she has the same look in her eyes when she wasn't married. I knew she also liked him, and that's why in fear, I ended up rushing her marriage. I regret it. I really do. But I can't let Ritvik's life be spoiled. Dhara may end up holding him back from moving forward in his life. He doesn't deserve this.

"You know Dhara's condition, no? She can't even walk by herself. And Srishti... She is not his daughter. No matter how much she wants him to be, he is not her father. Both Dhara and Srishti need to accept it."

"You are worried about Ritvik Bhaiyya getting the shorter end of the deal if he marries Dhara Di?" I asked. "Maa, you know what he had said when I had asked him about not marrying yet? He told me that he loved only one girl and would continue loving her only. Dhara Di and Ritvik Bhaiyya love each other, but because of you, they are not able to do anything."

"But I am only thinking well for everyone. Why should Ritvik marry a divorced woman with a child? He is healthy and can have kids of his own. In Dhara's current situation, she won't be able to give Ritvik a happy married life. What's his fault in all of this?" Mom complained.

I nodded. "I understand your concern, but aren't you again committing the same mistake you did seven years ago? If Dhara Di wanted, she could have easily disobeyed and rebelled against you. Still, she married Shailesh because you wanted her to. She tried everything to save her marriage, but Shailesh took advantage of her. My sister suffered unnecessarily, and Srishti, she is totally dependent on us, Maa, and Di knows that.

"Srishti does not need her mother for anything except for her emotional needs. Why do you think Dhara Di keeps talking about leaving by herself? She has Srishti, so she should live for her, no? But Dhara Di's health is not good. She is physically weak because of all the mental stress she has suffered and is still suffering from. Haven't you seen that she is actually herself only when Ritvik Bhaiyya's topic comes up? She knows that even if she left us, we will take care of Srishti.

"She sees herself as a burden on us, Mom. She loves us, and she is trying to survive for us too, but no improvement in her health clearly tells us that we are not able to give her what she truly needs. We are her family; she knows we are here for her, but what if she needs someone else by her side? The person she loves?"

Mom twiddled her thumbs. "But, Bhoomi, it does not seem appropriate. What will Ritvik's parents think? They will misjudge Dhara's character and think that she and us are trying to mislead Ritvik. After all that has happened between our families, they will never accept Dhara. I don't want her heart to get broken again."

I looked at Mom seriously. "I understand, Mom, but we are just making assumptions. Who are we to decide what others might think? You also know that Ritvik Bhaiyya's family loves Dhara Di, and when she had come back to us, they had even come to check on her. If they wanted, they could have forced Ritvik Bhaiyya to marry someone else, but they didn't. Maa, you are just building doubts in you mind. Stop thinking about what others will think now.

"You had done this earlier and completely disregarded what Dhara Di wanted. Atleast now think about what she wants. If you are worried about her disobeying you, then chill. She is just getting frustrated over her helplessness, but she will never do anything that will damage our family's reputation. She has a mobile; don't you think she could have easily called Ritvik Bhaiyya to our home in your absence? She is an adult. She does not need anyone's permission to do what she wants, but she will never hurt you even if she fights with you.

"As for Ritvik Bhaiyya, do you see any one thing in him that you dislike or feel that he is not the right person for your daughter? You have a chance to heal your daughter, Maa, and I know you know the solution to Dhara Di's problems too. You are afraid of hurting Ritvik Bhaiyya again, but what if you are actually hurting them both right now? If you want, you can repair your mistake. And that Shailesh; he wants to hurt Dhara Di the most and he is succeeding in it happily. We can't let him win like this, Mom.

"We can get rid of him by paying off the money he has demanded, but what about the damage he has done to Di? He is taking advantage of your thinking; you are the only one who can make everything alright. No matter how much I try and tease Dhara Di about Ritvik Bhaiyya, she never confesses her true feelings. She is still afraid of you, Maa. And now, she thinks that she is not worthy of any happiness or even being alive. She blames herself for her own failed marriage. Mom, please think about Dhara Di only. You are her mother. Aren't we doing all of this for her only? If she isn't happy, then what's the use of all of our hardwork?"

Mom kept silent for a long time. I let her be. I just wished that Mom would stop worrying about outside people and focus on Dhara Di only. My sister had a chance at getting her happiness back, and I wanted her smile to return. And I knew only Ritvik Bhaiyya was able to make my sister's mood bright and make her remember all the good memories. With him, she was the same Dhara we had lost seven years ago.

"Bhoomi," Mom said slowly. "Dhara and Ritvik still love each other, right?"

I nodded. "They won't say it, but they do."

"I will apologize to Ritvik's parents for everything. In order to save my daughter, I was only caging her in her own home. Why shouldn't she get the happiness she deserves? Why can't Ritvik be with the woman he loves? He has waited for so long, and even after I insulted him for asking Dhara's hand in marriage, he still respects me. He is still waiting for Dhara, and he can forcefully take her with him if he wants, but he is a man of values.

"Even after knowing Dhara's current condition, he still cares for her. Actually, I am so used to misfortune, that I don't want to accept that something good can happen to our family. You know what I heard Ritvik say to Dhara when I had reached home in the afternoon?"

"What did he say?" I asked excitedly.

Mom smiled sadly as tears trailed down her cheeks. "He told Dhara that Srishti was his daughter too. Even if he wasn't Srishti's biological father, he considered Srishti as his own because she was Dhara's daughter. He would not stop loving Srishti just because Dhara kept telling him that Srishti wasn't his. I really don't deserve such a good daughter..."

I chuckled when my mom cried like a kid.

"Maa, you have understood your mistake, no? That's all I wanted. What are you going to do now? You are not going to force Dhara Di again for marrying Ritvik Bhaiyya now, right?" I asked.

Mom slapped my head. "I won't. I am not going to force Dhara for anything from now on. I will let her decide for herself. As for outsiders gossiping about our family, I will handle them. My daughter's future is my only concern, and I will do everything to return her happiness to her. I won't restrict her from meeting Ritvik, and I think it will be best if it helps to take her mind off Shailesh's issue. I just want her to be herself and healthy."

I hugged my mother tightly. "You are the best, Mom! I love you!"

She pouted. "You have grown up so much that I am getting lectures from you now."

I grinned, and after getting praised for a few minutes, my mother narrowed her eyes at me.

"Since you were talking about love and such like a mature person, is there any way that you have someone you like?" Mom asked cautiously.

I started coughing violently. I didn't know why but the moment she questioned me, Tejas's face started dancing in front of my eyes.

"Bhoomi...? You don't have a secret boyfriend, do you? After seeing Akshay announce about his girlfriend out of the blue, I wonder if you are also hiding something from me. Why are you coughing like an idiot? You are acting suspicious..." Mom interrogated.

Fuck, why am I acting stupidly? There is nothing to hide.

"Mom, since when have you started joking around like this?" I scolded. "Don't give me a heart attack. You think I have got time to have a boyfriend? Who will like me? Thanks to idiots like Akshay, Vibhan, and Rehman hanging around me, no boy thinks of me as a girl. My own friends beat me up like a sack of potatoes. And you think I can have a secret relationship? You are really overestimating your daughter's capabilities, Maa."

Mom pinched my arm. "How dare you belittle yourself like this? Why won't anyone like you? What are you lacking? It is you who has no sense about these things. By the way, you are denying everything, but why is your face so flushed? Bhoomi, I am warning you. After lecturing me about Dhara and Ritvik so much, don't think you can save yourself. You have also grown up, and it is not wrong for kids your age to have someone you like. But it is wrong when you kids hide it from us parents."

I darted my eyes around. What was I supposed to say? My body was giving away what I was trying to hide.

"Maa, I don't have a boyfriend, and I think I am incapable of that too," I confessed. "But, I have a celebrity crush... You already know that, no? I don't think that will get me in trouble, right?"

Mom raised an eyebrow in question. "A celebrity crush? Really? I also liked Shashi Kapoor and Rajkumar (yesteryear Indian actors) a lot when I was young, but did I marry them? You are an idiot, Bhoomi. What will I do with you? These things are important, especially for girls. Don't make the same mistake Dhara made. If not now, then you may like someone in future. You should be able to make such decisions by yourself. I don't want to force my expectations on you too."

My mother also called me an idiot.

"Don't worry," I said. "If someone ever took interest in me like that, I will send that person to a mental asylum. I don't have time for a romantic rendezvous."

"These things don't happen by invitation," Mom teased. "You won't even realise when you fall in love."

I widened my eyes at her. "Mom, are you really talking about love so freely? Are you going to beat me up later? Did you also fall in love with someone? Other than Dad?"

Mom shook her head. "Unfortunately, I fell in love with your father only. After marriage, of course."

"Why is it unfortunate then?" I complained.

Mom and I stared at each other and burst out laughing. She started reminiscing about her earlier marriage days and how much she was worried about her married life, but Dad made everything effortless.

"By the way, Mom, I got two jobs thanks to Eknath Uncle. I actually wanted to discuss about it with you. How should I manage them? My schedule is already packed," I informed.

I told her the details about the jobs, and after brainstorming for some minutes, she roughly told me how to manage my time. She strictly told me to keep my studies on priority and even suggested to quit some of my jobs. She told me to keep weekends free for myself and take full rest on those days. That way, I could avoid falling sick and do my jobs also. As for Mom, she would keep Wednesday and Thursday for resting as none of us could afford jeopardizing our health again.

We had made the schedule, but I wondered if we were going to be able to manage it. Still, I reminded myself that I wouldn't know unless I tried. I had my mother with me, and the main issue of Dhara Di was also taken care of from my side.

I didn't know what was going to happen and what my sister and Ritvik Bhaiyya were going to do, but I could only pray. My mother had finally understood that she needed to loosen her grip on her eldest daughter, and she even doubted that I was hiding having a boyfriend from her. So funny.

Mom nudged me. "I finally remembered who your celebrity crush is."

I smirked. "Of course, you did now. You also like Raghav Juyal, right? He is really funny, isn't he? I am trying to learn slow motion like-"

"I am talking about TJ," Mom interrupted. "Didn't you always kept screeching 'TJ, TJ!' on the rooftop? You even chewed our ears singing his praises. I remember you saying that he was your dance idol. What was his full name? Tejas... Tejas Jaiswal, right? You used to talk about him so much that I even remember his birth date. Didn't you and Akshay say that he is also in the same dance training program as you? What happened to him? Is he no longer your idol?"

Wow, I can't seem to get a break from him. Now even my mother is mentioning him as if he lives in our neighborhood.

"Bhoomi, why are you turning red again? Do you have a fever?" Mom asked.

I pursed my lips. "You are right, Mom. Tejas is my dance idol. That's it."

"Why are you talking like a robot? And why are your pupils shaking? Bhoomi, are you really okay? You look like you will have a fit any minute."

If we keep talking about Tejas, then my brain will surely short-circuit. What's so hard in accepting the fact that Tejas is nothing more than just my idol, and for him, I am nothing more than just his fan?

"Why did you say you don't like me?"

Tejas's words echoed in my ears like a siren. I started seeing his expression in front of me as if I was watching him in a magic crystal ball. Somehow, I imagined him sulking and complaining about what I had told him.

Do celebrities really care if their fans continue liking them or not? I didn't know Tejas bothered about such stuff. And it is me we are talking about. Didn't he always act as if he didn't like me? What was with that sad plus annoyed plus angry plus frustrated plus accusing expression he was sporting?

Bhoomi, you are hopeless. You were right. Any poor guy who may end up liking you will surely need to be admitted to a mental hospital.

Tejas does not like me, idiot.

I never took his name, did I?

I think I should sleep. I have to wake up early tomorrow.

Sure. I hope your brain grows once you wake up.

Shut up!