Breakfast table

After the gift that Ruhana received from Vineet, Anamika coaxed him to know the details of the party.

''Offo, kitna bolti ho tum. Jaane kabse bole hi jaa rahi ho. Meine kaha na event planner hire kiya hai, wo aata hi hoga toh sab pata chal jaayega tumhe. Abhi khao aur khane doh!" An irked Vineet told her, Anamika makes a face.

''Huh!! Baat baat pe ukhadte rehte hai, Di aap iss saddu insaan ke saath kaise rehti ho.'' Anamika commented, clinging on Ruhana, Vineet glared at her.

Ruhana playfully slapped her cheek,''shh!! Aise nahi bolte.'' Ruhana scolded her sister for she doesn't want Anamika to again argue with Vineet who's already irked by her involvement.

Anamika pouted while Vineet giggled at this small achievement.

''Dekh liya na, aab shant raho!!" He told her to which she make a face and concentrate on her meal.

Meanwhile, a servant informs them that Ruhana's parents have arrived. Vineet smiles widely and moves to receive them at the gate but the news upsets Anamika and surprises Ruhana because Vineet hasn't shared anything regarding their arrival.

''Dad ko kyun bula liya Jeej ne? Unke rehte toh shanti se baith nahi sakte, party ka maza kya lenge!" Anamika spoke making a face.

''Ana please, yahan Dad ke saath maat ladna. Wo bas aaj ke liye aaye honge, let him be himself. Jo bole kar dena, nahi toh khamakha baat badhegi aur tu janti hai fir hum Vineet ko jawab nahi de paayenge.'' Ruhana directs her sister to be calm and responsive around their father, Anamika nods, she knows she can't let down her sister. Also, Vineet is still unaware of the real side of Nachiket and they don't even want him to share anything about it.

Vineet welcomes Nachiket and Ragini, Ruhana and Anamika approach them and take their blessings. Nachiketa seems to be at ease finding decorum in the house, especially when Anamika is around.

Vineet asks a servant to show a room to the elderly couple and asks them to rest. They agreed, after all Vineet is asking them something to do, how can they deny him? With a warm smile, they follow the servant.

''Ruu, you should take some rest. Sham ko party hai toh aur thak jaogi, abhi thoda rest kar lo!" Vineet instructed her and wrapped his arms around her shoulder to take her in the room, Ruhana nodded and held Anamika's hand.

''Ana chal, mujhe tujh se kuch baat bhi karni hai.'' Ruhana pulls her along, though Vineet doesn't like it but remains quiet because he does not want to upset Ruhana yet another time that too on her birthday.

Vineet opened the door, reaching the room, the three of them entered. Vineet took Ruhana to the bed so that she can rest while Ruhana takes Anamika along which annoys him.

''Uff, don't tell me tum isko godd mei sula ke baat karne wali ho!" He said, gazing at Anamika sharply while helping his wife to adjust herself on the bed.

''Ooho, tum bhi baat baat pe gussa hote rehte ho. Mujhe bas thodi baat karni hai aur usse abhi rest nahi karna, aur bhi kaam hai usko, samjhe!!" Ruhana states and asks him to pass the gift wrapped box lying on the table, to which he makes a face but follows the command.

Ruhana took the box and passed it to Anamika who took hold of it excitedly. She immediately unwrapped the box only to find a mobile phone inside. Anamika jumped at her toe excitedly and hugged her sister out of happiness.

''Thank you...thank you... thank you so much Di... You know you are the best...THE BEST!!!! Aapke siwa na ye khayal kissi ko nahi aata ki mujhe iski jarurat thi. I love you!!" An excited and overwhelmed Anamika pecked her sister's cheeks, Ruhana giggled at her act.

''Haan haan dono behne aab pyar mohabbat badh mei karna. Anamika tum jao apne room mei, Ruu ko rest karne doh!!" Vineet instructed her while trying to pull her out of the bed, Anamika pulled back her hand and hugged Ruhana.

''Wo rest hi kar rahi hai, aab aapko agar dikh raha ho hum dance kar rahe hai toh consult a optics, bahut jarurat hai aapko!" She remarked, earning a deadly glare from him.

While Vineet waits for Ruhana to set out Anamika from the room who stayed silent but to his luck, a servant informed Anamika that her father wishes to see her. Anamika makes a face and Vineet grinned.

Anamika takes her leave, Vineet secured his seat beside Ruhana, who gazed at him meaningfully.

''Arey meine kuch nahi kiya abhi, Papa ne khud bulaya hai usse.'' He clarifies.

''Papa ko bulaya bataya kyun nahi? Aise toh ek ek chij puchte ho aur itna badi baat batai hi nahi, kyun?" She questioned him.

Vineet narrows his eyes, finding the question irrelevant because she should be happy at her parents'arrival but she doesn't seem to like their visit.

''Main tumhe surprise dena chahta tha Ruu. Tum hi toh keh rahi thi na tumhe sabki yaad aa rahi thi toh meine unko bhi bula liya!" He told her in a calm yet confused manner, Ruhana just smiled. Saying anything to him may lead to an answer question session and she knows she won't be able to give him an appropriate answer.

''Meine kuch galat kar diya kya unko bula ke? Tum nahi chahti thi wo aaye?" He inquires, gazing at her with some suspicion.

Ruhana immediately shook her head,''nahi aisa nahi hai. It's just main thoda surprise ho gayi unhe achanak dekh ke kyunki Papa itne sudden plans nahi banate na aur tum bhi toh sab batate ho hamesha, bas issliye!" She clarifies and lets out a sigh leaning on him, placing her head on his chest. She just wishes things to be smooth, her parents' arrival can lead to a new problem which she doesn't want not because it's her birthday but because after that she'll have to disclose things to Vineet. Though she should be telling him the truth but then, how can she tell him how narrow-minded his father is and her mother is perfectly fine with it!? How does she tell him, how struggling it was for the sisters to make a place for themselves in the house, to pursue their studies, how do she explain all this? She can't, it's hard to explain.

Ruhana let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes while clutching on him. She's thankful to find love in him but then, he has a problem with Anamika whom she had thought to keep with her after marriage but they don't let it happen, instead Anamika now has to bear their father all alone. While Ruhana was lost in her thoughts, Vineet was satisfied with her reply, he held her and they gently lay on the bed.

…

Anamika enters the guest room where her parents seem to be resting. Finding her entering the room, Nachiket gestures to her to take a seat which she follows.

''Anamika!!" Nachiket called her, and she immediately looked up at him.

''Bina mujhe bataye tum yahan kyun aai. Ek toh tumhari harkatein thik nahi, uspe Vineet tumhe pasand nahi karte fir bhi tum yahan aai, kyun? Mana kiya hai na tumhe yahan aane se, fir kya jarurat thi yahan aane ki?" Nachiket questions her, his tone low yet firm and stern.

''Jeej hi aaye the mujhe lene!! Meine mana bhi kiya tha par wo nahi maane fir meine mumma ko bhi call kiya tha toh unhone mujhe rokne ke bajaye jaane ko keh diya, isme meri kya galti hai?" She replied instantly, defending herself.

''Anamika!!'' Ragini shouted at her.

''Kitni baar samjhana padega tumhe? Wo Dad hai tumhare, aise jawab dogi unhe!?" Ragini scolded her.

''Arey aab bolungi nahi toh unko pata kaise chalega? Aap pehle bata dete unko toh unko puchna hi nahi padta kuch, par aap bolte hi nahi fir main bata dun wo bhi galat, toh karun kya main? Aise toh Dad ko yahi lagega meri hi galti hai par meri koi galti nahi, meine mana kiya tha Jeej ko wo nahi maane ismei meri koi galti nahi. Aab unki baat nahi maanti aur wo Dad ko call karte ismei bhi Dad mujhpe gussa karte. Huh, har taraf se mujhe hi dant padti hai!!" She makes a face at her parents.

In the next moment, she finds Nachiket standing before her. Anamika shivers at her father's angry avatar. He holds her hand and pulls her up.

''Tumpe kissi baat ka asar nahi hota na? Yahan aa ke aur parr nikal aaye hai tumhare, Ruhana jo hai yahan, seh mil gayi tumhe, hai na!? Bas aaj ka din hi, Ruhana ka birthday hote hi hum kal wapas jaayenge Kyunki tumhe yahan chorne ka risk toh main le hi nahi sakta. Aur tumhara faishla toh main ghar chal ke karunga, bahut bolne lagi ho tum!!" He shouted at her badly, tears built up in her eyes as he jerked her badly.

Anamika ran to her room, tears rolling down her cheeks. Why does everything always turn against her? Just why?

…..

To be continued…