Vineet entered the room and was surprised to see the scenario, Ragini doesn't seem to be in a good mood neither Ruhana nor Anamika. 

"Kya hua?" He questions moving towards his wife who smiles at him, relieved to realize that he hasn't heard them. 

"Hum party ke liye dress decide kar rage they!" Ruhana replies, the safest answer for the time being. 

"Fir maa ka mood itna off kyun lag raha hai?" He throws another question, gazing at Ragini who smiles instantly. 

"Nahi beta aisa kuch nahi hai. Ye ladki, " referring to Anamika, "kuch lai hi nahi hai na, utni jaldi mei yaha aa gayi toh aab complain kar rahi hai ki sham ko party ke liye koi dress nahi hai iske paas." Ragini says, gazing at Anamika who gave her a look. 

Vineet let out a sigh, he knows well where there is Anamika there is trouble, no doubt at it. 

"Main waise issiliye aaya tha. I mean, main soch raha tha hum shopping chalte hai, sabke liye dresses le lenge." He suggested and Ruhana immediately agreed to him, taking him by a little surprise but he smiles to find her happy with the idea. 

After all, her happiness is all that means to him! 

Without any word, they disperse to their respective rooms to get ready. 

... 

RuVi's room

Ruhana expressed her happiness about the shopping and also told Vineet that she's going to get some extra pairs for Anamika as the girl hardly brought much clothes. 

Vineet nods,"yeah!! Packing ka time nahi ma usko, main achanak chaka gaya tha. Usne toh almira khola bhi nahi, bas bed pe jo kuch kapde pade the unko bag mei this dia usne. I'm really sorry but she's so unorganized!!" He made a face while pulling out a dress from the closet for her and showed it to her, she shook her head in disagreement and so he turned again to pull out another piece of clothing. 

"It's okay na Vineet! Usko khud ke bahut kaam hai. I mean, abhi uske exams the aur assignments bhi they, plus the thesis. Toh let it be." Ruhana spoke, convincingly. 

Vineet turns to her with another dress which she approves while he speaks, "meine kab kaha it's not okay? Wo jo bhi kare, I doubt care. Waise bhi main kuch kahunga toh wo kaunsa meri baat maanegi? But yes, mujhe ye jarur lagta hai she needs to organize herself a little. Like, giving up some weird habits, believe me it will help her only!!" He explains, following her to the dressing room and standing to the other side of the area parted with curtains, while Ruhana moved to the other end to change. 

"Kaise habits?" She asks, a little curious of his observation. 

"Like, sneaking into someone's room without knocking! Screaming like hell just because she's upset over something! And you know, bahut kuch hai aisa!!" He asserts, thinking about all those incidents when Anamika has just stormed in their room caughting them off guard, it had pissed him all the time while Ruhana never said a word to her. 

He came out of his trail of thought when she stepped before him, all done. A bright smile forms on his lips and he pecks her head, he doesn't need words to compliment her, his eyes speak volume more than he can express with words and she understands them all - everything! 

"I see, you observe a lot of things about her!" She comments, a little relief that things are actually not that messed between her husband and sister. Her husband is noticing details about the girl and is also suggesting the changes she needs to take up. It's a good sign, isn't it? 

Vineet smirks at her words, "do you think usse koi bina notice kiye reh sakta hai? Chalti firti tsunami hai wo ladki!!" He remarks, causing her to laugh out loud, Vineet smiles as she laughs freely. 

As they share their moment, they hear a soft knock on the door and Anamika enters before they even allow her in, only to find them in a cozy space. 

She leans on the door, "Okay!! Are we going?" She asks teasingly, winking at them. 

Vineet rolls his eyes, while Anamika lifts her hands, "I knocked!!" She exclaims. 

"Knock kia is good par andar wale ne allow kia ya nahi wo toh dekho, aise knock kar ke ghus hi jana hai fir toh ek hi baat hui. Learn to have some patience, you badly need that!" He comments on approaching her with Ruhana. 

"Yeah yeah!! Everyone wants to teach me one or the other thing. Chalo yaar bore mat karo mujhe!!" Anamika snarled, stamping her foot and leaving the place in the other moment, annoyance clearly visible on her face. 

Vineet furrowed his brow, "isko kya ho gaya?" He asks, his voice barely a whisper but Ruhana assured him that she might be upset over something and so she just said that out. Vineet wasn't convinced but let it go for he knows the girl is too complicated to understand. 

... 

Soon, the family was in a mall selecting whatever they needed. Ragini and Nachiket were together searching for a gift for Ruhana. Anamika was roaming around herself talking over the phone with Siddharth, she was least interested to be with anyone at the moment because of the recent incident while Ruhana and Vineet were busy selecting some good dress, actually Vineet was looking for it for Ruhana who was just sitting at a place lost in her own thought as Anamika had refuse to converse even with her. She was roaming around somewhere and had refused to join them in the section. Ruhana was worried, she needs to converse with Vineet and convince him so that he will talk to her father to let Anamika stay with them for few days but then, he might not like the idea because of their conflict at the same time she can't let Anamika suffer because she knows if she let her go with Nachiket, they guy will surely punish her. 

Ruhana lets out a sigh and turns to look at Vineet who has finalized some dresses for them. He showed it to her one after another, she approved them all and he bought them all. If his wife likes all the dresses, he's not going to exclude any 

Done with the shopping, Ruhana, Vineet, Ragini and Nachiket met at their planned spot but Anamika hadn't arrived yet. Vineet made a call but she didn't receive it which irritates Nachiket. 

"Ye ladki bhi naa, jaane kahan gayi?" Nachiket spoke, annoyed at her absence. 

Ruhana glared at her father but didn't reply back as she doesn't want to create any scene so she asked Vineet to get a look as she must be around, probably in some shop trying out something. Vineet nods and after making her comfortable in the cafe he sets out in search of Anamika. 

... 

Anamika, unknown at the time, was standing outside a toy store. The vibrant colors and different attractive toys look so adorable. She had always wanted them but their father never got her one. Growing up, she and her sister had only faced the harshness of their father, his rude and arrogant behavior, his never ending scolds, his punishment over small mistakes - everything was too much to bear but they didn't have any other choice. What can two little girls do if their own mother refuses to come to their rescue? Nothing! They were helpless, she still is!! 

She still remembers her 18th birthday when she received her first soft toy, a gift from her sister by her salary. Only she knows how happy she was that day. A soft toy, which seems to be a luxury for her not because of the money but because she was prohibited from having one. She only had that one toy which Nachiket burnt down a year ago when she answered him back. He had said, this was all he would do to discipline her and she hates him for that, she'll always do. 

With all those past memories flashing before her eyes she didn't realize when tears started to roll down her cheeks. 

She came out of her trance feeling a warm touch on her shoulder. As she turns her face, she finds Vineet standing behind her, worried, concerned and confused. She immediately turns away and cleans her face. How on earth is she crying outside a toy store? She feels ashamed, feared, what if he tells her father about it? Oh no!! He's not going to like it at all. Her body started to turn cold as she imagined all the possibilities which might take place and her tears now refuse to obey her resistance. Still, with much effort she composed herself while Vineet stood motionless. He doesn't know how to react. The girl who's always chirping around was sobbing standing outside a toy store, why would she do that? He doesn't know the reason but he was concerned for her. Yeah, they don't share that good relationship but it doesn't mean he isn't concerned for her, that teasing is just a fun thing but her tears speak volumes. 

He patted her shoulder when she turned to him again and told her that the family was waiting for her. He didn't pick up the recent incident knowing it might hurt her, or she's not going to share it with him but he needs to tell this to Ruhana, she'll find a way and can comfort her. 

Anamika nods and pushes herself to leave the place. She wanted to request Vineet to not discuss the matter with anyone but she knew one single word and she'll break down so she remains silent and follows him. 

The moment she appeared before her parents, Nachiket started to scold her and asked her about her whereabouts. 

Anamika struggles to find an answer and gazes at Vineet, fear engulfing her just by the thought that he might spill the beans. But to her surprise he helped her. 

"Washroom mei thi!!" He replied to Nachiket, Anamika gulped her chest relaxes as Nachiket didn't throw any other question to her but now she doesn't know how long Vineet is going to keep it secret, she hopes forever!! 

.... 

To be continued…