Kartik- Kya hua hai, Sirat?

Sirat- Aadat na hui na abhi manne, ghar, bachhe, practice sab ek sath smabhlne ki. Dheere-dheere sab thik ho javega, ismein chinta ki koi baat hi na hai.

Kartik- Pakka, Sirat?

Sirat (nods)- Haan Kartik, mhare ko bas sab kuchh bahut zyada lag raha hai na abhi. Naya-naya bhi.

Kartik (hums)- Thik hai, par apna dhyan rakho, ismein itna pareshan hone wali koi baat nahi hai, main, Kairav, gharwale sab hain tumhara haath batane ke liye kuchh bhi akele karne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Siway champion banne ke, kyonki boxer sirf tum ho. Please apni pratice par dhyan do, aur agar kabhi-kabhi tumhein lagata hai kisi bhi wajah se tumhari practice disturb ho rahi hai to mujhse baat karo, hum us cheez ka solution nikalenge. (moves cup to his lips) In sab baaton mein chai thandi ho gayi.

Sirat (standing up)- Main fir garam kar laati hoon.

Kartik (takes a big gulp)- Tumhein agar karni ho to, baaki mera to ho gaya. 

He stood up to access last of his paperwork for the day. Sirat shook head to herself, finished the tea in her cup before walking downstairs to place tray in the kitchen. From the way back to the kitchen she's accosted by Suhasini just getting off the phone.

Dadi (smiling)- Achha hua Sirat tum yahin mil gayi. Hum kya soch rahe the ghar ke sabhi bachhon ke liye kal ek chhoti si pooja karvan dein, pundit ji ka bhi kehna hai ki kal ka din bahut shubh hai. 

Sirat- Pooja karwana to bahut hi achchha hoga.

Dadi- Tumhein bhi yahi lagta hai na? Hum Swarna aur Surekha ko bhi is baare mein bata kar aaate hain (about to move away but stops and considers Sirat, last moment). Agar tumhari practice disturb na ho to kya tum kal ki pooja ki vyavastha kar sakti ho?

***

Kartik (hums, flipping through the file)- To ye pooja kab hai?

Sirat (pacing back an forth)- Kal subah.

Kartik (pauses)- Subah? (looks up) Kitne baje?

Sirat- Mhare ko je samajh na aa raha itna sara kaam hoga kaise, prasad banna hai, aarti ka samaan dekhna hai, pundit ji ki dakshina aur-

Kartik (standing up)- Agar tum kal Dadi ke saath mandir jaa rahi ho to fir tum practice ke liye kab jaogi? Ek kaam karo, tum rehne do Dadi se main baat kar leta hoon... Kal meri meetings... Unke saath koi aur chala jayega, Maan, Chachi ya fir Gayu.

Sirat- Uski zaroorat na hai, main aadhe din se practice ke liye chali jaoongi.

Kartik (frowns)-  Agar tumhein ye sahi lagat hai to.

Sirat (furrows her brows)- Aapko mhara Dadi ji ke sath jaana sahi na lagta?

Kartik (sighs)- Har vo cheez jisse tum apne sapne se door hoti jao, mujhe vo sahi nahi lagti. Par ye tumhari life hai aur agar tumhein lagta hai tumhein Dadi ke sath mandir jaana hai to ye tumhara faisla hai.

Sirat- Mhara faisla sirf aur sirf aapka aur aapke pariwar ka dhyan rakhna- khush rakhna hai, Kartik. Aapke kiye ahsaanon ko utaarne ke liye bhale hi apne sapnon se kitna hi door hona pade, Sirat apni zimmewari nibhayegi.

Kartik- Kya hua? Man badal gaya?

Sirat (shakes her head)- Na.

Kartik- To tum Sarang ko ek baar kal ke plan ke baare mein bata do, aur agar tumhein meri kisi bhi help ki zaroorat ho to mujhe bata dena. Kal ek meeting ke liye client khaastaur par Guwahati se aa rahe hain, mera wahan hona zaroori hai.

Sirat (nods)- Bilkul, aap na apni meeting par dhyan dijiye. Main Dadi ji ke sath pooja karwa aaoongi.

As with everything else, Sirat committed to the task. Once the list from pundit ji arrived, she began her preparation consisting of umpteen lists. In fact, aside from feeding Akshu and helping Kairav locate his homework notebook she remained busy whole evening until her alarm rang, and she scurried off to the kitchen. By the time she was joined by Maan, Chachi, and Gayu Di, Sirat was half-way done with the dinner. As such, with their help few more dishes were prepared and added to the menu before it was time to arrange dinner table. 

Post-dinner, as Sirat was putting Akshu to sleep her phone rang. Kartik glanced up to find Akshu fussing at the sound of the ringtone while Sirat ran across the room towards her phone, letting go of the laptop he reached for Akshu and started making faces at her. Once his daughter was back to silent observing, he turned to find Sirat with stress lines on her forehead. Her breathing, it was obvious to him, conscious in an attempt to control whatever worried her. The final step of the routine was to start punching thin air, and she followed through.

Kartik (placing Akshu in crib)- Tumhein abhi practice karne ka kaun sa bhoot chadh gaya?

Sirat- Vo kuchh nahi, mhare ko bas gussa aa raha hai.

Kartik (walking towards her)- Gussa to dikh raha hai, par tumhein gussa aa kyon raha hai?

Sirat (takes a deep breath, drops her punching stance)- Koi na, pundit ji ne jo fool magwaye the uske liye manne jis se baat ki thi uska phone hai. Vo fool kisi aur ko bhi chahiye the aur usnne dugune daam par pre-booking kar li.

Kartik- Flowers hi hain na, kisi aur vendor se baat kar lo mil jayenge. Inki kya kami hai hamare sheher mein. Kaun se flowers chahiye tumhein, mere paas bhi kuchh contacts hain-

Sirat (shaking her head)- Uski zaroorat na hai, mhare paas kuchh aur fool walon ke number bhi hain. Jab net se nikale the to chaar-panch number note kar liye the.

Avoiding Kartik's eyes, Sirat walked past him to the crib. Finding Akshu asleep, she left a deep breath.

Sirat- Main Kairav ko dekh kar aati hoon, kal uska bhi school hai na?

***

Coach- Sirat, maine tumse kaha tha tum jaise hi mera message dekho call back karo.

Sirat (fumbling between the apps)- Aapka message, haan aaya to hai par manne abhi hi dekha.

Coach (sighs)- Mujhe tumse, tumhare message ke baare mein baat karni thi. Tumhare kehne ka matlab kya hai ki tum kal bhi practice par nahi aa paogi?

Sirat- Sir, kal ek pooja hai jis ke liye saare intezaam mujhe karwane hain aur dekhna hai ki pooja thik se ho. Ye sheher ke bahar ek mandir mein hai to-

Coach- Bilkul. (takes a deep breath)Tumse meri bahut ummedien thi, Sirat. Tumhare andar babhut talent hai, hard work karne ki himmat hai, dedication hai. Par pichhle kuchh waqt se ye jo tumhara dedication hai iski disha hi badli hui hai. Tumhari life ke jo halaat hain, main samajh sakta hoon kisi ek cheez par focus karna mushkil hai par vo tumhe karna hoga. Mujhe maloom hai Goenkas se tumhare personal rishte hamesha majboot rahe hain aur ab shaadi ke baad tumhara farz hai tum us taraf dhyan do. Par jis hisaab se tum jaa rahi ho, tumhari boxing chhoot rahi hai. (a pause) Parson Nationals ke form out ho rahe hain, faisla tumhein karna hai ya to Rajasthan ko represent karo ya fir apni jagah kisi aur ko dena jo sachmuch boxing karna chahta hai.

Looking outside the car window Sirat fumbled with the heavy gilded necklace. Last night, she looked away from her coach's words but she was feeling the truth of those in her bones. Her nervousness only heightened at the coach's words, to even fathom giving up boxing choked her. At the same time, trying to be the perfect Goneka Bahu along with boxing, Sirat held awareness it was a recipe for failure. Turning to the things required for the pooja beside her, she mentally went through the list once again.

It was two hours drive from Goenka Mansion, three if one counted the traffic. They were under time constraints of muhurat and this particular pooja couldn't begin before taking a dip in the nearby pond. Only Sirat found no difficulty walking in through the shallow steps, but away from the eyes of Sarang and his team it was all too easy for massive sturdy hands to pull her back before she could attempt to cross the steps again. Her head was beneath the water, and she flailed. Just her luck, one of Sirat's punches landed in the gut and a moment's reprieve was enough for her to gain distance from the assaulter. As she walked up, the oxygen finally caught up to her brain and Sirat checked upon Dadi before discreetly waving over Sarang.

Someone had followed them here.

The realization didn't help her freezing self. They tried to get her alone, but if they try again... Dadi. 

Manish Uncle's words rang like a prophecy in her ears.

At least, pooja happened without a hitch. Sarang, as per Sirat's request drove their car on the way back, instead of tailing her as earlier, leaving the driver with shadow guards. 

***

Precap

As he reads the same line for fifth time, someone sits beside him.

Kartik- Main thik hoon.

Naira (hums questioningly)- Maine to kuchh bhi nahi kaha.

Kartik (looks up and turns to her)- Main sachmuch thik hoon.

Naira (stares at his face)- Tum sachmuch pareshan ho.