At breakfast table

Vineet was feeding Advay who's ready for school while Anamika was still in the room with Ansh as the boy is suffering in pain and high fever.

"Itna bhi kya busy hai wo jo ek baar aa ke bache ko khila nahi sakti?" Dadi spoke in anger as Vineet is not able to feed the boy properly.

"Maa aapne dekha na Ansh ki tabiyat kharab hai, wo bache ko chor ke kaise aayegi? Ek din ke liye kya hum Adi ko nahi sambhal payenge?" Aarnav said to his mother, trying to make her understand the situation and also he feels Vineet is surely not liking the way these two old ladies are behaving and he doesn't want his son to break away from the family for such reasons.

"Sambhalne ko toh pura ghar sambhal sakti hoon main ab bhi, itni jaan inn buddhi haddiyon mei aab bhi hai lekin ek bache ko apni maa ki sabse jyada jarurat hoti hai. Arey jab tum dono chhote the tab dono ko saath mei sambhalte the hum, tab toh itna aisho aaram bhi nahi the fir bhi sab kuch kar liya karte the par aaj kal ki ladkiyan ek kaam mei lage toh duja kaam hota hi nahi un se." Dadi taunted.

Vineet had it enough but didn't reply, he just moved out with the boy as his van had arrived at the gate. Dropping him off, he directly headed towards his room.

Aarnav called him out as he hadn't had his breakfast yet.

"Mujhe bhookh nahi hai papa, waise bhi kuch logon ko bina bole khana hazam nahi hota aur itne shor mei main kha nahi sakta. Aap apni maa ke saath chen se khao, main apne bache ke thik hone tak nahi kha sakta, baap hoon iska ye matlab nahi chinta karne ka ya dukhi hone ka haq nahi mujhe." Vineet snaps at them.

"Haan sirf tumhi dono miya biwi ko chinta hai na bache ki, humein toh hai hi nahi na? hum toh dushman hai uske na?" Bua shouted at his accusing statement.

"Dikh raha hai kitni chinta hai, itni ki aaj ghar mei jaise koi jasn ho waise breakfast bana hai aur sab chinta mei bhookhe baithe hai, nahi? Apne toh subha se ek ghunth pani bhi nahi piya hoga na, jaise Anamika ne nahi piya? Aapko kitni chinta hai na sab dikh raha hai mujhe. Itni hi chunta hoti toh at least aap Adi ko sambhal leti aaj par aapko khane se fursat mile toh na!" He taunted them and ran to his room, leaving Bua and Badi shouting behind.

"Dekha dekha? Ye kya chahta hai, iss umar mei hum bhookhe rahe? Iski biwi jaise dihawa kar rahi hai hum bhi karne lage? Bhookhe rehne se bhala kaise pata chalta hai kisko kitni chinta hai? Ye sab iss ladki ki karastani hai, jaan bujh ke pehle bache ko gira diya taki aaram se baithi reh sake aur ab hamare bête ki nazar mei bhi humein hi bura bana diya." Dadi verbalizes, cursing Anamika to which Aarnav sighs deeply.

"Maa, kuch der chup rehne se kuch bura nahi hoga na? Chahe kissine kuch bhi kiya ho par naraz toh humara bacha ho gaya humse kunki usse lagta hai hum uske bache ke dukh se dukhi nahi hai. Haan, kissi ke bhookhe rehne se kuch sabit nahi hota par aise aaram se baithe ke khane aur bewajah batein banana se bahut kuch sabit hota hai maa!! Main janta hoon aapko Anamika pasand nahi par iss tarah baar baar sab dohra ke aap Vineet ko hum sab se dur kar dengi kyunki wo bhale hi nahi bol raha par jis din usne bolna aur karna suru kiya hum usse rok nahi paayenge kuch kar guzarne se. Humein ye bilkul nahi bhoolna chahiye wo kitna ziddi hai aur apni zid mei kya kar sakta hai." Aarnav reminds them of Vineet's stubborn nature. The guy might stay quiet and follow whatever they say but when he is determined to do some task none can move him.

The family let out a sigh, they surely do not want their son to be away from them just because of small things happening in the house.

"Uski zid ke aage toh jhukte hi aa rahe hai hum aur kya kare? Kuch bol do toh dekha kaise biwi ki side le ke uchal raha hai? Huhh, hamari toh kadar hi nahi rahi kuch!" Dadi asserted as she moved to her room with her daughter while Aarnav was disappointed with the happening and was afraid of any wrong step from Vineet's side.

...

Vineet enters the room and passes a smile to Anamika who seems to be upset.

"Vineet tum kyun aise ladd rahe ho? It's not going to make any difference! Do din badh tum khud iss chij ko regret karoge toh rehne doh, please!" Anamika requests that she doesn't want to face any hard time after a couple of days for no reason.

Vineet let out a sigh, "Ana tum kya chahti ho mujh se? Jab main kuch nahi kehta tab bhi tumhe problem hoti hai ki main chup hoon, tumhe support nahi karta, jo sahi hai! Main nahi karta kyunki mujhe meri family tootne ka darr hai, main nahi chahta main unhe hurt karu jab wo pehle se hi naraaz hai mujh se aur iss chakkar mei meine sirf tumhe hurt kiya hai, I know that. Lekin apne bache aur biwi ki keemat pe apna ghar nahi bacha sakta main par tumhe ye bhi manzur nahi, main tumhare liye bol raha hoon so bhi nahi chahti tum. Kyun? Kya karu main fir?" Vineet questions his wife because he's confused with her words, at one point she wants him to support her but at the same time she wants him to be mute, how's that possible?

"Vineet, das saal pehle bhi issi support pe tum mujhe apne saath iss ghar mei laaye the na, kya hua? Main jaanti hoon tum abhi shayad thode emotional ho, maybe bachchon ki baat sun ke ya jo bhi ho par jab ye emotion wash off jonge toh tum waise hi rahoge, kuch nahi badlega, main jaanti hoon!! So please, chijein aur complicated mat karo mere liye. Tumhe toh koi kuch nahi kahega par mujhe jaane kab tak iss chij ko sunna padega but yes, aab main wo bardasht nahi karungi, har waqt khud ki self respect nahi kuch lungi main. Das saal de diye meine apne iss ghar ko, apna sab chor diya sirf ye sunne ko ki meine iss ghar ko barbad kiya hai? No!! Main ye nahi sunnungi aab!! Mera toh naseeb bhi itna kharab hai ki apne parents ke pass bhi nahi jaa sakti par marr jarur sakti hoon main, shayad tab shanti mile sabko aur mujhe bhi!!" She declares her idea only to horrify him.

"Shut up Ana!! Kya bakwas hai ye!! Tum...tum aisa soch bhi kaise sakti ho!! Jo pichle das saal mei hua wo aab nahi hoga Ana, believe me, please!!" He assured her, knowing he's going to step up for them.

"Mujhe khokhle tassal-li mat doh Vineet, please!! Mujhe mere haal pe chorr doh, mera bachcha bimar hai aur uske liye mere siwa koi nahi hai jo yahan baithe rahe!" She brushes him off.

Well, how can she trust a guy who had never tried to show concern or support towards her in the past ten years, the guy who's too busy to please his family. No, she can't trust him.

"Wo mera bhi bachcha hai Ana!! Jitni tumhe fikar hai utni hi mujhe bhi hai! Please Ana, give me a chance, main sab thik kar dunga!!" He tried to gain her trust but it was of no use, she didn't consider his request.

"Mujhe iss baare mei koi baat nahi karni!" She tried to push out the topic to which he just sighs and stays quiet. He knows it's hard for her but he'll win that! He will win her trust!

His trance was broken by the ring of her phone which left her uneasy as it was from Aakash. He patted her hand and took the call. Talking a few words he placed the phone back at its place.

"Aakash clinic ke liye nikal chuka hai, tumhe aane ko keh raha hai!" He told her.

Anamika shook her head, "tumne usse mana kyun nahi kia Vineet? Main Ansh ko chhor ke nahi jaa sakti abhi!" She reasoned.

"Usse chhor ke jaane ki kya jarurat hai? Hum usse bhi le chalte hai, mujhe lagta hai isse doctor se toh dikhana hi padega toh Ansh ke check up ke saath Aakash ka kaam bhi ho jaayega!" Vineet came up with the idea but Anamika wasn't sure as her other son was in school and will be home in a couple of hours, she doesn't want to be absent when he enters the house.

"Hum Adi ko wapas aate time le lenge ya fir agar late hua toh main usse le aaunga tumhare pass." Vineet assured her, understanding her dilemma. Anamika was still not sure but agreed as even her friend needs her and she doesn't want to upset him.

...

To be continued....