It's sunday, but unlike other days, Vineet chose to go to the office as he had a meeting despite the fact Anamika told him to accompany her to Aakash's place as he wanted to see them and share something really important but Vineet was clear that the meeting he's talking about is really important and he can't miss it, though he promise to join them after a couple of hours and also drop Anamika at his place with the kids while his grandmother and aunt went insane, shouting that the lady is almost going everyday and not spending time with them and today she's even taking the kids with her to which Vineet shut them out with just a line that they always wanted her not to be in the house so they should just enjoy themselves instead of expecting her to entertain them, because as they say they don't need her so they better stay the way they want and let her be. 

The drama was too much but all Anamika could think was him. The moment she disclosed her decision, he was broke. Though he didn't show it to her but she knows, he's hurt. But then, it's not going to make any difference to her decision, because she's right on track. 

... 

Anamika let out a deep sigh staring at her kids who were busy playing around Aakash house, they seem to enjoy visiting there. 

"Vineet kyun nahi aaya?" Aakash broke the silence, sipping his coffee. 

Anamika turns to look at him, "koi meeting hai uski keh raha tha meeting ke badh aayega par i know, wo nahi aayega!" She finished the statement with a small sigh. 

"Khair, how's everything going? Sorry, uss din ke badh main aa nahi pai. I was caught up with other things, Adi ke test bhi they aur fir wo news se main khud bahut disturb thi, I'm really sorry Aakash!" She genuinely apologized as it's been a week and she didn't even call them to know about their procedure. 

"You don't have to apologize Ana, I understand what you're going through. And the procedure, well finally God showed some mercy on us and we made it through. I just can't express my happiness in words. Iss din ka jaane kabse intezaar kiya hai meine and today, finally we're going to have our own child!!" Aakash exclaims, holding his wife's hand, they both had tears in their eyes, which brought tears in Anamika's eyes as well. 

"Told you!! Now it's a call for a celebration! Dekh, you couldn't enjoy my wedding nor I could do yours, so let's make up for it." Anamika said out happily, for a moment she forgot her problem. Her kids came running to her with that loud roar of her and asked about the matter. 

"Aakash uncle is going to have a baby, issliye wo aaj humse party denge!" Anamika told her kids who screamed loud at that little announcement. 

"Aakash, I'm really very happy for you two. You should have told me over the call, main kuch meetha bana ke laati tum dono ke liye!" Anamika rolls her eyes over her friend. 

Aakash rubs his palm over his knees, "well the kitchen is all yours! Tum yahan bhi kuch bana sakti ho agar chaho toh. And yes, tumhare siwa main ye news abhi kissi se share nahi karna chahta toh kids, zip up okay? Toh jab tak tu kuch meetha banayegi tab rak I'll order for us, what say?" Aakash laid out the plan which they liked. 

Anamika heads to the kitchen while the kids take charge to decide the menu. After all, they're going to be big brothers, so they're trying to be responsible! 

.... 

With a bright smile Anamika was all set to prepare kheer, she had put the milk to boil and had taken out everything she would need with the help of a cook. Aakash enters the kitchen after making Aarti comfortable in the room and making the kids busy with television. 

Anamika smiles at him, which he reciprocated. 

He cleared his throat, "so how's Vineet's reaction over the pregnancy and.. And the abortion?" He questioned gently. 

Anamika just sighs at first gazing at him for a moment, "he's hurt! But he supports my decision! He said he would love to welcome the child but if I don't want it then he's ok with that too! Aakash.. I'm so guilty after that evening, I know I'm not doing anything wrong but it makes me feel selfish. Though, I'm still stuck with my decision but something doesn't feel good. You know, he didn't fight though he tried to convince me, he said he will take care of everything but when I declared my decision and refused to change it, he just agreed. Even after that I expected him to act indifferent but he's so normal and that's what makes me guilty. He's taking care of things, helping kids, helping me, staying tall for me, he's doing everything and I don't know what to do!?" Anamika blurted out, tears leaking down her eyes to her red cheeks and nose. 

"Just give him a chance!! He's trying every bit to compensate for his past mistake, such that he even agrees for the abortion, is se jyada what can he do? I know, it's hard for a woman to trust her man who didn't support her in a phase of her life but for that phase you can't oversee what he's doing now,  he's trying to change himself, mold himself the way you like otherwise he would have never agreed for that abortion thing. See, for the abortion thing it's your decision though I don't support it but it's totally up to you but for Vineet, give him a chance, let him prove his existence and love, let him be a man of his lady, don't give him what his family did to you when he's trying with all his world to win you and his kids, kyunki aab he knows, his one mistake and you'll never see his face again. But remember, even your one mistake can mess up everything and it's not you two but even the kids." Aakash was so calm to keep his point, as the topic is too delicate to talk rough. 

"And, if anything happens, I'm always there for you! The doors are always open for you!" He exclaims, assuring her no matter what he's there for her in every situation. 

Anamika smiled through tears and hugged him tight, she's lucky to find him in her hard days, she can't thank god enough for that. Aakash consoles her, like a brother! 

..... 

After having a really good time, Anamika decides to leave as it was already 4 of the evening and as she expected Vineet didn't turn up, probably he had already sensed the news would be pregnancy and he wouldn't be held on himself and he definitely didn't want to break down in front of everybody, so office was a good escape. 

Aakash drove them home, at the gate he gave a tight hug to the lady and some chocolate to the boys who chuckled excitedly. With that, they headed inside the house only to witness the whole family sitting in the hall, which is unusual as it was not the time for evening tea. 

Kaushalya asked the nanny to take the kids upstairs while Anamika was asked to face them, she followed. 

The family just stared at her, so she decided to ask. 

"Kya hua maa? Aapko koi baat karni hai?" She asked directly. 

"Haan!" Spoke Dadi, firmly glaring at her, Anamika sensed danger. 

"Wo ladka kaun tha jo tumhe abhi bahar chorne aaya tha?" Bua question, so the lady has seen him and definitely that hug also! 

"Wo..wo mera dost hai!" She replied, wondering what would come next? 

"Aisa kaisa dost hai tumhara jo bich raste dusre ki ghar ki bahu se gale milta hai? Uske ghar mei maa behen nahi hai kya? Usse chhoro, tum bhi jara si sharm nahi aai uske gale lagte?" Dadi shouted, her statement clearly indicating what she meant but Anamika was not allowed to clear out things, Bua started to lash out over her. 

"Isse kyun sharm aayegi? Ye toh hai hi aisi!! Aisi na hoti toh hamare bete ko na phasa kia hota, ladkon pe doore dalna, unse chipakna toh aadat hai iski. Khud dusre ladke se, milti hai aur hum Vedika ka naam tak le le toh mirchi lag jaati hai isse." Bua rolled her eyes, sarcasm filled her voice with a ting of anger. 

"Bua ji!" Anamika shouted but was shut by Aarnav. 

"Hamare ghar ki bahuein iss tarah apne se bado pe chillati nahi hai. Tumhare ghar mei tumhe kya sanskar mile hai hum nahi jante par at least itne saalon mein yahin ke taur tareeke seekh jaati tum, par nahi!" Aarnav shot her with her red eyes. 

"Aapke ghar ki aurtein bas duaron pe ghinona ilzaam laga sakti hai aur koi apna defend bhi na kare, kyun? I'm really sorry papa par sanskar toh aapke ghar mei kabhi tha bhi nahi warna kaun apni bahu se aisi baat karta hai?" Anamika too didn't hold, she shouted out. 

"Jo jaisa hai, waisa toh log kahenge hi. Agar tumhe ye nahi sunna toh aisi harkat hi nahi karti. Pehle hamara beta aur aab jaane wo ladka kaun hai!" Dadi spoke. 

"Toh phir apne bete se kuch kyun nahi kehti? Wo koi dudh peeta bacha nahi tha jisse main phusla ke le gai apne saath and yes dadi ji, tab bhi aur aab bhi mere papa ke pass aapse jyada paisa hai so clearly aapke paiso ke liye maine aapke pote se shadi nahi ki, pyar karti hoon main uss se issliye shadi ki. Aur wo ladka, wo mere bhai jaisa hai!! He just came to drop me, itna samajhne mei kitna jor padta hai!" Anamika screamed it out, giving it back to them. She had hold her words for too long a time but that's enough now. 

"Haan haan, aab jo pakdi gai toh wo bhai ho gaya tumhara. Wo bhai jiska paap tum apne andar liye ghoom rahi ho aur abortion ke liye chatpata rahi ho. Tumhe kya lagta hai tum nahi bataogi toh humei pata nahi chalega? Har jagah nazar hai meri, tum kahan apna muh kala karwa rahi ho." Bua accused her, Anamika felt her world collapse with such harsh words, such accusations such that she couldn't even say anything, tears started to roll down her eyes, finding the family accusing her this way, it's been ten years and that's all she has earned in this house. 

To bua and Dadi, her tears, we're acceptance of her mistake and they keep on taunting her, accusing her of dirty things while Aarnav too supported Kaushalya, she stayed seated and quiet at her place. She knows her words would make no difference to the family, when have they taken her seriously? Despite knowing everything was going wrong, she has to be quiet because that's how the family likes their daughter - in - law to be. 

The family didn't leave any worse thing to not say, but then all of sudden they stopped with a thunderous sound. Anamika was already on the floor, crying, not able to defend herself with such an accusation but the loud roar made everything quiet for a moment. 

Vineet was standing at the door, he had heard his family's dirty mind expressed by their dirty mouth while his wife cried vulnerably, he's the reason for all this, he's the damn reason for her suffering!

"How dare you speak to her like that!!" Vineet screamed his lungs out, reaching to his wife and helping her get up, but it seems her bone had turned numb, she was not ready to leave the floor, he managed to pull her up in his arms. Once up Anamika ran to their room. 

"Bunnu Tu janta nahi hai kya kiya usne!!" Dadi tried to explain, to tell him a story of her version. 

"Main sab janta hoon Dadi!! I just can't believe aap log itna neeche gir sakte ho, chii!!" He was disgusted with them. 

"Arey apni biwi ki kartut toh jaan le kya kiya hai usne tere puche, kya rangraliya mana rahi hai wo. Huhh, jaane kahan muh maar aai aur kiska bacha liye ghoom rahi hai, aaj pata na chalta toh bina bataye abortion bhi karwa leti aur humei pata nahi chalta!" Bua spoke with disgust, she felt ashamed to have such a daughter - in - law. 

"One more word against her aur main aapne saare lihaj bhool jaunga! Aapke halak se aapki jaban khich lunga main!" Vineet shot her dead receiving a tight slap from his father for disrespecting his sister. The family was left shocked. 

"Sirf aapki behen ki izzat hai kya papa? Aap log sab milke tabse uspe itne ghinaune ilzaam laga rahe the tab aapko gussa nahi aaya aur abbi main jara sa bol diya toh aapka haath uth gaya? Dusron ki beti behen ki izzat nahi hai aapke nazron mei? Sharm aati hai myjhe aap logon ko apna parivaar kehne mei, itni gandi soch!?? Bas issiliye we decides for the abortion, arey kya karenge ek aur bache ka jab hum khudko sukoon nahi de paa rahe, apni life toh barbad kar hi li hai humne, ek aur bache ko iss duniya mei laa ke uski life barbad nahi kar sakte hum, we don't deserve another child and you guys doesn't deserve us. You know what, agar ye bacha mera nahi bhi hota na toh bhi mujhe koi dikkat nahi hoti kyunki i have never been there for her, shivaay uske saath do bache karne ke meine kiya hi kya hai uske liye jo ye expect karu ki wo mera saath de, loyal rahe but she still chose to stuck with me, be that loyal partner which I never deserve neither my kids deserve a father like me jisne kabhi unki maa ka saath nahi diya ye jaante hue uski khud ki family ki soch ochi hai. I just hate myself for trusting you guys, for bringing her here and spoiling her life, for bringing my kids into this world and not giving them what they deserve. 

Vineet had a total breakdown, his tears were irresistible but still got to say things. 

"The point is, Bua aur Dadi ne pehle maa ki life barbad ki aur aab meri. Bua na khud ka ghar basa pai na apne bhai ka basne diya aur na apne bhatije ka basne degi aur Dadi like a failure mother whose daughter couldn't get happiness is happy to destroy others life taki unki beti ko sukoon mile but this is it. Aab aur nahi, main iss ghatiya logon ke saath aur apni aur apni family ki life barbad nahi karunga." With that final statement with so much hate and disgust, Vineet ran to his room, leaving behind a family full with echoes in their mind. 

... 

Vineet entered the room, Anamika was sitting on an edge with her head on her hands, the room was in a mess, the cupboard was open, clothes on the floor, Vineet didn't care about anything but the lady. He knelt before her, his breath sour, his eyes moist. 

"I'm sorry Ana, I'm sorry for everything! Ye sab meri wajah se hua hai, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Vineet kept on repeating his apology, crying through all the time. But Anamika didn't respond to his calls, it was much later that he realized the lady was not even crying nor moving. 

He nudged her and the next moment she fell down on the floor, her body cold as ice! 

..... 

To be continued....