Singhaniya House

Raina and Viren return home. The little girl chuckles and tells all the details to her grandparents. Viren watches her with a smile - - he's happy to have his little one all smiles. With her by his side, he seems to forget all the pains that he holds in his heart. The little girl stifled a yawn and her grandma asks her to sleep. Raina looks at her father, who assures her that he'll be by her side in a few minutes. The girl agrees and runs to her room.

Viren eases on the couch and his father, Shrikant looks at him. The man wants to say something-- maybe, he is trying to find the right words. Viren looks at him.

"Kya baat hain, Papa?" he asks softly.

He's grown up well, now not only he understands what his daughter wants to say, he even understands his parents' silence too. Shrikant looks at his son and he smiles.

"There's something that's bothering you, Dad. Batao kya hua?? I understand you well now." Viren says.

"Beta! Mr. Vikrant ka call aaya tha." Shrikant says timidly.

"What? Why? What does that man wants now??" Viren shouts aloud.

"Ab wo mujhse chahta kya hai? Jo kuch bhi wo chahta tha wo toh ho chuka naa! And why did he call you? Didn't we make it clear ki hume unke sath kaam nahi karna!!!" Viren says angrily.

Shrikant looks at his son. He expected this outburst from him, afterall, this Vikrant is the name from his past. The mention of his past or this lad makes Viren angry. Shrikant keeps his hand on his son's shoulder.

" Calm down, Son!" he says softly.

"How can I? He again called you. Ab kya wo meri bachi ko mujhse cheenna chahta hai!!!! I am sorry Dad, but agar Raina ko kuch hua na, mujhe khud nahi pata, main kya karunga! Usey keh do, mujhe usse koi baat nahi karni… na hi business karna hai--- aur na hi….." he says in rage and then leaves his statement unfinished.

"Par usme Vikrant ki kya galti hai??" shrikant asks.

"You know it, Dad! You know it better than me! Aur aap ache se jaante ho, usne aaj call kyun kiya tha!" Viren says while looking at his father and moves to his daughter's room.

The old man sighs and follows his son.

*****
Viren enters the room, Raina is sitting on the bed, playing with her grandma. She chuckles seeing Viren. His mother sighs.

" Acha hua Viren, tu aa gaya! Ab tum hi sulao isey!" madhu says.

"Han Ma! Main dekhta hoon, aap jaiye, aaram kijiye," Viren assures his mother.

Madhu nods affirmatively, and after kissing Raina on her head, she leaves The room. Raina crawls towards her father, and he picks her in his arms. The little girl kisses on her dad's cheeks.

"Soye kyun nahi?? Dadi ko pareshan kyun kiya?" he asks, gazing at the little girl.

"Pareshan nahi kiya maine.. Par aapne kiya!" she says in her babyish tone.

"Maine kya kiya?" Viren asks bewildered at his daughter's statement.

"Aapne gussa kiya." The girl says intently.

"Noo!" Viren says with a light smile.

"Aap jhooth nahi bolo. Raina ko sab pata hota hai." Raina glances at her father mischeviously.

Viren sighs. She said the truth. Whenever he's angry or upset, he always moves to his daughter. Seeing her smile and chuckling makes him feel better. No! He didn't get angry on his father, but on the person he mentioned. He feels rage building inside him, even when he thinks about him. Raina keeps her hands on his face.

"Lori sunao." She says and settles her head on her father's shoulder.

Viren smiles, that's the thing which soothes his soul. Raina looks at his face and he glances back at her. Her crystal clear eyes always pave his way to his inner self. He kisses the girl's head.

Ankhiyon me chote chote sapne sajaike
Baiyon me nindiya ke pankh lagaike
Chanda me jhule meri bitiya rani
Chandani re jhoom ho chandani re jhoom

He glances at Raina who's looking at him, her eyes wide open. He twirls around, as the girl loves it. Raina giggles at the moment and then, again settles her head on his chest, while he pats her back lovingly.

Yahi to kali hai pyari meri sari bagiya me
Maine yahi moti paya jiwan nadiya me
Mamta lutau aisi mach jaye dhum
Chandani re jhum ho chandani re jhoom

He hums the song and that's when he realises that his little one is now asleep. He makes her sleep on the bed and covers her with a duvet. But the girl clutches on his hand. He lays on the bed beside her, though sleep is away from his eyes. He can't forget the bad past, he glances at Raina and soon sleep embraces him.

*****

Bulbul is putting her daughter to sleep. Her eyes fall on the picture that's kept upside down on the side table. Glancing at her daughter for one time, she picks the photograph. She looks at the picture and cleans it with her hands. It's her husband - - Rihaan Goenka. That's a happy picture of hers with Rihaan, before the unfortunate incident, that took his life.

"You broke your promise!! You promised me - - ki tum hamesha mere sath rahoge. You broke it. I hate you!" she speaks to herself as tears roll down her eyes.

Rihaan was a businessman, who had set his foot in the business field. He owned a fashion firm and that's where Bulbul met him, and they fell in love in no time. Happy for her sister, Ruhana didn't waste time, and got Rihaan and Bulbul married. A year later, they were blessed with a girl child - whom they named Anamika.

But as they say, life has it's own pace-- an accident took Rihaan's life, leaving Bulbul shattered. His words still echo in her ears, but when she looks at Anamika-- she finds his reflection in her. A part of Rihaan is still in front of her - - in the face of their daughter.

Bulbul glances at Anamika who has stirred in her sleep. She leans towards her and begins to pat her head - - singing the lullaby that Rihaan used to sing.

Ankhiyon me chote chote sapne sajaike
Baiyon me nindiya ke pankh lagaike
Chanda me jhule meri bitiya rani
Chandani re jhoom ho chandani re jhoom

She kisses her head, and Anamika closes her eyes, snuggling close to her mother.

Yahi to kali hai pyari meri sari bagiya me
Maine yahi moti paya jiwan nadiya me
Mamta lutau aisi mach jaye dhum
Chandani re jhum ho chandani re jhoom
Nindiya ke sang sang raja koi aayega
Nindiya ke sang sang raja koi aayega
Bindiya lagayega re mala pahnayega
Lega fir pyare pyare mukhde ko chum
Chandani re jhoom ho chandani re jhoom

Bulbul glances at her little one-- she's asleep.

Ankhiyo me chote chote sapne sajaike
Baiyo me nindiya ke pankh lagaike
Chanda me jhule meri bitiya rani
Chandani re jhoom ho chandani re jhoom.

Covering her daughter with the duvet - - Bulbul moves towards the balcony and looks at her full moon. Her trance is broken with a warm touch on her head. It's her sister.

"Di! Aap soyi nahi?" She asks.

"Tu bhi toh nahi soyi! Bata kya pareshani hai ?" Ruhana asks, cupping her face.

Bulbul stares at her for a few good seconds and then hugs her. Ruhana begins to smear her back, as she could feel her sister's pain.

"Bulbul! Shant ho ja! Tu aise weak ho jayegi toh kaise chalega!" Ruhana says, still in hug.

"He did it wrong, wo apna promise kaise tod sakta hai!" Bulbul looks at her sister, parting the hug.

"Bubble! Life kab kya mod legi, hume pata nahi hota na. Tujhe toh is baat ki khushi honi chahiye na, ki wo jab tak tha, sirf tere sath tha. Anamika hai tere pas!! Tere Pyar ki nishani!! Rihaan ka hissa! Sab kuch hai tere pas." Ruhana says.

"But I miss him." Bulbul says, her eyes teary.

"Jaanti hoon. We also miss him. Ritik bhi toh usse attached tha. Par isse zindagi nahi ruk sakti na bubble!! You have to move on." Ruhana says.

"Rihaan ke bina!! I can't, Di." Bulbul says.

Ruhana sighs. It's hard, she knows. She knows the pain her sister has hidden in her heart, but she should live her life. Bulbul is a strong girl, but when it comes to love, it forces the people to fall weak. She cups Bulbul's face.

"Main jaanti hoon, bubble, ki ye mushkil hai. Par namumkin nahi. Shayad agar teri jagah main hoti toh mera bhi yahi haal hota, par tab tu bhi mujhe wahi kehti jo main keh rahi hoon. Hume Rihaan ko bhulna nahi hai, uski yaadon ko samet ke aage chalna hain. Life must go on!! Tu yahi kehti hai na! " Ruhana says, looking at her sister hopefully.

Bulbul nods her head affirmatively, promising her sister to think about it.

Ruhana kisses her head and asks her to sleep. She agrees and as Ruhana turns to go, Bulbul holds her hand.

"Yahin ruk jao na!" she says.

Ruhana agrees and then asks Bulbul to sleep. She sits by her side stroking her hair softly. Soonish, Bulbul falls asleep, and Ruhana glances at both the mother and daughter. She covers them with a duvet and leaves the room, smiling satisfactorily.

*****

Singhaniya Mansion

Shrikant and Madhu watch as Viren falls asleep beside his daughter. The girl is now snuggling close to him Madhu covers them with the quilt and leaves the room. That's when, Shrikant tells Madhu about Viren's outburst. She is worried.

"Ye ladka kab samjhega?" madhu asks.

"Uske sath jo hua, uske baad toh ye sab hona lazmi hain, Madhu. Lekin hume kuch karna hoga." shrikant says.

"Humari baat toh wo sunega nahi." madhu says dejectedly.

"Aap chinta mat kijiye - - main baat karunga. Aise akele rehna bhi thik nahi - - na Viren ke liye, Na Raina ke liye." shrikant says.

Madhu agrees with him, they want to see Viren happy, and for that, he has to move on. Promising their own self, the elderly couple calls it a night.

To Be Continued.

Who's Vikrant? Why is Viren raged with the name?

Will Viren and Bulbul move on?

Stay tuned.