Ruhana breaks the news that she will take the opportunity to go to London for their new project. Vineet is glad that she took the bold decision to come out of her shell. The two friends are in Vineet's cabin and working on a project that needs to be taken care of by both of them. Ruhana is looking at her laptop and preparing a file. She's irked momentarily.

"Vineet, ye tum ek ek file kyun bhej rahe ho? Why don't you send the whole file?" She yells at him.

"Tum check karke lagao na, main bhejta hoon. We have the whole day to ourselves." He says it cheekily.

"Tum toh boss ho, tum toh bas order doge. Make it quick, naa! Kal inse meeting hai hamari, I want things to finish today." She looks at him.

"Ho jayegi, sabar rakho. Ya fir tumhe London jaane ki jaldi hai, haan?" Vineet sends a teasing glance at her and she throws a cushion at him.

"Huh, shut up! Ek toh maine tumhari baat maani, jaise tumne kaha wo kiya aur tum mujhe hi tease kar rahe ho, so bad, Vineet." Ruhana makes a face at him.

He laughs at her, she's whining at the moment, but that's a warm moment for him. At least she's being the soul she is.

She's been the same since their college days. He's been teasing her always; she'd get angry but the two would come together again, that too, within minutes.

She feels his gaze on herself and looks at him. She's in awe to see him smile and she snips her fingers in front of him.

"Tumhari ye aadat abhi tak nahi badli. Kya soch ke muskura rahe ho tum?" Ruhana questions.

"Kuch nahi! Vaise na toh tum badli ho aur na main, toh itni awkwardness kyun hai?" He asks straightly.

"Awkward!? Vineet, haalaat bhi toh alag hain. I have Ruhaani to take care of." She replies but looks away from him.

"You do have a life out of it." He says.

"Yeah, my daughter is my life, certainly." Ruhana smiles.

There's a momentary silence in the room before the door creaks open and someone enters the cabin. Vineet and Ruhana look in that direction and are surprised.

"Maa!" Vineet stands up from his chair.

"Haan, main! Kyun nahi aa sakti?" Mrinal asks.

"Aisa nahi hai, lekin tum aati nahi ho na isliye thoda hairan ho gaya tha." He smiles at his mom and makes her sit on his chair.

Ruhana also greets the lady as Vineet introduces them. Mrinal looks at the two people in front of her. Ruhana is behaving formally, maybe shy in front of Mrinal. The lady looks at her son.

"Vineet, mujhe meri friend Shalini ke sath market aur mandir jaana hai. Main tumhe batana bhul gayi thi. Tum time se ghar jaana. Aur haan, ye kuch cheezon ki delivery bhi leni hai." Saying so, Mrinal hands over a list to Vineet.

"Thik hai, Maa. Aap jaiye, main drop karun aapko Shalini aunty ke ghar?" Vineet asks softly, but Mrinal denies his offer and looks at Ruhana, who's working on her laptop.

"Tum Ruhana ho naa?" Mrinal asks softly.

"Jee, Aunty. Main aur Vineet college mein ek sath padhte they." Ruhana smiles at the lady.

"Haan, jaanti hoon. Jabse tum aayi ho, tab se Vineet ko kaam mein bahut help mili hai, din mein ek baar tumhari baat toh hoti hi hai hamare ghar mein." Mrinal smiles.

"Ye Vineet ka badappan hai ki wo mere baare mein achchi baatein hi kehta hain. Lekin sach mein, agar Vineet ne support na kiya hota toh jo main aaj kar rahi hun wo kabhi nahi kar paati." She says genuinely while looking at her best friend.

"Dost isliye hi hote hain, beta. Dost mushkil samay mein kaam aate hain, chhod ke nahi jaate." Mrinal looks at Ruhana and smiles.

"Jee aunty. Vineet ne bhi meri help ki, I am thankful to him." Ruhana smiles.

"Vaise Vineet ne mujhse kaha ki tum London jaane wali ho? Is it true?" Mrinal asks.

"Jee, maine decide kar liya hai ki main jaungi. Isse sabhi ko fayda hoga aur meri beti ko khushi hogi, vo toh ye kehti hai ki uski wajah se mujhe rukna nahi chahiye." Ruhana says.

"Achchi baatein karti hai tumhari beti. Tum chinta mat karo, tumhari absence mein main uska dhyan rakhungi." Mrinal assures her and Ruhana smiles.

Vineet signals Ruhana that she shouldn't worry about Ruhaani now, his mother is all set to welcome the girl at their home. Ruhana thanks the lady and she takes her leave. As soon as Mrinal leaves, Vineet sighs.

"Kya hua?" she asks.

"Main ghabra gaya tha ki kahin vo phir se kisi ladki ki tasveer na le aaye." He says, making a face

"Isme kya buraai hai? Kar lo shaadi." Ruhana says non-chalantly.

"Arey, mujhe nahi karni koi shaadi!" he makes a face.

"Kyun? Log toh na jaane kitni baar shaadiyan kar rahe hai aur ek tum ho... vaise kyun bhaag rahe ho shaadi se?"Ruhana questions.

"Tumhari jaisi ladki nahi mili toh shadi hi nahi ki. Haan, future ka pata nahi..." Vineet says, glancing at her.

He wishes to have Ruhana in his life, but he can't force her. Also, he respects her love for her daughter, and he doesn't want to lose both girls. Ruhana shakes her head and they get busy with their work.

******
In the evening, it's almost time to wrap up. Ruhana books a cab and is waiting for it in the waiting lounge when Vineet notices her.

"Ruhana, yahan kyun baithi ho? Chalo main ghar chhod deta hoon tumhe." He offers.

"Nahi, Vineet. Maine cab book kar li hain. Actually, mujhe market mein kuch kaam hai toh main pehle market jaungi aur phir ghar. Ruhaani ki kuch cheezein kharidni hai. Tum ghar jaao." Ruhana says it softly.

"Main chalta hoon na tumhare sath." Vineet insists but Ruhana sends him home and she also heads as her cab also arrives.

*****
An hour later, Ruhana reaches home, where her daughter welcomes her. She gets water for her and Ruhana sighs deeply. She also forwards a packet towards Ruhaani.

"Gift? Wow! Par Mumma, abhi tak toh mera result bhi nahi aaya." Ruhaani says.

"Ye meri taraf se hai tere liye. Tujhe pasand aayega." Ruhana beams at her daughter.

Ruhaani chuckles and unboxes the packet, and a few books slip out of it. Along with it, there are sketch pencils, colour pencils and sketch colours. She unwraps the books and they're all related to fashion designs, where the people can help in finishing the designs and create new ones too. Ruhaani hugs her mom and thanks her for the gift.

"Tu mujhe itne achche ideas deti hai, toh thoda practice material tere liye, before you study the science of fashion design. Phir aage bhi toh tujhe meri madad karni hai." Ruhana says while looking at her daughter.

"Yes Mumma! Main toh hamesha aapke sath hoon. Vaise aap mujhe kuch batane wale they, batao na." she insists.

"Tu chahti thi na ki main wo London wala project loon, toh maine Vineet se haan keh diya hai." Ruhana says while looking at her daughter.

"Sachi? Vineet uncle ne kya bola?" she asks.

"Vo bahut khush hain. Usne clients ko haan bol diya hai. Aur usne kaha hai tu uske sath uske ghar pe rahegi." Ruhana informs her.

"Main Shriya ke ghar chali jaati mumma." Ruhaani says.

"Maine kaha tha, beta, lekin ye bhi thik hai na. Mujhe pata nahi kitna time lagega. Aur phir Shriya ke parents bhi bahar aate jaate rehte hai na?" Ruhana asks and her daughter nods positively.

"Tere exams bhi hai toh tu Vineet ke ghar pe rehna, vahan uski Maa bhi hain toh tujhe company bhi ho jayegi aur tu wahan aaram se rahegi." Ruhana says, she's quite convinced that Mrinal will take good care of her daughter.

Ruhaani nods, she glances at her mother for a few seconds and then hugs her. Ruhana takes her in an embrace, and meanwhile, Ruhaani says something that leaves her mother touched and happy.

To Be Continued.

What did Ruhaani say?

Stay tuned.