It was midnight.

Ruhi was not able to sleep. She tried to change positions, but her injuries screamed in protest.

She sighed, turning to see Mihika in deep sleep.

She slowly pulled herself out of bed and walked onto the balcony.

Sitting on the couch. Her eyes drifted towards the twinkling stars.

She lowered her gaze, her eyes filled with tears.

Those twinkling stars had always felt like home to her. They had always been her peace...

But tonight... Even they seemed to pierce her heart.

Sob escaped her lips.

She sat there silently as tears rolled down her cheeks.

After a few minutes.

Ruhi felt a shawl wrapping around her.

She shivered due to fear and snapped to find Saurav.

Saurav (softly): Bache, you will catch a cold.

He turned and took two cups of hot chocolate.

He sat beside her, placing the cups on the table.

Saurav (wiping her tears): Kya hua? (What happened?)

Ruhi shook her head, gulping her tears.

There was complete silence.

A comfortable one...

Saurav took one cup and forwarded it towards Ruhi.

She held it with trembling hands.

Saurav: Nazar ho apni mumma se?
(Are you angry with your mother?)

Ruhi placed the cup back on the table. Tears brimmed in her eyes again.

Ruhi: Nazar? Bhaiya, I never asked to be born.
(Angry?)

She mumbled as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Saurav's heart pricked at her words.

Ruhi: My mother... she destroyed someone's house, someone's life. Badi Mumma... she... she lost her life because of all this.

Ruhi hiccuped.

Ruhi: Dadi... kitna kuch saha unhone ne... and I entered into your lives... everyone has gone through a lot because of me.
(Dadi... she suffered a lot)

Saurav sat silently, letting her rant out everything.

Ruhi: You know, I always thought Mr Rajput was the only wrong person, but... mere papa hi nahi maa bhi...
(Not only my father, my mother too)

She sobbed.

Ruhi: I don't know how to feel, what to say or what to express. I feel guilty for being born, for breathing; I feel hurt...

She paused, taking a breath. Saurav forwarded his hand to hold her hand, but his eyes fell on her injuries...

She is not only physically hurt but emotionally and mentally too.

Gulping down his emotions, he softly placed his hand on her head.

Ruhi: I regret being born; because of me, Dadi faced humiliation, and you three were forced to accept me. I feel burdened.

Saurav (sharply): Enough, Rooh...

Ruhi looked at him with teary eyes. She hiccuped.

Saurav carefully cupped her face.

Saurav (softly): Who told you... that you were forced on us? Dadi?

Ruhi shook her head.

Saurav: Ani bhai?

Again, she shook her head.

Saurav: Me? Vidu?

She mumbled, no.

Saurav: I know, we took time to accept you. But no one forced us to do so. It was our choice. We wanted to; that's why we chose to.

Ruhi blinked, not knowing what to say.

Saurav: You know, we used to pray for a sister.

Ruhi gave him a confused look, though she had an idea but didn't quite know what it was.

Saurav (flicking her nose): Mumma, Bhaiya and I used to pray for a sister.

Ruhi: Why isn't Badi Mumma my birth mother?

Saurav: Maybe because she had the power of 3 births and only had boys. But god had to answer our prayers. So, he gave us our sister, Rooh.

He softly ruffled her hair. Ruhi pouted, still tears in her eyes.

Saurav (with a soft smile): When Mumma was pregnant with Vidyut. She used to pray to god for a baby girl. Even Ani bhai and I joined her.

He looked at her with a smile.

Saurav: When Vidyut was born, she cried.

His lips curved up in a small smile, remembering the moment.

Ruhi stared at him, shocked.

Saurav (chuckling): She loved him a lot. She prayed for a girl child from Ani bhai's birth but never got one. She loved all of us.

Ruhi blinked, processing this information.

Saurav: She cried when Vidyut was born.

He paused as his throat felt tight.

Saurav: She felt God was unhappy with us. That's why he neither completed her wish nor mine and Ani bhai's.

His voice softened as tears brimmed in his eyes.

Saurav: Years later, finally God granted her wish. Not from her womb... straight from our prayers.

Ruhi wiped his tears.

Saurav: I know, it took time for us to accept you. But you were never forced on us.

Ruhi nodded.

Saurav: You are the answer to our prayers. You were not in your Badi Mumma's womb but always in her prayers. Our prayers. Don't ever say that you were forced on us.

He pecked her hair. A small but genuine smile played on Ruhi's lips.

How easily Saurav explained to her the importance.

Saurav: Rooh, why did you love your mother?

Ruhi looked down with guilt.

Saurav: You loved your mother because you always saw her loving you, pampering you, tucking you in bed, kissing your forehead or cheek with all the love, protecting you, making you feel safe and belonging, holding your hand when you feared something, holding you when you were falling, right?

Ruhi nodded, looking down as tears again brimmed in her eyes due to guilt.

Saurav held her chin lightly to make her look at him.

Saurav (mumbling): Rooh... You loved your mother because she was your mother; she played that role so well in your life. Neither her love nor your love was a mistake, bacha.

He softly wiped her tears.

Ruhi (sob): How? She was a home wrecker.

Saurav: Bache, if tomorrow you found out I made a wrong decision in my life. Will you stop loving me?

Ruhi (with trembling lips): Never... One decision of yours doesn't change the feelings, moments, love, and protection you gave me.

Saurav: Exactly, mera bacha. Unka ek galat decision aur guilt tum kyun carry kar rahi ho? Kyun unke genuine love ko punish karna?
(Her one wrong decision. Why are you carrying that guilt? Why are you punishing her love that she had for you?)

Saurav: No one can be the best person for everyone. Kabhi na kabhi, koi na koi hoga jo tumhare decision se hurt hoga, disappoint hoga. Iska matlab yehi nahi... You are not genuine with others.
(Sometimes, someone or the other will be hurt and disappointed by your one decision. But this doesn't define your are not genuine with others)

He sighed.

Saurav: I am not saying whatever she did was right. She was wrong, and she hurt someone deeply, but two truths can exist together. She was wrong with someone, and she faced consequences. She was your mother and loved you deeply.

Saurav: Betu, you don't have to carry the guilt of her mistakes.

Ruhi (nodding): Have you guys forgiven her?

Saurav stared at the sky, stars twinkling. Ruhi patiently waited for his answer.

Saurav (turning to Ruhi): I won't lie to you. Carrying hate and grudges will create a burden in your life. Especially for the person who is no more. If I say she never hurt me or I have forgotten everything, that's a lie, Rooh.

He stared at her, waiting for her. Whereas she was waiting for him to complete before jumping to a conclusion.

Saurav: But whenever I saw you smiling, remembering her, talking with her, sharing the same love and happiness with my mother. I chose to let go of the weight of hatred. I chose peace for myself. So, forgiving is something really big I couldn't do, but I don't hate her.

He completed his point. Looking at her, he was trying to understand how she was processing his words.

Saurav: Same with Ani bhai and Vidyut. They chose peace. So, yeah!

He took a sharp breath.

Understanding the meaning of his words, tears rolled down Ruhi's cheek.

Tears of guilt? Pain? NO. She felt the burden being lifted. She felt free.

Tears of letting go: guilt, anger, hatred. Choosing peace. Choosing to love her mother as a mother without carrying the weight of her mistakes.

Saurav panicked.

Saurav: Rooh, I-

Ruhi stopped him in between.

Ruhi (mumbling): My Saurav Bhaiya is here na.

She broke down. She wrapped herself around Saurav, sobbing, releasing all the emotional burden and pain.

Her injuries were hurting, but she cared less. Maybe emotional pain release was more important than physical wounds.

Saurav wrapped one arm around her head, not touching her injuries.

He softly caressed her hair.

He silently wiped his tears.

A few minutes later, Ruhi broke the hug as she calmed down.

Saurav: You okay?

Ruhi nodded; Saurav wiped her tears.

Saurav: I have something for you.

He stood and came back in a minute with her mother's photo.

Ruhi took the photo with thank you.

Saurav (jokingly): Hot chocolate thand ho gaya.
(Hot chocolate got cold).

He was about to take the cup.

Ruhi: No bhaiya! I will drink this cold chocolate.

She said, taking the cup.

Saurav: I will reheat it

Ruhi: No bhai! This one is special for me. I will drink it.

Saurav sighed, nodding.

Saurav: Finish it. I will tuck you into the bed then.

Ruhi (shaking her head): I want to spend some time alone. Please...

Saurav nodded, understanding.

Saurav: I am in my room. I will keep my phone here. Call me once you are ready for sleep. Don't walk inside the room. You are hurt. Don't force yourself. With time, every wound will heal, be it physical, emotional or mental. I am waiting; ring me on Mihika's phone.

Ruhi nodded with a smile.

Saurav took his cup and walked inside.

Ruhi sat with Hot- Cold chocolate made by Saurav and her mother's photo.

She was looking at the stars with a smile.

Ruhi: Mumma, Badi Mumma, thank you. For praying for me and for giving me this life.

She gulped her emotions.

Ruhi: Mumma, I have my brothers, my blessing with me. I understood, I have to focus on my blessings and ignore everything with holds unwanted opinion.

She closed her eyes as a smile spread across her lips.

Ruhi: My brothers taught me to ignore people who hold unwanted opinions.

She giggle.

Ruhi: I finally understood the real meaning behind this.

Sighing, she sat quietly, looking at stars and completing her drink.

Some minutes later, when her heart felt contented. She called Saurav.

In a minute, he walked in.

Without saying a word, Saurav bent down and carefully lifted her into his arms.

Ruhi didn't protest.

She simply rested her head against his shoulder.

Walking inside the room. He tuck her into the bed and sat beside her, massaging her scalp.

Saurav: Pata hai... jab Vidyut chota tha... around 5-6months. He was learning to sit.

Ruhi blinked with smile, asking him to continue.

Saurav: Harsha Bhabhi was sitting with him. He sat sucking her fingers, making noises. He was looking so cute.

Ruhi was imagining how cute little Vidyut looked, she imagined image of Advik - Vidyut's so,n.

Saurav: Harsha Bhabhi softly pulled his cheeks and he gushed in happiness.

Ruhi cooed silently, not disturbing Mihika's sleep. Saurav chuckled, silently.

Saurav: Anirudh bhai saw them. Next day, Anirudh bhai same way, pulled Vidyut's cheeks, expecting similar reaction but maybe his touch was little harsh.

Ruhi frown.

Saurav (smiling): Vidyut started crying loudly. Anirudh bhaiya was so jealous of Harsha Bhabhi. Mumma was happy seeing Vidyut playing with his sister.

Ruhi let out silent, giggle

After few minutes, Ruhi slept.

Saurav pecked her forehead.

To be continued...