Ruhana came into Manvi's room, she was busy doing some work in her laptop. Ruhana asked "mannu thik ho?"

Manvi smiled lightly and said "haan Di I am fine bahut kaam hai aap soh jayie aur please khushi ko bhi sula dena"

Ruhana said "sorry mannu Anvi ki taraf se"

Manvi kept the laptop at a side and got up from bed, she came to her and held her hand "nahi di sorry mat kaho aap galti uski nahi hai usko sach maloom nhi hai na"

Ruhana pats her cheek and said "bahut ziddi hai wo tum uski baatein dil pe mat lena please"

Manvi shook her head in yes "nahi liya di aap fikar mat karo main mana lungi usey"

Ruhana nodded and left to her room.

The next morning, Khushi jumped in excitement.... "movie movie"

Ruhana said "nahi khushi hum movie nahi jaa rahe hai aapki mumma ke bina"

Khushi sits on the couch sadly, Manvi said "Are di chale jao na warna yeh aise hi baithi rahegi pura din naraz hoke"

Ruhana eyed her and said "kaha na maine nahi jaa rahe hai hum"

Manvi requested "Di please Anvi aur Khushi ka dil mat todo chale jao mere liye"

Ruhana sighed and said "Acha thik hai Khushi Anvi jaake ready ho jao"

Khushi and Anvi smiled and moved upstairs to get ready. After half an hour they left the house.

Manvi called someone "haan nahi mujhe aaj hi chahiye thank you" and smiled to herself.

Around 3pm they returned home.

Khushi was feeling so hungry, she said while looking at Ruhana "maasi bahut bhook lagi hai aap khushi ko kuch do na"

Ruhana nods and replied "haan beta aap jaake Tv dekho tab tak main aapke liye kuch lati hoon" she moved into the kitchen.

Anvi stopped for a moment and looked at something, she moved out and was shocked happy too, she looked at the thing and smiled "wow new scooty mumma yeh aap mere liye laaye" she chuckled.

Manvi was standing on the door folding her arms and leaning.... against the wall watching Anvi.

Anvi sat on the scooty and smiled "oh it is amazing yaay" she went inside the house and shouts "mumma aapne mere liye scooty liya woohu.."

Ruhana shouts from inside the kitchen "Are main kyun scooty lungi... abhi to bilkul nhi.."

Anvi asked "don't lie mumma aap nahi laoge toh kaun laayege?"

Ruhana sighed, she came out and said "main abhi tumhe scooty nahi dilwane wali hun Anvi maine koi scotty nahi laayi hai"

Anvi was confused and left bewildered, she then recalled how in childhood Ruhana completely denied her demand of remote scooty and Manvi promised her to give her scotty on her next birthday.

Manvi came to her and looked at her "maine apna promise pura nhi kiya tha.. isliye to mujhse ab tak naraz thi.. ab..." her voice became heavy.. After a pause she continued "ab to kar diya na... ab to mat raho naraz.."

Anvi looked at her and tears rolled down her eyes.. "aap.. aap..ko yaad tha.. par itna time lagaya aapne?"

Manvi had tears "ab wo remote wali toh tum chala nhi sakti toh socha ye wali.."

Anvi could not control herself and hugged her tightly... "kyun gaye aap chodke.. jo gift aapko anvi ke 7th birthday par dena chahiye tha wo aap aaj de rahe ho kitna intezar karaya aapne Anvi ko"

Manvi ruffles her hairs "I am sorry please bahut tang kiya tujhe.. di ko.. par tu janti hai na I am not so samajhdaar"

Anvi smiles a bit.. and looks at her "par mujhe ye scooty nhi chahiye aap isko wapas kardo itna expensive gift anvi nhi legi"

Manvi grabs her hand into hers and says.. "tum to bade hone ke saath saath samajdar ho gayi ho.. lekin main yeh tumhe de rhi hoon aur tum mujhe mana nhi kar sakti kyuki aaj bhi main tumhari maasi hoon aur tumhari har zid ko pura karungi.. di ke khilaf jake"

Anvi hugs her one more time.. "please maasi dubara mat jaana anvi ki family todke.."

"nhi jaungi kabhi nhi.." Manvi said smearing her head.

Ruhana was watching her sister and daughter together, tears welled up in her eyes as well when a pair of hands hugged her. She turned to find Khushi hugging her.

She bent to her level when the girl wiped off her tears. Ruhana smiled when she said.. "Maasi... Aap ro mat. Khushi ko acha nahi lagta."

Ruhana smiled and cupped her face... "Haan... Ab maasi khush hai. Khushi aur uski mumma jo aa gaye hain na mere paas.." she kissed her head.

Khushi chuckled and hugged her. Ruhana smeared her head when she heard a voice...

"Arey... Main bhi hu yahan... Mujhe bhi hug chahiye."

Khushi and Ruhana turned to find Anvi standing near them. Khushi pulled her hand...

"toh aao na Vi... Kisne mana kiya!"

Ruhana, Manvi and Anvi laughed on her comment. Ruhana smiled and pulled both the girls in a hug.

Four of them moved into bedroom and sat down on bed..

Khushi spoke "vi... maasi, mujhe aapko mumma ka ek secret batana hai.."

Manvi looked at Khushi and was confused which secret she was talking about...

"khushi ne ek photo dekha tha ghar par mumma roz roti thi wo photo dekh ke khushi ke sone ke baad.. par mumma bhool gayi khushi is intelligent and thodi si noise mein bhi wo uth jati hai.." she said.

Manvi eyed at Khushi, "tumne mujhse kabhi pucha nhi"

Khushi speaks up "ab khushi aapko aur sad thodi kar sakti thi.."

Ruhana and Anvi looked at each other.. anvi replies "very bad maasi"

Ruhana speaks up "Acha.. to khushi aapka bhi to koi secret hoga.."

Khushi thinks "nhi khushi ka koi secret nhi hai kyuki khushi jo bhi karti hai sabke saamne karti hai.." she chuckled.

Manvi hits her head lightly "exactly di.. pata hai puri basti mein khushi ki aawaz sunayi deti thi.. kabhi kisike kapde gayab kar diye kabhi kisiki balti gira di.. ek baar to isne hamari laxmi kaki ko unke ghar mein lock kar diya"

Anvi laughed hearing this and said "Maasi aapne bhi toh aise hi bahut shararaten ki hongi na bachpan mein?"

Manvi eyed her and said "nahi maine aisi shararaten nahi ki"

Ruhana raised her eyebrow and asked "Acha mannu? Nahi ki??"

"haan nahi ki di.." she replied. Ruhana laughed.

Khushi said "unhone khushi ko daanta tha isliye. Khushi ne unhe lock kiya."

Ruhana ruffled her hairs "Aur pata hai khushi ek pados mein Nilima karke aunty thi unhone jab mujhe daant lagayi thi toh tumhari mumma ne unhe bathroom mein lock kar diya tha"

Anvi and Khushi laughed.. suddenly Manvi became emotional and said "kitni badi galti ki na maine.. anvi ko mauka nhi diya khushi ke saath khelne ka aur na aapko khushi ke nanhe kadam ko dekhne ka" her eyes were teary.

Ruhana cupped her face..." Shayad yeh hamari kismat mein likha tha Mannu. Ek duje ke bina rehna bhi ek sangharsh hi tha. Jise humne pura kar liya. Ab koi doori nahi hogi." she said with a teary voice.

A silence prevailed for a moment. Manvi hugged her, Anvi and Khushi wre looking at them innocently. Anvi broke the silence wiping Manvi's tears... "Are ab bahut hua emotional attyachar. Ab hum ek sath rahenge, kahin nahi jayenge. Maasi aapko anvi se promise karna padega." she said.

Khushi hugged Ruhana locking her arms in her waist..."Khushi Maasi ko chhod ke kahin nahi jayegi." she said innocently.

Ruhana smiled and pulled them in a hug.."Is baar maasi khushi aur uski mumma ko kahin nahi jaane degi." she said.

Manvi nodded and they went down to have dinner.

Later that night...

Ruhana warmed milk for Anvi, Manvi and Khushi. She moved to the girl's room... She gave them their glasses. Khushi made a face but on seeing Manvi, she drank the milk in one go. Ruhana remembered the past and felt as if the history was repeating itself, now in face of Khushi.

Her eyes became teary looking at both Manvi and khushi, Manvi snipped her fingers in front of her, but she denied saying she's okay and left the place.

A while later, when she came there, she saw Manvi putting the girls to sleep. She smiled and admired her little sister who was grown real big in last 6 years. She could see her as a responsible girl and a caring mother. She came out of her trance when Manvi snipped her fingers in front of her. She looked at her...

"Kya hua Di.?" Manvi asked her after seeing her lost somewhere.

"Kuch nahi, bas yeh dekh rahi thi ki meri gudiya kitni badi ho gayi hai." Ruhana replied patting her cheeks.

She smiled... "aap thik kehti thi di, waqt sab sikha deta hai." she said while moving out of the room.

Ruhana followed her to her room. Manvi turned to her.. "pata hai di, ek din aisa ni hota tha jab main aapko yaad nahi krti thi. Har din , har pal aapki yaad satati thi mujhe." she said.

"toh kyun gayi mujhe chhod ke? Tune socha kaise ki tere bina jee lungi main?" she asked.

"Main already apko itna hurt kar chuki thi di. Aur fir Anvi bhi toh thi... Usey uske papa se alag... Kaise?" her voice choked.

Ruhana too had tears in her eyes. ."Toh tune socha tu chali jayegi toh main khush rahungi? Tujhe laga ki main Vineet ke sath ghar basa lungi, jabki mera ghar toh tu hain. Sirf Maa se hi nahi, apne aap se vaada kiya tha maine, ki tujhe kabhi khud se alag nahi karungi. Hamesha teri raksha karungi, par nahi kar payi main aisa. " she said, her voice turning teary.

"Jis sangharsh mein tu mere sath thi, usme tu akeli thi. Kyun? Tu yeh janti hai ki mere liye tu pehle hai, hamesha se. Fir tu yeh kaise soch sakti hai ki mujhe koi takleef hogi. Apne kabhi takleef nahi dete Mannu, khaskar tab, jab unme aapki jaan basti hai. Main jaanti hoon, tu pareshan thi meri wajah se. Lekin agar tune mujhe sach bataya hota toh yeh sab na hua hota. " she said tearily.

Manvi held her hands... "sorry di, Main ab samjhi aap kitna karte they, mere liye, Anvi ke liye... aur maine kuch nahi kiya... aapko pareshan kiya na?" she looked at her.

Ruhana nodded... "han bahut pareshan kiya. Tune mujhe hi nahi, khud ko bhi saza di, door rehne ki, us waqt ,jab hum dono ek dusre ka sahara ban sakte they. Jo main nahi chahti thi, wahi hua Mannu. Lekin main khush hu ki tu mujhe mil gayi...6 saal se bhi ek sheher mein hoke hum nhi mile... Kitna ajeeb hai na?" she said.

"Maine nahi socha tha aap mujhe yahan miloge. Lekin bhool gayi thi ki meri choti si chot pe aap itna pareshan ho jaate they, toh jo kuch 6 saal pehle hua , usse aap kitna dukhi hue hoge. Maine wo kiya jo mujhe sahi laga. Roz aapko yaad karti thi main. Aapka sangharsh tab samjha, jab maine khud usey jiya. I'm sorry Di. Anjaane mein hi sahi bahut hurt kiya maine aapko, aur aapne hamesha meri galtiyon ko nazarandaaz kiya. " she said.

Ruhana smiled tearily. She held her hands..."Tujh mein meri jaan basti hai Mannu. Tu nahi jaanti yeh 6 saal maine kaise nikale hai. Tune wo faisla le liya, jo shayad main kabhi nahi le paati. Tujhse alag hokar maine kabhi jeena nahi seekha. Lekin pata hai, mujhe khushi is baat ki teri khushi ne tujhe zindagi ke wo lessons padha diye, jo main kabhi padha nahi paati. Lekin ab mujhe meri mannu chahiye, jaanti hoon mushkil hai, lekin anvi aur khushi ke sath mushkil nahi hoga." she said.

Manvi didn't say a word, instead kept her head in her lap. Ruhana began smearing her head and within no time she fell asleep. Ruhana smiled looking at her. Today, after a long time, both the sisters had a peaceful sleep.

To be continued.