Ruhana woke up, she tried to get up but something stopped her from moving. She found Manvi placing her hand around her waist and sleeping peacefully. She did not want to disturb her sleep, so she decided to wait for her to wake up. After sometime Manvi opened her eyes and looked up, Ruhana was half sitting and admiring her.

Manvi removed her hand and spoke up "aapne uthaya kyun nhi mujhe?"

Ruhana answered her "itne samay baad tujhe aaram se sote hue dekha to disturb nhi karna chahti thi. "

Manvi smiled a bit, Ruhana came out of room and went to wake up Anvi and Khushi for school.

Manvi came downstairs, opened the main door and picked up the packet of milk and newspaper. Ruhana came down and prepared breakfast for everyone..

"di main khushi ko ready karke aati hoon" keeping the milk in the kitchen, went upstairs to girls room. she stopped at the door for a moment, the scenario in front of her made her smile.

"khushi.. stand straight" Anvi scolded her.

Khushi complained "Vi.. aap meri mumma ki tarah hitler mat bano"

Anvi said "Aap straight khade rahiye.. aur mujhe aapko school dress pehnane do"

Anvi made her wear the dress.

Manvi entered in... "acha ab main aapke hair comb kar deti hoon, Anvi aap jaake ready ho jao"

Anvi nods, Manvi sits on bed and ties Khushi's hair. Later everyone have their breakfast and left for school.

Khushi waved bye to Manvi and Anvi and ran towards her class.

Manvi said "sambhal ke chalo Khushi "

Anvi looks at Manvi "maasi.. main bhi jaati hun bye"

Manvi smiles and nods "bye"

One of the colleague of Manvi came to her and said "Manvi principal tumhe bula rahe they kuch urgent kaam hai"

Manvi nods "ab to jaana hi padega.." and rushes towards the principal office. On the way she collided with someone, her file and papers fell down on the floor. Manvi looked at him and shouts at him "dekhke nhi chal sakte kya? sab papers gira diye"

The man said "Dekhiye galti aapki hai aap hi bhaage jaa rahi thi"

He tries to picked up her papers, but Manvi picked them up and glared at him.. "idiot.." whispers and walked away. The person eyed at her and shakes his head.

In class

Teacher said "children, this Saturday we have father and child special program please give this form to your father" she said distributing the form to children.

Khushi looked at this and gets upset. Her friend taunts her "tumhare to papa hai nhi to yeh form is waste for you"

Others laugh at her, Khushi gets angry hearing this. She hits her and shouts "shut up..."

Teacher looks at this and scolds her "Khushi.. behave yourself"

Khushi looked at her and said "but mam ye mujhe chida rahi thi"

"that does not mean tum aise maarogi kisko" the teacher said.

In principal office

"aapne mujhe bulaya mam?" Manvi asked.

Priyal nods "haan, tum janti ho hamara school ka extension plan, uske liye investor aane wale hai"

Manvi nods with confused look asked "mam, investor?"

Principal spoke up "haan, school property ka jo owner hai wo unko bech rahe hai lekin wo dekhna chahte hai pehle school ki condition and other finance strategies, to tum unhe sab bata do"

Manvi nods "thik hai mam par hai kaun wo?"

Principal spoke "wo aayenge to main tumhe bula lungi"

Manvi nods and gives her the important documents after which she left from there.

During the lunch break, Khushi was sitting on the bench alone, she was upset for whatever happened in the classroom. An adult person came and sit beside her. He asked "Aap akele baithe ho, kyun?"

She didn't reply. He asked her again "acha to aap stranger se baat nhi karti"

Khushi replies him in anger "khushi ko kisise baat nhi karni hai.."

He smiled at her and said in most polite tone "lekin kyun? I am a good boy"

Khushi looked at him and said "par mere friends gande hai.. mere papa nhi hai isliye mujhse baat nhi karte"

He understood and said "aisi baat hai toh aap mere saath khelo, mera bhi toh yahan koi dost nahi hai"

Khushi asked him "kyun?"

"kyuki hum chasma pehente hai na isliye" he said making face.

Khushi laughed at this, he forwarded his hand. Khushi holds it and went with him to play. He threw the ball towards her, she caught it but fell. The person came to her.

khushi said sadly "lag gayi"

The person blows her wound "brave girl thik ho jayega"

The bell rings.. Khushi says "Acha main chalti hun class time" he nods. Khushi gets up and starts to leave. She turns back and runs to him "Aapne naam to bataya nhi khushi ko?"

He ruffles her hairs and says "tum mujhe dost bula sakti ho"

Khushi nods and says "don't touch my hair.." and rushes to her classroom.

The person shook his hand and smiled "kitni masoom hai yeh ladki"

Manvi was working on her computer just them someone enters in "excuse me.."

Manvi without looking at the person said "dekhiye abhi I am busy baad mein aana"

"kya aap bata sakti hai principal ka office kaha hai?" the person asked her again.

Manvi looked at the person and was surprised to see him "tum! 2nd floor 1st room wahi hai" said a bit rudely

"main aapse pyar se puch raha hun aur aap hai ki mujhse aise baat kar rahi hai" he complained politely.

Manvi sighed and answers him "Dekhiye mister, mere pass aapki faltu baat ke liye time nhi hai please leave" and started doing her things.. he walks away.

Manvi sighed "subah se isse paala pad raha hai.."

It was staff lunch break; she was in the staff room with her lunch. The same person came and sat opposite her as that was only place left.

Manvi looked at him "tum yaha bhi aa gaye.. kyun mere peeche pade ho?" she almost screams at him.

The person replies "Dekhiye madam main aapke peeche nhi pada hun main to bas"

"mujhe koi baat nhi karni hai tumse.. " she replied him.

Her colleague pulled her a side and said "Manvi shant ho jao kyun itna over react kar rahi ho wo new staff hai"

Manvi looked at her.. "new staff?"

She nods and said "haan secondary ke mathematics teacher hai.."

Manvi goes to him and says "sorry maine aapko galat samjha.." and walks out of the staff room.

He smiled a bit.

Later, in the evening

Ruhana reached home from office, Manvi was sitting on sofa and watching television.

Ruhana asked "kya hua? Aaj badi ukhdi ukhdi lag rahi hai"

Manvi looked at her and nods "nhi di aisa to kuch nhi hai.." and got up "Aapke liye chai lati hun"

She went to kitchen to get tea for her.. Khushi came from upstairs and sat on Ruhana's lap.

"maasi pata hai khushi ko new dost mila aaj school mein" she said happily.

Ruhana smiles "Acha.. bahut achi baat hai.. naam kya hai aapke new dost ka?" she asked.

Khushi replies "dost"

Ruhana pats her head "dost acha naam hai"

Manvi comes back with cup of tea in her hand.. "khushi aap jaake homework karo.."

Khushi nods and leaves.. Manvi hands over the tea to her.. she keeps it a side.. Manvi was confused by her move.. "Di.. aap"

Ruhana made her sit beside her.. "tujhse zaroori baat karni hai!"

Manvi nods "kaho na di.."

"tujhe nhi lagta Khushi ko father ki zaroorat hai.. aur tujhe ek saathi ki" but stopped when Manvi got up.

Manvi answered her "nhi di mujhe kisise shaadi nhi karni hai.. khushi ko main sambhal sakti hoon.. itne saal sambhala hai to aage bhi sambhal lungi. Aur waise bhi aaj ke zamane mein koi kisiko past ke saath nhi apnata hai.. mujhe kisi ki zaroorat nhi hai.. aap dubara mujhse iss baare baat mat kariyega.." she said angrily and rushes to her room.

Ruhana thinks "kuch bhi ho jaye, main tujhe zindagi bhar akela nhi rehne dungi aur jo kami Anvi mehsoos karti hai wo khushi nhi karegi"

Girl's Room

Anvi's phone rang, Anvi was in the washroom, Khushi picked up the call.. "hello"

It was Vineet's call.. "Anvi.. aapki aawaz"

"are Vi.. washroom mein hai main khushi bol rahi hoon, aap kaun?" Khushi answered back.

Just then Anvi came out.. she saw khushi talking on phone to someone "kiska phone hai khushi?"

Khushi gives her the phone "pata nhi Vi.. aap hi baat karo"

Anvi takes the call.. she sees the caller id "papa.. aap kaise ho?" she asked

Vineet speaks up "main to thik hun par yeh kiski aawaz thi abhi? "

Anvi replies happily "Papa.. main to aapko batana bhool hi gayi maasi ghar aa gayi hai aur wo khushi ki aawaz thi, maasi ki beti.."

Vineet thought and then "Acha.. to aapne maasi ko maaf kar diya?" he asked

Anvi smiles a bit "haan kar diya.." and then she continues talking to him.

Khushi was hearing all this and gets upset. She thought "Vi ke bhi papa hai par Khushi ke papa kahan hai?"

Manvi was sitting inside her room and tears rolled down her eyes. Ruhana came to her and placed her hand on her arm.. "mannu"

Manvi wiped off her tears and turned towards her.. "haan di"

"Upset ho?" she asked her in concern

Manvi nods "nhi di aapki baaton se kabhi upset nhi hoti main"

Ruhana replied "to yeh aankhon mein aansu kyun?"

She made her sit on bed and placed her head on her lap and said "kuch baatein bhool ke bhi bhooli nhi jaati di, aur kuch haadse itne bhayanak hote hai, unhe laakh bhulna chaho yaad rah jaate hai aur kuch sapne itne darawane hote hai ki chahke bhi unhe bhulaya nhi jaata"

Ruhana understood what she was trying to say, she pulls her in her embrace..

"Main jaanti hoon. Sab samajhti bhi hoon. Lekin ateet ko yaad karne ka koi matlab nahi. Wo zakhm kuredta hi hai. Tujhe aage badhna hoga. Ateet ke us panne ko faad kar fenkna hoga." she said.

Manvi glanced at her. Ruhana cupped her face..."Main hoon na tere sath. Hum milkar koshish karenge. " she said.

Manvi nodded and hugged her again as tears leaked down their eyes. 

To be continued.