Ruhana wakes up in the morning. She looks around and finds herself caged on both sides. Avni is sleeping, one hand around her waist while she's put her head on her outstretched hand. On the other hand, Manvi has kept her head on her shoulder and is holding her other hand. It seems like both girls aren't ready to let her go.

She glances at the clock, and it's just 7 a.m. in the morning. She's on leave, Vineet granted her leave until Sunday. He doesn't want her to stress herself. So, she lies back, looking at the two girls who are snuggling with her.

She's blessed to have these two in her life. Yeah, the situations have been unwanted. She got some things she never wanted. But, these two girls happened to her, and she feels blessed to hold them close to her heart. With them by her side, she forgets all the suffering she had to face in the past.

Manvi and Avni are her sole reasons to stay alive and her power to live life as she pleases.

*****
Her trance breaks when her daughter's voice falls into her ears. She looks to her left and finds Avni sitting on the bed. She pulls her closer with one hand and kisses her head lovingly. The little girl wraps her hands around her mom's neck and kisses her cheek. Meanwhile, Manvi also wakes up hearing the noise and finds them snuggling closer. She glares at them for leaving her out of the hug, but then hugs them.

'Tu hi mera haath pakad ke so rahi thi, toh main tujhe kaise pareshan karti?" Ruhana reasons.

"Aapko karna chahiye tha!" Manvi says.

"Han, taaki teri neend bigadti, phir tu din bhar cranky hoke ghoomti. Bachpan ki aadat hai teri, Mannu! Mera haath pakde bina tujhe neend hi nahi aati hai. Jab sasural jayegi toh kya hoga?" Ruhana says.

"Shaadi! Maine nahi karni. Main aapko chhod ke kahin nahi jaaungi." Manvi says hugging Ruhana.

"Avni bhi kahin bhi nahi jayegi." the little girl says innocently, hugging both her mother and maasi.

"Tum dono bhi na! Main kaunsa tumhe kahin jaane dungi? Tumse hi main hoon." Ruhana says as she tightens her embrace around them.

Yeah, she cannot imagine her life without these two girls. They are her heart and soul and she can't lose them now. Ruhana is quite emotional at the moment, which Manvi realizes. She breaks the hug and looks at her sister. Ruhana's eyes are teary.

"Di! Subah subah kya ye leke baith gayi? Maine kaha na sab thik ho jayega. Dost ne suni na aapki sab baatein? Unhone nai kaha kuch toh kyun soch rahi ho?" Manvi asks.

"Wo kuch nahi kehte iska matlab ye nahi, Mannu, ki koi aur bhi nahi kahega. I am sure, wo ab bhi mere baare mein hi soch raha hoga." Ruhana says.

Ruhana and Vineet have been friends for 6 years now, and they know each other very nicely. They tell everything to each other, but there are some secrets in Ruhana's life that are unknown to Vineet. And she's determined to keep him away from it.

She chides herself and asks her sister and daughter to freshen up. The girls obey their mother and elder sister and run into their respective rooms to freshen up and get ready for their day. Though Ruhana is on leave, Manvi and Avni have college and school to go to. Ruhana showers and moves into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her sister and daughter. She has to pack lunch for them too. She's quick enough to prepare jam sandwiches for her girls. There's a chocolate milkshake for Avni and orange juice for Manvi. The girls chuckle to see the breakfast and begin to munch on it while Ruhana packs their lunch boxes.

She hands their boxes to them and instructs them to have their food. She also promises Avni that she will pick her up from school. The girl is happy.

Bidding goodbye to her daughter and sister, Ruhana locks the door, sits on the couch, and sighs deeply. She has a lot of secrets buried in the depths of her heart. And she doesn't want to spill them.

*****
Vineet is awake and having his morning coffee. He's been thoughtful since last night. Ruhana's words are echoing in his ears.

"Main tum par khud se zyada bharosa karti hoon, Vineet."

"You're a great friend, Vineet. Main tumhe khona nahi chahti hoon."

"Kuch cheezein aisi hoti hain, jo sabko batayi nahi jaa sakti. Agar bataya gaya toh wo tees hamesha ke liye reh jaati hain."

"I trust you, please isey ek secret ki tarah apne dil mein daba ke rakhna."

"Meri priority meri behen aur beti hain. They're my life, Vineet. Unko kuch ho gaya toh main nahi reh paungi."

"Manvi meri behen hain, lekin maine usey aise hi paala hai jaise wo meri beti hain. Aur phir Avni aayi meri zindagi mein. Main un dono ke bina apni zindagi imagine nahi kar sakti."

He comes out of his trance at the ring of his phone. It's Ruhana calling him. A small smile lights his face, and he attends the call. It's a video call, so the two smile at each other. Before Ruhana could greet her, he asks about her health.

"Are you okay, Ruhana?" He asks, concerned at the moment.

"Yeah! I'm fine. Thanks to you." Her voice comes from the other side.

"Good to know that, Ruu. Anyway, why did you call?" He asks.

Ruhana replies to his question and he sighs deeply hearing her.

"Ruu, maine kaha na, main Raunak ko handle kar lunga. Tum please stress mat lo. Rest karo. Main toh kal ghabra gaya tha. Doctor ne toh mujhe daant hi diya tha. Please tum meri dost ka khayal rakho." Vineet says while looking at her in the phone.

Ruhana smiles at him and Vineet adds something that leaves the lady touched and she had nothing more to say.

TO be Continued.

What did Vineet say?

Stay Tuned.