Feeling uneasy, Bhargavi slowly released herself from Prabir's hold and walked upstairs, pondering. She sat down quietly beside Ms. Nalini, who was still awake.

Not having answers freaked her out, and the entire night, she picked up articles, journals, research papers, and whatever she could gather on the internet, regarding human psychology and the aftermaths of childhood trauma. A thorough research on the various types of mental disorders, in such a short span of time though not possible, she gathered as much information as possible.

It was impossible for her to figure out, how both Maa and Ishaan could have misunderstood Bhawani.

Had she not pushed Maa down the stairs intentionally, and wanted to push her aside,making way for her own self... even in a hurry...Maa should have been able to grab on the balustrade and not roll down the stairs, as it is obvious that aged people like Maa hold on to the balustrade for support while climbing up or down the stairs.

If I remember exactly, what Maa told was...Bhawani yelped as if in pain, and when she was caught off guard, Bhawani pushed her abruptly. This seems possible.

What Mayank told in the hospital was " I killed Maa," yes! This was exactly what he mentioned Bhawani had said.
But why would she say so? Maa was still alive and breathing when... taken to the hospital. ...
She had never mentioned that she had pushed Maa, be it intentionally or unintentionally.

When Maa was already fuming with rage, having caught her red-handed... smoking, all she did was agitate her further, which was probably again intentional and now she's saying that Maa asked her to jump off the terrace of a multistoried building... in order to gain sympathy?

We know how Maa is...she says a lot of crap when angry. Yes! Sometimes it does hurt, a lot. Bhargavi contemplated.

Noticing, Ms. Nalini studying her face with curiosity, she asked smiling,
"Unable to sleep?"

"I have nothing else to do than...just laying on this bed all the time. How much can one sleep?" Ms. Nalini replied back sadly. "I don't want to disturb you while you're studying," She added.

"I am not studying Maa."

"Then?"

"Maa. Bhawani told today, that she didn't deliberately push you down the stairs. She only wanted to push you aside, leave the house and never return...because, you had asked her to jump off a terrace of some multistoried building," she said trying to sound casual. 

"I see. It's all a mammoth miscalculation then...from my side. I am a terrible mother who doesn't have the ability to understand her children," she sighed.

"Maa. I think Bhawani is lying. She is playing the innocent, trying to gain everyone's sympathy."

"I realized that...I should stop interfering with your lives. Both of you, want to leave home and run away because of a vile monstrous woman like me, rather it's better I'll leave... once, I am able to walk again," she replied not paying attention to Bhargavi's words, with her eyes glistening with moisture.

"Maa! Please don't say this.
I love you. I'm sorry, I can't tell you the truth at all times. I remain silent not wanting to lie, but please, please trust me. I will never do anything that lets you down."

"Why do you always have to hide things and keep secrets from me?"

"Because I need you to be safe and happy Maa. I want to become a journalist. I have to take risks and keep secrets. I have never hid my personal life from you Maa," she said wiping Ms. Nalini's tears delicately.

"Maa. You know Uncle loves you a lot. After this accident, when you were taken to the hospital it seemed as if he had aged by years, in that short span of time. His hands were trembling so hard, that he wasn't even able to drive. I had never seen him weep before. His eyes were all red and swollen.

What do you feel about him?" She asked casually.

Casting an angry look in her direction, Ms. Nalini looked away.

"Say something Maa. He's a very compassionate and an admirable person and ... he cares for you Maa. Please say yes, if he asks you to marry him," she added smiling.

"Enough! Bhargavi."

"Why? Is it wrong to love someone?"

"What will people say Bhargavi? At an age when I should be getting my daughter's married off... How can I?"

"Maa. What has the society given you? What have those people...about whom you care so much, done for you? It is you...who decides when and whom you take up as your life partner.

Don't you see how much he's always concerned...if you're taking the medicines on time, if you're feeling bored. He purchased a new TV set and set it up here for you.

Don't reject your happiness Maa for Heaven's sake," she said softly kissing on her forehead.

Ms. Nalini stared at her astonished.

"Is this really you?" She enquired after a brief moment.

"What do you mean Maa? Of course it's me."

"Since when did you start kissing your mother?" She giggled.

"I wish I had done this before. I love you Maa," she said placing few more kisses on Ms. Nalini's cheeks making her laugh. Softly caressing her face, Bhargavi urged her mother to rest.

Overwhelmed with feelings of delight and happiness,Ms. Nalini closed her eyes. She had never seen this pleasing, gentle attitude of Bhargavi before. The way she reasoned and spoke was as if it wasn't her at all rather it was Prabir talking.

Detaching herself from all emotions, she had grown up rude, arrogant and stubborn. She had never been able to acknowledge the pain behind someone's tears. Instead she thought it was a sign of weakness or a measure to garner attention.

The next morning, Mr. Banerjee decided to stay at home. 

The entire night the previous day, he had spent seated on a chair beside Bhawani holding her hand. Her words echoed in his head,

"I felt like an orphan... growing up with nobody to care."

Placing her breakfast on the table, Mr. Banerjee spoke agitated, with his hands flowing in all directions,"Nalini kids more than anything, need to know that their parents love them.
Both your daughters, Bhargavi and Bhawani grew up without a father's love, care or protection. All they have is You.
How could you ask Bhawani to jump off the terrace of a multistoried building?
Is it a brave thing to...to condemn your own child to die... only because she's smoking. Do you realize, you almost killed her spirits? What you've said is as good as Psychic murder.

You are in the driver's seat, doesn't mean that...you can run over people. You're responsible to guide her through her life, but it doesn't mean that you can push her to the extremes...to the territory of darkness and self harm."

Ms. Nalini silently listened to the entire monologue without saying a word.

"Baba," Prabir called out softly. "Please lower your voice, if you don't want to embarrass both of you. It's almost time for her nurse to come."
Letting out a deep sigh, Mr. Banerjee left the room.

Smiling at her, Prabir said reasuringly," Don't worry Maa. Baba is a little upset."

Mr. Banerjee accompanied Bhawani to her school, after Parul had already left. Searching for Bhargavi, Prabir looked for her in the Puja room, kitchen, bathroom, and all around the house but she was nowhere to be found.

Could she have followed Baba, Prabir thought to himself. Hearing some rustling sound of papers, he entered the kitchen to find, Bhargavi crawl out of the kitchen cabinet with a small torch and a diary in her hands.

"Were you hiding inside the kitchen cabinet like KitKat?" He asked laughing.

"Did Bhawani leave for school? I heard Uncle would drop her," She asked seriously, instead of replying.

"Yes! Why?"

"I didn't want her to find me going through her diary. Though it's pretty dark in there, it is spacious and empty," she said looking in the direction of the empty kitchen cabinet.

"I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people said Sir Isaac Newton and he was right. Just take a look at these," she said throwing the diary at him.

"What is this?" He asked turning the pages in the diary. He could see scribbles that weren't decipherable, some doodles, and arrows.

"A mad women's diary, though it doesn't talk about cannibalism," she replied back in a sarcastic tone. Turning over to a page, she handed him to read.

Betrayal. Know how it feels?

Di betrayed my trust. She abandoned us...never to return like Baba.

This was written inside a rectangular box, in very minute handwriting but carelessly.

Then she held the diary upside down and opened up a page for him to see.

I have been secretly hiding Maa's pills for three days now, hoping that if she suddenly falls ill, Di will surely come back home.

Closing the diary, Prabir said," She's a kid Bhargu. Let's plan a small surprise for her."

Knowing that there was no point in telling him about her doubts,fears and apprehensions regarding Bhawani, she said," Yeah! Why not?" Struggling to smile.

"You are more than two hundred percent sure that Bhawani is lying. You definitely believe that she has something wrong in her head. And... you don't know how to prove this," Prabir smirked.

Bewildered she stared at him without blinking.
"I understand your concerns Bhargu. There's no need to prove anything. Bhawani wants to avoid going to Dr. Menon at all costs. But it...ain't happening," he replied back smiling. "It will be wise to hold our tongue and conceal that we don't believe in her cock and bull story."

Feeling drunk with the intoxication of the present happiness, that she didn't have to watch herself falter through the dark labyrinths of  doubt and utter despair all alone, she smiled back gladly.

"What are you intending to do?" She asked Prabir feeling a bit anxious.

"We'll invite Dr. Menon day after tomorrow if she's free. I mean it's a Sunday, she could spare some time I suppose," he said briefly.

They could listen to the whistling sounds, coming from the living room as Mr. Banerjee walked in. "He seems happy," Bhargavi sighed.

"Of course, he's happy. He'll be able to spend time with Maa alone," he  giggled.

"What about the nurse?"

"You are so dumb Bhargu. He'll ask her to bathe and clean Maa,change her clothes and then leave," he replied back smiling.

"I hope so."

"Are you suspecting something else?"

"Are you not? He was yelling at Maa before he left and now is whistling happily."

"You mean it has something to do with Bhawani? Seriously?"

"Yes! Seriously! God knows with what she filled his ears."

"Aren't you being too skeptical?"

Turning around Bhargavi walked away, and then startled she stopped outside the kitchen.

Mr. Banerjee was pacing immersed in deep thoughts with his shoulders slumped, gaze fixed on the floor and hands in his pockets, and the whistles were a measure to calm him.

Moving closer to him, she softly asked," Uncle. Are you okay?"

"Hmm. Bhargavi! Can you give me ten minutes?" He asked.

"Yes.Sure!..." Before she could say something more, he gestured her to occupy a seat.

"Bhawani needs help.

She's behaving unusually strange.She... She squatted in the middle of the road at a distance from her school gates; shutting her eyes and trying to close her ears with her palms. Then she started crying...bawling. When I placed my palm gently on her shoulder, she crawled away in fear as if I were some stranger," he said almost out of breath after Bhargavi occupied a seat on the chair.

"It is the exact place from where she was abducted by Mayank. She was maybe...having a flashback from the past," Prabir suggested walking up to them.

"Then what happened? Did she recognize you?" Bhargavi quizzed.

"Yes! She did. The terror in her eyes was unexplainable. She held on to me tight for a couple of minutes before I walked her in the school," he replied back dismayed.

"As you left home, did you keep her engaged? She needs to be distracted so that those memories don't haunt her," Prabir asked.

"No. When we left I was angry and upset. We walked slowly in silence. She was walking a few steps ahead of me," he informed.

"I should have been a bit more careful,the reason why I accompanied her was so that she doesn't feel scared and lonely but...
Fear is engraved deep in her mind. How did she manage to go alone to school all these days?"

"Well, I guess when her mind is focused on something else she manages to go to school and come back easily. The best way to do is...run. She told me that she runs to school everyday as well as while returning home," Bhargavi said.

Author's Note:

I am really sorry for this late update.
I hope you enjoy reading and... I haven't written something crap.