*Vani Pov*

"Take care." I heard someone saying and glanced up from the tray of water glasses to see yet another person from the village leaving the house as the body was taken for burial.

"Vani! Sit down for a second. You are not taking a rest from morning." I heard Mom's voice.

"Mo...m, she is not coming back right?" I asked still staring at the door.

"Shh!" she mumbled hugging me and I closed my eyes still not wanting to accept the truth.

"Listen to me, Vani. What I am asking you is really a hard thing, but it is needed." She suddenly said and I frowned at her.

"Your husband needs you now more than anything, Vani. He already lost his father and now her. We were lucky to spend so much time with her unlike him who was living in a city." She slowly explained and I stilled.

"He needs you now more than anything and I hope you will be there for him. Look at all of us, we are crying non-stop trying to reduce the pain, but it is not that easy for the men." She added seeing my stiffness.

"I know, mom. I will take care of him." I said, assuring her and walked away to give some water for remaining people.

It was easier to say than to do something. That's what I realized after two days. I don't even know what to tell him and he never waited for me to say something.

At least, he is always with his friends who is taking care of him and I in turn doing everything to make their stay nice.

We all are still sleeping on the floor in the living room at the same places and I don't know the reason for it. Maybe we all are trying to turn over the tie and feel that this is not at all true.

"It will be good for you if you continue your work, Kamal. Your patients need you, and it will take your concentration from all this." Suddenly David suggested when I started serving them dinner.

"He is right! We all will still be there and everything will slowly settle. I am not blaming the people here, but each time we saw them they just start talking about her demise. I know, you are not able to bear it if we stay here any longer." Rakesh mumbled.

"You will come with us, right? Or will you stay here for some more time?" Suprisingly the question is directed towards me by Girish.

"I will come." I slowly replied, glancing at Kamal.

"Ok! Why don't we pack our clothes and leave early in the morning?" Kamal asked each one of them.

"I will stay at my parents house for this night." I mumbled after arranging their beds and walked away after they nodded.

"It is for the best." Dad said when I explained him what is going on.

"We will miss you, but try to contact us as much as you can." Mom mumbled and I nodded before laying my head on her lap.

After dad walked outside the room, I calmly asked "Will I be able to get adjusted to the city life?"

"You will, Vani. And if you need anything, then just ask Kamal." She said, assuring me.

"Ok!" I mumbled before drifting off into sleep.

"Are you fine?" Rakesh asked when I sat quietly on the bus.

"Yeah!" I replied, glancing outside still fearing about living in a city.

I stayed for a few days at Satvi Di's house for many days but never like this. I always know I would have to settle wherever Kamal wants to settle but then I had a confidence that Aunty will be there and Kamal will be also.

Now, she is not here while Kamal has stuck with me without his wishes. I wish I could change everything but I don't even know where to start.

"Is the house you took for rent is furnished?" Girish asked Kamal.

"Yes! Everything is there except the groceries." Kamal replied.

"Don't worry about them. We will bring them for you." Rakesh offered and I glanced to the empty seat beside me before turning around.

"Can I come with you? I will get to know about it." I requested him.

"Sure! You need not even ask, Bhabhi." He said, giving a small smile.

"Vani would be fine." I mumbled, feeling awkward hearing that word.

"Ok!" he said, nodding and I nodded back before looking outside without making an eye contact with Kamal.

"I will stay back to contact with everything needed for the arrangement of electricity and some other things." Kamal said when we were about to reach the house I guess.

"It is ok! We will make sure that she is safe." Girish assured him.

"This is not my first time in the city." I mumbled when we stopped in front of the apartment.

"We are not saying anything about that. We just thought you will get lost as the roads are new to you." David literally snapped at me making my eyes go wide.

"David!" Rakesh said, glaring at him.

"I... I was just letting you know." I mumbled before rushing outside the taxi without waiting for anyone.

Maybe I should keep my words in check before saying anything to any one of them. I thought, and waited for them to walk near to the gate.

"I am sorry!" I heard David's voice and I nodded, but didn't replied anything else.

It is not their mistake, I guess. Maybe I don't know the correct way to talk to someone in the city. Maybe he was right in saying that we are not compatible by the incident that happened with his friend.

"Come on! The flat seems to be on the top floor." Girish said smiling at me and I nodded before following them in silence.

"We will first leave for the groceries and them you can freshen up." Rakesh said when Kamal was busy in opening the door.

"Ok!" I mumbled and concentrated only on the flat.

I walked inside to see a nice flat with everything inside and I slowly walked around finding out there are two bedrooms and a kitchen with a small dining hall and then the living room which is spacious. I even found out that there are two balconies.

This is really big! I though, and glanced at them to see they are just looking around like me.

"First time?" I asked Girish in a whisper.

"Yes! He got this as rent on that day, but never shifted here from the room he was living." He explained.

"Maybe it is better if David brings the stuff of Kamal from his old rented room." Rakesh offered.

"Ok!" David said before leaving the house and after a few minutes we all left with Kamal staying back.

"Don't give any attention to David. We don't know what happened, but for the past few weeks he is just acting crazy with all of us." Girish said the moment we walked outside the apartment.

"Will you wish to make sure I am not hurt?" I asked and he frowned before nodding.

"Then I will accept the explanation." I said, assuring him.

They both were like brothers explaining to me how the whole grocery store works and where I can find the items I need.

Now I know why Aunty asked them to promise to take are of me because she knows that they will fulfill it without any hesitations.

"You will remember the way to your flat from here after a few times." Rakesh said when we returned.

"I remember!" I said, assuring him.

I remember the way from the bus station too. I thought, and then remember David's words.

"I mean, I will remember like you said." I immediately added not wanting to hear him shout too.

"Ok!" he said, frowning and rang the bell for the flat.

"We will leave for the work today itself." Kamal said, hanging up the phone.

"Any problem with the hospital?" David asked while I walked in the kitchen using the separate grocery bag I got packed for emergency items.

"No! It's been really long since I went to work. It will not do any good for me to waste any moment." Kamal explained in a monotone.

"Breakfast?" I asked them before placing the dish on the dining table and then walked back to see how much time will it take for the sweet dish.

"Here!" I mumbled placing the sweet dish on the table.

"What is the need for this?" Kamal asked, stariing at the dish.

"I... I just thought this would be good as it is the first time we are going to stay here." I mumbled and then thought maybe it was not a good idea but Aunty would have scoffed if this was not done.

"It is not a celebration time." That's all he mumbled and stood up before walking inside a room.

"It was not for the celebration. It was for ritual." I explained to his friends and they nodded before having the sweet.

"That is the room and you can unpack your things there." He said returning from the room he offered and I nodded.

"I can be late." He mumbled and left along with his friends.

It was not for the celebration! I wanted to shout, but settled for sitting down on the chair opposite to his.

He was right from the start. We were never compatible! I thought, before serving breakfast for myself and had it. I wish that she was here to guide me, but I know I should guide myself.

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tomorrow it is time for the voting section in the competition and if anyone out there as my silen reader, please vote on chapter 1...

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