Armaan looked up at the two girls, Roohi was crying right alongside Abhira. His Ira was so devastated and it was his fault. He reached out to touch her again and this time, when she melted under his touch, his heart shattered into pieces.

He was supposed to protect her and he was so busy feeling sorry for himself to see how close he was to losing her, his Ira. The one he had fought so hard for.

"Teen dinn.. Me mai shayad bharosa wapis nahi jeet paunga, Ira. Mujhe maloom hai mene tumhe kitna hurt kia hai. I.. know jo vaada kia tha, nahi nibhaya mene, but please, agar ho sake, toh mujhe ek chance dedo. Tum.. jaise kahogi, jab kahogi, jo kahogi, mai karunga."

Abhira looked up, "I don't want to control you, Maan. I am not your wretched family, who thinks being obedient equals love."

Armaan nodded. "I.. know. Bina sharaton ka pyaar kya hota hai na, mene kabhi mehsoos nahi kia tha. Toh, jab tumse mila, mai for granted lene laga. I thought, Abhira toh hai hi.. Yeh thodi jaa rahi hai kaheen chodke. Mai unn logon ke pyaar ke liye— tumhe itna hurt kar raha tha jo log mujhe shayad ek second me bhool jayenge."

Roohi unwrapped her arms from around Abhira, stepped slightly back, but stayed vigil. There was no telling which way the conversation would go and she felt the overwhelming urge to protect Abhira from whatever bad thing was next.

Armaan cupped her face, "Mene na.. tum jaisa pyaar nahi dekha tha aur ab.. mai tumhe kho nahi sakta, Abhira. Tumne kaha tha na, ki mai aisa koi waada na karoon, jo mai poora na kar sakoon? Toh mai wada nahi karunga. Bas koshish karunga. Woh pati ban'ne ki jo mujhe 3 maheene pehle ban jana chahiye tha. Jo shayad mujhe 1 saal pehle ban'na chahiye tha"

He bent forward and gently pressed his forehead to hers. "You don't forgive me, never in your life. I don't deserve to be given that apology but try, please, try to give me one last chance."

Abhira nodded. "It's not like I don't love you.."

"I know. I know you love me. This is why you're in this room. This is why when I come here to apologize, you are at least hearing me out. I have hurt you. I know you are on the last strand of your thinning patience. If I am half the man I should be, I will never forget today and I will never make this mistake again."

"I know you have no reason to trust me, Ira. I have made promises in the past that I went back on. I was aware of what I was doing, but sometimes, you keep doing something and in foolish hope and when it doesn't pan out quite the way you want, you do it some more."

Armaan reached over to rub his thumb on her cheek gently. "I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner, that I was a fool to try to find Maternal warmth in the arms of a woman who had always been disgusted by my existence."

"I was trying to find a family where one didn't exist. Vidya Poddar was always supposed to be my step mother and I thought not all step mothers— surely not my step mother, she had taken me in, loved me, fed me— I had forgotten— no actually I was never made to realize that this was my house. My mother was my father's wife, legally, ritually wedded, like you and me. I was— I am— the eldest Poddar son in our generation. My mother was the eldest daughter in law. Then, she died."

"Her death— Abhira, my mother's death doesn't erase her, or take away from the legitimacy of my mother's marriage, or my birth. Vidya Poddar was my father's second wife. I— know that, because the day my father brought me to this house, he told me that I was his son, that Shivani Poddar was his wife— no matter what anyone said."

Armaan chuckled sarcastically, "My father said that and then, in a desperate effort to keep peace in the house. He forgot. I.. I forgot too. You.. woke me up. You reminded me of what.. was needed– what I needed."

Armaan sighed softly. "I have made many mistakes in my life— during our marriage— in the last three months. I have.. But I need you Abhira. I need you more than I need to breath, more than my heart needs to beat and— like breathing, and heartbeats— I was beginning to take you for granted. I won't anymore."

Armaan took her hand and squeezed gently

"You are Abhira Armaan Poddar. You are not Shivani. I will not let you turn into what my mother was. I will not let Vidya Poddar take away from me what Kaveri Poddar took from my father. I will not lose you. I will not pay the price my father did." He said firmly. "You don't have to trust me. Just know that this is a promise I would not survive going back on."

He didn't leave her hand, but he didn't speak for a long time so Abhira looked up at him. She had heard all of it. She wanted to trust all of it, but she would be a fool to trust her heart over her mind when the poor thing had been systematically broken over the last three months. Her heart was in no shape to male decisions.

"Can I hug you? Will that be okay?" Armaan asked softly, still holding her hand, waiting for permission to come closer. Despite herself, Abhira gave that fragile beating organ one tiny win and nodded.

***

Twenty minutes later, Roohi knocked on their door, only to see Abhira halfway asleep. She had left them shortly after their conversation began getting heavy. She knew her boundaries. Finally Yay! and knew that some conversations were private even if they weren't technically wrong to be overheard.

"Itni saari mental marathon ke baad, socha tum dono ke liye kachoriyan laa doon." (after the day you've both had, I thought I could bring you Kachoris) She explained the purpose of her intrusion when Armaan looked back. "I can come back at a better time if Abhira is sleeping.

"No, she needs to eat. Thank you Roohi. But, try not to do all this for Abhira and me. Tum pregnant ho, Poddar khandan ka pyaar batoro. Faaltu me kyon humare liye villain ban rahi ho."

Abhira sat up in bed straighter. "Tum.. kachoriyan fresh bana ke laayi ho?" She asked innocently.

Roohi walked in with a smile. "Yes. I am sure tumhe tumhari mumma ki special kachori ki aj bahot zaroorat hogi. I don't know how close I got to the taste you must remember, but I tried my best. I took help too. Taste karke batao. (Taste it at tell me)"

Abhira looked at Armaan and then at the plate piled high with Kachoris. She took one of the prices and took a tentative bite. Roohi looked at her hopefully. "Do you like it? Acchi hai?"

Abhira nodded and Roohi grinned. "Mission successful, matashree." She mumbled to herself.

"Tumne apni mumma se help li?" Abhira asked, surprised. She hadn't seen much of Roohi's mother but she was a sweet woman. There was something oddly soothing about the woman even when Abhira and Roohi were not on the best terms. "Woh aayi hain tumse milne?" (You took help from your mother, is she here to see you?)

When Abhira and Roohi were at world war, Ms Goenka had abstained from taking sides, but as a mother, she was obligated towards Roohi. Aarohi hadn't— per say -- encouraged Roohi's advances towards Armaan. She had tried to encourage Roohi to move on with Rohit or leeave the Poddar Mansion altogether.

It had to be Roohi's decision, no one else's. No one else, not even her own mother could force Roohi to face her mistakes when she had had her eyes closed. Once Rohit came back home, almost two years after he went missing, Roohi had made genuine efforts to form the relationship that Roohi and Rohit should have had from the beginning.

Roohi's grin somehow widened. "Nahi.. woh actually unke OPD hours extend ho gaye the.. koi emergency surgery thi. Woh shaam ko aayengi. Tum milogi unse?"

"Of course."

"Then I'll make sure woh aj specially cancel nahi karengi."

Abhira frowned, "Aaj mene bahar jo kiya, yeh special treatment uske liye hai? Are you going to tell your mother I was wrong? I shouldn't have done that?" (Is this special treatment for what i did out there today?)

"Abhira" — "Abhira"

The other two occupants of the room gasped in unison. Roohi reached over, "Kaisi baat kar rahi hai beta? Mai maatashree ko teri shikayat kyon karungi? Tujhe galat kyon kahungi, jab tune koi galati nahi ki?" (What aree you talking about, beta Why would I tell on you to my mother. Why would I tell her you are wrong, when I don't even think so)

"Toh tum itni excited kyon ho Roohi, aunty ke Abhira ke milne ke liye?" Armaan asked. (Then why are you so excited for aunty to meet Abhira)

"Oh ho, suspicion ki dukaan— tumhaari aankhen aaj khuli hai toh tum har jagah khatra dekh rahe ho." Roohi said exasperated. (Oh, dear Mr Suspicious, you have finally opened your eyes today, so you see danger everywhere)

"Main isiliye excited hoon, kyunki— Abhira ne aaj pehli baar mere saamne apne mumma aur papa ka naam liya. Jab woh ro rahi thi, vent kar rahi thi? Usne Akshara Abhimanyu Birla kaha. Akshara. Abhimanyu. Birla." (I am excited because I finally know Abhira's parents' name. She finally said their name when she was crying before. She said Akshara Abhimanyu Birla)

"She had never taken her full name in front of me before aur tum bhi bas Akshara Mam kehke chup ho jaate the Armaan aur tumne kabhi Abhimanyu Birla ka naam bhi nahi liya." She said, her voice dripping with happiness. "Akshara Birla.. Akshara Abhimanyu Birla meri Masi ka naam hai." (You always addressed her as Akshara mam and you never took Abhimanyu Birla's name. Akshara Birla. Akshara Abhimanyu Birla is my aunt.)

Abhira's eyes widened. "What?"

"Haan. Wait. I'll show you." She reached for her phone and showed Abhira a picture of Akshara and Aarohi. "Yeh.. picture kaafi puraani hai. Meri matashree bahot zyada photos kheenchne me believe nahi karti. But tum masi ko pehchaan jaogi." (This image is very old. My mother is not big on clicking pictures, but you'll recognize masi anyway.)

Abhira grabbed the phone tightly with both her hands. For a few minutes, she didn't say anything.

Roohi waited. "I'm right, na Abhira? This is your mumma right?"

"How.. is that— why didn't they say something? Humaare cousins? Tum meri sister ho toh.. toh kisi ne mujhe pehchana kyo nahi? Tum meri sister ho toh mujhe maloom kyon nahi hai?" Abhira asked, surprised. (Our cousins? If you're my sister, why didn't anyone recognize me? Why don't I know about it?)

"Tum dono sisters ho?" Armaan asked, his eyes widened.

Roohi smiled. " Our family has complicated, painful history. Sorry Abhira.. I know ye tumhare liye difficult hoga, especially because I've not been.. a sister to you even when I had the chance. Tum matashree se saare sawalon ke jawab le paogi. You can ask her anything."

(i know this is difficult for you)

"But, I assure you, if you don't want to see her, you're not obligated. You can choose. Whatever bond we have created in the last three months or so, doesn't negate the things that we have gone through. You are supposed to have control over this, you chose what happens after this." She said gently.

"Do you.. know about— my brother?"

Roohi nodded. "I— would like to meet him too, if you allow it." She said quietly.

Abhira smiled. "You know how.. you've always been territorial about Parh Nanu and your mother. Mere paas, bas Abhir bhaiyyu bache hain. Please understand, mai tumhe spite karne ke liye yeh.. nahi kar rahi hoon. Mai unhe tumhaare baare me batane se.. mana bhi nahi kar rahi hoon.." (I only have my brother now. I am not doing this to hurt or spite you, I am not saying I won't tell him about you)

"Bas.. tum Abhir ko khona nahi chahati. I understand. Tum agar comfortable ho, tab hi milenge. I understand what it feels like, to bring the last of your peace to a place that doesn't feel like home." She said softly. (you don't want to lose him. I understand. If you're comfortable, only then will I meet him.)

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Vinny