After Ritu was discharged from the hospital, Raghav and Pihu brought her back home. The ride was tense, with an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air. Raghav, usually the one to comfort and reassure, hadn’t said a single word, his face clouded with unspoken worry and disappointment. Pihu glanced at him now and then, her own heart aching for Ritu, but she also understood Raghav’s frustration.

Once they were home, Pihu gently guided Ritu to her room, helping her settle comfortably on the bed. She looked at her, eyes filled with a mixture of care and concern, and softly said, “You should rest for a while. I’ll bring you some khichdi.”

Ritu, with a weak smile, protested, “No, Bhabhi, I really don’t feel like eating... my head is hurting so much.”

Pihu sat beside her, her tone soft but firm. “I know, Ritu. That’s why you need to eat something first. Then you can take a painkiller. You shouldn’t take such strong medicine on an empty stomach.”

Reluctantly, Ritu agreed, making a slight face as she nodded. Just as Pihu was about to leave, Ritu called her back, her voice carrying a hint of desperation.

“Bhabhi…” she said, her voice small.

Pihu turned, looking back at her with a mix of curiosity and worry. “What is it, Ritu?”

Ritu gestured for her to come closer, and as Pihu leaned in, she could see a shadow of guilt in Ritu’s eyes. “Are you… are you also angry with me?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Pihu sighed, her gaze steady as she looked at Ritu without responding. Seeing Pihu’s silence, Ritu lowered her eyes, guilt evident on her face.

“I know it’s my fault, Bhabhi,” Ritu murmured, her voice cracking slightly. “But please, talk to me… Bhaiya and Anisha, they’re not speaking to me, and if you don’t either, then… who will I talk to? I know I messed up, and I promise I won’t make the same mistake again. I’m so sorry, Bhabhi…”

Pihu’s expression softened as she listened, her heart aching. “If something had happened to you…” Pihu’s voice trembled, her own fears finally surfacing. “What would we have done? Where would we have gone? You nearly gave Bhaiya and Anisha a heart attack with your recklessness, and as for the rest of us…”

“Sorry,” Ritu whispered, looking remorseful. “I’ll be more careful from now on. I promise I’ll pay attention on the road.”

Without another word, Pihu reached out, pulling Ritu into a tight embrace, her eyes filling with tears.

Ritu was more than a sister to her. The thought of losing her had haunted Pihu throughout the ordeal, and now, holding Ritu close, she allowed herself to feel the relief and fear that had been building up.

Ritu, sensing Pihu’s pain, whispered, “You’ve forgiven me, right?”

In a hoarse voice, Pihu replied, “I’ve forgiven you this time… but if you do something like this again, I swear, I’ll never forgive you.”

“Okay, okay,” Ritu replied quickly, a small, playful smile breaking through her regret.

“Now, please don’t cry. Apke aise cute si face mein ,tears doesn't suit at all.”

Reaching out, she gently wiped away the tears from Pihu’s cheeks.
.
.
.

Raghav lay on the sofa, eyes closed, as a relentless headache pulsed through his temples. The room was silent, but he could feel the strain of the day weighing heavily on him. Suddenly, a soft pair of hands began gently massaging his head, easing the tension. He opened his eyes slightly to see Pihu, his wife, looking down at him with quiet concern before closing them again, letting her soothing touch bring him relief.

“Thank you,” he murmured with his eyes still closed.

Pihu continued massaging his head, her tone soft but a little hesitant. “When will you forgive Ritu?”

At the mention of his sister’s name, his face hardened, but he didn’t respond. The silence that followed was thick, and Pihu sighed, knowing how deeply Raghav was hurt and worried.

“She’s just a child, Raghav,” Pihu said, hoping to ease his stance.

Raghav let out a deep sigh. “She’s not that young, Pihu. She’s in college. If she’s going to walk around blindly, this is bound to happen.”

Pihu gently tried to reason with him. “I understand how you feel, but don’t give her the silent treatment like this.”

“So, what do you want me to do? Go congratulate her?” he replied sharply, his irritation evident.

Pihu shook her head, choosing her words carefully. “I’m not saying that. Give her a punishment if you need to, but don’t cut her off like this. Talk to her, and then let her understand her mistake. If everyone stops talking to her, she’ll feel even worse.”

Raghav fell silent, absorbing her words, his mind churning with conflicting emotions.

Seeing that he was still processing, Pihu softly added, “Alright, do what you feel is right. I won’t say anything more.” She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze before getting up. “I’ll go feed Ritu her khichdi. You freshen up and join us for dinner.”

Pihu went to Ritu’s room, balancing a bowl of warm khichdi in her hands. Sitting beside her, she began feeding her gently.

“Bhabhi, I can’t eat any more… I’m full,” Ritu protested after just a few bites, her voice weak.

“You haven’t even finished half a plate yet,” Pihu chided gently. “How can you be full already?”

Ritu sighed, giving her best pleading look. “Please, no more, Bhabhi…”

Pihu smiled. “Alright, fine. But just one more bite, okay? Then I’ll stop, I promise.”

Ritu nodded reluctantly, taking the last bite before Pihu handed her the painkiller. Soon, the medicine took effect, and Ritu dozed off, finally getting some much-needed rest.

The next morning, Ritu woke up in bed, trying to call her best friend, but the call went unanswered. She felt a pang of sadness; even her friends were upset with her.

“Please, pick up… are you that angry with me?” she whispered to herself, feeling disheartened.

A few minutes later, she heard footsteps outside her door. Raghav entered, carrying her medicines, his expression unreadable as he focused on the prescription. Ritu watched him, a mix of hope and nervousness swirling within her. She wanted to talk, but his stern demeanor made her hesitant.

Gathering her courage, she finally spoke, “Bhaiya…”

Raghav paused, but didn’t respond.

Ritu continued, her voice laced with regret, “I know this is all my fault. If I’d been a bit more careful, none of this would’ve happened. It was my carelessness…”

“So?” Raghav’s tone was still flat, guarded.

“Bhaiyaaa!” she exclaimed, trying to coax him out of his distant shell.

“I’m listening,” he replied, his tone unwavering.

Unable to take the silence any longer, Ritu got out of bed and, with a small pout, dragged him back to sit on the bed. She climbed onto his lap, wrapping her arms around him tightly, the way she always did when she was little.

Tears welled up as she clung to him, her voice breaking, “I’m so sorry, Bhaiya… please talk to me. I promise I won’t ever do something like this again. Give me any punishment you want, just don’t stay silent. I can’t take it.” Her words dissolved into loud, heartfelt sobs, her face buried against him.

Raghav softened, his stern expression giving way to a faint smile as he recalled how this was always her way of seeking forgiveness as a child. She’d cling to him and cry until he finally gave in.

“Nobody would believe you’re in college now, or that you’re 18 years old. Your childhood habit still hasn’t gone away, huh?” he teased, gently patting her back.

But Ritu only clung to him tighter, still crying. Raghav chuckled, squeezing her shoulder. “Fine, fine. I’ll talk to you. But if you ever do something like this again, I won’t forgive you. Now, stop crying, okay? You’ll make yourself sick.”

The word “Bachha” slipped out softly, Raghav’s special way of letting her know he’d forgiven her. That single word held years of love and assurance, and hearing it made Ritu’s tears flow even harder. She didn’t know why she was crying more now; maybe it was the comfort of being back in her brother’s arms, the comfort of being forgiven.

Trying to lighten the mood, Raghav smirked. “At this rate, we’re going to have a flood soon. Which, come to think of it, might solve the water shortage.”

Ritu let out a soft laugh, half-laughing, half-crying as she started playfully hitting him. “Here I am, crying my heart out, and you’re making jokes! You’re terrible! Go away!”

Raghav chuckled, his laughter filling the room as he hugged her back. “But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. You’re still getting a punishment.”

Ritu widened her eyes, whispering under her breath, “What punishment?”

“Talking to yourself won’t help, you know,” he said, clearly hearing her. “And your punishment is… your phone. It stays with me for three months.”

Ritu gasped, her eyes wide with horror. “Three months? Bhaiya, that’s way too long!”

Raghav raised an eyebrow. “I was actually thinking of six months, but I thought I’d go easy on you with three. Should I change it back to six?”

“No, no, three months is fine!” she quickly conceded.

Ritu huffed, then slyly asked, “But what about when I go to college? How will I call home if I need to?”

“Use Amisha’s phone,” he replied, smirking. “Three months will fly by before you even notice.”

Ritu muttered to herself, “i can't even live a single day without my phone… and he is now talking about three whole months…”

Raghav overheard her and raised an eyebrow. “What do you even do that makes it so hard to be without your phone?”

Ritu sighed dramatically. “All my favorite shows… DOTS, Vincenzo, and then there’s my favourite actor Soong Joong haaye…” she trailed off dreamily.

Raghav gave her a puzzled look. “What on earth are you talking about?”

Ritu’s cheeks flushed as she realized she’d been rambling. “Oh, um… nothing! Just… just some random TV shows…” she stammered, laughing nervously.

Raghav shook his head, smiling at her antics.

Raghav mutters this generation girls and their obsession about dramas will never end...

(Dont worry your wife is also a die hard fan of dramas🤭🤭🤣🤣)

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