When Abhimanyu reached home, Manjiri was waiting for him.
"Abhi, yeh kya tha?"
"Kya, maa?" Abhimanyu was lost in his thoughts of Akshara, worried about how she was. He didn't want to talk to anyone right now except Akshara. Not even his mom.
"Puja hona se pehle you left."
"Maa!" Abhi laughed, "The person the puja was for, left with me."
"Beta, lekin tum toh Aarohi ke liye wahan gaye te na. Kitna bura laga usse."
"Wahan main Mimi ke liye gaya tha, Maa." Abhi sighed.
"Beta, when will you take Aarohi seriously? Kitni achi ladki hai. Both your papa and I think she's perfect for you."
"Maa. I have told you many times I won't marry Aarohi." Abhi tried not to get angry. But his parents really needed to stop pushing Aarohi on him.
"But why?"
"Because he doesn't love her, Manjiri." It was Mahima who had just gotten home. "He's an adult. Stop pushing your choices on him. Aur Aarohi iss duniya mein ek e ladki nahi hai."
"Thank you, Tayi-ji. Anyways, Maa. I already know who I'm going to marry so you don't need to worry about me." Abhimanyu smiled.
"Who?" both Manjiri and Mahima exclaimed in shock.
"You will meet her soon. Anyways, I'm tired now." Abhi left the two ladies standing there stunned and went to his room.
"Do you know who it could be?" Mahima asked.
"No didi. Mujhe toh laga Aarohi...."
"Yeh sirf tume laga tha...Hum sab ko pata hai, Abhimanyu ko Aarohi mein koi interest nahi." Mahima rolled her eyes.
"Waise didi. Aarohi se yaad aaya. Today we went to Goenka Villa and you won't believe it! Remember you asked if Aarohi had a cousin named Akshara in New York?"
"Ya? Does she?"
"Didi, Akshara is Aarohi's sister!"
"What? The same Akshara that now works at Birla Hospital?" Mahima asked.
The two sisters sat there wondering why nobody from Goenka Villa ever mentioned Akshara before.
++++++++++++++
In his room, Abhimanyu took out Akshara's ID card from his pocket and wondered if he should call her to ask how she was now. What if she's sleeping? He looked at the time. It was only 7 pm. He decided to give her a call. But as soon as he took out his phone, he remembered he didn't have her number. He had no choice but to wait until the next day. He will find an excuse to drop by at the Goenka Villa and see her in person. Abhimanyu sat on his bed holding looking at Akshara's ID card. This was going to be the longest night of his life.
++++++++++++
At Goenka Villa, Swarna entered the guest room to find Akshara laying on her bed still awake.
"Akshu, beta. Why are you here by yourself?"
"I still have jetleg, Badi Mama and I have a headache." Akshu said sitting up.
"Doctor ke paas chale beta?" Swara asked concerned.
"No, Badi Mama. I'll be fine." Akshu avoided doctors as much as she could. It was weird that now she will be working at a hospital.
"Acha. Come on. Let's move to your room now. I've set everything up in your and Aarohi's room. I'll help you unpack."
"I rather stay here. I think it's better for both me and Aarohi. I don't think she wants me in her room."
"That's not only Aarohi's room and neither it is up to Aarohi to decide. No more arguments." Swarna took Akshu's hand and they made their way to the new room with Akshu's things.
"I've made Aarohi empty half of the wardrobe for your clothes."
Akshara saw the size of the wardrobe and laughed. It was big enough to hold a whole store. Her stuff would have been able to fit in just one drawer. On one half, it was filled to the brim with dresses and clothes, shoes and bags.
"Aarohi na. She shops too much. Anyways, open your suitcase."
Akshara did what she was told. She took out a few books, two dresses, 5 tops, two pairs of jeans, a jacket and a pair of black pants along with a pair of heels. She also took out her small makeup bag with her facewash, a perfume, a mascara, an eyeliner and two lipglosses.
"Akshu? Where is the rest of your stuff?" Swarna asked.
"That's all of my stuff, Badi Mama." She said putting her stuff in the wardrobe.
Swarna looked at Akshara's stuff and realized none of it was new. Akshara was putting her laptop away and Swarna noticed how old it was. Even her phone had cracks. Aarohi wore her clothes once and threw them out. She changed her phone to the latest most expensive model every few months. And there was Akshara. Their help had a better phone than her.
"Akshu, beta. Why everything you own is torn or broken?" Badi Mama asked sadly.
If I'm broken, how can my things not be? "Badi mama, I have what I need."
"Kam se kam phone toh naya lehti!"
"Badi maa. I worked at a coffee shop. It was more important to make sure I had food to eat and anyways this phone still works." Akshara said putting her books on the shelf.
Badi Mama looked at her in shock. Her Akshu had to save money to eat? Ae Bhagwan! "Akshu beta! Bade Papa sent you money every month. Why did you never use that?"
"Oh thank you for reminding me." Akshu took her book bag and took out a folder with all the checks Bade Papa had sent her every month for 9 years. "Please give this back to Bade Papa." Akshu smiled at her grandmother.
"Akshu....."
"Badi Mama. Mujhe aap sab ke pyar ki zarorat thi. Paiso ki nahi. Paise toh kahin se bhi aa gaye." Akshara said walking out of her room.
Swara sat on the bed holding the folder with the checks. Aye Bhagwan! What have we done to our sweet child? Hamari phool si bachi! All she had to go through herself. Naira and Karthik's Princess had to struggle for food? What have we done?? To take care of one daughter, we broke our other one. How will we be able to fix this?
