E.29.

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Adith and Shiv looked at each other, communicating through gestures to speak first. Sidharth was unscrewing the cap of the alcohol bottle.

"Sid, It's been two days since you are here. Aren't you going home?", Adith asked.

"Huh!!", Sidharth paused the task of opening the bottle and looked up at Adith and Shiv who were staring at him.

"Ohhh!! I am sorry. I didn't realise that I was taking an undue advantage of your friendship by overstaying. I got the clue. I will leave now. Thanks for supporting me.", Sidharth tightened the bottle cap and placed it back in its place.

His words made Shiv to facepalm while Adith's eyes popped out from his sockets.

"Have you gone mad?", both the friends spoke in frustration.

"Arggghhh.. you talk to him else I will kick his arse now.", Adith said to Shiv while gritting his jaws as he lost his temper.

"Okay.. okay calm down.. I can't handle two crackheads at the same time..", Shiv said flashing his palm to both his friends. Adith flared his nostrils and plopped on the plastic chair in anger. While Sidharth got up to leave.

"Where the hell are you going now? Sit down until I put some sense in your head, which I highly doubt would even reach the desired destination.", Shiv spoke griping Sidharth's wrist to stop him from leaving in temper. Sidharth nodded his head in disdain and pulled his hand from Shiv's grip.

"Bro please!! SIT!!!", Shiv yelled. Shov had been always super jolly and happy go lucky person. Him yelling was strictly indicating Sidharth to quietly follow his instructions. Sidharth grumpily sat down on the nearby chair. Shiv hastily dragged another plastic chair closer to Sidharth and sat very closer to him. He wanted his words to go straight into Sidharth's ears without getting lost in transit.

"Listen, Aunty called up. In past two days she has called us multiple times. She is worried. Firstly, Sana left the house without telling any reason. Well, that's a different story that she herself is unaware of your male ego behind the outburst.", Shiv took a dig at Sidharth's behaviour.

Sidharth glared at Shiv for such sarcastic comment.

"Stop staring at me and listen to the second reason. Your sister, Naina has come back home..", Shiv said. Sidharth heard his words with no reaction.

"FOR GOOD!", Shiv stressed each word.

"What?", Sidharth's eyes widened, aghast at the revelation.

"Hmmm.. I didn't ask aunty the reason..", Shiv nodded to confirm.

"I got to go..", Sidharth stood up quickly and left in hurry.

Shiv and Adith looked at him running.

"Do you think we should go with him?", Adith asked.

" No, we are best buddies but we should allow him some space with family matters. We can call him later and ask if he needs our help.", Shiv suggests.

"Hmmm.. but we can meet Sana and speak to her. He won't do it as he is adamant about getting a higher salary job first.", Adith spoke.

"And tell her what? If she learns that he is insecure about her getting more pay, she would be even more hurt. What if she leaves him forever?", Shiv asked.

"Hufff!! Then what do we do?", Adith asked stroking his hair back in tension.

"Give them some time..", Shiv suggests.

"Hmm..", Adith agrees.

...
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...

"Sidharth, where were you? What happened between you and Sana?", his mother asked as soon as she saw him at the door.

"Where is Naina?", Sidharth asked without answering to her question.

"Inside the room.", his mother pointed.

"Nainaa.. what happened?", Sidharth barged into the room with concern and questions written all over his face.

Naina looked all gloomy and lost. She nodded her head to say nothing.

"Why did you come back?", Sidharth asked.

Naina stared intently at him on that question.

"Speak up damn it..", Sidharth yelled losing his calm.

"Why are you screaming at her?", Sidharth's father, who came out of the bathroom, scolded Sidharth upon entering the room.

"Babuji, I asked her the reason for coming back but instead of answering she is glaring at me.", Sidharth replied.

"Why? Can't see come here?", Sidharth's father asked.

"She can.. I meant why did she leave her husband and come back permanently?", Sidharth asked.

"Because her husband can't feed her..", his mother replied.

"What? What do you mean by can't feed her?", Sidharth asked.

"Apparently, he wanted a working wife who would support him in running the family. With her qualification, she couldn't get a job in this city so he abandoned her.", His mother replied.

"Why didn't he tell us this before marriage? He didn't even say anything for a year. Why all the issues now?", Sidharth spoke in frustration.

"He kept forcing me to go for interviews just after a month of marriage. I gave many interviews but couldn't crack any. I could see his disappointment as he kept complaining about rising prices and comparing expenses pre and post marriage. But learnt about Sana bhabhi's promotion, his frustration aggravated and came out in terms of taunts and fights. I just couldn't take it so I left..", Naina starts sulking.

"Arghhh.. didn't he say anything since you came here?", Sidharth asked.

Naina nodded in denial while sobbing.

"Urrghh!! Calm down Naina.. It's not his mistake. Mistake is ours. This was bound to happen because we didn't realise how greedy they were when they asked for dowry before marriage.", Sidharth said sarcastically. The guilt in his father's mind made his head hung in shame which was noticed by Sidharth's mother. Indirectly, she felt his pain and was angered at Sidharth's words.

"Really Sidharth? You didn't take any dowry from Sana's father, yet she left you. How different are you from Vivek then?", She questioned.

"Maa.. don't compare me with Vivek. Our matter is different.", Sidharth spoke in annoyance.

"Would you care to explain what is the difference? Neither you nor Sana has told us anything about this. You were yelling at Naina when she was quiet but you yourself are hiding facts from us. Did you raise your hand at her?", She said.

"Rrrrr.. Maa, please.. No maa.. I am not a wife abuser. We just had a small disagreement. I will sort that out myself. It's nothing big.", Sidharth said.

"Nothing big? I don't know what the issue is but by your words I can only confer that you haven't even realised your mistakes. When a companion, who doesn't leave you in your hard times, leaves you due to a trivial disagreement, the issue isn't so small as you think. You have grown up but still, I just want to give you one piece of advice. No ego is bigger than the relationship Sidharth.", His mother said before going out.

...
...
...
...

For the past two days, Sidharth didn't go to office. He kept thinking and observing things around him. His mother's advice kept ringing in his ears.

Naina, on the other hand, kept herself busy with household chores but when she didn't have anything to do, she would be sad and crying in a corner. Looking at her, Sidharth pondered about Sana.

How is she?

What is she doing?

Does she also cries like Naina?

Does she.. still loves me?

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To be continued..

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