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“Oh God! Ragini... you fool... you were all set to disclose our identities...!” Purva pushed her angrily.  Ragini looked at Dhatri.  “Thank God! I Managed somehow!” Purva took the credit. 

“What is your name beti?” the person had asked brandishing the gun.  Dhatri was in no condition to open her eyes but Ragini opened her mouth...”Dh...!”

“Dhingra...!” Purva held Ragini’s hand and said at once.  Suresh looked at her in shock.  “She is Dhingra... her father is a police officer...!” Purva said looking at the man.  He turned back to look at those four.  Suresh nodded supporting Purva.  Ragini just gaped at them. 

“Ok...! You study in RGI?” he asked casually.  “No!” they all said unanimously.  “We are going there to meet her father... Inspector Dhingra!” Purva said stressing ...!

“Please put that thing away...!” Ragini pointed at the gun.  He smiled and kept it back in his hip pocket.  “Is she alright?” he asked again turning back and pointing at groaning Dhatri.

“Yeah... Don’t worry, she will be alright!” Said Ragini supporting Dhatri’s wobbling head. 

“Leave us at the circle.  We will go!” Suresh pointed at the traffic circle.  The man looked around for a while and signalled the driver to pull over.  Purva took out her phone and pretending to be calling Inspector Dhingra... she said, “Leave us here.  Uncle is coming to pick us up!”

“Uncle? Does he not have the duty? The riots broke out...!” The man asked suspiciously. 

“Means... his servant is coming...!” Purva clarified hurriedly getting out from the car. 

“Ok! Here is my card! Please call me if you need anything!” he said and Suresh took the card.  “Yes, Sure! Thank you!” he supported Dhatri and they walked away from the car taking a sigh of relief. 

“Oh! God!” Ragini sat down on the road and Suresh pulled her up.  “We need to reach our hostel!” he said hailing for an auto. 

It was almost a week since they escaped the riots.  Dhatri begged them not to tell anyone.  Her wound also was getting healed.  But the girls were loyal to their Rini Didi and had narrated the incident.

Dhatri had a scolding from her Rini Didi.  Dhatri blamed her friends and was not talking to them at all.  They didn’t bother either.  But they didn’t take her out of the hostel except for the college lectures and practicals.  But they didn’t stop discussing it among themselves like a horrible nightmare. 

“Ok! Let it be...! Mr. Ray wants a Skype Call this evening....!” Purva said and Dhatri looked up shocked.

“But why? There is still time to discuss the project. We are supposed to give the project title this time.  Real project will start....” Dhatri started off arguing.

“Stop it, Dhatri.  We are doing a mini project, this semester and will convert that into a full project ...!” Ragini spat.  Dhatri frowned.  “Why? Can’t we get a small project here?” she asked looking around.

“Stop it.... We are doing it and that is final.... Samajhee?” Purva came on to Dhatri aggressively. 

“This ABCD ko toh main chodungi nahi!” She muttered clenching her fists. 

An email was waiting for her....!!

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

“Dhut Teri... Tumhe toh main chodunga nahi!” Ravi looked at the photographs and smirked.  A new email popped up...!

He opened and “Whoaa!” exclaimed. 

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

“Mamma... when I went to US as topper in Astronomy Olympiad, I had decided not to take help from you.  I worked hard for every cent.... harder for a dollar...! I used to eat the free breakfast reaching early to the Institute.  I wrote project reports... did typing... worked on odd jobs... to earn money to support myself.  The scholarship wouldn't suffice..!  I don’t know how, but again I became a part of the system, Mamma! I lost myself...!” Disha buried her face.  Nilima pulled her closer in an embrace. 

“Then I got teaching assistantship.  I was happy... But then, I was a bad teacher... Mamma!” Disha looked up at her mother.  “I used to get irritated with the stupid questions.... I was not meant to be a teacher.... Again, I changed my track and concentrated on my research... I excelled....! You know, Mamma..? When I was awarded the youngest researcher award.... I was on the top of the world....! I earned... a lot! When we decided to get married, I bought a big house... Emptied everything I had.... !” Nilima kissed her forehead.  Disha was lost.  After spending everything she had on that big house, she had expected, her parents would take care of her wedding expenses... in a big way!  She was disappointed...! She had lost them....!

“But in that struggle.... I lost you all, somewhere...! I lost my Indian touch.... I became one of them....!” she sobbed...!

“Dhaa didn’t understand my feelings....! She always ....” Disha hid her face...! “She... she thinks I am materialistic... running after money....” Disha looked up.

“It’s not like that, Disha.... You just need to understand each other...!” Nilima stroked her head. 

“You two have a age difference of more than ten years... In her growing up age, where girls share everything, every feeling, with their siblings or best friends... you were not here!.... “Nilima said calmly...!

“Dhaa couldn’t share anything with you... She only looked up at you as her eldest sister who is very brilliant... who always stood first... who is in IIT Delhi...and then in US... and who always lectures her about studies and exams...!” Nilima smiled kindly.  Disha was lost in her thoughts. 

“Rini was here... always with her... taking care of her.... protecting, supporting, caring, loving...!” Nilima went ahead.  Disha looked at her in realization. 

“You know? It’s like having some relationship on paper.... not in real... ! You are her big sister... never being so big to embrace her lovingly... you were always away... Dhatri only listened to, read about your stories... never experienced you as her sister....! She always thought... you are a kind of boss who is a task master... making us all run around...!” Nilima said seriously. 

“And later on when she grew up... she only heard you complaining....!” Nilima pinpointed at the flaw..!

“Disha, you got to spend time with each other to understand each other...! I know and appreciate your sacrifices for her... but she doesn’t .... she was too young to understand...! She has this supernatural power, is not her fault... she got kidnapped is not her fault...!” Nilima continued...

“You expected her to be as brilliant as you or Rini are... but she is not... She knows it... You think she is a mediocre.. Well, she is! She is not a brilliant, intelligent kid....! You expected her to be.... Well... she mistook it...!” Nilima looked at Disha’s face...!

“Disha... I am not defending her...I am just telling you the truth...! You told her that she was an unwanted child, when she was just a child.... Well, it was a truth... We took a third chance hoping it would be a boy...! But the way it was unfolded to her... was tactless...! It itched deeper into her heart...! She still thinks, she is an unwanted child...!” Nilima swallowed her grief! Disha hugged her...

“Mamma... I didn’t mean to hurt her... I just told her that you wanted a boy...!” Nilima stroked her head absentmindedly still thinking about Dhatri. 

“You failed to give her the support, she badly needed at that time, Disha!” Nilima said bitterly and Disha sobbed.  “Mamma... I never meant to hurt her...!” Disha wiped her tears. 

“I don’t blame you Disha...! You too were young at that time, unable to understand....! We were at fault... We failed to understand you....Your teenage requirements... emotional support! I was injured, Dhaa was kidnapped, Salil had broken down completely... And you decided to stay... here in Vidisha.. for your 11^th and 12^th.... ! You know! I was so relieved... I had started depending on you, Disha, for everything! I am sorry....! I failed to understand your aspirations....!” Tears gushed out!

“No! Mamma... That was my decision not to go to Delhi.  My conscious decision...! Please don’t blame yourself...!” Disha cupped her Mamma’s face.  Nilima looked away. 

“We are simple people, Disha... We don’t want to shine like stars.... Just being a burning candle is enough for us to enlighten our lives....! We just want our daughters to pursue their dreams....!” Disha hugged her mother tightly. "You did, Mamma! You did!"

"We didn't come here for some stupid reason... That... that Minister tried to molest Dhaa, sexually abusing her....!" She spoke and Disha gaped in shock.

"Salil .. is not a fighter, Disha... he is a very simple person... We just want to lead our lives peacefully.... He couldn't take it! He understood the torture ahead... The Minister's vengeance... and decided to quit...!" Nilima swallowed hard.  "I supported him... ! I am a weak person too...!"

“We never discriminated between our children....Disha...!” Nilima broke into tears again...

“You all are equal... You all are dear... a part of our souls...! But you know? For a mother... weaker child is dearer.... Dhatri is weak, Disha...! You will know, when you will be a mother, yourself...” Nilima sobbed. 

“Mamma.. please... stop...!” Disha wiped Nilima’s tears. 

“And Rini is the strongest, neglected the most!” Disha looked away in realization. 

“She studied on her own, decided her career on her own, pursued her dreams and fulfilled.. . without any help...!” Nilima heaved with pride, so did Disha.  Indeed Rini was a self made person. 

“You are a star, Disha... Shining brightly up in the sky...!” Nilima said with pride... “But Dhatri is a weakling... needs support....! Both physically and mentally!” Nilima looked up.  Disha wiped her tears. 

“No, Mamma... She is strong too! You will see! One day, she will come out strongest of us all....!” Disha hugged her mother.  The phone rang and Nilima got up.

It was from Dr. Indroneel Ghosh, for Salil Dixit!”