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“Maasi?” Bhanu was surprised to see Santogita in the house.  Disha came out smiling broadly.  Santogita got up and gave him a light hug... “My boy!” she patted on his back and looked at Disha expectantly.  Disha made a drink for her and Bhanu opened the fridge for some food.  

“What is she doing here?” he had no idea when she had arrived.  He saw her hurriedly moving.... With a great bustle she produced a plate and a bowl.

“For you.... My boy...!” She placed the ‘spinach and mushroom Quiche with gruyere chees and meatballs with spaghetti....! Bhanu looked surprised.  

“I know, you like meatballs...!” she sweetly smiled and Disha smiled lovingly. 

“What the hell is going on here? Disha?” he looked at ther questioningly seeing them exchanging glances.

“Oh.. Sweetheart...! Maasi made some delicious food....!” Disha flung her arms around Bhanu.  Bhanu was shocked....! Suddenly coming back to his senses, asked

“When did you come?” 

“Oh Bhanu....! She came yesterday....” Disha said and Bhanu lost in gauging the damage done already.  He lost his apatite.  His phone buzzed in time and he walked away....

“Must say, Bhanu... your wife is a gem of a person.... She handles everything so efficiently and effortlessly.... You are a lucky man... Bhanu... I am proud of you my boy...!” Santogita had already spread her charm and Disha smiled smugly with a fake politeness, holding her hand. He prayed hard.. for some miracle...! 

He sat at a distance switching on the TV but stared somewhere in the distance...! He could see his dear wife and his Maasi chating merily with a glass of wine.  Disgust took over...! He gazed at his maasi....! 

The striking similarity between Ravi and Sanyogita punctured his heart.  She had a tall slender figure, fair, white skin, could easily be passed as a sexy figure with her curvy figure luring men even at this age... her strikingly gray eyes with bright blue tinge and her bright smile was so captivating, even he couldn’t take his eyes off.  From no angle she looked Indian... Bitterness spoilt the taste in his mouth.  Ravi had the same wrinkles at the corner of his eyes when he smiled as his mother and his smile would win anyone...!  “He resembles his mother... but so different in nature....!” he sighed, thinking and thanking God...! Ravi was his dearest and he wouldn’t want Ravi to be like her...! 

He looked on at his dear wife.... She had assumed her Indian being.... and extending her hospitality towards Santogita.... “Atithy Devo Bhava...” 

“For Godsake, Disha.... wake up...!” he looked away in desperation and Disha’s phone buzzed to his relief.  She excused herself to talk to her boss and Bhanu grabbed the chance....

“What you want, Maasi?” he stood before her folding his arms. She smiled sweetly and looking in the direction of Disha.  Bhanu hesitated for a second and took out his phone...! Her eyes blazed malice for a fleeting second and she said... “Ask your wife before calling the cops, Son...!” He gaped in shock.  She patted on his arm...

“Don’t worry.. I am leaving.... But must say... Your wife is too sweet...!” She turned towards Disha who had reappeared after the phone call.

He slumped back on the sofa seeing his wife seeing maasi off and promising her to catch up some other time...!

“Humm.... !” Disha came back and sat beside him wrapping her arm around his.  He looked at his wife.... “What all she has done? He was sure, Disha had not parted with her money... He knew, she would part with people, but not with money....!” Again bitterness spoit his mouth.  He just sat there engrossed.... Disha looked up...!

“She is so different from your mother....!” Disha said, still having the hangover of Santogita.  Bhanu looked taken aback.  “Your mother? Since when Disha started calling ‘your mother’!” he sat facing her.

“She is your mother in law, Disha....!” he said plainly and Disha looked at him. 

“Yeah... Maaji... I mean maasi is so different from Maaji.... She looks different... She is different....!” Disha went on stabbing Bhanu further.  He looked away....

“Sanyogita had enchanted Disha... spreading her charm....!” He thought dismayed....”Damage already done....!” 

“You know...Ravi and Maasi look so alike but are so different.....! Looks could be so deceptive!....She is so sweet....! I mean....” Disha’s voice trailed off looking at Bhanu’s furious face.  Somehow she had distanced herself from Ravi and his father after the Dhatri incident.  Ravi had pointed finger at her accusing her of being insensitive...! She couldn’t digest...! And her Dhaa had taken his side....! 

“Disha... I request you to stay away from all this.... ! Don’t be judgemental, Disha...!” he urged.

“I can judge people, Bhanu ! “ Disha said flaring up and Bhanu gave up.  He was already tired with the hectic meeting and the travel....! 

“Forget it sweetheart.... I need some sleep...!” he said getting up and Disha realized.  She got up... poured juice in a glass and held Bhanu’s hand passionately.  Bhanu smiled faintly.  He gulped it down his throat and resting his head on her lap, closed his eyes...! Disha kept stroking her husband’s forehead, caressing his face, pondering over the conversation she had with Sanyogita.  

“I will not let my Dhatri fall in the trap again... No matter what.... I will protect her from these people... “ she thought resolutely....!

*****   ****

“You know what? I have never seen a girl like you...! No dreams about life partner, no ambition, no plans about future, no boyfriend, no....!” Ragini pulled her legs and Dhatri smiled smugly. 

“I keep my life very simple...! Uncomplicated...!” She grinned.  

“Yeah? Don’t you want to earn money? A lot of it? For a lifestyle?” Ragini asked astonished.  Poorva looked on...!

“Lifestyle? What is that, Ragini? The top I am wearing covers my upper body with only 100 Rupees and  your 1000 Rupees top covers the same...! So what’s the point in earning 1000 Rupees when I can do well with Rs. 100?” Dhatri had her math perfect.  Ragini gaped with no counter argument...!

“But the luxuries of life...!” she again tried weakly...

“Luxuries? What? A fridge? TV? An expensive mobile? AC? Big House? A Car? Hah!!” Dhatri mocked Ragini.... 

“what you require a house for, Ragini? For shelter! How much space you require to sleep? 6X3 feet? The blankets and duvets.... Have you ever slept in a sleeping bag, under the heap of dried leaves? They give you more warmth and they airy too, in the summer...!” Dhatri snapped and went ahead....

“Have you ever drunk the natural, Pure, Chilled mineral water percolated down the crag? Have you ever kept the food in earthen pots in underground water to preserve it? Have you ever plucked a half ripe mango from the tree and squeezed it into your mouth? Why do you require a fridge, Ragini?

And TV? Have you seen a Tiger chasing deer in the jungle.. have you seen a wounded bird mocking death to save itself? Have you seen a peacock and a peahen courting in the rains? ... Have you seen a stampede ofof a bison? You don’t need those channels....! “ Dhatri went ahead reminiscing her jungle trecks...! 

“Stop... Stop... Dhaa... Got your point...! You really don’t require these worldly things... You are better off a jungle girl...!” Ragini said thoroughly exasperated.  Dhatri grinned.

“Oh! There is more to it...! A Car? Why? You don’t have legs? When you can travel by public transport...!”

“Stop .. stop it!” Ragini pressed her palms on her ears.  “I give up... You win...!” she said bowing before Dhatri.  Dhatri grinned victoriously.  But Ragini had a different plan....

“Dhaa.... Sunn naa...!” Ragini pestered pointing at her bag and Dhatri jerked her away. 

“I said no...! I don’t want to open the gift..! I don’t want those memories back...!” Dhatri fired and Poorva intervened.

“Yes, Ragini... Let it be...! She is right...!” Poorva held Dhatri’s hand. 

“But Dhaa...” Ragini was not ready to give up.  Her curiosity was killing her... and now Dhatri was all set to kill her.  She opened her bag.  Took out the packet...and throwing it to Ragini, said “Yeah... take this... Open it and have it for yourself...! I don’t want it..!” Ragini gaped taken aback.

“Bu... but its from Ray...!” she gasped.  “So what?!!  I don’t care, even if its from the President Obama...!” Dhatri fired back.  Poorva took the packet and keeping it in Dhatri’s bag said... “Its ok. Dhatri... Forget about the packet...!” Dhatri looked at Ragini furiously and walked out. 

“Bu... But I just wanted to know what is there in that pack...!” Ragini failed to understand Dhatri’s point.  Poorva held her hand.

“Ragini... have patience... She has gone through hell... Naturally, the memories keep coming back to her like thunder storm... Give her some more time... She will open the packet on her own...!” Ragini nodded reluctantly.

“Its over... All I want is peace.... some moments of peace.... !” Dhatri blurted sitting on the stone bench and to her dismay, it began raining....! “To hell with this rain...!” she blurted and the next moment slapped herself....

“Mari mai... Mari mai... Sorry.... I cursed Rains.... sorry!” she prayed closing her eyes, drenching in rain.  Her Mari mai was showering blessings on her.