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She measured him up sitting on the chair.  He glanced at the files.  He must have been in his early fifties.  She looked at his clear, bright eyes and understood his gullibility.

"I know... this is not the way to approach, with even an appointment, but I had no other option..." she looked straight into his eyes, pleading his good nature.  He nodded looking at the time.  He had only fifteen minutes.  He was little impatient and she was taking her time spreading her charm.  He gazed at her beautiful figure.  She was clutching a paper in her hand.

"I mean... I know..." she said sweetly sliding the paper towards him.  He picked it up.
"What is it?" he glanced through the contents...
"I mean ... you must have read it all... Mr. Deo..." she said picking up the glass of water.  He nodded gravely.

"Yes... we are all with him.  He is a nice gentleman..." she was no interested in his character certificate...
"I mean... He is in need... His son to be released on personal bond..." she said clutching her purse.  He looked confused.

"Per this statement, he had completed the work... the Balance 10% is due next month the after the expiration of the contract period..." She had studied the terms and clauses.  He merely nodded.

"I mean... I am asking a favor... if you could release that 10% now... I mean it would help us collect the amount to get his son released..." she said.  He looked lost in his thoughts.

"Please... Mr. Abbey... she clutched his hand squeezing it lightly, urging him to consider her..." He just gaped.   She was spreading her magic everywhere... with her sweet talks, her gestures, her concern for her son, her friendly nature and her confidence in him that he will help.  He was taken in, in no time, ready to help her with whatever he could.

He asked for the file of his automation project to have a look into the balance amount...!
"$ 12000.00 " she was ready with the figures.

"Ok.  Let me talk to the guys..." he went out and she looked around his plush office...! "Not bad..." she smirked, getting ready for the next step.
"Ok. Ms... " he fumbled...
"San..." she said smiling sweetly. 

"Ms.  San... I will arrange for the wire transfer..." he said holding her hand.  She inched closer.  That was not she had thought about.

"No... I mean.. it will take a couple of days right? I mean.. I know .. its not in your policy... but you know the urgency... if we don't deposit the amount by evening...." she looked up with tearful eyes holding his hand.  He patted on her shoulder and she hugged him breaking down....!

"Please... Ms.. San... " he made her sit on the chair thinking hard.  He had no authority to pay in cash.  Any payment above $ 500.00 should be made through bank.  He was helpless... But he could go out of the way to help this beautiful lady.

"Ok.  Ms.  per the policy, I cannot pay you cash... but yes, I will make sure you will get the money before noon...!" He assured her.  She smiled wiping her eyes. 
"I .. I will wait here..." she said glancing at the bar and the bottles. 

"No.. Ms.  I mean we will directly transfer the money in his account..." her expressions changed...!
"Mr. Abbey... I told you... its urgent.. I need the money now.." the timber of her voice had changed.  He looked at her face and then thinking for a second, said...

"Ok.  I will have to take this to the corporate office... please give me a couple of hours...I will see what best can be done..." he assured her squeezing her shoulder.  She hugged him tightly kissing him lightly. 
"Thank you very much...I will come at three ... And I think we should meet up sometime..." she said picking up her bag...!
"Next one...!"  she sighed, igniting the engine...! She looked into the list, changing the lane on the freeway...!

******  *****

"Rini....!" Nilima screamed and Rini dropped her bags in the door hugging her mother.
"Rini...!" Nilima couldn't believe her eyes.

"Surprise...!" Rini grinned cuddling Nilima fondly. 

"Mamma... Bhookh..." Rini held her mamma at arms length and Nilima surveyed her daughter...! Her face was blotched with red spots... frost bite... she was tanned and looked brownish, had bandaged her arm... Wounded soldier...! Nilima kissed her daughter...!

"Where is Papa? And Dhaa?" the next obvious questions stabbed Nilima's heart.  She hurriedly went into the kitchen calling for Laxmibai.  Rini went into the bathroom to freshen up. 

"Mamma... I have only two days..." Rini entered the kitchen.  Nilima turned her back.
"Papa? Where is Papa?" she asked and Nilima tried to change the subject.

"Humm... Adarakwali chai..." She kept the cup on the table sidelining the question.  Rini narrowed her eyes suspiciously glancing at Laxmibai she too avoided Rini's questioning gaze. 

"What's going on?" She exclaimed holding her mamma from behind and Nilima broke down.  There was so much to tell, so much to ask...! Rini just couldn't comprehend...!

"Ok..Ok.. Mamma... have this tea first... We can talk later..." Rini made her sit on the chair gesturing Laxmibai. 

"Rini...." Nilima started off with sobs...! Rini kept patting on her back...! So much had happened in these months... when she was fighting her battle, her Dhaa was fighting on her own, all alone....!  Somewhere deep inside, she felt better.  Her Dhaa could take decisions of her own... stand for herself... !
"Dhaa..." she pressed her hand on her chest, missing her Dhaa.  She felt for Ravi... He was framed... Fighting all alone without any help.... Saya Uncle must be doomed... He is such a simple, straightforward, nice man.  Allegations on him of being a pervert was beyond imagination...!

"Kahan Phass gai tu Dhaa..." Rini's heart twisted. 
"And who is this Afroz? I must find out...!" She looked at the pathetic condition of her mother....!
"Come on... Mamma... Don't worry... I will handle it.. Just keep your calm, ok?" Rini took her inside and rested her head on the pillow.  She badly wanted to call Dhaa but looking at the time she decided otherwise. 

"Vinit's parents were here? All the time? During the turmoil... " She was overwhelmed.  How am I going to tell them, we broke...!!!?" She clenched her fists hating Vinit like never before.  "I will teach you a lesson, Maj. Vinit Pandit... You don't know yet... you are pitched against me..." She came out of the room fuming with rage and hatred....! Concern for her Dhatri culminated into hatred for Vinit, blaming him for all this....! For the first time, Rini had lost her mind...! Vengeance took over her good senses...!
............  .........

"Dhaa...." Disha hugged her tightly on the airport.  Dhatri stood still.  Bhanu held Salil's hand.
"Bhanu..." Salil blurted with anguish.  Bhanu just nodded.

"Don't worry..." he turned with his father in law.  Disha had gone ahead to get the car. 
They had landed on San franscisco airport and Salil's insides churned.  Dhatri was unusually quiet.  Salil's eyes searched for his daughter and there she was standing with her husband waving furiously at them.  Salil glanced at Dhatri for her reaction.  She had just looked away. 

"Come on.. lets go..." Disha honked..!
........  .........

"Oh My...!" she exclaimed as she opened the door.  Disha tried to put her step inside.

"No.. No... Wait... wait..." Mrs. Russel stopped Disha.  Dhatri was at the back ready to turn on her heels anytime to run away...!

"Why am I here?" she blamed slapping herself.  Mrs. Russel dashed in making them wait at the door. 

"Ok.  This plate... this lamp.. lit the lamp... put flowers in the plate... take this red powder... And..." She came out hurriedly.

"Daatri..." She searched for Dhaa.  Disha pulled Dhatri grinning from ear to ear.

"Welcome..." She said... the murmured..." Three times clockwise..." She did Aarti to welcome the bride, grinning broadly.

"Right?" she asked Disha and Disha nodded wiping her eyes.
"Come in... Baahoo..." Mrs. Russel bowed.. welcoming them.  Dhatri walked in her so called rightful place. 

*****  ****

"This calls for an exquisite lunch..." She pulled over and entered Hotel Palomar's Dirty Habits Restaurant...with her heavy purse.  She could visit three of Saya's clients and two of them had obliged with a few grands...! But she had an eye on those 12 grands from Mounting hardwear, the huge Apparel company where Saya had set up automation processes.  Mr. Abbey had promised her to pay by evening.  She smirked sipping wine.  She still had that charm to lure men...!

"Ms. Margarette ... Get all the details and keep a tab on this lady.." Mr. Abbey Rabanni a shrewd jew finance guy instructed. 
...........  .........

Saya's phone buzzed.  He picked it up with excitement.  "Yeah.." he responded.
"Ok.   Good..! Thank god! Yeah... on my way..." he said slamming on the accelerator, wanting to go home in a blink of an eye...!