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Rini calculated... "Papa would call in around four hours, on reaching... I will take it from there...! I must find out who this Afroz is..." Rini went inside.

"Who is this Afroz, Mamma...?" she asked thinking to herself.

"Afroz?" Nilima looked lost and then said with a faint smile... "She is a storm... calls Dhaa her big sister... Champion shooter...Dhaa ko chipak ke rahati hain... Roti hain... She cries out loudly with no inhibitions..." Rini tried to assimilate...!

"A person handling guns... emotionally unstable?... loves my sister...Is it not dangerous?" She had no clue. 

"She said, she would call me everyday.... " Nilima said and Rini waited for Afroz's call.  But before that, she had more pressing matter... to call Suresh and Poorva.  Ragini was out of reach.

"Didi..." Suresh called out.  Clearly, he was traveling in his company bus.  Rini frowned in frustration. 
"Didi..Will call you during lunch time..." Suresh said hurriedly as the other passengers were filing out of the bus on reaching...! He was deep in thoughts... he messaged Poorva.  He needed to talk to her before calling Rini Didi. 

The landline phone rang and Nilima picked up.  Rini came inside.  "Afroz.." Nilima said.
"Haan... I am ok.  Dharini has come... Yes.  She is also ok.  No.. no.. don't come..Yeah.. I will... ok. bye... take care..." Nilima said smiling.  Rini arched her eyebrows.

"Afroz... She is all excited to meet you.  She was all set to bunk the college and come here..." Nilima said smiling.  Rini was in her own thoughts.  The infiltration of the terrorists, the women battalion.. the name Afroz in the list flashed before her eyes and she suddenly turned. 

"Since when this Afroz became close to Dhaa, Mamma?" she asked suspiciously.

"Oh! Dhaa beat her in some shooting compition it seems and then became her big sister... Must be a few months back, when you went for your joint military exercise..." Nilima said casually.  Rini's mind racing for some clue...! 

"From where this Afroz appeared, suddenly, becoming so close to Dhaa...? And then these dramatic events took place in Dhaa's life...!  Afroz was with her all along... And now she is out of our lives....Have they reached my home?" she panicked for a moment. 

"Call this Afroz, Mamma.  I want to meet her..." she said making up her mind.  Nilima looked puzzled.
"Why Rini?" she asked, moving towards the phone.   Rini shook her head.  "Just want to talk this new girl in Dhaa's life" she said waiting for her mother to call Afroz...!


******  ****  ****

Dhatri walked in that mansion-like villa regretting her decision to wed Ravi.  Had she not met him, in the first place, all this would not have happened.  She glanced at her father guiltily.  He looked older than his age.  "This is all because of me.." she blamed herself looking at her father's grave face.  Mrs. Russel was busy inside preparing hot beverage for the guests and the baahoo of this house.  Bhanu stretched himself relaxing on the sofa and Disha opened her laptop.  Salil and Dhaa had nothing to do.  They both didn't know what would happen next.

Mrs. Russel came out and said ... "Mr. Deo would be here soon...." Bhanu grinned satisfyingly. Disha nodded.  Salil picked up the newspaper.  The wait was killing them.

The doorbell rang and Mrs. Russel hurried towards the door.   Salil looked up apprehensively.  Dhatri didn't know what to do... she just sat locking her fingers on her laps.

"Hey..." Mrs. Russel chirped and Sayajirao stepped in smiling broadly.  Mrs. Russel went to fix a drink for him.

"Dr. Salil..." Saya greeted and Bhanu hugged him.  Disha got up smiling.  The door opened again and she saw him... at the door ... her heart missed a beat.  Disha dashed forward to greet him. 

"What am I supposed to do? Smile at him? Say hi to him?" Dhatri fidgeted nervously.  Everyone had gone ahead to greet him... Dhatri was rooted to the ground.  He came in and looked at her. his heart missed a beat...!

"She is here...! What am I supposed to do? Hug her? What is she thinking about me? I am involved in the scam... I had promised her that I will come...!" his thoughts wandered as he looked at her.  She was gazing the floor standing behind the sofa, guarded...!

"Mr. Deo... I followed your instructions... " Mrs. Russel was a rescurer... Everyone looked at her. 
"Traditional welcome of Baahoo..." she said grinning and Disha nodded happily.

"Yeah... proper traditional welcome... three times clockwise..." she said grinning and the tension released with everyone laughing...! Ravi looked at his father and "I had given her proper instructions and told her how to welcome our bahu...!" he said simling at Dhatri.  Salil came and pushed Dhatri a bit.

"Take the blessings..." he ordered and she came forward reluctantly.  Saya looked at Ravi and he too came forward. 

"Go.. get blessings from Maa Vyaghreshwari first..." Saya sent them to pooja ghar.

Dhatri joined her hands closing her eyes..."Naak Ragado..." she remembered Indroneel uncle ordering her when she was here last time.  She sat down brushing her nose on the floor.  Ravi ensued.  Dhatri smiled looking at Ravi sitting next to her praying. 

"Mari mai...." they both said at once touching their foreheads to the floor. 

"Dhatri..." Ravi whispered with a guilt and Dhatri looked up for a fleeting second into his eyes and then without a word came out of pooja ghar...! Ravi stood there guilt laden.  He had not kept his promise...! He turned to the Idol of Vyaghreshwari..."I am sorry..." he said closing his eyes for a second and came out...!

"Sweets..." Mrs. Russel was all thrilled to welcome the Bahoo...! Ravi stole a glance at Dhatri and picked up the candied yam...! The plates were laden with pecan pie...!

"Hello..." Salil said softly as Ravi sat beside him.  Ravi forced a smile on his face.  Salil felt a stab in his heart.  Such a simple and nice family...! He held Ravi's hand and Saya spoke victoriously...!
"He was released yesterday as no prima-facie case could be established against him, personally...!  His company was in deep dungeons  He may be summoned for evidence though...! Disha clapped excitedly.

"Thank God!" she prayed hard and Dhatri glanced at Ravi.  "Why is he so serious? Is he not happy to see me?" she couldn't comprehend.  "How am I suppose to respond? Congratulate him?" she looked up confused and met Ravi's eyes.  She tried to smile, failing utterly and looked down immediately. 

"Congratulations Ravi..." Bhanu hugged him, pulling him up from the sofa..! Ravi's gaze wandered towards Dhatri.  She was tracing the non existent design of the carpet.  He again missed a heart beat. 
"Is she not happy to see me? Has she willingly come here? Was she forced? " his heart ached and as if reading his mind, she looked up.  She smiled flashing her dimples and his face lit up with pleasant smile.  They all looked up startled as the door flung open with a bang...!

She stepped in and froze....! So did everyone else...!