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“Saya...” she recovered first, dashed in and hugged him tightly.

“I am so happy...!” she chocked with emotions.  Ravi couldn’t believe his eyes.  Sayajirao had not told him anything. 

“Dad?” He turned to his father in disbelief.  How could he?

“Sonny....!” Sanyogita blocked his way trying to hug him too...!

“No..!” his repulsive force stopped her instantly. 

“Dad? What is she doing here?” he turned to his dad clenching his fists.

“Oh! Yeah..! I moved in...! We are back together...” she said brightly before Sayajirao could open his mouth and find some words to explain.  Ravi stagerred backwards, in shock.  

“Finally.... you are out, my son... I don't have words to express my happiness..!” she came again to hug him wiping her eyes. 

“Stop there..!” he yelled at the top of his voice.   

Salil and Dhatri winced.  Salil clutched Dhatri’s hand and turning, said, 

“I have to attend a phone call...” he pulled Dhatri along and went out of the room to the poolside.  He wouldn’t put Sayajirao in emberrasing position.  It was their family matter, he wouldn’t want to interfere.  He wanted to keep Dhatri away from being dragged into the discussion.  He would do everything possible to safeguard his daughter. 

They both sat on the edge of the pool nervously, not knowing what would happen now.  Dhatri again repented of having come here...! The raised voices were ringing in her head reverberating ... She was frightend to the core.  Helplessness creeped in.  Salil had lost all his strength...!

“Yeh Kahan phas gai meri beti...! Where has she landed herself....!” he just couldn’t comprehend.  Dhatri was shivering.  He held her protectively making up his mind to take her back to India...! They could hear Sanyogita yelling..!

“We will go back, Dhaa...!” he assured her as she looked up frightened.  

Inside, the storm was shattering everything.....

“How could you, Dad?” Ravi asked anguished, agitated..!

“After all we are a family, Sonny! You can’t deny...I am the one who looked after this house when you were rotting in that prison of Nebraska... I gave him support...I love hin!!” Sanyogita spoke holding Sayajirao’s hand.  He looked demented, petrified...! Ravi glared at them for a minute and turned his back on the couple.  Bhanu tried to stop him.

“Ravi...” Bhanu held his hand.  Sayajirao dashed forward...! 

“Ravi, no! Please...” Finally he found his voice after moving away from her.  But she was not to give up.  She knew the bond.  Unless the bond was broken, she wouldn’t get what she wanted.  She had taken advantage of the situation to make an entry into their lives.  The rift must be wide enough.. Unbridgeable.!

Sayajirao was shattered with the news of his son being turned in for interrogation.  He had left everything and went to support his son.  She had given him hope that she would do everything possible to get their son out of the mess.  He again had given in, in his moment of weakness.  She virtually had done nothing but the hope that she is trying her best to collect evidence which would bring their son out of it.  

“Stop it Saya... He is a grown up man now...! Let him handle his own problem...! That Sex scandle.....” she came nearer and held Sayajirao’s hand again. But this time he jerked it away cutting her off...

“He has not done anything like that...!” Bhanu spoke angrily...

“Ravi...” Saya called out losing his strength.  Bhanu came forward to support his uncle Saya.  Disha just gaped in shock.  

“I am calling the cops... Dad... We have a restraint order...” he turned to his father fuming..!

“Oh yes! Go ahead and call the cops, sonny.  Your father has already withdrawn the request.. He loves me!” she spat back and Ravi froze in shock.  Sayajirao could only shake his head with a gaping mouth.  

“No...!” he could only say.  

“Why Saya... Why are you so helpless? For how long is he going to grow on your resources..! Its time, he decides what he wants to do...Get a life, Sonny, of your own...!” Sanyogita said and Bhanu pounced on her.  Disha was shocked...! “She is the one who told all sob stories about sexual abuse and brutality of the same Sayajirao...” Disha’s head was all riot...!

“Just stop it Maasi... For God sake... Stop this..” he yelled and Disha got up to support her husband.  

“You stay out of this! This is our family matter...” Sanyogita snapped and Bhanu staggered back at once, realizing that he was over stepping...! Disha came and held Bhanu’s hand.  

“Ravi....!” Sayajirao tried to move away from her to reach up to his son...! Ravi had already reached the door.  

Poolside...

Dhatri was shivering nervously wrapping her hands over her knees.  She could hear the chaotic  screeching noises, she couldn't bear.  The jungle bloody male fights were much better than these arguments...! She pressed her hands on her ears trying to stop the horrifying thoughts... This had never happened in her family...? Her family? Which is her family? This was her family now.  She must do something to stop this... or just walk out of this family and enter the cozy protective bounds of her family... her parents.. her Rini didi would embrace her...! She was sure...! Her papa would take her back... away from this complexity...She would be back to her simple life...! 

"But... But.. Mamma said this is my rightful place...!" she turned her face in anguish.  But Papa and Rini didi will tell her... She will take me back.  She pressed her spinning head for a long time... The yelling had not stopped...!

Dhatri had had enough. There was no point staying here like this...! She got up with a jerk shocking Salil.

“What? Dhaa? Where are you going?” he asked trying to get up.  She walked inside without even glancing at her father’s ghostly face.  Salil dashed behind her.

The heated argument inside died out suddenly seeing Dhatri at the door.  She came in, went to Sayajirao, held his hand, pulled him along... Went to the door... clasped Ravi’s wrist to his shock, and turned with them.  

 Dragging both of them along amidst gazes of others, she started walking away.  They both walked along with her, hypnotized..! She took them to the library went inside with them.  Left their hands... gazed at them for a fleeting second and turning her back came out, closing the door behind, locking them inside with each other..! Disha gaped horror struck...!

Dhatri came into the hall again.... picked up the magazine, sat on the sofa...opening it...!

Again Sanyogita was the first to recover...!

“Who the hell are you?” she yelled snatching away the magazine and throwing it away with force. The control was slipping out of her hands... Dhatri looked up calmly. Salil dashed forward and sat beside Dhatri putting his hand around her protectively.  Sanyogita spat fire.

“Out... out of my house..! Right now...!” she yelled and Dhatri looked past her.  Mrs. Russel was standing there clutching the door nob.  

“Coffee...” Dhatri said ignoring Sanyogita completely and everyone turned.  

“Ye.. Yes..!” Mrs. Russel turned nodding furiously and went into the kitchen to prepare coffee for the Bahu...! 

“Bhanu.. I want these people out of this house...!” Sanyogita turned to Bhanu glaring at Disha and Salil..! Dhatri was unmoved.

“Maasi... stop this...! She is Ravi’s wife...!” Bhanu said aghast.

“This is Saya’s house! My husband’s house..!” Sanyogita again turned to Salil.

“You should leave now...!” she said and Salil got up.

“Wait a minute...!” Bhanu raised his hand and turning to Sanyogita said in a deadly voice...!

“You are wrong again, Maasi...! This is Ravi’s house too! And Dhatri is Ravi’s wife...And Saya uncle is not your husband... You divorced him long back...! And Ravi stays here...” He held his wife’s hand.  Sanyogita smiled contemptuously.  

“Boys don’t stay with their parents after sixteen...” she said “And people don’t come here uninvited...” she turned to salil again.  But Dhatri had managed to switch on the music system struggling with the remote.  Iggy Azalea’s ‘Beg for it..’ Boomed.  Bhanu had a smile on his face.  He sat laid back on the sofa enjoying the music.  

“Lets wait for them...” he gestured at the closed library door...! 

Inside the library....

Sayajirao gaped in shock.  “Why did she do that?” he looked back at his son in bewilderement.  Ravi was gazing at the closed door, realising that Dhatri had locked them up to sort it out, without any interruption.  Dhatri always failed with words, but her actions spoke volumes..! 

“Why Dad?” he asked anguished.  He needed to know.  Sayajirao gazed at his son, then at the closed door and leapt forward to hug his son.  

“Sonny.. Please... I am sorry... Please don’t leave me..! You are the only one I have...” he broke down kneeling on the floor.  Ravi’s heart twisted.  He pulled him up in a tight embrace. 

“Dad..! No! Don’t..” he patted on his father’s back.  Whenever Ravi needed a mother, Saya had become his mother... Now it was his turn to become Saya’s father...! 

“Dad.... I can understand... But please I need to know...Honestly, Dad.. do you still love her?” Ravi asked holding his father at arms length and gazing at him intently.

“No..!” Sayajirao shook his head.  “I am sorry, Ravi... I failed you again... I am the same person... Timid, weak, vulnerable...! She gave me hopes that she would help me pull you out...” he said guilt laden.  Ravi shook his head hopelessly.

“You know, Dad..That was not possible...! It would take its own time...” he said pitying his father. 

“I know... But at that time, I was so dejected... I fell for her tricks... I .. I thought she has changed ..  I failed miserably...” he said swallowing hard.  Ravi hugged his father tightly.

“You are my mother and my father, both, Dad..! We don’t need her.  She cannot change Dad... You will be robbed again of all your wealth and peace and she will again leave you bleeding to death.... Please understand, Dad..!” Ravi said gravely.

“Please don’t leave me, Ravi...!” Sayajirao looked miserable. Ravi’s insides twisted.  

“No Dad.. I will never leave you... Even if you kick me out of your life.. I will come back again, shamelessly...” Ravi tried to make it lighter.  Sayajirao hid his face in his palms.  

“Why am I so weak, Ravi?” he asked anguished.  Ravi gazed into his eyes..!

“You are not weak, Dad... you are too simple to understand her moves... You are a very bad chess player..! The person who finds the faults in machines with one glance, cannot understand the flaws in human beings...!” he said making Sayajirao sit on the armchair and giving him a glass of water.  He kept patting on Saya’s back and after a while, when he sensed that Saya had recovered, asked gravely..

“So what have you decided, Dad?” Sayajirao looked at him, got up, smile appeared on his face...

“With my son by my side and daughter in law by his side, I don’t need anyone...!” he said holding Ravi’s hand.  

“Help me throw her out...” he whispered while knocking on the door calling out... “Bahu...!” 

Outside...

Sanyogita was fuming with rage.  She couldn’t do anything.  She tried to go to the library but Dhatri had blocked her holding her hand and she had jerked away.  Dhatri again had felt the resistance... the hatred... Sanyogita had tried to push her away... but this time, Dhatri was prepared.  She pulled Sanyogita along and made her sit on the chair.  She looked at the kitchen door and Mrs. Russel understood her unspoken words.  She hurriedly fixed a drink for Sanyogita....! 

Dhatri heard... “Bahu..” from inside, after a while and ran towards the Library door.  Salil took of sigh of relief.  But without opening the door she came back.

“Coffee?” she was at the kitchen.

“Ye..Yes... Ready..” Mrs. Russel said pouring coffee in the mugs.  Dhatri ran towards Library...!