Standing By You (SidNaaz❤)

Chapter 21

Five days have passed since the day Shehnaaz was discharged from the hospital. Sidharth used to be with her most of the time as he did not have much to do till the college begins. Many times he would take Arpita with him so that Arpita would make her laugh with her silly talks.

It was afternoon and the senior Gills had gone to nearby town to attend a function of a distant relative and would be returning after a few days. Reet was relieved as she could atleast rest during day time and spennd some quality time with Shehnaaz befire she leaves for Delhi.

Sidharth was going towards Shehnaaz's room when Reet came out of the kitchen as she has finished making lunch and called him, "Sun puttar."

"Ji aunty." He halted near the stairs and replied.

"Vo idhar aa mere saath" saying this she took him to her room. There she gave him some crumpled ten and twenty rupees notes and said, "Vo uski maalish karne wali tube aur tel khatam hone aaya hai. Vo le aa, abhi Gurvinder ke papa bhi nahi hai ghar pe. Aur unse mein mangwana nahi chahti, phir gussa karengen meri gudiya pe."

Sidharth looked at the notes with astonishment. He was sure that she had probably hid some money from her family to be used in emergency and these were among those. His heart pained seeing the condition of Reet and Shehnaaz, who need to hide a few notes from the so-called family to be used when they knew none would help them. He hugged her and said, "Mein le aaunga, yeh paise aap wapas rakho."

"Tu pagal hai kya. Pehle hi uske ilaaj ka saara kharcha Ravindra bhaisahab ne uthaya hai. Mein aur takleef nahi de sakti tum sabko." Reet verbalized.

"Aunty aise paraya na karo mujhe" saying this he handed the money back to Reet and left to bring the cream and oil.

Gurvinder heard all this and was ashamed that his mother is asking Sidharth and not him for help. He never realized but he was the sole reason for this.

Reet came out and called Gurvinder for lunch. He asked her to join which shocked her but she didn't said anything. This was the way both mother and daughter were treating Gurvinder. He was also her son just like Shehnaaz but he never treated her as a mother.

In some time, Sidharth came with medicines. Reet took their lunch in plates and asked Sidharth to hold one plate. She took other two plates and went with him in Shehnaaz's room, leaving Gurvinder alone.

Shehnaaz saw them entering her room and tried to sit. Sidharth kept the plate and medicines on the table and then helped her to sit. Reet saw him with admiration in her eyes. Like Sudha, she also felt that they had something very pure between them. They all had their lunch with talks and laughter.

Gurvinder saw all this and was getting angry for being forgotten. He was moving out of his house in anger when he bumped with Arpita. His anger flew on seeing her and he spoke cheerfully, "Hello Arpita. Aa andar aa."

"Tu nahi bhi kehta toh bhi mein andar hi jaa rahi thi😒, didu se milne. Kaki ne bataya ki bhaiyu bhi yahi hai." She scoffed. He didn't do anything but his mere presence angered Arpita, specially after she came to know about his liking for her.

"Yaar aise kyu bol rahi hai. Chal aaja Shehnaaz apne kamre mai hai. Vo sab lunch kar rahe the." He spoke holding her hands.

"Tere haatho ko kaabu mai rakh Gurvinder. Varna ab toh mein sahi mai Mummy aur bhaiyu ko keh dungi." She said in an angry tone.

"Achha please gussa mat ho. Mein nahi pakad raha tera haath. Bass, ab chal." Saying this Gurvinder led Arpita to Shehnaaz's room.