Unwanted Arrangement

3.

Massi - Aunt
Maamu - Uncle
Badi Papa- Big father/ Uncle
Badi maa - Big mother / Aunt

Ishika Ahuja

"She's stable for now. But make sure to not give her any stress." I listened to the doctor carefully, as she examined maa." And her blood pressure is low, so make sure she eats something." I muttered a thank you to the doctor, who scribbled some prescription of medicines and handed it to Badi Maa before one of the servants walked her out.

I close my fingers around my mother's palm, assuring myself with the tiny pulse and barely there warmth I can feel on her.

My phone vibrated, and I ignore it. I've already told my assistant to push back any meetings I've had for a couple of days.

Badi Maa handed over the prescription to Raju, ordering him to buy them.

Raju leaves shutting the door behind me, leaving just me, badi maa and our security head, Gopal, alone in the room with maa.

"What happened to her?" I question her quietly, "How does she know the Kulkarni's? And why did she react that way on hearing about Mahesh Kulkarni's condition? And why the hell did you allow Daksh Kulkarni into our estate? He couldn't have come in without your permission."

I

Badi ma sighed, running her tired eyes over my maa's figure, "Ishika, I didn't approve of any visit by Kulkarni's. It is clearly your mother's doing. You can ask our security head, Gopal."

He nodded in my direction, confirming that maa was the one who allowed them in.

I turn back to badi maa, only to find her gaze fixated on maa, a conflict of emotions swirling in her eyes. My mom and badi maa had a cordial relationship but at times like this, I catch a glimpse of something unspoken creating a friction between them.

"You haven't answered my other question yet."

"You shouldn't worry yourself over these things. Just go back to office and don't worry about Piya. We'll take care of her."

I couldn't do that. Not when I've seen how maa lost a hold of herself today.

"Why won't you tell me what the reason is? Why is it such a secret?" I ask, my voice instinctively raising.

"Calm down, Ishika." I raise at the familiar voice, feeling the tension in my bones dissipate, relieved that I'll finally get my answers, even if I knew she was gonna be mad for hurling accusations at her mom.

Ananya Ahuja walks in with a black blazer wrapped around her shoulders , layered above white jumpsuit and black bouncy hair falling down just below her shoulders.

"I understand you're restless but yelling at mom won't give you the answers you want." She reprimands me, handing over a brown bag she dragged in with her to her mom.

"I've talked to the doctor on the way, she said maasi fainted because of stress. What happened mom?" She asked her mom softly, after dragging over the chair to maa's bedside and making me sit down.

"The Kulkarni's came over."

"What?" She sputtered out, looking at her mom with barely concealed surprise.

"Yes. And they bought the news that Mahesh Kulkarni is dying."

Realisation dawns on Ananya's face. I was right to suspect Ananya knew something of the origin of Kulkarni-Ahuja feud.

"Oh. Is it true?" Ananya asked suspiciously.

Which left me and maasi speechless.

"It's okay if you asked something like that here. Don't blurt out the same question infront of anyone else." Maasi replied, looking like she was stressing about an universe in which Ananya blurted out that to others.