Standing By You (SidNaaz❤)

Chapter 31

Sidharth and Shehnaaz were standing at the railway station where they spotted Gurvinder. Shehnaaz didn't look in Gurvinder's eyes and kept her eyes down, not due to fear. But because she doesn't want him or his family to know about her; her pains, her fears...anything for that matter. She has changed a little in these past months, not much. Still she had taken steps to overcome the hurt she used to feel due to her so-called family.

Sidharth hugged Gurvinder out of formality. Gurvinder even tried to hug Shehnaaz when she suddenly said, "Chale Sidharth. Bahut thak gayi hun." Sidharth nodded as he sensed her discomfort. Gurvinder was disheartened but he couldn't force her.

They went home. As they got down from the cab, they saw Aasha standing there watching Arpita who was buying something from a nearby grocery store. Sidharth and Shehnaaz went to her and greeted her by touching her feet, one by one. She blessed them but it sounded like a mere formality. By this time, Arpita has seen her brother and came running to him even without purchasing what her mother asked for.

As usual she jumped on him and hugged him tight. Arpita then complained, "Aapne bataya nahi aap aane wale ho."

"I told Maa. Tujh se baat hi nahi hui bahut din se isliye nahi bata paaya." Sidharth replied. Arpita felt sad as she knew she talked to him very less nowadays and she knew the reason, her mother.

Shehnaaz who was seeing all this decided to leave them. Arpita was about to hug her too but she saw her going inside her house along with Gurvinder. She felt bad as she knew that she herself was the reason of this broken bond between them. And for whom she broke this relationship : Gurvinder. She decided that she will try to talk to her again.

☆

At Sidharth's house,

"Aa gaya mera bacha." Sudha said hugging him. The hug lasted long as both Sidharth and Sudha felt emotional. She took him to his room and asked him to freshen up and change into comfortable clothes. When he came out of the washroom, he found his mother sitting on the bed. On the bedside table, he saw a plate full of food. He smiled and said, "Maa, itna khaana. Yeh zyaada nahi hai mere akele ke liye."

"Toh kisne kaha yeh khaana tere akele ke liye hai. Mein bhi toh hun na." Sudha replied happily. She was very happy today after all her son has come.

"Maa, time dekho 3 baj gaye hai. Aapne kyu nahi khaaya. Tabiyat kharab ho jaayegi na." Sidharth asked, worried for her health.

"Ek din late khaaungi toh kuch nahi hoga. Aaj apne bete ke saath khaaungi toh khaana aur bhi zyaada ang lagega." Sudha replied.

They ate together and talked about everything they could think of.

After lunch, Sidharth was laying on his mother's lap who was massaging his head when he asked, "Maa, Badi maa bahut change ho gayi hai na. Aajkal na toh vo baat karti hai aur jab mein aage se karta hun toh aisa lagta hai bass formality ke liye baat kar rahe hai."

"Hmm...pata nahi kya ho gaya hai bhabhi ko. Unke bhai se vo bahut baate karne lagi hain aur tab se unka nature change hota jaa raha hai. Arpita ko bhi daant dia tha ek din jab vo mere paas beith kar tujh se baate kar rahi thi. Pehle toh boards ka bolti thi par ab toh vo bhi ho gaye hai. Pata nahi kya hota jaa raha hai unko, mein toh kuch bolti hi nahi hun ki faltu mai ghar kalesh hoga." Sudha told him about the ongoing family tension.

"Mein try karun unko samjhaane ki ek baar, agar aap kaho toh?" Sidharth asked his mother, who smiled looking at her baby seeing him becoming mature.