Vishakha sat like a stone. She had given years of her life to Somani's family and house... listening to his mother's taunts... agreeing to keep her own son away from herself so that her love for his son, Rohan, doesn't get divided. Her involvement in the new family had preceded her thoughts for the little boy she had left behind. With the arrival of a daughter, she had stopped calling up for months together. Slowly, over the years, Sameer had stared to show indifference towards her which she had accepted as growing up tantrums. His rudeness was attributed to his friends circle in hostel. She did not pay much attention to her father's words when he had told her about Sameer's loneliness when he had run away from the hostel. Somehow, her husband and his mother always made her feel that Sameer was doing everything to gain her attention and he purposely was trying to make her feel guilty. Sameer was compared to her step son Rohan who was a soft spoken, mild mannered, hard working boy who always did well in studies and won medals.
And when Somani had asked her to get Sameer married to a girl of his choice one year back, citing a profitability business merger, she did not see anything wrong in it. He had been upset for days when it did not work out. But it was the girl who had called it off and they could not put the blame on Sameer. This time, however, this marriage had once again dashed the hopes of her husband... but he had never told her that he was forcing her for Sameer's marriage not because he cared, but because he had traded her son for money.
A feeling of disgust spread over her... more for herself than for the man she was married to... how could she be so blind so as not to see what he was doing... how could she not understand that her small boy had no one but her... she needed to give him the love of both parents... and she had snatched the only one he was left with. Her father had tried several times that she spends time with Sameer, but there was always some or the other requirement cropping up... or maybe, made to come up, she could see now. How could she be so blind, she hid her face in her palms and let the tears flow.
But now the time had gone... there was no scope left to rectify the wrong she committed... there was no redemption for her...
Now, she only wanted Sameer to be happy... to get someone to call his own... his family... one where he could get the love she had snatched away from him.
She got up, wiping her face. The years of brainwashing that her husband and his mother had done was cleaned away with the realisation and tears...
The reason for Sameer's bitterness was her... she herself. He was not to be blamed.
She was left with nothing but regret.
Picking up her bag, she went down to his room. For a moment, she hesitated at the door, then knocked softly.
Pandit jumped from the bed, dashing towards the door, "Bhai, kitna khana le aaya ki tere se darwaza bhi nahi khul raha... waise Ramdhari tu..."
His words froze as he saw who was at the door.
"Sameer ko bulana zara." Her smiling face made Pandit gape at her open mouthed.
He had always seen her with a scowl.
"Beta, Sameer ko bula do... jaane se pehle ek baar usse milna chahti hun." She could understand his expression.
Pandit turned, "Sameer... mausi... nahi... auntyji... tu... tujhe bula rahi hain."
Sameer came to the door as Pandit walked back in.
"Kahiye." He stood with crossed arms, blocking the way... it was clear he didn't want to enter the room.
Her eyes roamed over his face... the harshness that she had seen till the time she visited last had gone... his face, though it had a stern expression presently, was soft... there were no frown lines... no tensed jaw... he was relaxed...
