Meera smiled cheerfully after hearing her sister words and replied her sister in cheerful tone as she kept the money on her sister hand,

“It's okay, akka. You have every right to scold me. Moreover, what I did was wrong. Keep this money for household expenses, akka. You are already struggling without a job to manage household expenses.”

Harshika looked her sister surprisingly, who once played with her as a small child, now behaving and talking like a matured girl. Harshika felt happy when she heard her sister talk about the hardships at home and the sense of responsibility. Harshika patted her sister cheek dotingly and teased in a happy tone,

“When did my small sister turned into mature girl ??.”

Listening to her sister indirect appreciation, meera straightened her posture and complained in blubby tone as her face brightened in bliss,

“Akka.. I had become a mature girl years ago. But you are the one who treating me like a child.”

Harshika smiled and hugged her sister and told her in a loving tone,

“You are not yet reached the age to worry about anything. So, enjoy your youth and concentrate on your studies. Moreover, I'm here, right ??. I will never allow you to face any problems in your life. You don't need to worry about my job. Somehow, I will find a job soon. Okay..”

Meera give a fake smile to harshika and left to college with the firm thought that she also won't let any problem come into her sister life anymore.

After sending aarav to school, harshika did remain household works. At noon after having lunch, she got ready and went to hospital to see her mama who is still in hospital in coma state. Truth to be told, harshika is in same situation like meera said. Without a job and enough money in her hand, she don't know that how she was going to manage household expenses, house rent and her cousin's education expense. Moreover, she affirmed with house owner that she would pay the house rent in two days. She don't know that how she was going to pay house rent in two days.

Many of them were not ready to rent a house to her after knowing the reason of her marriage stopped. But this house owner not only rented the house to her but also asked her to come and stay in the house without asking her to pay any advance. Harshika knows that it's not right, not to pay such a man at the appointed time. She felts sad while thinking about her situation.

She can only manage everything smoothly if she gets a job. When she is thinking about getting job, she felt as everything happening around her life is an incomprehensible mystery. Some of the hotels where she went to look for job, they would directly declare that no vacancy. However, in few hotels, they would select her for work and would ask her to come and join the work next day. Next day when she goes to the hotel to join the work as they informed, they would state that some misunderstanding is happened and there is no vacancy in their hotel currently. It remains a mystery to her that why does this happen the next day after she gets a job ??.

Harshika shook her head in order to come out of her thoughts and entered into her mama ward. Harshika walked towards her mama who is laying on the bed without any movement except breathing. Seeing the condition of her mama, harshika eyes filled with tears. Harshika held her mama wrinkled hand in her hands and begin to speak in a broken tone,

“Mama.. Open your eyes, mama. I can't see you in this condition. It's breaking my heart, mama. I can manage everything, mama if you are with me. I was wrong, mama. Everything I did was wrong. Seven years ago, I should have listened to your words. If I had listened to your words that day, we would not be in this situation now. I'm sorry, mama. Don't punish me now for that, mama. Please open your eyes, mama. Please.. Please..”

After crying out everything in her heart, harshika stayed with her mama for a few more minutes and left the ward to start her job hunting process. As she came out of the ward, she was shocked to see the person standing outside the ward.

Regardless of her shock look, grandma went near to her and complained and piled up questions to her in sad tone,

“Arshika.. I am angry with you. What did I say to you that day ??. Didn't I asked you to come home ??. Then, why you didn't come home ??. If I asked my stupid grandson about you, he is saying some kind of excuses everytime. I thought that there would be small misunderstanding between you guys and you guys would sort out it within few days. But, two weeks have passed. I don't feel like you both have resolved the issue between you guys yet. I couldn't remain silent anymore. Tell me. What exactly happened between you both on that night ??. Did you both fight on first night itself ??.”

While grandma questioning her, harshika stood there silently with dumbfound expression on her face, without knowing how to convince grandma. How could she tell grandma that her grandson is not ready to accept her as his wife ??. Harshika kept quiet with the intention of not wanting to hurt grandma by telling her everything that happened. Harshika widened her eyes by hearing grandma next enquiry,

“Arshika.. Where is your thali (wedding chain) ??. Why didn't you put saffron on your forehead ??. Don't you know married women should keep saffron on their forehead to have long life for their husband ??. Harshika, please don.”

Grandma queries paused due to raghavan sudden entry and his voice.

“Grandma.. What are you doing here ??.”

Raghavan who had been working in his office, came to know that his grandma has gone to harshika mama admitted hospital through his bodyguards. Understanding that his grandma went to hospital to meet harshika, raghavan went to hospital with the thought that grandma would force harshika to come to his home and live with him.

On the other hand, raghavan presence brought ray of happiness in harshika heart. Her face brightened spontaneously, and her lips slipped out a smile. Changes in her emotions due to his presence even surprised her. Her heart did not care about any of her doubts, as her heart and eyes are enchanted by him. Her heart pained when she saw sadness in his eyes, the dark circles around his eyes and his full-grown beard. All this clearly showing that he was distressed about something. By seeing his condition, her mind arose many questions to her.

Is he being upset for married her ??.

Is he bothered due to his grandma constant query about her ??.

Is he distraught due to his grandma constant nagging to brought her to home and live with her ??.

Is he anxious as he had no idea how to throw her out from his life ??.

Meanwhile, grandma who felt distressed after seeing harshika look like an unmarried girl, went to the lord ganesha statue which is placed at the entrance of hospital and took saffron from there. Grandma came back to them with saffron in her hand and extend it in front of raghavan and stated in firm tone,

“Raghu.. You came at the correct time. Come here. Keep this saffron on her forehead.”