Anu:- Mai Devika ko bolti hoo aapne abhi kya bola....

She said and Anuj panicked hearing this.

Anuj:- Anu Yrr please....

He forwarded his hand to stop her but failed.

However, as Anupama took a few steps ahead, she felt a tug on her shoulder.....a tug that caused her heart to race at the speed of thousand miles an hour.

She froze to her position not even moving an inch ahead thinking a thousand things that might have caused the tug but one of them stood out as the most prominent one....."him".

He could be the one holding onto her pallu.

She thought and this caused a flutter of butterflies in her stomach.

Was it because of Anuj?

She wondered.

She didn't know what to make of this feeling that had fogged her heart and her mind rendering her incapable to think.

She stood there gathering courage to look back at him but she couldn't.

Meanwhile, Anuj stood back contemplating the situation.

As soon as he had retracted his hands back, he had a felt a tug on his wrist. He looked down to check what it was and found the end of her pallu stuck in his watch.

The sight took him back to a time he didn't wanna remember.....his last interaction with her before she became someone else's.....the interaction which she was totally unaware of.

The tug on his wrist twenty seven years back was a way of his heart and universe telling him that don't let her go.....chances are she won't ever come back.....but he didn't listen to his heart that day and released the dupatta from his watch without her even getting a whiff of it.......and what happened after that day was still etched in his heart forever in terms of years of loneliness.

Now, twenty seven years later, he was standing in her kitchen with her pallu stuck in his watch the same way it was stuck twenty seven years ago.....the only difference this time was she was aware of it and so was he.....hence it was hard for him to let it go but he needed to.....for her and more importantly for himself.....he needed to let it and that uninvited feeling of hope in his heart go.

Closing his eyes and brushing off that nagging feeling in his heart that was stopping him, he sighed and lifted his other hand to free her pallu when she, finally gathering up some courage, turned back and looked at him.

He gulped down his throat as his eyes met her and so did she as her eyes lowered themselves to find her pallu stuck in his watch.

Anu:- Wo.....

She spoke trying her best to supress the foreign feeling that have been erupting in her mind and her heart since the moment she felt that tug.

Anuj:- Umm....wo...

He stuttered coming out of his daze and taking a few steps ahead to avoid any kind of damage to her saree but stopped midway seeing the reaction on her face.

She was flabbergasted by his move and felt nervous at the closeness.

Taking this reaction of hers for her being uncomfortable, he took a step back without retracting back the hand in which her pallu was stuck and looked at her mumbling a "sorry".

Anuj:- Sorry.....I was just trying to....

He said pointing towards her shoulder and her saree stuck in his watch and she realised he was just trying to not cause any kind of wear and tear.

She nodded and took a few steps back into the kitchen towards him.

Both had totally forgotten that there were people sitting in the hall and both were looking at each other in awkwardness thinking of getting out of the situation but neither of them were moving a finger to make it happen.

They were standing frozen to their place in the kitchen oblivious of the world when a loud laughter echoed in the entire hall and the kitchen bringing them back from their daze.

They immediately broke the eye contact and looked towards the source of laugh. It belonged to no one but their friend Devika who was laughing at some joke Vikram cracked.

Suddenly, that laugh reminded Anupama of how much Devika is going to tease her the entire week if she comes to know that her pallu got stuck in Anuj's watch the same way it does in bollywood romantic masala movies.

Immediately turning towards Anuj, she signalled him to free her pallu and shifted her focus onto the tea kept on the stove trying her best to act normal so that Devika doesn't get a whiff of the situation.

Anuj, on the other hand, got busy in detaching the pallu from his watch which didn't take him more than a few seconds. However when the time came to let go of the end from his other hand, he hesitated and held onto it tightly.

The last time he let go of it.....the fate took her away from him and pushed her into the darkness called the Shah House. He knew the scenario today was different and this little incident held no meaning but an unknown feeling stirred his guts.....a feeling of uneasiness.....that soon turned into fear as a shrill voice noise reverberated through the entire room.

ANUPAMAAAA......

A loud noise boomed through the main door turning everyone's attention towards it including Anupama and Anuj's.

Anupama:- Baa...

The name escaped her lips as soon as she lifted her eyes from the stove at the noise and looked at the person standing at the door.

She immediately switched off the gas and made her way out of the kitchen towards the door.

And in the process, the small end of pallu that Anuj held onto so tightly slipped away from his hand and his heart sank at the thought of what was going to happen.

However, supressing the negative thoughts that were engulfing his mind, he followed Anupama into the hall and stood where everyone was standing trying to maintain a calm face.

Anu:- Baa.....Aap yha!!

She gasped as soon as she reached the door where Baa stood making an irked face.

In the last one year, Baa had only visited Anupama when there was something wrong in the Shah House.....that too.....she never visited at her apartment but only at the dance academy knowing that Devika lived there as well.

Hence, Baa visiting her at her apartment scared the hell out of her and she feared that something terrible might have happened at the Shah House.

Anu:- Ghar pe sab theek to hai Baa?.....Bapuji....bacche?

She asked worried but Baa gave her an irked look.

She had come to Anupama's apartment to politely persuade her to get Vanraj off the case but seeing Anupama's mother and brother sharing laughs with the people that are the reason behind her son's life is in a mess irked her to the core.

However, she tried to remain silent but then her eyes went to Anupama and Anuj in the kitchen sharing a deep eye lock oblivious to her presence and to that of the people around and this drove her off the edge.

Sirf dost nahi hai Baa.....purana aashiq hai.....aashiq.....Vanraj ne khud bola hai..

Kavya's words that she had dismissed earlier considering it to be nonsense now echoed in her mind and she wasn't able to control anymore.

ANUPAMAAA

She shouted at the top of her voice as she entered the apartment and as Anupama came running to her asking about the well being of Bapuji and the kids, she wondered how to use them against her.

Baa:- Tere rehte hue sab theek kaise ho sakta hai....

She taunted Anupama in reply to her earlier question and both GK and Anuj were shocked at the tone of her voice.

Baa:- Sharam nahi aati tujhe.....jin logo ki wajah se tera parivaar pareshani me hai......tu unke saath hi baith ke khusiyaan mana rahi hai....

She said in her shrill sharp voice and Anupama looked at Anuj and Vikram who were standing behind her.

Not wanting them to get caught in the crossfire that might happen in a few seconds from now, she tried to convince Baa to come with her into the room.

Anu:- Baa....aapko jo bhi baat karni hai.....andar kamre me chal ke karte hai....

She requested but Baa denied it in a second.

Baa:- Kyu?.....yaha sabke saamne baat karne me kya takleef hai tujhe?

She rebuffed Anupama which annoyed everyone present in the room especially Devika who immediately walked upto stand beside Anupama in support.

Devika:- Takleef koi aur nahi.....aap hai Baa.....aap yaha baat karne nahi.....tamasha karne aayi hai.

She spoke in a furious tone irritating Baa even more.

Baa:- Tamasha mai nahi teri yeh dost kar rahi hai.....

She stated in an irked voice pointing towards Anupama and Devika chuckled at her allegation.

Devika:- Accha to aab kya kar diya isne?

She paused and looked at the Baa with a smirk.

Devika:- Sorry let me rephrase....aab kya kar diya aapke parivaar ne jiska ilzaam aap Anu pe lagane aayi hai?

She sneered at Baa and the comment infuriated her.

Baa:- Tu mere parivaar ke baare me na hi bol to accha hoga.....tera khud ka parivaar to tune tod diya....aur aab mere.....

She began hurling insults at Devika and it became difficult for Anuj and Vikram to endure it but before she could spew further insults, Anupama interrupted.

Anu:- BAA.....BAS HN....

She dictated in a stern voice and Baa stopped.

Anu:- Bas.....aapko jo bolna hai mujhse boliye.....Devika ko beech me laane ki zaroorat nahi hai.

She warned her but Baa wasn't ready to give up.

Baa:- Theek hai to tujhse hi bolti hoo....

She said turning the argument towards Anupama.

However, Anupama stopped her again and Baa frowned at the interruption.

Anu:- Ekach minute.

Anupama looked at Baa and then turned towards her family who was standing beside her.

Anu:- Bhavesh....Maa aur Nihaal ko leke ghar jaa....aur.....Anuj.....Vikram....aap log bhi Kaka ke saath ghar jaiye.

She stated looking at Bhavesh and Anuj urging them to take GK and her mom home before Baa brings them into her drama. However, before they can agree to or deny her request, her mother Kanta stepped in.

Kanta:- Anu.....Bhavesh aur Nihal ko ghar jaane de.....mai yaha se kahi nahi jaa rahi.....dekhu to sahi aaj Leela Ben teri kaun si galti nikalne aayi hai....

She said coming and standing in between Anupama and her as Anupama's shield but Baa knew very well how to get past that protection. Afterall, she had been doing that for years.

Baa:- Haan to dekho na.....tumahri beti me galtiyaan nikalni nahi padti.....bhar bhar ke hoti hai....

She retorted and Anupama and her mom sighed hearing this for the nth time. Meanwhile, Anuj and Vikram looked at Devika wondering why was Baa here but Devika just shrugged in response indicating she has no idea.

Kanta:- Leela Ben.....meri beti ne zindagi me sirf ek galti ki hai.....aur wo hai aapke bete se shaadi.

She said giving Baa a befitting reply and Devika grinned at this widely.

Baa:- Galti usne shaadi karke nahi.....mere bete ko talak deke ki hai.....mera ghar tod ke ki hai.

She snapped back at Kanta in a loud voice thinking that she will cave but to her shock, she didn't.

Not wanting to escalate the situation further, Anupama tried to stop Kanta but she ignored her completely.

Kanta:- Ghar meri beti ne nahi.....aapke bete ne toda hai Leela Ben......shaadi shuda hone ke baad bhi kisi dusri aurat se sambhand meri beti ne nahi.....aapke bete ne rakkhe the.

She stated giving Baa a much needed reality check which enraged Baa to the core.

Baa:- Usme bhi galti tumahri beti ki hi thi.....agar wo use ghar me khush rakh paati.....to wo ghar ke bahar khusiyaan dhundne nahi jaata.

She retaliated in a brutal way and the blow stung Anupama like never before.

Earlier, Baa used to make such remarks in the four walls of their home but today she insulted her in front of her friends and that too with something that should never be used in public even for an argument's sake but Baa did exactly that and used Anupama's private marital life to insult her in public.

This left everyone stunned except those who had already known Baa and the level she can stoop to, to blame others for her son's mistakes.

Everyone was silent not knowing what to say after such a derogatory remark and Anuj's eyes were fixated on Anupama who was standing still to her place.

[📸:- Feminist Radha__twitter]

He looked for some kind of anger in her but the only thing he could see in her eyes was hurt.....deep hurt.....and it made sense. From what he had heard from Devika, Anupama considered Baa like her mother and hearing such an insulting comment from your own mother about your private life would cause nothing but pain.

Not being able to see her so distressed, he closed his eyes to reign in his anger feeling helpless that he can do nothing to ease her pain.

This helplessness of his didn't go unnoticed by Vikram who was noticing him and Anupama all along.

Vikram was keeping silent because he wanted Anupama to take a stand for herself the same way she does for others but seeing her quiet and silently gulp down a sob he knew she needed some strength today.

He looked at Devika for help but she was busy pacifying Kanta after what Baa said.

Meanwhile, Baa considered everyone's silence as her victory and taunted with a smirk....

Baa:- Kya hua sach bola to sabki bolti band ho gayi.....aab nahi bolna kuch tum logo ko....

She commented in triumph and Anuj's eyes flew open at this.

He was about to retort back but GK looked at him and sternly nodded in a no stopping him from doing anything rash.

Seeing everyone silent and not responding to Baa's disgusting remarks, Vikram walked over to Anupama and placed his hand on her shoulder.

She turned her head slightly to look back at Vikram and he nodded in a no gesturing that it's not the time to fall weak but to fight back.

Anuj gestured her the same as her eyes went a little sideways and fell on him.

Knowing what to do next, Anupama gripped Vikram's hand that was over her shoulder tightly to gain some strength and walked from there to stand in front of Baa.

Anu:- Baa

She began in a respectful yet stern tone.

Anu:- Mai aapse pyaar karti hoo.....aapki izzat karti hoo....iska matlab yeh nahi hai ki aap kuch bhi bolengi aur mai sunungi.

She stated looking at Baa and Baa rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Baa:- Haan dekh rahi hoo mai...tu meri kitni izzat karti hai....

She replied trying to get back under Anupama's skin but this time Anupama ignored it.

Anu:- Mujhe laga aap yaha koi zaruri baat karne aayi hai.....lekin Devika sahi keh rahi thi....aap baat karne nahi tamasha karne aayi hai....isiliye please aap....

She continued but stopped realising she can't blatantly ask Baa to leave.....it would be disrespectful to her.

However, Baa understood what she was about to say and got furious at it.

Baa:- Please kya?.....tu mujhe yha se jaane ko keh rahi hai...

She called Anupama out on it but Anupama choose to remain silent not wanting to say it explicitly.

Baa:- Agar tujhe lagta hai ki mai yha se apni baat kahe bina chali jaungi.....to yeh teri galatfaimi hai.

Baa added and Devika understood Anupama's quandary.

Anupama wanted Baa to stop with her usual drama but at the same time she didn't want to insult her by asking her to leave. Moreover, telling Baa to leave would only rile her up even more.

Devika thought to herself and decided to take the matter in her own hands.

Devika:- Aapko baat bolni hai na Baa.....to aaram se aur tameez se boliye.....yun chilla ke nahi.....is building me humare alawa aur bhi log rehte hai.