Godh Bharai

Chapter 2

"Be ready, we will start at 4"

Those words kept echoing her insides making way for more tears. Khushi stopped her trembling hands from stirring the kheer when she heard someone's footsteps behind. she turned back after wiping her tears hurriedly to find Anjali entering the kitchen.

"Khushiji, what are you doing here?" asked Anjali with surprise

"wo.. I'm .." she fumbled recovering from her earlier thoughts

"I got it. you are making 'kheer' so that you and chote can tell everyone the good news with sweet" beamed Anjali taking in the fragrance of kheer

"just now I received Akash's call. they all are returning back. So what can be perfect occasion to spill the beans"  rambled Anjali without knowing what effect those words had on Khushi

"di .. Arnavji .. he.." she tried to form a sentence without choking but failed miserably

"what happened Khushiji?" Anjali became alert after noticing Khushi's ashen face

When Khushi still wasn't able to form any sentence, racking with sobs. Anjali switched off the stove and took Khushi to her room.

"What did he say?" Anjali sounded strict, so different from earlier, as if the lady in kitchen was someone else

"he.. he will..  talk to.. you" Khushi hid her face in palm and started crying again

Anjali took a deep sigh making Khushi sit in bed and herself sitting beside.

"listen to me carefully Khushiji, I will never.. ever let him do anything wrong" Khushi was bewildered to see Anjali's determined look 

"how?" Khushi managed to whisper

"i know him in and out, khushiji.. I've spent all my life hiding his mistakes, but not anymore. now, it's not just about him. it's about You and this baby" told Anjali after a brief pause, trying to control her own tears

"di" the painful whisper from Khushi, broke her as she hugged her sister-in-law, consoling that she won't let any bad thing happen.

"now eat something, I know you must've skipped breakfast, also take rest, it's not good for my nephew, if you cry so much" Anjali tried to lighten the atmosphere after wiping her tears

"but Arnavji.."

"let him come. you stay here in my room" said Anjali before thinking something to herself

She forcefully fed Khushi some fruits and then made her sleep.

...

Anjali Singh Raizada was always a tough nut to crack, she was very much reserved even from childhood. Being elder daughter, the enormous love and freedom she got from her parents made her no better. Her every demand was fulfilled even before she repeat. She bent before no one. Her traits make her sober yet childish. If one don't look her close, they would think her to be an egoistic and the never breaking, strong girl. Little did they know, she too have a weakness and that is her 'Brother'. The reason being She was just 14 and her brother 8 when they lost their mother, in a fire accident. From the same instance she grew up some more, she felt a sense of protectiveness towards her brother and that's how she enveloped him from every odd, hiding every mistake of his'. And fulfilling all his demands by hook or crook.

She always saved him from their father's anger as they don't get well along with each other, reason being her brother's carelessness towards living life But Anjali never saw his fault. Both siblings were poles apart character wise, but inseparable.