Anjali saw Astha ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs tears streaming down her face
"Astha...Astha" she called out to her but Astha didn't stop to listen so Anjali followed her up the stairs
Astha ran into her and room and threw herself onto the bed her tears and sobs uncontrollable at what she had just witnessed in the kitchen when she went to make tea for Shlok as he would be arriving home from the office soon.
Anjali came in and saw Astha crying on the bed and sat next to her "Astha yeh tu..."
But stopped when Astha threw herself into Anjali's lap and cried her out "Sab kuch khatam ho gaya Sasu bai...sab kuch...sob...sob...sub kuch khatam ho gaya"
Anjali froze she didn't know what to do but seeing Astha broken she let her facade drop and placed her hand on Astha's head
"Astha pehle mujhe batao hua kya hai" Anjali said wiping away Astha's tears
"Sasu Bai voh...sob...voh...sob" Astha cried and then relayed to Anjali what she had seen in the kitchen
FLASHBACK
Astha was in her room tidying up the room when she glanced at the clock
"Shlok abhi kisi bhi waqt aate hi honge mein unke liye chai banati hoon" she said heading to the kitchen
Anjali who was in the living room asked her "Astha kya kar rahi ho"
"Voh Sasu Bai Shlok aate honge to unke liye chai bana rahi thi"
"Theek hai jao" Anjali said returning to the task in her hands, she smiled as Astha headed to the kitchen "Chalo aacha hai Astha ko toh Shlok ki fiqar hai warna yeh Sojal toh" she said shaking her head.
When Astha got to the kitchen the sight in front of her brought her entire world crashing down she could feel her heart breaking into a million pieces she grabbed the wall for support as she saw Shlok carrying Aditi in his arms and staring into her eyes. Astha unable to take it anymore ran to her room crying.
END FLASHBACK
Anjali knew she was right in her suspicions about Aditi, there was something off about the girl that Anjali couldn't quite place her finger on but she was always hovering around her younger son and daughter in law
"Dekho Astha pehle apne aasoon poncho aur meri baat suno" Anjali said " Aise kamzor parne se tumara kuch nahi hoga apne haq ki liye laro Shlok tumara pati hai"
Astha wiped her tears and sat up looking at her mother in law
"Aditi ka koi kaam nahi banta Shlok ke itne aas paas rehne ka haan maana ke who vachpan mein kabhi dost the par ab Shlok aur woh bare ho gaye hai aur Shlok ek shaadi shuda insaan hai"
Astha wiped the remaining few tears and listened intently to Anjali
"Shlok kabhi bol kar apne dil ki baat nahi kahega par uske dil ki baat uske behavior se pata chal jaati hai aur jaha tak maine dekha hai woh Aditi ko sirf isi liye kuch nahi keh raha kyunki woh Sahb ke dost ki beti hai"
Astha nodded as Anjali got up and walked towards the door, Anjali turned around and said " Astha apna moh dolo aur neeche aa jao Sahb aate honge to kya kahenge tumhe aise dekh kar" and she walked out the room
Astha sat on the bed thinking over her conversation with Anjali and held a new found respect for her Sasu Bai under all the strictness and her faade she truly cared about all her children
Astha got up to go wash her face and freshen up when something Anjali had said rang in her ears
"Shlok kabhi bol kar apne dil ki baat nahi kahega par uske dil ki baat uske behavior se pata chal jaati hai"
Astha thought back to all the times he took care of her, held her when she fell, supported her, saved her from the fire, all the little things he does
"I love you too Shlok"
The End
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