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After Dr. Sharma made her final rounds and finished leaving instructions with her on call staff, Urmi and Shaurya went home with their new friend. No one was home when they reached Dr. Sharma's house. Urmi carried Shaurya inside as he was still fast asleep.
"My husband is traveling right now but will be back in a few days. Please settle in and make yourself at home. I will put you and Shaurya in the smaller guest room for now until we get the larger one ready for you tomorrow. Our live in help is away this month so it's just me."
Urmi was astonished. "You are not afraid to be alone?"
"Dar kis baat ka? No - the more importance you give to fear, the more it controls you. Mujhe koi dar var nahi hai," Dr. Sharma said, waving her hands like she was shooing someone away. She led Urmi into a small but cozy room with a double bed, small dresser, small desk and chair and an adjoining bathroom.
"I know it's a bit small, but it should be fine for one night, right?"
"No please Ma'am, don't trouble yourself. This room is perfect! It's not small at all."
"Achha, we'll see about that later. By the way, there is no need to call me Ma'am Urmi dear. Please feel free to call me Aunty," said Dr. Sharma, smiling at her young guest. "Take your time to shower, and change. I'm going to freshen up and then make myself a light snack. Will you join me?"
Urmi was exhausted but did not want to appear rude to her kind benefactress. She nodded and Dr. Sharma closed the door behind her.
Urmi placed the child on the bed, unpacked her few belongings, undressed Shaurya and put him in his favourite pajamas. She then quickly freshened up in the bathroom, changed and came out into the hall.
"Over here, Urmi dear" she heard Dr. Sharma, "I'm in the kitchen just on your left."
Urmi walked into an inviting and spacious kitchen. Dr. Sharma was taking out a bowl, and a spoon and was about to pour herself some cereal and milk.
"My husband loves to cook so he insisted on getting this huge space," said Reema Aunty laughing. "Me - I'm all about simplicity. If I could, I'd live on noodles and cereal all day. I'm too lazy to cook!"
"Lazy would not be a word anyone could apply to you. I would be more than happy to make something for you now, Ma'am...I'm sorry, Aunty" Urmi said, when Dr. Sharma gave her a fake angry look.
Urmi made the tired doctor sit on the stone bench that was decoratively part of one of the kitchen walls, while she got to work. Dr. Sharma was impressed with Urmi's efficiency.
"This poha is delicious, Urmi!" Tumne bohut aachha banaya."
"Thank you Reema Aunty"
Urmi realized she was famished - she had not eaten much in the clinic when the receptionist had given her food. She and Dr. Sharma ate and chatted.
Dr. Sharma did not ask her any personal questions. She was so insightful that she knew Urmi needed a break from all the heartache she was obviously going through.
Instead, Dr. Sharma told Urmi about her days as a medical student and had some funny stories to share, like the time she almost tried to resuscitate a patient who was actually only using a bedpan; apparently the mistake happened because the bed numbers of two patients had been reversed.
For some time, Urmi was able to forget her pain and laughed heartily. The time went so fast that they did not realize it was already 3 AM.
"I had no idea it was so late! Forgive me, you need your rest my dear."
"You are also tired Aunty. You also please rest."
"We have much to discuss Urmi beta. I have to go to the office by 9 AM but I'll be back by late afternoon and we can take the rest of the day to get to know each other better."
Urmi smiled, collected the plates, cleaned up and went to sleep. For the first time in weeks, she felt a renewed sense of hope.
The next morning, Urmi awoke later that she had ever woken since her marriage. After bathing and feeding Shaurya, Urmi decided to read the newspaper. What she saw shook her to the core: it was her daadi's obituary!
Urmi began to cry softly. It was true that her daadi had been heartless and not at all supportive towards her suffering granddaughter, but Gayatri was still Urmi's daadi. Urmi tried to call her mother, and then her brother, and sister but no one picked up. She had no way of knowing that Samrat had threatened her family and had forbidden them from telling her the truth - he had even confiscated phones, cut the landline and broke Gaurav's phone - all to prevent leaking the truth that her daadi was fine. Devi and Gayatri had of course supported Samrat and kept saying Urmi had left no honor in the family. They saw nothing wrong in the shameful ruse Samrat was employing to expose Urmi.
Urmi had no idea what to do. She called Reema Aunty.
"Yes beta? Sab theek hai na?"
"Nahi aunty. I just saw in the paper that my daadi has died," replied Urmi, sobbing.
"Achanak? Unki tabiyat zyada kharap thi beta?"
"No aunty - she had some age related problems, but nothing particularly concerning. My mother took very good care of her."
"I will be done here very soon and I'll be back. You wait for me - don't go anywhere alone. It isn't safe."
"But aunty...I can't even reach my family members!"
"No, I insist you wait for me!" said Dr. Sharma in a firm voice.
Dr. Sharma returned home within two hours. Sahil was with her.
"Aunty, Sahil ji - please excuse me. I must be with my family!"
"What if it is a trap?" asked Sahil quietly, looking at Urmi seriously.
"Trap? You mean Samrat's trap? Can anyone do anything so despicable?"
"You said to both of us last night that Samrat is capable of doing anything to get what he wants. Frankly, the fact that you can't reach any member of your family makes me suspicious!" replied Sahil.
Urmi shook her head. It was not possible for any person to be that cruel, not even Samrat.
"It is obvious you have made up your mind," said Reema Aunty. "Fine - but you are not going alone. Either I stay home with Shaurya while Sahil accompanies you or Shaurya and I also come with you and Sahil. Understood?"
Urmi nodded mutely, still too shocked to register what was happening.
A short while later, the four of them reached Urmi's parents' house. They deliberately took Dr. Sharma's car so Sahil's police vehicle would not tip off Samrat - just in case this was a trap.
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