UPDATE 28 FEBRUARY: Dead man's identity

JandA look a bit embarrassed at having unintentionally eavesdropped on the conversation between Meera and G kaka, and return quietly to the drawing room after having cleaned up Armaan's shirt. Jassi sits down next to Uma, who is looking sentimentally through an old album.

Jassi: Kya hua Uma aunty….aap bahut chup ho…..(glancing at the album) …ye kiski photos hai?

Uma: (sighing) Aaj tum logon ko dekh kar, tumse bate kar, bahut si yaadein tazaa ho gayi…..iss parivar mein ek samay kitni khushiyan thi….aur ab…. (wipes away a tear, then gathers her composure) ……yeh mere bachchon ki bachpan ki photographs hai…..dekho…yeh hai Raghav… (pointing to a constipated-looking kid😈) ….apne Dad ke saath…..yeh Gajanan bhaisaab ke kandhon pe bhaitha hua…Jeev (winces)….aur yeh hai…..Samar…Raghav ka bada bhai….Karishma ka daddy…..bechari bachchi ne apne pita ki shakl bhi nahin dekhi…..😭

JandA are silent in sympathy. Jassi hugs Uma while Armaan places his hand on her shoulder and murmurs, "Aunty, main aapke beton ki jagah toh nahin le sakta, lekin agar aap mujhe apne bete ki tarah samjhe, toh ye meri khushnaseebi hogi….."

Jassi gazes admiringly at him.😳

Uma: (smiling through her tears) Jassi sachmuch bahut kismet wali hai, ki usse tum jaisa jeevan saathi mila….aur tum toh ho hi mere bete jaise……pata hai, tumhari shakl bhi Samar se thodi-thodi milti hai…..

Armaan cranes his neck for a better look. Uma flips through the album to arrive at the photos of her grown up sons. She points out a picture, saying—"Yeh hai mera sabse bada beta—Samar Pratap Oberoi!"

Well, guess who it is—Ankur Nayyar!😛 What say Tina?😳 Trust TnD to bring in such a hunk as nothing more than a photograph!😡😆

Armaan looks at the photo, nods and smiles. "Haan….meri shakl kuch-kuch inse milti hai..!"

Meera comes in soberly and sits down next to Uma, on the other side. Karishma scrambles over to her. "Mummy…..dekho daddy ki photo!"

Meera looks wistfully at the photo, and says, almost to herself, "Inhi ki virasat ko bachaane ke liye hi toh itna lad rahi hun……lekin ab ladte-ladte thak gayi hun….."

Karishma is watching her mother's face quizzically. Uma quickly gets up and motions to her, "Chalo beta…..tum bahut thak gayi hogi…..ab change karo aur so jao…!"

Karishma: (protesting) Lekin mujhe Jassi chachi aur Armaan chachu ke paas baithna hai…..Dadi main unhe apne function ke baare mein bataungi….maine dance kiya tha na….😛

Uma: Beta, ab toh yeh dono tumse milte aate rahenge….aur agli baar Vedika ko bhi saath layenge…tum usse milna chahti ho na…? Tum usse apne school aur apne dance ke baare mein sab kuch batana…..

She thus succeeds in leading Karishma away, leaving Meera free to pour out her heart to JandA if she wants.

Armaan: Meera ji, agar aapko business mein koi help chahiye toh…..

Meera: (sighing) Nahin Mr.Suri…..business mein problems toh aati hi rehti hai…..aur G Kaka hai na mere saath…..problem business ki nahin, usoloon ki hai…..mere husband ne kabhi business mein hera-pheri nahin ki…..lekin Jeev (CJ) ke kuch aadmi abhi bhi Oberoi Industries mein hai…..aur mujhe kabhi-kabhi unki wafaadaari pe shaq hota hai…..kahin wo mere husband ke usoloon ko na maar de…. (bitterly) ….jaise unhe kisi ne maar diya tha…..

JandA look shocked. Jassi puts her hand comfortingly on her arm. But Armaan seems struck by a thought. He asks, eyes narrowing, "Meera ji….agar aap bura na maane toh….aap bata sakti hai, aapke husband ki maut kaise hui…?"

Meera seems nearly about to refuse…then nods grimly and narrates—

"Wo ek spa resort banana chahte the…..kisi pahaadi jagah pe….aur unhe Uttaranchal ka idea achcha laga…..wo wahaan gaye, kuch agents se mile, aur mujhe phone karke bataya ki sab kuch theek hai…..uss waqt wo Almora se baat kar rahe the…..aur bataya ki agli subah wo Nainital ja rahe hai….."

JandA turn simultaneously to stare at each other. Meera doesn't notice, though, and continues, choking, "Lekin agli subah khabar mili ki Nainital ki ek pahaadi par, unki…..unki body……(starts sobbing)….kisi ne unhe goli maar di thi….."

JandA sit frozen, but Armaan manages to stutter, "Uss waqt…..unke saath kaun tha…."

Meera: Koi nahin……wo akele hi gaye the…sirf ek accountant tha jo Almora mein hi ruk gaya tha…..uss waqt Pitaji ka ek major operation hona tha….aur Raghav India se baahar tha…..Jeev Delhi mein the, wahi Samar ki body ko ghar laye…. (breaks down)

JandA do their best to console her, but the same thought is playing in both their minds.

"Kya Samar ho wo aadmi toh nahin….jiska Anuj Shastri ke hotel mein khoon hua tha???" 😲

Tomorrow: More leads