"Bua ji" both the ladies looked towards the door when they heard the happy greeting.

There stood a man, probably in his early thirties, with a huge smile on his face.

"Arre Shyam babua. Come in, come in" Buaji welcomed the man into her home with a huge smile on her face. 

Shyam noticed the new face and pasted a smile on his face.

"This is Garima. Payal and Khushi's mother" Buaji made the introductions.

"Namaste Aunty ji. Buaji has talked a lot about you. I have been wanting to meet you ever since" Shyam said sweetly and politely.

The over-politeness struck a wrong chord in Garima. She looked at the man with suspicion.

"Namaste. Yes, jiji told about you too. You have been away for work?" Garima said

"Ji. I have been to Lucknow. Lucknow is my native place, just like yours" Shyam said enthusiastically, trying to impress Kushi's mother.

"Oh. Will you be staying for quite a while?" Garima asked

"No aunty ji. Actually I have to go to Mumbai, related to a very important case. You see, I am a very busy lawyer. But I was missing Buaji. So, I thought I would just drop by and meet her before I leave to Mumbai" Shyam said

"Hai re nanda kishore. What a sweet boy" Buaji said, looking lovingly at Shyam.

Garima frowned. She didn't particularly like this so-called sweet boy.

He is too sweet to her liking. 

"As it is, I am an orphan. After meeting Buaji only, I started feeling like I have a family" Shyam said

"Silly boy. Don't think you are an orphan anymore" Buaji chided softly

"No. Not anymore. Buaji had told me about Khushi. How you all love her as your own. I am glad Buaji found it in herself to take another orphan into her wings" Shyam went in for the kill, highlighting how Kushi and he are both orphans.

"We love her as our own, because she is our own, Shyam ji" Garima said sharply

Shyam flushed at that. He didn't expect Garima to react like that.

"Yes. It is another matter that she irritates the hell out of me. But she is our child" Buaji also said, not particularly liking the words Shyam used.

"That's not what I meant, Buaji. I apologise, aunty ji" Shyam said immediately. 

Shyam spend some time there, having the tasty snacks prepared by Garima.

He had to cut short his visit, because he was getting constant calls from Anjali.

"It's time for me to leave, Buaji. I will be back in a week" Shyam said and took leave.

A couple of minutes later, Advaith came.

"Advi beta. Come in" Garima welcomed him happily.

"Who was that aunty?" Advaith asked

"Oh! That was Shyam. He is a paying guest here. He doesn't always stay. When he is in Delhi, he stays here" Garima said

"Oh okay" Advi said

"Did you see Khushi and Payal?" Garima asked

"Yeah. I picked them up from AR, on my way. They got down at the devi maiyya temple. As usual, they both seemed lost in their own thoughts" Advaith said, rolling his eyes

"These girls! They walk around with their head in the clouds" Buaji said, making a face.

****

Khushi and Payal got down at the temple.

Neither of them talked. Both were lost in their own thoughts.

Payal shivered, remembering the incident that happened today.

She was called in by Akash, to talk to her about the designs she submitted previously.

"Payal ji. Please take a seat" Akash said and Payal did as asked

Akash had his eyes fixed on the file, which contained the designs Payal made a couple of days ago.

"Payal ji. I checked out your designs and I must say, they are very beautiful" Akash said and a small blush adorned Payal's cheeks at that compliment.

"Ji. Shukriya"

"I was thinking of going to check out the fabrics tomorrow morning. Would you like to come with me?" Akash asked, his eyes still on the file.

Payal's eyes widened in surprise. 

"Me?" Payal asked in shock.

"Ji. They are your designs. Only you would know in which fabric they will look perfect" Akash said

Payal thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Ji. I will come"

"Why did you look so worried when you thought dadi was talking about my proposal for Khushi ji that day?" Akash asked in the same tone, his eyes still on the file.

Payal was shocked. Did he just ask her that?

"Ji? I didn't understand" Payal stammered 

For the first time, Akash looked up from the file.

He closed the file with a sigh. 

"You know what I meant, Payal ji" Akash said

"I don't know what you are talking about, Akash ji. If you don't have an other doubts regarding the designs, may I take my leave" Payal asked, stood up from the chair and walked towards the cabin door, without waiting for his response. 

In a minute, Akash was in front of her, standing in front of the door, blocking her way.

Payal looked up at the supposedly shy man in horror.

"Akash ji?" 

"Look Payal ji. I am already very nervous. Don't make me more nervous by giving me that horrified look" the bold facade Akash was trying to adopt failed miserably and he resorted to pleading with Payal.

This is more like the Akash ji I know, Payal thought. 

"Payal ji, you remember the day we came to your house asking for Khushi ji's hand in marriage. Everyone in your family thought, I am the groom. Even you did. And you looked hurt, when you thought so. May I know why, Payal ji?" Akash asked

Payal played with the ends of her dupatta, not knowing what to answer to that question. 

"Ji? I didn't. You must have imagined that" Payal stammered.

"Please Payal ji. Stop making us both miserable. You know what I feel. I might not have been very vocal about it, but I am sure you have seen it in my eyes. Just like I saw it in your eyes that day" Akash said.

Payal let out a resigned sigh.

How long is she going to skirt around this?

She has known for a while now that Akash has feelings for her. She too has developed some kind of feelings for him. But she knows there is no future for them. 

Sooner they both come to an understanding, sooner they can move on.

"Akash ji. I understand what you are trying to say. But you need to understand that there is no future for this" Payal said softly

"Why not?" Akash asked

"You know very well Akash ji. We are living in India. Where marriage happens between two families. Not just two people. And do you think your family will be happy with your wish?" Payal asked

"Payal ji, if you forgot, let me remind you. A couple of weeks ago, my family came to your house with a proposal for your sister. Why would they have a problem with our relationship?" Akash asked

"The difference is your mother, Akash ji. She will never accept me." Payal said

Akash was short of words.

How is he going to defend that!

He had no argument on that score.

"And if I make my mother agree?" Akash asked

Payal shot a sad smile at him. She knows that it is an impossible task.

"I have some work to manage, Akash ji. Excuse me" with that said, Payal walked out of his cabin, leaving him in despair.

Payal closed her eyes and prayed to her devi maiya asking her to show her the right path.

Beside her, Khushi did the same.

Not realising that the Raizada brothers were behind them.