It's been 2 weeks since lakshmi adjusted herself in this new place.

Today she returned early from her work as her boss has an urgent meeting , so he granted her to leave early.

As soon as she entered home, husky came running to her and so did rose and Ibbu.

That's a big joke of the century.

Don't imagine much filmy scenes in here....

All the three of them ignored her as they continued watching TV and tabs.

Sweety is watching some news channel while Ibbu and dog are surfing on net in tab. They just gave a 'look' at her and continued whatever they were doing....

Okaayyyy

All these people have more attitude than her, that too children and a dog..

She sighed and kept her suitcase on kitchen island. She poured herself a glass of water and coughed suddenly when she felt hands on her leg.

She wiped her nose and mouth as the waterfall came out from all the holes.

She kept the glass aside and patted her chest while looking down to see her son with a toothless grin plastered on his face.

She smiled and raised him on her hip. " did you eat? " she asked and he nodded a 'no' immediately.

" oh, my shona is waiting for me....

Oh my god... Your bursting my heart my dear son " Lakshmi exaggerated as she didn't get time to overact all these days.... She just needs a chance to over do stuff....

And she loves it...

" aunty! He ate even my food!

He is lying! " rose screamed from the hall as soon as she heard lakshmi praising her son, in addition to this, even husky barked twice accepting what rose said.

Lakshmi turned to look at her son while he again smiled and laughed a little rubbing his nose....

Ahhhh.... She knows this too well, he acts all cute when he does something naughty or lie. But what can she do? Except for supporting him......

" come on angel,

he must be hungry so he ate....

He is still soo small right? " lakshmi said while rose just rolled her eyes....

Where did she learn *rolling* of eyes?

Of course from our lakshmi who has a habit of spinning! her eyes when she is annoyed.

She served herself some veg rolls and spaghetti in her plate and sat beside them on the couch. If Alexander would have been there, he wouldn't allow anyone to wander around the house while eating....which includes husky too. Everyone should eat on the dining table.... Unspoken law #9 in Alexander's home.

As soon as she ate her dinner, she kept her plate in the dish washer and took her bag, left for her room.

She let her clothes slip down her bruised body which is healing...

But those marks won't fade... They are deep enough to stay for life long....

She removed her scarf and her hair is almost like that of those rappers having small spikes standing in air.

She entered inside the cubicle and let the warm water slide through her skin...

She came down the stairs and looked at them as they are still online...

She switched off the TV and took away the tab from kids. Though she used to be online more than them but she ain't gonna allow them to be online....

The kids started groaning and huffing as they knew that she is not gonna return it to them any time soon.

" All the day you people do nothing except for using those phones, eating and sleeping !

Do want to become pigs? " she asked putting her hands on her waist.

She didn't know that all her actions are being watched by someone from behind.....

As soon as Alexander reached home, he saw lakshmi spatting angrily at the kids and dog.

She is ranting off about how the radiations from phone are dangerous to their eyes and as usual, the kids are bored.

This ain't new, she has been doing it alot since past 3 days.

No offence

He didn't like her doing that to his daughter as rose could do whatever she wants to do and he hates the idea of anyone scolding or raising a finger on his child..... But rose didn't complain and she seems to enjoy this banter, so Alexander let off this matter....

He too started getting used to the noisy environment in his house because of this trio....

Rose looked at her father who is standing near the door and she smiled widely waving her hand. Alexander too waved his hand at his daughter.

Lakshmi saw this small commotion and turned around to see Alexander.... She gave a distorted smile at him while he just nodded to her as if acknowledging her presence.

"are you done with rechecking the files that I gave you in this morning? "

Alexander asked and this was lakshmi's cue to leave as she was indirectly asked to 'recheck' the files.

She nodded her head in 'no' and before he could speak another word, she was gone along with the wind.

" aunty is soo fast in running dad " said rose while her dad sat beside her on the couch removing his coat and she giggled. Sure lakshmi is still scared of Alexander.

" I have bought chocolate ice cream this time " said Alexander and removed a box from cover. Rose clapped in happiness and ran off to kitchen and bought 2 spoons, One small and one large one.

She sat and gave her father a small spoon and the big one for herself. Alexander raised an eyebrow at his daughter as he saw lakshminess rubbing off on his daughter.....

Rose stuffed in 3 large scoops and she looked at Ibbu who is looking down in his lap at his intertwined fingers. She remembered how aunty never let him have ice cream , so she offered him a spoon full of ice-cream near to his mouth.

Alexander kept on watching as his daughter offered the small boy a spoon full and he knew how much that little boy wanted to taste it last time....

He was amazed as soon as the baby nodded his head in left to right and said a small 'no' , though it was small voice but it was stern , as if he is stuck to his grounds and no one can change his decisions.

His daughter asked again and also promised to not to say to his mom but Ibbu didn't budge from his stance.

Ibbu got down from the couch by holding onto it carefully as there was a height difference , and then took small steps with the dog following behind him. He climbed up the steps holding the side railings and as soon as he reached the door he banged on it , soon lakshmi opened the door and took him inside along with the dog.

There was no way that Alexander wasn't intimidated by this scene which is unfolding infront of him... This little boy acts cute and innocent infront of his mother but he is totally different when he is with others. He is not a little boy....A little man he is...

It was night when Lakshmi successfully broke her back because of the homework that her boss has given after coming to home....

She looked at her son and dog who are sleeping peacefully with light snores.... Cute and melodious...

She removed her scarf and was about to lay herself on the bed when suddenly the door opened and Rose entered with red eyes.

Rose got scared looking at Lakshmi.... As Lakshmi didn't have hair which was unexpected for rose... She stood still with her wide eyes near the door and looked at lakshmi's head with her own problems and tears forgotten long ago.....

" where is your hair? " rose asked in her baby voice and took a step back.

" It's gone " said lakshmi and leaned on to the bed.

" how? " rose asked and moved towards the bed, eager to know about lakshmi's hair....

Lakshmi looked at the innocent girl infront of her and said

" a theif broke into my house

and as my hair was very long,

so it could be sold for more money,

so he shaved it off " she said.

If it was Ibbu, he would have surely scoffed at his mother for such a lame story , but rose believed it.

" really?

You had long hair? Was it curly too?

Which color was it?

Black? " rose asked leaning on to the bed and lakshmi nodded a 'yes'.

" Woow

I have gold curly hair

You have black curly hair! " said rose and she started giggling holding her interwined fingers to her mouth.

Lakshmi moved towards her and picked her up on to the bed, she took a comb from the bedside and started combing rose's curly tangled locks. She made a partition, did two braids to her hair while rose kept on staring at the glass wall.

Rose never knew how it is to be cared, though she had her father who had pampered her very much , and a maid who takes care of her daily routine... It was like she was living with a robot who takes care of her.... When she first time saw a lady with a baby boy in her arms , protecting him..... She felt weird, she didn't know what it was.... She felt like she didn't have anyone to take care of her the way that lady was taking care of her son...

She too wanted a mother....

But her mother didn't want her....

Day by day she felt jealous of the little boy, sometimes all she wants to do is cry out loud and hide herself from everyone.... She was made fun of because of her single parent status in nursery. No one knew how much she was being affected mentally by seeing all their friend's mother and father together... She too wanted one....

As soon as her hair was braided, Rose leaned back onto lakshmi and sat in her lap.... Maybe for a few seconds she too wants to feel what Ibbu feels all day along with his mother....

She is warm.....

This is the first thing that came into rose's mind. Lakshmi let her sit in her lap and kept her arms around the little girl's waist and leaned onto the bed post.

" why my mom didn't come for me? " rose asked looking at her tiny braids. This is the first time someone braided her hair....

" maybe she is busy " Lakshmi said as she didn't know what else to say. She dosen't know about her mom , so she has to be careful with the words she spills out infront of the little girl.

" no....

She is with Lucas

Lucas is big now,

Maybe 3...

She said that she would come back to me as soon as Lucas grows Big.... " rose said and turned to face lakshmi.

Lakshmi could see longingness in her eyes for her mother....

" Um...

You are big girl

See you are 5 years

and Lucas is still a small boy

only 3 years.....

so Mumma is taking care of Lucas.... She will come as soon as he grows a little more Big " lakshmi said thinking that maybe Lucas is their second child and maybe Alex and his wife has split up or maybe she went for a vacation and the girl is missing her mom......

" yes, I'm a big girl

I'm a strong girl " rose beamed trying to impress lakshmi by pretending to be strong.... But Lakshmi already read her like a paper, it's hard for children to conceal themselves....

Ibbu is an exception ...

Someone behind the door is listening to their conversation.... He couldn't think of anything... What should he say? That his wife is a bloody bitch who he believed and she left for another man? He knows that rose knew that her mother is not gonna come back....

Alexander knocked on the room door and lakshmi immediately covered her head. This was the first time he saw her without a scarf and he understood why she wore one.... He knew that she has faced domestic violence.... His family doctor told him everything when he came to check the little boy in their father's mansion.

He entered the room and rose immediately got down the bed as soon as she saw her father holding up a hand for her and indicating her to come. She kissed lakshmi on cheek and mumbled a small

' good night aunty ' and ran away with her father trailing behind her...

Though lakshmi she smiled for a few milliseconds....as soon as she remembered '.....aunty' word, her face grimaced.... She is still a teen for god's sake!!!!!!

Lakshmi is sulking in her own world and didn't bother to look at her son who is glaring at the door as if fire balls would come out of those eyes any moment. This kid didn't even like a single bit of the care that his mother has been showing since the time she was braiding rose's hair.

He moved closer to her and laid his tiny little head on her stomach with his eyes closed. Pretentious kid with better acting skills than his mother. Lakshmi cooed and rubbed his back while removing scarf and layed back on bed.....

" mom, why did you get me married soo early? " I asked my mom on phone while looking applying sophramycin ointment on my burnt leg.

" what is that question for?....

What happened ra??

Why are you asking me all of a sudden? " mom asked in her tense voice and I know she must be panicking now.... Though I want to let all myself out and cry telling her the truth but I can't.... They are noticing my every moment..they are keeping a tab on me....even my messages and calls on phone....

" nothing maa

I just wanted to know....

I mean, I'm still young...

too young to get married....( I stiffled a fake laugh)

What made you think of me to get married.... You could have wait for another couple of years...

I know that I irritate and fight alot at home but you didn't have to get me married to get rid of me.....

I mean, my studies aren't completed nor I'm graduated still.... " I pretended to make it sound a normal and jovial conversation as much as I can....

Though I have lost all hope and strength to fight for.... But I need to know the reason behind all this....

I need to know why I'm put in this hell by my own parents....

I know that they wouldn't have accepted this marriage if they knew what was going to happen to their daughter......I know it....

" do you remember when we went to your bade papa's silver jubilee? " mom asked and I said " yes ".... That must be around more than an year back....

" that time, veer ji and Anita ji also came....we introduced you to them but you were soo reluctant in acknowledging them as you were very much into food stall " maa said and laughed while I stayed dumb...

This can't be more epic...

I actually ignored Rajputs for food.

If arjun would know about this then he would keep that burning metal on my back instead of my leg this time...

" your father was also a dealer for them around 5 years back , he imported rock tools from Germany for Rajputs Mining Company...

Though your act was disrespecting that day, but Anita actually liked you." my mom said and I smiled remembering that day how my brother called me fat and I didn't eat from morning so that I would look 'less fat' but ultimately I ended up eating like a pig in the marriage....

" what's the reason to say 'yes' maa? " I asked, because I knew that they wouldn't just give me away because my athaiya liked me....

" I know we shouldn't have got you married soo early but we came to know about arjun beta when we visited them for a business purpose..

Veer ji was actually worried about his son as his son's wife has passed away..

Arjun was depressed and was closing up himself from the world.... We knew arjun since long....and your father and I too felt bad for him....

But as soon as Veer ji asked for your hand , we thought it was joke because you were still young and it's a second marriage for the boy, which your father wouldn't accept......until Veer ji seriously showed his interest in making you his daughter rather than daughter in law....

What couldn't be more happy for a parent knowing that their daughter is going to her own home rather than their in laws house.......

They have promised us that you will be treated like their own daughter and like a queen to which we couldn't say 'no'......

( after a few seconds of silence, my mom spoke.....)

It was very hard for me and your dad when we were married newly.... Your father worked as a peon though he was a gold medalist in his university....because he lost his health and gave up on studying further......he had to start from scratch....

We couldn't even buy you smallest things you asked like those Barbie dolls and Barbie stickers....

We used to cry at nights silently because we couldn't even satisfy our little daughter's needs.....

Me and your father used to sleep with hunger for few days in a week because we didn't have enough money.... Your father wouldn't return home for months sometimes, because he had to earn money by working day and night.....

We wouldn't want our daughter to have a life like us.... Especially after what all she had adjusted for us...." my mom said and her voiced cracked in the end, while my cries stopped in my throat forming a painful lump....

My father always smiled

even though it was a bad day...

even though he was tired....

even though he has no more strength...

But he smiled

while he came back at night to home....

He received 'India's best dealer' award not for nothing....

He worked hard for us.....

so that we can have food to eat

and a roof over our heads.

" yes maa " I said softly and gulped the lump....

" you are happy right? " she asked and I nodded my head immediately

" of course mother,

he looks after me like a queen as they promised " I said....

I couldn't say her the truth...

What should I say?

That their daughter for whom they thought that she will have a wonderful life after this marriage is actually being beaten every single day and raped every other night?

Wouldn't it tear their hearts?

Wouldn't my father cry again silently at nights for his failed attempt to give his daughter a beautiful life that he imagined?

I can never do that.....

This pain

These secrets...

Will remain within me....

" Who are you talking to? "

I heard arjuns voice .

I gasped and opened my eyes,

I looked around and saw that I'm not there...in that place.....

He is not here....

He is not here....

I rubbed my cheeks stained with tears and drank a glass of water immediately....

~•It's all my fate•~