Thoda Chhota chapter hai guys. Compensation ke taur par kal ya parso tak next chapter aa jayega..🫠

Btw, Maine drafts create kar liye hain, aur bas ending hi likh rahi hun. Once done, edit kar karke jaldi jaldi chapters daal dungi..💃🥀

Aaj ke liye chhotu sa chapter rakh lo. Milte hain Kal!! 🫶

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Somehow, with an aching head and feet almost giving up, Mala reached the haveli but couldn't make it till her room. Her body gave up between the stairs, and she remained unconscious there.

After a few hours, when everyone returned, they found her and panicked. While everyone shifted her to her room, Dhananjay went to call the vaidya ji. He checked on her and said it was normal. But Dhananjay wasn't satisfied.

He felt something off. And then with stern expression he announced,

"Kal hi maa Delhi vapas jaa rahi hain. Ye jagah unke liye theek nahi hai.."

(Mother is going back to Delhi tomorrow itself. This place isn't right for her..)

And left, without a word to anyone. Everyone left one by one after him. Only Mishra ji remained sitting beside Mala.

He lifted his hand to touch her, but the moment Digvijay's and her faces flashed in front of his eyes, he immediately pulled back his hand.

By the next morning, everyone came back again to check on Mala; she was alright. Kaveri and Nayantara fed her, Ganga simply sat. The morning dissolved into day, but Dhananjay didn't once come to see her.

He was even out of the haveli. By 2 pm, when he came, he simply announced,

"Gaadi aa gayi hai.. Aap sab chale jaaiye.." (The car has arrived.. All of you may leave now..)

And left. Mala looked at him once and didn't say a word. She walked straight to the driver and said,

"Bhaiya aap vapas chale jaaiye, humein kuch waqt aur bitaana hai yahan.." (Brother, please go back, I need to spend some more time here..)

The driver nodded and left. Everyone looked shocked at how Mala was willing to stay here.

Dhananjay too stood frozen there. Mala looked at him once and then went back to the spot where she was sitting.

Dhananjay exhaled sharply before he asked,

"Kab tak rukne ka irada hai.." (How long do you intend to stay..)

"Kyun? Gaanv ke sarpanch ke ghar par raashan ki kami hone lagi hai.." (Why? Has the village sarpanch's house started running short of rations..) Mala replied without even looking at him.

Everyone chuckled slowly, hiding their faces, but Dhananjay kept staring at Mala. Mala finally turned her face towards him and, with a smile, spoke,

"Ghar mein aaye mehmaano ko, aise bhagaya nahi jaata, Dhananjay.."

(Guests who come home aren't driven away like this, Dhananjay..)

The moment she said his name. Dhananjay's heart beat louder. He was hearing his name from her mouth after 20 whole year..

It was enough to melt him.

Yet, maintaining that stren expression he stared at her for a minute longer before he turned and left. Everyone kept looking at him.

That night.

Everyone had dinner and then retired back to their rooms. Mala too came back, but sleep was far from her eyes. Digvijay's words from yesterday kept echoing in her mind. She kept thinking about it even as her head ached. And then,

The memories flashed, twenty years ago. The little Durga in her arms, Dhananjay's head on her lap, the words she muttered to her child. But everything remained blurry. Mala couldn't understand whose memories these were, and whose face exactly she was seeing.

After hours of trying to think it through, she finally rose from bed and walked towards Mishra ji's room. She stepped inside and, looking at him, asked the question straight,

"Kaun hoon main Mishra ji.. Kya hai meri asli pehchaan.. kya rishta hai mera, is gaanv se, yahan ke logo se, Dhananjay se??"

(Who am I, Mishra ji.. What is my true identity.. what is my connection to this village, to the people here, to Dhananjay??)