Devyansh didn’t talk to his mother yet. He wanted to confront her and see how she reacted. Devyanshi was missing her father because he hadn’t visited after her discharge.

“Mumma…papa aaj bhi nhi aaye?”

(Mumma…papa will not come today also?)

She asked in a small voice. Taashi looked at her and tapped her little forehead before answering.

“Kaam pr nhi jaaye kya papa? Chhuti wale din aayenge.”

(Should he not go to work? He will come on his holiday.)

She lowered her head and pouted.

“Pal mujhe papa se milna tha.”

(But I wanted to meet papa.)

She mumbled and blinked at the bed, playing with the thread of the bedsheet. An idea struck her suddenly and she beamed at her mother.

“Mumma! Vido col!”

(Video call!)

Taashi looked at her daughter surprised.

“Huh?!”

“Papa ko vido col klo na!”

(Video call papa!)

She sat in Taashi’s lap and forwarded the phone to her. Taashi looked at the phone and then at her daughter. The girl was beaming with excitement.

Taashi sighed and took her phone from her hands. Her heart was beating wildly and she had no idea why.

It was just a video call. And it was only Dev. Her Dev. The man she loved and the man she had a child with.

The ringing of the phone made her even more nervous. Devyansh was lying in his bed when his phone rang.

He was surprised seeing her video call but realised that it must be Devyanshi. He smiled and picked it up.

His smile widened when he saw his princess beaming at him.

“Hello papa!”

She squealed and waved her hand, making Devyansh chuckle.

“Hello princess!”

“Aap kab aaoge? Mujhse milne?”

(When will you come? To meet me?)

“Hmmm…jaldi aaunga. Two days baad.”

(Hmmm…I will come soon. Two days later.)

She nodded happily and Devyansh bit his lip before asking.

“Mumma nhi hai?”

(Is mumma not there?)

“Ye lahi!”

(She is here!)

Devyanshi said, pushing the camera towards Taashi. She adjusted the angle to bring both herself and Devyanshi in the frame.

“Hey!”

He whispered and she blushed. She had no reason to. He had only greeted her. But she blushed.

“H-Hi!”

“I’ll come this weekend. Kahi dinner pr chalenge. The three of us.”

(We will go for dinner.)

Taashi nodded and asked.

“Dev? Is…is everything alright?”

His gaze hardened and he nodded.

“Filhaal. Not for long. I’m going to talk to her soon. Before the weekend.”

(For now.)

“Zaruri hai kya Dev. Jaane do na. Itna time ho gaya uss baat ko-”

(Is it necessary, Dev. Let it go. It has been so long-)

She didn’t want to separate him from his mother. 

“No! She will get what she deserves.”

His tone was firm and without any doubt in it. Taashi had no option but to agree. Deep down she had wanted that too. But she didn’t want to be the reason he got separated from his mother.

“Alle! Mujhse baat kalo na! Maine col kalwaya tha!”

(Arre! Talk to me! I asked for the call!)

Devyanshi cut off with a whine, making both her parents chuckle. 

“Bolo meri princess.”

(Tell me princess.)

Devyansh said with a smile. 

“Papa! Aap jab aaoge toh mele liye kya laaoge?”

(What will you bring for me when you’ll come?)

Taashi tapped her cheek lightly. But the little firecracker only grinned sweetly.

“Jo meri princess kahegi.”

(Whatever my princess asks.)

“Doll house! Bala wala!”

(Big one!)

“Ok.”

“Jee nhi! Koi doll house nhi aa raha hai. Already ek doll house hai na Devi. Aur tum! Harr baat manne ki zarurat nhi hai. Kuch nhi laaoge tum.”

(No! No doll house is coming. You already have a doll house, Devi. And you! No need to listen to every word she says. You will not get anything.)

Devyanshi immediately turned to her with a pout.

“Pal mumma wo toh chhota hai na. Bala wala chahiye.”

(But mumma that is small. I want the big one.)

“Arre mai le aaunga princess. Sabse bada wala laaunga. Ok?”

(I will get it princess. The biggest one. Ok?)

“Yayyy!”

“Dev!”

Taashi scolded but Devyansh just blinked his eyes in assurance. She thought that he was doing it to appease Devyanshi so that she stops pestering him more.

“Devi!”

They heard Taashi’s mother call. Taashi carefully put her on the floor and the girl ran towards her nani’s call.

“Send me the link. Kaunsa doll house chahiye usse.”

(Which doll house she wants.)

“Dev! No! You’re not getting anything! Uske paas already hai ek.”

(She already has one.)

“Arre chhota wala hai na. Usse bada chahiye.”

(That is small one. She wants the big one.)

“Please! Papa kaafi hai usse bigadne ke liye. Tum bhi mat add ho jaao.”

(Papa is enough to spoil her. You also don’t add on.)

Taashi rolled her eyes. Devyanshi smiled and said.

“Pehli baar kuch maanga hai usne mujhse. Mera haq hai Taashi.”

(She is asking for something for the first time. It’s my right, Taashi.)

The way he said that. She couldn’t say no. 

“Fine! But harr zidd nhi maanoge.”

(But you will not listen to every demand.)

“We’ll see!”

“Dev!”

He chuckled and looked at her with a soft sigh. The way he used to do, when he admired her quietly. He placed the phone on the nightstand and laid down.

His face partially hidden under his arms as he looked sideways into the camera.

Taashi blushed at the new angle. It made the muscles of his arms bulge out. He was more bulky that she remembered.

“I miss you two so much.”

He whispered while gazing at her and she looked away blushing furiously. She heard her mother call her and stuttered.

“M-mai baat mai baat krti hu. M-mummy bula rhi hai.”

(I-I will talk later. M-mummy is calling.)

He hummed and she disconnected the call. She placed a hand on her heart, trying to calm it down.

“Itni laal kyu hai tu? Tabiyat thik hai?”

(Why are you so red? Are you alright?)

Her mother asked as soon as she saw her. Taashi’s eyes widened and she looked away blushing even more.

Her mother must have understood because she smiled and looked away.

“Kya socha hai phir tumne?”

(What have you thought then?)

Taashi looked at her mother with a frown.

“Ab jab usse sach pata hai. Toh kya socha hai? Saath rahoge ya…”

(Now that he knows the truth. What have you thought? Will you stay together or…)

Taashi’s smile fell. They never discussed that.

“Pata nhi mumma. Abhi baat nhi kri iss baare mai. And honestly, I don’t think abhi ye baat krna ka time bhi hai.”

(I don’t know mumma. We haven’t talked about this. And honestly, I don’t think it is time to talk about this right now.)

“Kyu?”

(Why?)

“He wants to press charges against his mother.”

Her eyes widened and she paused. After a minute, she nodded.

“Achha hai. Aakhir ab sab sahi hoga.”

(It’s good. Everything will be fine now.)

“Hmmm. Par darr lag raha hai. Kuch gadbad na ho bas.”

(But I am scared. There shouldn’t be any mishap.)

“Sab sahi hoga.”

(Everything will be fine.)

She said and kissed Taashi’s head. Devyansh, on the other hand, was planning to confront his mother.

He had got the same pills Taashi had found in his mother’s almirah. He went to his mother’s room in the pretext of getting something but came out with the bottles he had brought.

“Mummy? Ye kya hai? Aapke kamre mai thi ye dawai.”

(What is this? This was in your room.)

He said showing her the bottle and his jaw clenched seeing the colour drain from his mother’s face seeing the pills.

“Ye-ye kaha se-kaha se mili tujhe? Mere kamre mai? Ye waha nhi thi.”

(Where-where you get th-this? My room? This wasn’t there.)

She stuttered and tried taking the bottles from his hands but he held them away.