Sitara entered the Saraswathi Colony, which is situated near the Kalighat. The lane where they stay has always been the busiest given all sorts of shops parading the sideways, from mouth-watering Rosogolla to ear tinkling bangles and anklets. You can find the whole of Kolkata in this lane, especially during festive seasons. You can barely move an inch due to the crowd.
Sitara moved towards the Tulsi Plant to give her evening prayers, but how could she give her orison peacefully when Parvathi Dadi is there to make her life miserable every day.
"Don't touch the sacred plant with your dirty hands. God knows whose bad blood is running inside you" Sitara closed her eyes in pain. For people who look from the outside, it looks-like Sitara is praying, but when you take a closer look at her, you can see her face contracted in pain as if she is trying to control the agony she is feeling due to the knife-like words of Dadi, which are piercing her heart.
"Parvathi, first clean your own dirt before lecturing others about cleanliness. You need to have a status to talk about my Shona. She is a Diamond. In front of her, even the sacred Tulsi plant will bow its head. Stop your nonsensical talks, and do your own work." Aarya Dida screamed at Parvathi Dadi while Sitara tried to stop yet another drama.
"Dida, come inside. It's her daily routine. Just come inside." Sitara dragged Dida back to their house, who is throwing glares towards Parvathi Dadi.
Sitara's house is a 2 BHK with an inner staircase, which leads to a room which is of Sitara while Dida and Sonali stay downstairs. Aarya and Sanjeev brought this house with their savings. After Sonali started to work, she saved some money to buy the house upstairs and renovated according to their needs so that Sitara can have her own privacy. They had to make a few budget adjustments, but in the end, it was all worth it.
Sonali, who was cooking in the kitchen, came out to the hall as she heard the commotion. Dida is huffing in anger while Sitara is trying to calm her down while massaging her heard.
"Dida, if you get angry this often at this age, it will affect your health,"
"Oh, hello, Grandma. Stop your health lecture there itself. Just because you are a part-time nutritionist, it doesn't mean you will lecture me every now and then. Do you really want me to stay mum hearing that Parvathi ranting non-sense about you?"
Sitara slowly sat on the floor near Dida's foot and held her hands in hers.
"Dida, till when can we fight with these people, and who are they? These people have nothing to do except to poke their nose in others business. I am not saying it didn't hurt me, but when the fault is of someone else, why should I care about these outsiders?" Sitara felt Dida stiffen due to her words. Slowly her eyes moved towards her mother, who is looking down in shame.
"Sorry, Maa. I know you are thinking it's all your fault, but in my opinion, you had a share of fault, but not entirely. I never asked you about the man who played with your heart and life, but today I came to know about something which I shouldn't have" taking a deep breath, Sitara made Sonali sit beside Dida and sat opposite to them in a chair.
"Maa, Dida, I know Shekar Uncle, Revathi's Dad is my Dad. I kind of dugout your past by accident. Shamal Uncle, your and Shekar Uncle's common friend in college, he came to my clinic last week with his wife for a check-up. Seeing your photo on the wall, he thought you and Shekar Uncle are still together and spilled all the secrets to me," Sonali's eyes teared up as she relived her past once again. Whenever she drowns herself in the past, there is no one to wipe her tears. But this time, her daughter, her Sitara, her Shona, is there for her.
To wipe her tears.
"Maa, it's ok. When I thought about it as a daughter, I felt anger rule over my heart and mind, but when I thought about it as a woman, I was proud of you. If I was put in that situation, I would have discarded the child in the womb. But you, you stood strong and chose me. I know why you concealed this detail from me. Maa, I love you, and I am proud of you. I will never be angry at you regarding Shekar Uncle. He was our past. Our future is never going to be crossed with them. So, chill out," Sitara said, wiping Sonali's tears and hugged her sideways.
Dida, who witnessed the emotional moment, thought of lightening up the atmosphere.
"If you Grandmas are done with your crying section, we have a cake to cut. Come on, get your crying section done later, and Shona, where is the cake?" Sitara laughed and walked out as the cake is still in her scooty. As soon as Dida is sure that Sitara is out of sight, She turned towards Sonali with question filled eyes.
"Are you ever going to tell her the truth, Sona? I know Doctors told us that we can't stress her brain, but it's been 5 years since the accident, and she should know the truth that there is a person who loved her, loves her to the moon and back, and Shekar is nothing but a man who was just medium for Shona to be born,"
"No, Maa. Shona should never know about HIM. I know how much HE craves for her, but the truth is HE is not her real father, and no one can take the place of a real father in a girl's life. Please don't talk about this matter again, Maa. As Shona said, neither Shekar nor HIM are going to cross our paths ever." Dida sighed in defeat, hearing Sonali's words and at her stubbornness.
Like Mother, Like Daughter.
Unknown to them, Revathi, who came to wish Sonali, hiding from her Dada and Dadi froze in her spot when she heard Sitara announcing that Shekar, her [Revathi] Appa is the biological father of hers [Sitara]. She eavesdropped calmly. Once she saw Sitara is coming out, Revathi took the staircase to the terrace of the colony and tried to process this newfound information.
"Sitara is my half-sister. So, whatever Amma told me on her death bed was true, but when I asked Dadi, she clearly denied it. So, this is the reason for the family feud. But the way Sitara was speaking, she doesn't want Aunty and Appa to get back together" walking to and fro, Revathi tried to analyze all the scenarios, and finally, she came to a conclusion.