" mumma , are we going to stay here ?" Neelu asked as she walked into the farm house .
Lakshmi nodded as she took in the scent of wood .

"It's beautiful !
As beautiful as mummy !
No no
Mumma is more beautiful than stars and planets !" Neelu said as she started bootlicking her mom . She understood that she has to support her mumma while she is with her daddy and this was the only way she found .

Lakshmi stared at her daughter with her brow raised . She entered the house while her daughter kept pasting 'beautiful words' on her forehead .
This made her mood a little better .

"Wooow" Noor said as she looked at the huge house and Neelu too gasped seeing such a unique house.... Yes , for kids , this was a unique one .

Arjun carried the single suitcase as he walked behind the kids .
While the kids were admiring , Arjun was planning of how to shift himself into this house .
Now that kids and lakshmi are alone .
It's his chance .....

The isolated farm house had trees all around for about an acre . There was a village nearby and also a couple of small mud built shops . The kids were fascinated by seeing them on their way when they all went for a walk around the area .

The kids were tired by the time they returned back to the house .
Lakshmi took them to the back side of the house and opened the washroom door which was located out of the house and saw that the place wasn't cleaned and it has cob webs all over the bathroom .

She sat on a plastic stool near the tap , while the kids stood I front of her .
" remove your clothes" she said and the kids were dumbstruck .

" mom ?" They asked again , almost as if they have heard wrong .
She repeated the same sentence again and they removed their clothes while Arjun gave them towels to wrap around their little bodies .

" this is how it is in village .
Not every place has all facilities .
You have to adjust in which ever place you are....." Lakshmi said and the boys nodded . While Neelu secretly scrunched up her nose and Noor had a blank face .

She got them washed up one after the other while the rest of them were sitting on steps . After all of the kids were bathed , they went into the hall and snuggled up into the couch .

Lakshmi stared at Arjun and then went to bring a white cloth . She wrapped it around 4 poles near the tap , making a cloth barrier .
" go in or get out of house" Lakshmi said and Arjun immediately walked inside the house from the back door .

Lakshmi took bath while sitting on a plastic stool . Using a metal bucket filled with water from a fresh stream and rubbing a local soap on her skin while inhaling the mountain scent....really made her nerves ease up...

She suddenly thought of village where her grandmother used to live...

Her grandmother got a bathroom built especially for her grand children....
Small smile made a way up on to her face while she thought of those rusted utensils and mud stove in her grandma's house near the farm .

She wrapped a long white cloth around her body,  which ended up at her ankles . She entered the hall and picked up the kids while entering her room . Arjun went out to wash himself .
He didn't feel uncomfortable using this 'cloth' washroom.....
In fact , he felt as if it was normal to do so....
He felt close...
Maybe his decision to stick around her shamelessly was a correct decision after all....

After Lakshmi and the kids got ready, she unlocked the door and let the kids go out of the room, to explore the house as they were now not sleepy anymore.

Lakshmi went inside the kitchen and seggregated all the vegetables that she bought previously when they went out. She washed them under the running tap water and then placed them in plastic bowls to let them air dry.

In the mean while, she prepared dough for making Roti . She then started chopping vegetables for making Brinjal curry with beans potato fry.

Arjun stood near the entrance of the kitchen awkwardly . He didn't know how to start a conversation with her....
( I guess he is not that shameless yet still....)

He went inside the kitchen and started packing the vegetables in covers and then started placing them in fridge.

Lakshmi didn't even bother to look at his face as she continued doing what she was cooking....

Arjun stared at his wife as she placed a plate on the vessel while turning off the stove....

She turned back and looked at him while cleaning her hands with a cloth. She kept it on the slab and left the kitchen while Arjun moved aside for her to pass by.

Lakshmi entered her room and locked the door. She opened her black mini bag from the luggage and took out another cell phone.

There were around 5 missed calls and messages from the lab.

She went across the messages and then called back from the grey phone.

" symptoms delayed by 3 months " lakshmi said while looking through the window at the starry sky.

" what about you? " asked the person from the other side of the phone.
Lakshmi stayed silent while placing her hand on the rail, without replying.

The other person on the call frowned before sighing. " how many vials left?" the other person asked.

" enough for 2 months " she said while gripping on to her locket.

" I will send another batch." the person said and he was about to cut the call when Lakshmi asked
" how much time " .

Both sides of the call went silent. Silence filled with unease on one side while numb on the other side....

" I can try extend it for 10 years " the man said while his voice was filled with tiredness of his age as wrinkles on his face deepened....

" hmm " Lakshmi said and disconnected the call.

She came out of the room and saw kids along with Arjun in the hall. She looked at them thoughtfully before entering the kitchen.

" Utkarsh , put it back in your plate" Utkarsh jerked back his hand which was going to place handful of beans into Noor's rice bowl .

" babababa" Noor started babbling looking at her brother's retracting hand .
" mumma , As an elder brother
I need to sometimes sacrifice my happiness" Utkarsh said while quickly putting back the beans into Noor's plate and Abhimanyu started picking up beans from his own plate too .

" put more beans in her bowl and I will make sure to cook your favourite kakarkaya tomorrow" Lakshmi said and all the kids hands stopped in mini seconds , and then reverted back to their mouths to stuff their rice in . No one knows better than them at how good their mom cooks bitter gourd .

After their dinner , kids went back to their room while Lakshmi sat outside in the balcony . Arjun too sat beside her in a wooden chair while leaning back . He stared at her , taking in those soft features . She covered herself with a shawl and stared at the clear night sky .
He too starred along with her at those lonely stars far away from each other .

Two people sat under the night sky
With a distance between them
Neither too close
Nor too far .

Like those stars.....

The sounds of beetles floated through the air ,
As warm light escaped through the closed windows ,
And fell on them under the moon light .

" sometimes life is so unpredictable right ?" She said while looking up at the night sky and while holding the shawl tightly .
" it feels like just yesterday I was dreaming of normal life which couldn't be more normal like any other girl" she said softly as if talking to herself .
Arjun stared at the woman beside her .
He didn't know whether he should be happy that she was sharing her burden with him.....

She leaned back into her chair comfortably as a hair strand flew by the breeze and laid on her cheek .
" I will forgive you"
Arjun's head whipped back to see her .
He couldn't believe what he was hearing .

" you were never worth it Arjun .
I knew it from the time I met you .
You are too inhumane.......
See who is speaking these words...." Lakshmi humoured herself as she smiled while her eyes drooped .

The air blew by once again as if whispering words to her while she tucked back those loose strands behind her ear .

" when did you come to know that I was alive ?" She asked slowly while gripping on to the cup of tea which has lost its warmth.....

Arjun stayed still while looking at her sharply .

" I may not have shared a bond with you
But I do know the type of person you are Arjun......" Lakshmi said while still looking up at the night sky .

" you don't have to tell me .
It's of no use .
But I pity those people who are believing in your act of 'love and regrets' .

( she paused for a second before saying)

Just leave something for your elder brother too .

He is neither tricky nor has much brains like you .
That couple....... No....
I guess your whole family has been played too much by you .

I do not object your desire for power
But do not make the situation so worse that our kids would have to bear the sufferings ." Lakshmi said softly and her tired face dimmed under the moon light .

She stood up and was about to enter the house , but stopped abruptly before stepping in .
" we are already old enough Arjun .
You should accept the fact that nothing is going to stay with us forever .
Live a life that you won't regret"  she said .

" I am not Meera" she whispered while imagining how he had toyed with Meera .
Maybe she didn't understand it then , but later she understood how Arjun had used Meera's revenge to suppress his own brother in front of his own family and removed his brother from his position above him in business without any hesitation .
It was impossible for Meera to do it alone without someone paving the path for her in the dark which even Meera had no clue of......
Too cold
Too malicious......

Her whisper made it to his ear .
His eyes glinted coldly at those words .
Maybe it was too late .
Too damn late .

Lakshmi slept beside the kids on a single large sized bed as Arjun stayed back in the balcony in a comfortable position on the chair .

Through the corner of his eyes , he saw the light in the main bedroom going off while he gazed back at the night sky .

' my rat is still too sneaky....
She sneaked into my thoughts too' he said while his eyes held a dark glint and smile made its way up on his face .

It was too eerie......
Too cold .