Everyone wished Arnav and he said a polite thank you. All knew that he was depressed since Advay was not there to celebrate his birthday and started their best to cheer him up. It was then the doorbell rang at Shantivan.
Hari Prakash opened the door and stood shocked. In front of him was Advay standing with a smile with the girl whom he knows as Advay bitwa's doctor.
"Kaise ho kaka?" (How are you kaka?) Advay asked softly. Hari Prakash smiled in tears and he touched his cheek. "Aao bitwa..." (Come in son) Hari Prakash welcomed them in with his voice chocking with emotions seeing his Advay bitwa, whom he considers as his own son, after 1 whole month!
"Who is it Hari Prakash ji?" Khushi asked and stood up when she saw them walking in.
"Advay" she whispered and everyone who was busy in some works shot looked up in shock.
Advay walked in the living room with a faint smile. He saw his mother standing in tears. Tears formed in his eyes. He was seeing her after one long month! He saw her widening her arms indicating him to come and he didn't wait for another second. He ran to her and crushed in to her arms.
Khushi hugged him tight caressing his hair. Advay hid his face in his mother's thick mane and heard her whisper, "I missed you my raja..." He hugged her tight and whispered back "Me too mamma"
He withdrew from the hug and wiped her tears nodding a no. Khushi smiled and sniffed to hold back her sobs. She caressed his face which looks cleaner now.
Advay smiled at his mother and then looked at the person who was standing behind. His father! Advay frowned seeing him. He was looking very weak and pale. Within a month he has grown thin and there are dark circles around his eyes. Clearly, his dad is not well.
Advay moved away from Khushi and walked to Arnav. Standing before him, he looked at his father head to toe. "What happened to you dad?" He asked shocked, "You look weak!"
Arnav watched him coming to him and looking at him from head to toe. He heard him asking something. How much did he miss him and his questionnaires! He smiled seeing him ranting on his health, how he has become pale and thin...
"Dad aren't you eating well? Mamma, why aren't you looking after him? Look at him, so thin...you're thinner than me!" Advay whined keeping his thin hand near Arnav's extra thin hand. "See..."
No one said anything but just looked at their son. Advay was frowning at his father's thin hand not even realizing that his father was actually crying seeing him so close after a whole month.
"You should eat well dad!" Advay said frowning at his father's thin hand and then looked at his hand when he felt himself being hugged tightly.
Arnav couldn't hold it anymore. He hugged his son tight and hid his face on his shoulder. Advay smiled and hugged him back. He said softly, "Happy birthday dad!"
Arnav withdrew from hug and looked at him surprised.
"What did you think? I would miss this day?" Advay asked seeing his face. He turned to Kiara who came to him and gave a packet. Advay held a packet and gave it to Arnav. "Here is your gift dad!" He said with a smile.
Arnav bought the gift smiling through his tears. He looked at Kiara with gratitude. Kiara just smiled in return and then turned to Angelina, signalling her to take Advay.
Angelina understood her signal and cried, "Advay! Do you know, I went for a trip last week with my students? I have bought so many gifts. Come..." she dragged him to her room.
As soon as Advay got out of their vision, Arnav said with his voice chocking, "Thank you Kiara...this is the best birthday gift ever..."
Kiara smiled and said, "He begged at my feet for coming here and I couldn't refuse him!"
"How is he now?" Anjali asked and Kiara said, "Not better!"
"What if he turns violent again?" Akash asked.
Kiara sighed and said, "I cannot promise that he won't turn violent. All I can say is that I'll manage him if he turns so!" Everyone nodded.
"This place is so pretty!" Advay cried as he was watching the tour photos in Angelina's laptop. Angel nodded and said, "And do you know, the water there is so pure...so pure that it has a particular taste. And if we wash our face with that...oh god...it's so heavenly!"
Advay smiled and asked, "Which is this place?"
"Panchugudi, a remote village of Madhya Pradesh!" Angelina said scrolling the pics. Finally they came across a pic when Angel cried, "This is the best village we have visited. Ratnanagari!"
Angelina then ran to the cupboard and brought a pot. "See this, I bought it from there. People there are masters in pottery! And look at these designs on this yaar. They are the best! And the people there are so sweet! I just love that village and..."
She kept on ranting about Ratnanagari not noticing the blood red eyes and clutched fists of her brother.
"So what have you done regarding Hanna's murder?" Kiara asked sipping the coffee.
"I have contacted my police friend, Suraj. He said he'll look into it. They'll inspect the murder place once more!" Arnav said and Hanna nodded saying, "Once you prove to Advay that you did not do it then the treatment would be so easy! It'll take only a day!"
"But Hanna's memories will haunt him right?" Khushi asked.
Kiara nodded and said, "Accepting her death will be hard for him. It'll take time. What we have to concentrate now is restoring the faith he had in his father!"
"...and the little girl said that she wants to be a great potter when she grows up..." Angelina went on and on when she suddenly stopped.
A wave of memory passed her. Kiara's words rang in her mind.
How is Advay related to Ratnanagari?
He was talking with me but the sudden mention of this place changed his behaviour. He is related to this place! He knows someone from there! Someone who is close to him!
Angel gulped and looked at her brother who was looking at her murderously. She started sweating and to her utter horror she watched him extending his hand to the knife placed on the fruit plate kept on the table.
Her breath started becoming shallow seeing his hold on the knife growing stronger and stronger with his red eyes fixed on her.
"Advay..." she whispered in her scared voice.
"Why did you go there?" he asked angrily. She flinched at his tone. "YOU WENT TO RATNANAGARI! YOU HAVE GONE THERE! YOU KNOW THE PLACE! SO IT WAS YOU BEHIND THIS! YOU ALL WERE CHEATING ME!"
Angel stood up and Advay held her hand, "DON'T YOU DARE RUN AWAY!"
"Advay...I didn't...do...an...anything..." she stammered in fear when he shouted, "YOU ALL KILLED HER! WHAT DID HANNA DO THAT YOU GAVE SUCH A CRUEL DEATH? WHY DID YOU DO THAT?"
Angel, gathering all the courage, pushed Advay and tried to run away when her leg hit the table and she fell near the wardrobe. She looked at him walking to her and she started to move backwards dragging herself behind.
"Advay...no...it's me your sister...your di..." Angel cried as she saw him sitting on his knee and leaning to her.
"You killed her...you killed my Hanna, my dear di!" Advay said mocking as he drew the knife nearer.
Angel leaned on the cupboard seeing the knife coming closer. No voice came out of her throat. She felt herself numb. She wanted to shout out aloud but she was not able to.
"This pot is so beautiful!" Kiara said holding the pot which was in the living room.
"Wo Angel had gone for a picnic to some villages of Madhya Pradesh. She bought it from there!" Akash said. Kiara smiled and nodded when Payal said, "This pot is from Ratnanagari. She said people there are masters in pottery!"
Kiara froze on hearing that.
"What did you say?" Kiara asked to Payal keeping that pot at its place.
Payal frowned and said, "She bought it from Ratnanagari and..." she suddenly stopped realizing it.
Everyone stood up realizing their blunder.
Kiara looked upstairs at the closed door. "Angel..." she whispered and ran upstairs with the whole family running behind her.
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