Sanjana came inside the ward followed by Arya who had her palm wrapped around her palm. She had her eyes lowered and tears flowing from her eyes. She came towards Maya and sat down on her knees, her eyes still lowered, she held her ears. Maya looked at Durga who was shocked on her act, Arjun too had the same reaction. ‘Sorry Maya, whatever happened to you is all because of me, I was your friend, but I couldn’t stop Kabir from doing all this, I should’ve stopped him, I shouldn’t have taken away your baby from you,’ she said.
‘Sanju, please don’t apologize, because of you only I could meet my daughter,’ Maya said making her stand. ‘No Maya, it wasn’t your fault if I was infertile, I should’ve given you your daughter, Arya, the one standing in front of you is your..,’ she was cut in between by Maya. ‘Sanjana no, what are you doing? She’s just a kid, if she will get to know it like this, she will have bad affect on her, don’t do this,’ she said. ‘Why? Why are you stopping her? Let her say, she don’t have any right on Arya,’ Durga said.
‘Didi, please, not right now, she shouldn’t know the truth like this, Sanjana, don’t, please just don’t do this,’ Maya said to Durga and Sanjana. ‘Maya aunty, what are you hiding? Please tell me, why are you in this hospital? What has happened to you? Tell na aunty,’ Arya said sweetly. Maya cupped her face and kissed her forehead and the back of her palms. ‘What can I hide from you? You’re my fairy, right?’, Maya said and hugged her. ‘Yes, but you’re also my second mother, right aunty? Then why you hide things from me?’, she asked and Maya smiled with tears in her eyes.
‘You trust me na?’, Maya asked making her sit in her lap and she nodded in assurance. ‘I will tell you on right time, OK baby,’ Maya said pressing her nose slowly. Sanjana received a phone call and drew her hand up looking at the screen which flashed Kabir’s name. ‘Speak of the devil. Maya, it’s Kabir’s call, I m outside for sometime,’ she said and went outside. She received the call and kept it on her ear. ‘Hallo,’ she said. ‘Where have you gone with Arya that it’s taking too long? Did you people go to have ice cream or for shopping? Or did you really went and made her meet Maya?’, he asked.
‘Calm down, chill OK, we are just roaming here and there, can’t you just go to office? Go get a life man, and yes, she’s your child but you don’t give a damn about her, what do you want?’, She replied mockingly. ‘She’s my real daughter, but not yours, don’t forget that you have her because of me, I know where you are, are you coming or should I come there to scare your mad friend wifey?’, he asked.
‘Yes am returning, but if you come here, then see what I will do with you,’ she said and disconnected the call. She sighed rolling her eyes turning back and pushed open the door of the ward and saw Arya sleeping in Maya’s lap peacefully. She smiled looking at her and went to them. ‘Maya, I will have to go and take her as well, I will come again to meet you some other day,’ she said. ‘Thank you so much Sanju,’ Maya said thankfully. ‘Its a pleasure, and yes, as I promised, I will give you your daughter back,’ she replied.
Maya smiled in return and she picked Arya. ‘Shift her as soon as possible, Kabir got to know I m here,’ she said and walked out of there. Durga came and hugged her as she went. ‘Chhoti, you OK?’, she asked. ‘I m OK, and I m happy that I will get my daughter back,’ she said. ‘Do you really think she’s going to do that? She’s Kabir’s wife, how can you trust her?’, she asked breaking the hug. ‘She’s my very old friend, when she promises, she fulfills it,’ Maya said assuring her with hope in her eyes.
‘OK, I too felt she’s truthful, Arjun, can you stay with her for sometime? Dev wanted to spend some time with me,’ she said. He nodded. ‘Ok I will make arrangements to shift her,’ she said and went outside. Maya bowed down her head looking at her phone and tears started flowing from her eyes. As he witnessed this, he came towards her and kept his hand over her hand. ‘What happened?’, he asked, his eyes full of worry, his voice had pain looking at her tears. She showed him the photo of a woman along with her by her side.
‘Mumma,’ was the only word she uttered while crying. He wiped her tears. ‘Maya, don’t cry like this, your mother will come to you for sure, I will bring her to you,’ he assured her. ‘But when?’, she asked. ‘Soon, on your birthday, and if you cry and I tell her you were crying, she’ll be sad, right? So stop crying and smile,’ he said and tickled her but this time it was of no use, the door opened and Durga came inside. ‘Didi, Arjun came but mumma didn’t came, why? I want mumma right now,’ she said.
He was about to say but Durga stopped him and came to her. ‘Mumma recorded a message for you, look at this,’ she said and showed her her phone. In the video, she said, ‘Maya baby, please be strong for mumma, I will come to you soon, and yeah don’t be sad, else I won’t be able to live, and remember mumma loves you.’ The video ended and Maya hugged her still in tears. She caressed her hair and combed her hair weaving it in a braid as Maya got relaxed whenever she did this. She hugged her again and she too had tears in her eyes.
After sometime she felt her weight fully on her and she made her lay. He stared at her angelic face. ‘Paperwork is done, time to shift her,’ she said. The wardboys came and they all moved the bed out towards the exit as the packing was already done. He lifted her in his arms and laid her on the backseat of the car. He was about to sit on the front seat but Durga stopped him. ‘I will drive the car,’ she said and sat on the front seat.