Maitri pulled out and into the reports she had with her, again. A few minutes later she looked up, eyes wide. "When did she last donate blood?"
Armaan looked at Vidya and Madhav. "A few months back, bhabhi."
"Why?"
"Madhav had been shot. She was our only option." Dadi Sa said softly.
"Weren't you warned Armaan. She could have died on that table." Maitri said coldly.
"She was adamant."
"And you couldn't make her see sense? What good would her blood have been if she had.." Maitri didn't finish the sentence, but Armaan heard her loud and clear.
"She loves Papa, Maitri Bhabhi. She would have been devastated. He is my father too. I.. am sorry."
"She's fine right now." Vidya said fearful of Maitri's tone.
"No mam. Like Roohi said, she is running a huge risk of not making it out of a pregnancy alive." Maitri said icily. "Because your family member needed blood and she was the only option. You dare call her names, when this is your fault?"
Vidya gasped.
Maitri turned to Madhav with a sad expression. "I'm sorry to drag you into this, Mr Poddar. I know my Abhira. She would do everything in her power to protect her people and you have probably given her a lot of love. I know where she was coming from. I would do everything in my power to protect Parth Papa and Manyu Chachu too." She said.
"I don't blame her for stepping up or Armaan for letting her. I am just trying to tell you guys that her issue, whatever risks have come forth, were not her fault. They were consequences of an action from months ago. An action she did out of the goodness of her heart and her love for this family."
"Now. One report that was not even translated properly for you people by your doctors, has landed her in a panic attack. Your wife, the woman who should have been her mother, manhandled her. Do you even see how harsh you are Mrs Vidya Poddar?"
"If someone were to tell you.. you are infertile. Would it not break your heart into pieces? If someone were to tell any of the girls here, the way you just told our daughter, that she cannot give another family's son a family, how would you as parents and loved ones react to that?" She demanded.
Vidya didn't respond.
Maitri looked at Roohi, who had tears of pain and panic in her eyes. She wanted to feel bad for Roohi, but Maitri knew the truth. This panic was not Akshara's fault. This insecurity that festers in her heart— was caused by no one other than Roohi herself. She had a family that doted on her. She had a mother who wanted to raise her to be strong, independent, not a pathetic woman who ran after a man who wasn't hers. She had a masi who had sacrificed her own peace, her family to give her a stable, love filled childhood away from trauma.
She was not alone in this world. Yet, she chose to live in fear, she chose to be insecure of losing people who had forsaken the world in her favor. They had given their own child up to the cruelties of the world in favor of raising her, spoiling her with their love. So. Much. So. That. They. Abandoned. Akshara.
"Your family is blaming her, Madhav uncle, accusing her and breaking her heart." She said was on the verge of tears seeing the girl who was so full of life and laughter a year ago, bundled in her brother's arms, so small, so fragile, so damn broken.
Her heart broke anew every time she looked in his direction. She shone so bright, before.
"Do you know how your declaration of her being infertile translated for her? For your own son? The shock both the children went through three days before they were to celebrate being married with their families in attendance?"
"I didn't want my son to—" Vidya tried to reason but was interrupted by Shivansh.
"Your son? Your son?! The man you stripped of all freaking rights just a few weeks ago? The man your family disrespected and called 'Sautela' at the drop of a hat, because Rohit was hurt. Aapko Armaan ki fikr hoti toh abhi ap Rohit ki zid ko justify karne ke liye Abhira Armaan ki shaadi nahi karwa rahi hoti. Just to assure your son that his wife won't cheat on him, aap meri behen ko har roz ek naye tamashe ka hissa nahi banati. Apne bacchon ko sambhalti. Abhira ki maa hone ka farz nibhaati." he said calmly.
