"She needs this reality check, Ram." Sujata shared painful eye locks with her husband. "I don't want my son to live a life where he cannot expect support from his life partner. I don't want my son to have the same fate as me."
Sujata broke their eye lock covering herself with blanket, and she laid down on bed crying bitterly on her and her son's fate.
Ram got up from his seat to leave the room. He went towards the terrace where he saw Swara sitting on a swing. Her sobs gave a pang to his heart. 
'Am I responsible for their pain?' He looked upwards towards almighty.
Taking deep breath he took steps towards swing. He sat beside his daughter in law.
"Dad" Swara tried to wipe her tears.
"No Swara, you don't need to hide it." Ram wrapped his arm around Swara, feeling his fatherly care, her pain burst out in the form of tears.
"You know Swara, when I was in school, I was a very carefree person. But, then my father met with an accident. He left us. Within 2 years my mother also bid bye to this world. All responsibilities came on Bhaisahab. He took care of everything. He sacrificed alot for my future and betterment."
It was for the first time, Swara was witnessing her father in law voicing out his inner feelings.
"I felt indebted to him for this life. For me his words were the final verdicts. But in the race to repay my debt, I forgot that I am someone's husband, I am someone's father. And when I realised it, it was too late. They stopped expecting anything from me."  
"That's not true Dad. Mom, Sanskar, Uttara loves you a lot..." Ram interrupted her with a chuckle and slight nod.
"I know. But love is at one place, whereas keeping your expectations, or trusting that your loved ones will support you no matter what happens is at the other side. They don't have any expectations from me, because they know I won't be there for them if they need me." Ram gulped audibly.
"It gives me a blend of mixed feelings when I see Sujata and Uttara depending on Sanskar for every little thing. I feel bad because it gives me a sense of my failure as husband and father whereas I feel proud of my son that he is not repeating my mistakes. He takes a stand for himself and his loved ones. He is ready to make this world upside down for the betterment of his relations. You only tell me a single incident when he did not take a stand for you?"
"I know, I did sin by leaving him... but Dad..." Swara cursed herself for her blunders.
"It was not only your mistake. You both were at fault." His words amazed Swara.
"He did not do anything." She defended.
"You both let others impact your relationship." Ram explained. "When you and Sanskar got married everyone thought you both are a perfect match to each other. We all thought you both love each other, you both are strong personalities but we overlooked the basic foundation of your relationship."
"What do you think is the foundation of your relationship, Swara?" Ram asked.
"Our love for each other."
"No, I don't think so. It's one of the pillars of your relationship but your friendship was the main foundation. You supported each other when the whole world was against you two. I still remember that night when Sanskar filled vermilion in your hairline without caring about anyone. All he cared about was your respect. That respect was the pillar of your relationship."
"When Ragini had accused Sanskar of molestation, you were the one to defend him like a wounded lioness. That trust was another pillar of your relationship." Ram reminded her about their past.