all my stars lead to you

chapter 7

Purvi sat by her window, as she watched the raindrops roll down the window. when she thought of today's incident, wondering what her mother might be hiding from her. her gaze fell on the clock that struck eleven, and that is when she heard the intercom ring. she got up, puzzled at the thought of somebody calling at this hour, only to grow more perplexed, seeing her mother rush to pick it. 

"kaun?" asked anjula, as she picked up the intercom, she too was puzzled like purvi, but unlike her, was more shocked. 

"haan, bhej do..." said anjula after a few minutes of processing her thoughts. 

she kept the phone back, as she spread her hands across her face, wiping her sweat off. she, then quickly, without making any noise, got out of the appartment. 

purvi stood across the door of her bedroom, after witnessing all of this. 

'kaun hai yeh?' thought purvi. 

her inability to come up with any possibility drove her mad, but she was convinced, she had to know. she rushed to the entrance of her house, as she fixed her ears on the door, only to get complete silence. she got suspiscious, so she slightly opened the door, as she saw her mother pacing around the hallway in complete panic. well, atleast she matched purvi with that level of anxiety. 

but purvi was completely caught off-guard, when she saw her mom walking back to the appartment. she quickly closed the door and ran to her room, as her mother quietly locked the door and went back to her room. 

'kaun aaya tha?' thought purvi. 

                                                            ***

28th february, 1999

dear diary, 

aaj meri engagement thi, maine finally woh suit pehna joh main ludhiana se laayi thi, riaan ache lag rahe the sherwani mein....woh khudh bhi bahaut ache hain. aaj sagai ke baad unhone mujhse kaha tha milne ko woh banquet hall ke peeche, mujhe bilkul nahi pata tha ki kya expect karna chahiye, aur uhone mujhe completely surprise kardiya! 

yaad hai maine kitna pakka diya tha unhe meri baaton se jab woh mujhe dekhne aaye the, well, uss dinn maine bataya tha ki peechle kuch saalon se main paise bacha rahi hoon woh designer lehenge ke liye, bada man hai mera shaadi mein pehne ka...socha tha jab tak hogi, tab tak paise bacha lungi, lekin ab laga ki mummy ka suit hi pehna padega. ab shaadi ke kharche ke baad na  toh mummy-papa ke paas paise hain, na hi mere paas itni savings. unhone woh mujhe gift kardiya!!!!!! keh rahe the ki meri maa ke saath milkar mujhe surprise dene waale the shaadi ki din, lekin phir unse bilkul bhi wait nahi hua. 

yaar, koi kaise meri ghanton bak-bak ki baatein actually yaad rakhta hai! i, i, 
I LOVE HIM!!!!

 ishita couldn't help but smile, she never thought of her mother as just, a girl...who was so much in love and was so happy.... 

6 year old ishita runs to her mother who is picking dry clothes from the balcony. 

"mummy! mummy! aap mujhe ek tennis racket dilaogi!" requested a gleeful and excited child. 

"tennis racket?" asked her mother in amusement. 

"haan, table tennis, kal school mein ek competition hai, mujhe participate karna hai...." blurted out ishita, as her mom raised her brow at her. 

"but, tumhe khelna nahi aata! if i get you one, you'll be horrible and, everyone will laugh at you!" said jyoti, as she walked away with all the clothes collected in her hand, leaving the little girl's spirit broken forever. 

she kept the diary back on the desk as she went back to sleep.        

                                                                ***

meera was crying herself to sleep, as she held on tight to her pillow, which was noticed by satish. he rolled over to her side, as he hugged her from the back. 

"hey, kya hua?" he asked with concern, as he rubbed her arm. 

"kuch nahi....bas..kavin..." fumbled meera as she tried to stop crying. 

satish hugged her tighter as he rested his head on her shoulder. 

"he's just hurt, meera...." consoled satish as meera nodded and lied on her back now. 

"i know...." she agreed. 

"tumhari aankhe shrink ho jaati hai jab tum roti ho..." remarked satish, as meera looked at him in complete perplexion, only to burst into laughter the next second, which he reciprocated. 

suddenly, they heard the bell ring. 

"iss waqt?" asked meera, as she satish gazed at the clock, it was thirty minutes past eleven. 

"main dekhta hoon...." said satish as he left. 

meera wiped her face with her sheet, as she smiled recounting what just happened. she looked out of the room, wondering where is satish. she got up from the bed, and walked outside, to find him standing with the door open. 

"arre, bhoot dekh liya kya?" asked meera, as she walked up to satish. only to see the person at the doorstep and her jaw dropped. 

"shivani?"

                                                          ***

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