Estranged | ✓

XXIII. lost

vanraj :

We sat in a circle with a Tupperware bottle in the middle.
"So the cap is the one who answers, the back of the bottle is the one who asks.", He said.

Toshu sat opposite me, while Pakhi and Samar said on either side. Anupama sat between Samar and Toshu.

Toshu turned the bottle.
The bottle turned.

It stopped with the cap towards me and the back towards Toshu.

He smiled as if he had wanted exactly that.
"Truth or dare?", He asked, grinning.

Since I was in a great mood,
"Dare.", I said.

Toshu drew in a deep breath.
"You have to dance for us.", He said plainly.
"What?! Me? Dance? Nope. Impossible.", I said instantly, feeling my face go warm.
"Papa! You cannot cheat!", Samar said stubbornly.

"Okay.. on bonus if you want you can dance with Mummy. Of course you have to convince her for that.", He said crossing his arms before himself.

I sighed.
His Mummy instantly looked down awkwardly.

"Fine..", I said finally standing up and walking down to Anupamaa.
"Can you please help me?", I asked.
She glanced up, there was a mischievous smile on her lips.

"No..", she said simply.
"Arrey.. but..", I sighed.
"Fine, tell me what I should do to convince you.", I said.

She pursed her lips thoughtfully and then said,
"You have to go down on your knees and ask for my hand in dance.. like a gentleman.", She said.

I could say it was her fantasy, a dream she wished was real.
The way her eyes spoke, it almost seemed like she knew I wouldn't do it.

But today, I was going to listen to my heart.
Irrespective of what the world had to say, the society had to believe, what my own mother would want me to do.

Because my world was right before my eyes.
My children, and her.

I finally went down on one knee and held my hand out.

"May I, beautiful lady?", I asked in the most British gentleman way possible.

Toshu started clapping with Samar and Pakhi joining him in.
I smiled.
I felt warm from within.
There was a rush of happy hormones.

She looked startled for moments, before I saw her cheeks turn red.

She slowly picked her hand and placed it on mine.
The touch seemed to breath in life, into my being.

Was I falling for her?

I finally stood up holding her hand as she stood right before me.
My face felt warm, as if a wild tsunami of hormones were happening. Her face was red.
And there was a permanent embarrassed smile.

"Samar pass the remote to the music player!", Toshu said as Samar instantly did the needful.

And he turned on the music.

Tujhe dekha..
Toh yeh jaana.. Sanam...
Pyaar hota hai deewana Sanam...

And both of us burst into giggles.

"Come on na! Dance!", Pakhi said impatiently.

I softly wrapped my arm around her waist, fingers entwined with hers.
I took a step back and she took a step front.

There was this strange synchronisation between us. We didn't even look down as we did the foot work, but it just happened.

I started vocalising with Kumar Sanu on the player.

Ab yahaan se kahaan jaye hum..
Teri bahon mei marr jaye hum..

I twirled her once, and she suddenly lost balance, and bumped into me.
The awkward chemistry that worked between us, and the constant giggle that she did,

It all felt right.

She held my shoulder and regained balanced.
I was forced to giggle, as I tried to sing, completely off beat by now.

She joined the singing, as we sang together, swaying to the music.

Ankhen meri.. sapna tera..
Dil mera.. yadein teri..
Ha.. Mera hai kya..
Sab kuch Tera..

Jaan Teri.. saansein Teri..

After what seemed eons of just joy and happiness, the song ended.

We stopped but the next song started.

We stood, her arm around my waist, mine around hers.
She finally stopped giggling.
The moment paused.

I could hear nothing beyond her breathing, her wildly pacing heart, her beautiful smile.
It was strange.. when had I felt this before?

She looked into my eyes, lost.
And I was lost in hers.
Nothing else mattered, not our painful past, not our unknown future.

Nothing.
Just us.

Ajeeb dastan hai yeh..
Kahaan shuru kahaan khatam..
Yeh manzilen hai kaun si..
Na woh samajh sake na hum..

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