Estranged | ✓

XXVIII. the message

vanraj :

"My name.. My name is Pakhi Joshi... And.. And..", Pakhi was standing on top of the bed while Toshu, Samar and I sat below on the carpeted floor waiting for her performance.

"And I forgot!", She said annoyed as she sat down.
"And I have two brothers, Pakhi!", Samar said half annoyed, "You don't remember us only!"

"Yes! I don't want to remember you Winter!", She snapped at him, still sounding like a cutie.
But since I was a father, I couldn't adore her for her cuteness,
"Pakhi, don't misbehave. Say sorry to your brother."

"Nooo.."
"Pakhi, it is good manners.", I said trying to sound as understanding as ever.
She sighed, like she had been asking to do the absolute impossible.

The amount of drama my little girl did was astonishing.
Where did she get this from?
I was pretty sure it was her mother.

Now that I had started observing Anupamaa, I realised how extremely dramatic she was!
From throwing tantrums over having her tea cold (yes. I am not the only one.), to making faces (cute ones, like pouting) because there was a traffic signal.

"Sorry, Winter.", She said, trying very hard to sound earnest.
"Since I am a generous young man, I forgive you.", I looked at Samar with a raised brow.

Generous young man.
Nice.

Anupamaa legit had two entertainment channels in her very own apartment.
No wonder she had stopped watching the television.

It had been a week since our agreement, and I had started to come back home early. It was eight in the evening when I was sitting with my kids.

She was going to come back in a moment now.
I kept looking at the wall clock and sighed.

"Pakhi, try again na. You have to say this in class.", Toshu said as she pouted and stood up again.
"I am Pakhi Joshi. I have two brothers, one is Toshu and the other his Winter.", I heard Samar sigh in annoyance,

"And I love my Mummy and my new Papa.
Bye!", And she jumped off the bed and ran down to me.

"New Papa?", Toshu asked, confused.
"Yesss.. He is new.. You don't know anything!", She stuck his tongue out at him, and before I could say anything she hugged me tightly.

"Huh! Papa ki Pari!", Samar said with narrowed eyes.
"You can also be Papa ka Para but you can't see anything beyond Mummy.", Pakhi said as I hugged her back.

She sat on my lap, now.

"Aah! So what's going on?", My heart skipped a beat.
"Mummy!", Samar said and ran down to hug her.
Anu walked into the room wearing a casual t shirt and track pants and I just couldn't tear my eyes off.

How on earth did I not notice how beautiful she was?!

"Okay, now it's time for dinner.", She announced as Toshu stood up and Pakhi released me and got off my lap, "Papa, you want dinner too?"

Anupamaa asked as I finally snapped out.

"Yea-yeah.", I mumbled awkwardly as I stood up.
She smiled keeping her bag on the bed.
It was open, and her phone slipped out.

Just as I was about to leave, I heard a ping.
Reflexively I turned to look.

A message floated in the notifications,

"I'm lucky you accepted my date proposal."

I froze.

It was from the owner of the International Dance Academy.
She had saved it under the name of Amit Sir.

I glanced at her across the room, as she pulled out the plates for dinner.

And suddenly felt terrible memories flood back.

"...but Rittika it clearly says he—"
"Vanraj! Are you doubting me?!"
"No.. but.. He's written I love you to you and you've replied with the same.."

"Friends talk that way, okay?! Now stop behaving like an ignorant orthodox!", She had said and snatched her phone from my hand.

And after six months she had happily married him.

I gulped nervously as I quitely strode out of the room.

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