Love Bites

To Be With You (15)

"Derr se hi sahi magar tu mila toh haina, dheere dheere sahi magar faasla mita toh haina!" 

Every fibre in Neil's body wanted to stop the car & run back to Avni. The more he tried to stay firm on his resolve, the more her teary eyes flashed in front of his vision. He no more knew if the distance was actually even going to work for him or not. 

He was looking outside the window when his eyes fell on someone standing at the roadside besides their car. The built of the man looked immensely familiar. Neil asked the driver to stop the car when he recognized that the person standing on the roadside was Prakash, his father. 

Stepping down the car, he walked up to Prakash whilst his face contoured into a frown of confusion.

N - Dad? Aap yahan? - he asked.

P - Udaipur jaa rhe ho? - Prakash looked at him while Neil just nodded, still confused. Hum do minute baat kar skte hain? - he asked hesitantly & all Neil could do was nod again.

They sat in Prakash's car & it was completely silent for a few minutes. Neil didn't know what to make out of his father's sudden appearance. He had talked to Bebe that morning & told her about Udaipur, so Neil assumed that Bebe must have told Prakash about him leaving.  

N - What is it, Dad? Is everything okay? - he finally asked when the silence became too thick to handle.

P - Bahut dair kardi na maine? - he asked lowly as he looked at Neil. 14 saal hogye aur main tumse kabhi keh hi nahi paya ki Beta, I love you! Itni simple si baat thi. But I couldn't say. I'm sorry, Neil. - he spoke as his voice turned gruff when a lone tear escaped his eye.

N - No, Dad! Please don't. - he said as he shook his head while wiping his Dad's tears. I'm sorry too. Maine bhi toh kabhi nahi kaha aapse! - he spoke as his own eyes turned glassy.

Prakash took in a deep breathe as he looked at his son. I need to do it today. For my son! Probably the only chance I can actually be a father to him. I can't fail him this time! - he thought.

P - Neil, Your mother & I, we had met each other in college, we loved each other & then got married. Had you after three years of marriage & life was perfect. Blissful. - he said & Neil could see his eyes looked hazed, as if he was in trance, probably picturing their happy moments together. But then, the same eyes turned glassy again. Phir dheere dheere kaam ka itna pressure badh gya ki main time hi nahi de paya tumhari Mom ko. Ek gap aagya tha humare bich! - he took in a breathe. Prakash was looking at his empty hands now that were lying on his lap. Usse lga ki I'm cheating on her, jab ki aisa kuch tha nahi! I had always loved her, will always do! - he looked up at Neil. Par apni ego mein maine bhi kabhi clarify nahi kiya! One misunderstanding led to another, & one fight led to another. We didn't realise ki hum kab ek-dusre se itna door ho gye ki woh distance khatam karna impossible ho gya tha! One day, I came back home & Shweta was no more. - he voice cracked & Neil inhaled sharply. And so was my will to live, no more! Main zinda bas isliye rha ke tumhe provide kar sakun. Par I failed you too! - he held Neil's hand in his. Main tumhara baap kabhi ban hi nahi paaya! Neil, main tumse nahi kahunga ki tum ruk jao ya mat jao, par bas woh galtiyan mat karna jo maine ki thi! - he said & Neil listened to him with all his attention. Beta, humein naa, humesha aisa lagta hai ki bahut waqt hai humare paas! Aur jo humare log hain woh kahan jaane wale hain? Humein lagta hai ki woh toh humesha wahin rahenge.....jahan humne unhein chhoda tha! Aur yeh sabse badi galti hai jo hum karte hain! - he exhaled through his mouth & gave Neil's hand a firm squeeze. Toh agar tum kisi se pyaar karte ho, toh aaj hi keh do. Yeh jo aajkal tumhari generation ne trend chalaya hai na - Ki tum hi se door hun kyuki tumse pyaar karta hun! Don't fall in this pit. - he shook his head as if requesting Neil not to repeat history by making the same mistakes he made. Hum aaj ek-dusre ko takleef dein, yeh sochkar ki isse humara kal achha hoga, isse badi bewakoofi kya ho skti hai? - he said.