A Chance to Love

Chapter 14

Prem

I reached the park where Preeti asked me to meet up almost five minutes past an hour from the time we hung up, only to wait for them to turn up. We were supposed to meet up in an hour! I saw them exiting an Auto Rickshaw after ten minutes and rushed to help them with the stuff they were carrying. I saw Aman giving me shy smile and trying to hide behind his Deema. His nickname for Preeti was still a puzzle for me! I took the picnic basket from Preeti and sent a smile to Aman. Then we moved to find a peaceful place in the Park.

Once we were settled on the picnic mat, I signed at Preeti to introduce me to Aman and she did.

"Ammu he is... Prem. You remember Kiran, he is her brother," she said softly looking at Aman "And... this is my li'l brother Aman. He is like my own child and my life," she told me. The way my name rolled from her tongue, I felt it too beautiful that I liked it to be my name. I never had any problems with my name earlier, but now I'm in love with my name as the love of my life takes it with so much love.

"Hi Aman" I said forwarding my hand. He glanced at Preeti and when she gave a nod, he took my hand and replied softly,

"Hello Sir" I smiled to his cuteness.

"Sir!" I asked him amused.

"I don't know what else to call someone special for my DeeMa," he said shyly

I glanced at Preeti and she blushed. I smiled and asked him,

"Why do you call your sister Deema?" He looked at me and then Preeti and then replied slowly

"Because she is my Dee, but I consider her more like my Mother so, Dee plus Ma, DeeMa" He explained and that is when I understood that it's a combination of two words and not a single word.

"Well then why don't you ask your DeeMa what to call me" I said and looked at Preeti for an answer. She blushed a little and then pulled Aman to whisper something in his ears.

"DeeMa asks whether you'll fulfil her conditions if she'll answer your question truthfully," he asked and I felt as if today I'll have to talk to her through Aman only.

"Well, she doesn't need to ask me for anything. She just have to order me and I'll do whatever she wants me to" I told him truthfully looking at Preeti all the time while she was avoiding my gaze with evident blush on her face and neck.

"So ask your DeeMa what's the order for me?" I asked Aman.

He looked at Preeti with questioning eyes but she was directly looking at me now. She asked him to go and play with other kids and asked me.

"Are you sure that you won't have any problem with my any conditions in this relationship?" she asked hesitantly.

"I love you Preeti." I confessed truthfully making her eyes go wide but getting no response, I continued "Preeti I've loved you ever since I've seen you. This might sound crazy but my first instinct on seeing you were as if I've known you forever; but still I needed to know you. I tried to think of it as an attraction but my heart never complied. I love you and trust me I can do anything for you even if it'll be something beyond my power. I'll do my best efforts and would go to any extent to do what you ask. However, my only condition would be that it should be limited to the effects on me. Bitto or anyone else shouldn't be involved in it." I told her truthfully.

Her eyes brimmed with tears and she turned away her gaze. After a couple of minutes she again looked at me and said,

"As you know, Ammu is like a child for me and I won't be able to get separated from him ever. My only condition is that you'll have to accept him along with me and he will be my first priority always, just like it will be the case with you and Kiran," she said and I felt even more proud of her.

I moved my hand and took hers in mine holding it lightly yet firmly.

"Preeti you made me fall for you even more by saying this. You didn't only put forward such an innocent condition, but also understood me without me even saying anything. This is the symbol of our pure relationship and as for your answer" I glanced at Aman "I'll be glad to have him as my second child" I turned to find a look of confusion on her face so I explained, "Bitto is elder than him with quite an evident age difference to be the second child!" I said teasingly to help her relax, which she immediately did and gave me a small smile.

We started talking about ourselves thereafter, getting to know each other better. I moved to sit beside her after a while and she put her head on my shoulder leaning into me. Our hands were still joined as we continued to watch Aman playing; and dreamt of our future together. Aman joined us after some time and we all spent a couple of hours chatting and eating some snacks they brought and by the end of the day he was almost as comfortable with me as he is with his DeeMa. Though we decided that he could call me Jiju (Brother-in-law), we asked him not to tell anyone about me until Preeti herself tells this to her parents. He agreed happily saying that it will be fun to see his DeeMa doing some mischief for the first time in life. He is cute but not as innocent as he looks which I quite liked. Maybe my Bitto will also become a bit social and confident like him in Preeti's company and guidance.

I dropped them near their house and bid my goodbye to them until for the next time I get a chance to meet Preeti, though we agreed on chat and calls in accordance with our schedules. I think this is a good beginning to a wonderful new life.

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