Tandon house 5 AM
Abhi felt a pain on his left temple as he woke up. He felt it with his fingers and got surprised to find his forehead bandaged. 'Yani who sapna nahi tha? I really got hurt!' he thought, 'Yani... Yani... Pragya bhi?'
He sat up on the bed and looked around to find Purab sleeping on the couch. 'Purab ka ghar?' He got up to call Purab and found Prashant sleeping on the floor. 'Nahi... Ye Purab ka ghar nahi hai' he thought, 'toh phir?'
He tried to recall the events of the night before. The best he could tell he had a dream in which he had met Pragya and she hadn't spoken anything, until he was hit by someone and got hurt. He felt his bandage again and thought 'It wasn't a dream... surely.' He recalled her saying "Dont worry, Hum aapko ghar le jaa rahe hai. You'll be fine" as he lay on her lap in the car and then brought him to her home. He looked around 'Ye Pragya ka ghar hai? Pragya zinda hai? Oh God... please... ye.. ye sach ho!"
He got up from the bed and walked out of the room. He looked around and found the opposite room open. He looked inside, there was no one. He walked towards Pragya's room, the door was ajar. He looked inside and could figure out it was a woman sleeping. He looked away as he didn't want to be misunderstood if it was someone else, but caught a glimpse of Pragya's face as he turned. He looked again and buried his mouth in his palms as he recognised her, let out a deep sigh, and whispered 'Pragya!'.
He opened the door and walked in, overwhelmed with joy, and tears welled up in his eyes as he walked towards her. He was scared whether this was another dream and really hoped it wasn't. He pinched himself just to check, even though he wasn't sure whether that was a fail safe method. He sat on the bed next to her, looking at her, as tears started to roll down his cheeks.
"Pragya" he whispered for he didn't want to wake her up. He ran his hand at a distance over her hair. He looked away and buried his face as he cried.
After a few moments he looked at her again, kissed the first two fingers of his right hand, and planted the kiss on her forehead. He was happy, happy to see her, happy that she is back in his life.
He got startled as he heard a knock on the door and looked towards it.
It was Sushma. Abhi got up as she came near by, and said as softly as he could "I'm sorry. I know mujhe yahan nahi hona chahiye. But... she is my... wife" and wiped his tears.
"Please, mere saath bahar aa jao" Sushma said.
Abhi nodded, looked at Pragya, and followed Sushma as she walked out of the room. He looked at her, the better lighting outside the room making her recognisable.
"You look familiar... I think I've met you" he said.
She nodded and said "Sushma Tandon, Mmarcus group".
"Oh...yes... well we do have a past." he said, "I'm sorry, it all happened because of..."
She interrupted him, "You have apologised for it and we have reconciled our differences".
"Over e-mails" he said, "Is bar personally karta hoon".
"Is baar mein Pragya ki ma hoon." Sushma said, "and I am sure you know I am not her mother, par mere liye woh meri beti hai".
She turned and gestured Abhi to follow her with a "Please" as she walked towards the stairs.
Abhi followed her as she said, "Its two years since she is living with me, aur aaj tak maine Pragya ko itni chaien se sote huve nahi dekha hai".
They reached the stairs and she gestured him to sit on one of the chairs besides it. After he sat down, she did too on the opposite chair. "And I want this peace for her all the time".
Abhi nodded. "Thank you. Pragya ka khayal rakhne ke liye. I hate to say this but... " he said "achcha lagta hai ki jab mein uske saath nahi hoon, koi na koi to rehta hai jo usey... jo uska khayal rakhe".
Shagun arrived with tea and served it to Sushma. She gave a glass of water to Abhi. Sushma said, "Saat baje tumhara blood test karne aayenge. You are not supposed to have anything else other than water".
"It's Ok, Thanks" Abhi said, had a sip of water and asked "Par aap log Dilli mein the and I never knew of Pragya being here? I mean... not easy but... had no clue."
"Hum Sydney me the... kal hi aaye hein" Sushma said, "Aaye kisi aur wajah se they, par... ab lagta hai ki aane ki wajah badal gayi hai."
Abhi smiled, "That's what happens with us." he said, "chahe hum kitne bhi door ho... milte jaroor hein, aur sadly, mile to humari hi bewakoofi ke chalte door bhi hote hai".
"is baar shayad Pragya tumhe maaf kar de, apna bhi le" she said, "par mein meri beti ko tab tak tumhe nahi doongi jab tak ki I am not sure she is absolutely safe with you. Aur mein meri beti ke liye kuch bhi kar sakti hoon. Phir chahe woh tumhare aur Pragya ke beech me aana hi kyun na ho".
"I respect that" Abhi said, "and... I've left my past behind".
"But don't expect her to" she said with a stern voice, "In fact, you will have to revisit your past with her. There are some... unanswered questions there... some unfinished businesses" she placed her cup on the teapoy and continued "She will need some answers from you. And ... perhaps even I will too."
He nodded in agreement.
Abhi sighed and said "For now I am just happy she is around. Bohot dhoonda usey... and I had given up all hopes."
She smiled at him, and said "well... seems like she is having a good sleep too. Normally woh aake mujhe jagati hai. Actually feels good that she is sleeping peacefully."
Abhi smiled at her.
"You can have a rest if you want" she said, "and... make yourself comfortable, consider this your home".
Abhi nodded and said "Thank you, I think I'll go have a rest."
Abhi walked back towards Pragya's room. Had a look at her from outside the door and walked back to his room. He tried to make sense of the cryptic way in which Sushma talked. He felt odd, for one moment he was happy to see Pragya and then what Sushma said tensed him up.
It led him to some questions. 'If she didn't die in the accident why didn't she meet me?', 'Did she have a memory loss?', 'Why did she look nervous looking at me yesterday?', 'Why was she silent all the while?', 'Why did Sushma say aaj tak maine Pragya ko itni cheain se sote huve nahi dekha?', 'And what's this about having to revisit our past? What happened?'
'God!!! Too may questions'. He had often thought that his life will be peaceful from the day he meets Pragya, especially now that he had left all his relationships behind. But that felt like a dream to him now.
Pragya's room: A couple of hours later
Sushma entered Pragya's room. She had a smile on her face on noticing she was still sleeping. This was perhaps the longest stretch that she had seen her sleep. Shagun followed her with a tray and placed it on the side table. She took the kettle but Sushma interrupted her "Tum jao, mein banati hoon".
Sushma ran her fingers across Pragyas forehead and hair. Pragya slowly opened her eyes, looked at her, and smiled.
"Good morning" Sushma said, "Aaj badi achchi neend aayi?"
"Good morning" Pragya said as she sat up on the bed, let out a big yawn, and stretched her arms. She got surprised to see the sunlight and asked "Time kya hua?"
"Saat baj gaye hein" Sushma said.
"Saat baje to woh blood sample lene aayega na?" Pragya asked and got up from the bed.
"Pragya woh aaya nahi hai ab tak" Sushma said as Pragya walked into the washroom.
Sushma smiled and wondered about the change she was noticing in Pragya. 24 hours back she was hell bent on punishing Abhi and now she seemed concerned for him. She decided to let Pragya be the way she wants to be, to let her do what she wants to do, while making sure everything is all right by herself.
She made coffee as Pragya, having brushed her teeth, came and sat besides her.
"Coffee?" Sushma asked as she gave her the cup.
"Thank you" Pragya said, but had a concerned look on her face.
"Aunty" she said fiddling with the cup, "I don't know what to believe in."
"Ab coffee pee lo. We will find out later." Sushma said.
"Ye uth gaye kya?" Pragya asked.
"Paanch baje utha tha... tumhe dekhne bhi aaya tha" Sushma said. Pragya looked at her. "Mujhse thodi baatein kari and then I asked him to rest".
"Kya baatein ki?" Pragya asked.
Sushma thought about it for a while and said "Let that be between me and him".
Pragya nodded.
Shagun entered the room and said "Ma'am, woh lab technician aaya hai".
"Haan" Sushma said, "usey Abhi ke paas bhej do".
Abhi's Room
Prashant woke up and found Abhi lying awake. He got up and sat besides Abhi.
"Sirji, Aapki rani mil gayi aapko" he said with a broad smile.
Abhi smiled at him and said "Rani mili hai Prashant, cover nahi. Cover lena baki hai".
"Mil jayega sirji" Prashant said as Shagun entered the room.
"Sir aapka blood sample lene aaya hai" she said as the lab technician entered the room.
Abhi cringed a bit, "Ye blood sample lena jaroori hai kya?"
"Sir woh...woh to mujhe pata nahi" Shagun said "Ma'am ne bola hai".
"Kaun Pragya Ma'am?" Abhi asked.
"Ji" She said "aur Sushma Ma'am ne bhi".
"Ye ma-beti na... dono mileke badla le rahi hai" Abhi whispered and Prashant and Shagun smiled as they heard it.
He looked at the technician and said "Theek hai... le lo".
The technician came near him and prepared the syringe.
"Ye sui ke alava doosra koi raasta nahi hai kya blood lene ke liye?" Abhi asked him.
The technician smiled at him and asked "Kyu dhar lagta hai aapko?"
"Nahi dharta nahi hoon" Abhi said "Bas... sui dekhke ghabra jaata hoon"
He noticed Pragya and Sushma entering the room. "Pragya ye blood sample lena jaroori hai kya?" he asked.
She smiled and said "Yes. Doctor ne kaha hai".
"Doctor ne kaha ya tumne kehalvaya?" Abhi asked.
"Baat mat ghumayiye, haath aage kijiye" Pragya said as she came near him.
Purab walked out of the washroom and smiled at Abhi.
"Hey... Purab" Abhi said, "chodd... tujhse kya ummeed rakho tu to isi ki baat maanega na? Di ka bhai... saala."
Abhi held Pragya's hand as the technician inserted the needle, tightening his grip all the way until the procedure was done.
"Hogaya" Pragya said "ab chodd dijiye"
"Hogaya?" Abhi asked, "kuch pata hi nahi chala".
"To ek aur le lu sir?" the technician asked.
"Arey nahi... kitna khoon choosega... itna kaafi hai".
"Reports kabhi milenge?" Pragya asked.
"Shaam ko 7 baje" he replied and packed his case and left the room.
Shagun prepared coffee for the three. Pragya looked at her and after a brief moment of hesitation, said 'Shagun, ye cup me dalcheeni aur elaichi daal dena' and walked out of the room. Purab smiled at her as she went past him, but she didn't notice. "Abhi laati hoon sir" Shagun said and left the room. Sushma accompanied her.
Purab sat besides Abhi and asked "Aur Abhi, kaisa hai?".
"Theek" Abhi said, "par teri Di theek nahi lag rahi hai. Bhaav nahi de rahi hai. Aur ye, Sushma, Sushmaji... Hitler hai... aaj subah subah sunaya mujhe."
Purab smiled and said, "Hume nahi pata na di ke saath kya hua. Woh jaanti hein. Tu bas... thoda time de unko... Di ko bhi."
Abhi agreed.
Purab said "Tu aaram kar, I'll come" got up, and walked towards Pragya's room.
Pragya's room.
Pragya observed the early morning sight from her window. She could hear the chirping of the birds and feel the dampness that the morning brought with it. She felt quite peaceful and wondered when was the last time she did.
She looked back as she heard a knock on the door.
"Di aap se kuch baat karni thi" Purab said.
"Haan, bolo na Purab" she said.
"Yahan nahi Di" he said, "Kahi aur chalte hein. Mmm... mera ghar paas me hi hai... wahan? Aap ghar bhi dekh lijiyega aur baat bhi karte hein".
"Theek hai" she said "breakfast ke baad?"
Purab agreed and left the room.
Pragya looked at him, wondered what he had to talk about, and continued to observe the morning sight from her window.
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