Here's the 27th chapter.
Enjoy reading.
It was Friday and Anokhi was continuosly pacing around the room.
Her anxiety was growing with each passing second. She was only thinking about what she would say to Reema when she will find out about her little princess.
She wasn't in the mood to sit and patiently describe her entire past to Reema right now. She just knew she had a supportive friend who would understand her predicament.
"Reema ne agar Mimi ke baare mein poocha toh main kya javaab doongi ?...", she thought to herself.
"M... main unke baare mein toh abhi nhi bta sakti use...", she became emotional as she remembered someone.
"Dar mat Anokhi..."
"Vo bohot achchi friend hai meri... vo bina soche - samjhe judge nhi karegi...", she relaxed herself.
Meanwhile, Mimi ran up to her and said, "Mumma..."
She knelt before her, "Bolo Mimi Shona... kya hua hai..."
"Anumaa..."
"Aapne bola tha... humchhe milne koi aane vaala hain...", she exclaimed with glee.
She smiled and said, "Haan Mimi..."
"Lekin vo kaun hai ?...", she inquired curiously.
"Vo meri dost hai Mimi..."
"Jaise Crèche mein aapke do dost haina... Anya aur Manu... Vaise hi vo meri dost hai..."
"Yayyyyyyyyyy...", Mimi clapped in joy.
"Muje bi milna hai aapke dochht chhe Mumma...", she said, a dimple on her face.
"Haan Mimi..."
She stroked her hair and said, "Main aapko bhi milvaaungi..."
"Vo meli dochht banengi ?...", she innocently inquired.
"Kyun nhi banengi..."
"Bilkul banengi...", she caressed her head.
"Mimi se to sab dosti karna chaahte hain... Vo itni good girl jo hain...", she said.
Mimi returned the sweet smile.
"Aap tab tak khel lo..."
"Jab vo aayengi... Mumma aapko bula legi..."
"Theek hain Mumma...", she exclaimed and she ran back towards her doll to continue playing.
After some time had passed, the doorbell finally rang.
Anokhi's heartbeat increased as she came to a halt in what she was doing.
She took small, nervous steps towards the door. She yanked on the doorknob, and there stood Reema with her excited smile on her face.
"Anokhiiiiii !!!...", she hugged her.
Anokhi reciprocated the hug.
"Anokhi yaar !..."
"Tujhe pta hain... mujhe tera PG mil hi nhi rha tha... Fir maine ek insaan se yaha help li..."
"Mujhe toh lga tha main yahi ghum ho jaaungi agar vo insaan meri madad nhi karta toh...", she chuckled.
Reema was saying all this when her gaze was drawn beside Anokhi. She felt as if a pair of eyes was peeping through the gap between the wall and Anokhi's one leg.
Soon after, her mouth ended up hanging open as the pair of eyes grew into a whole piece of tiny human body.
The little girl was holding Anokhi's kurta from the side and looking at her with great interest.
"Anokhi!!!!!..." she screamed.
"H... haan kya hua Reema...", Anokhi was startled.
"Vo kaun hai ???!!!... Itni pyaari si bachchi kaun hain yeh ??!!!..." she exclaimed, surprised and shocked.
It was then that Anokhi realised Mimi was standing beside her. Her heartbeat rose.
"Btana Anokhi !..." she exclaimed, knelt down and took the little girl's hands in hers.
Reema gave her a warm handshake and said, "Hellllooooo !!!..."
"Aapka naam kya hain ?...", Reema asked happily.
Anokhi looked around and made Reema stand.
"Reema..."
"Pehle andar toh aa jaa... fir baatein karna...", she pulled her inside and closed the door behind.
Reema entered the room with the little girl's hand in hers.
"Reema vo... vo m... meri...", Anokhi fumbled.
"Arre ab bta bhi... Kaun hai yeh pyaari si bachchi..."
"Main aapko... aapko godi mein utha loon?...", she asked the little girl, her face bright with delight.
"Haaaaaaaan..."
"Uthhao naaa...", said the girl, spreading her arms.
"Awwwww...", Reema said as she lifted her into her arms and kissed her on the cheek, admiring her cuteness.
Anokhi smiled as she observed how quickly Reema bonded with her.
Reema turned to face Anokhi, who stood silently smiling.
"Arre Anokhi..."
"Kya hua ?..."
"Aise akele-akele has kyu rhi hai ?..."
"Aur tune btaaya nhi abhi tak yeh kaun hain ?... Pados mein rehti hain ?...", she asked and lifted off the girl from her arms.
"Reema... vo... vo... meri... vo..."
"Arre tu asie vo - vo kya kar rhi hain ??... Ab bol bhi...", Reema looked confused.
"VO MERI BETI HAIN REEMA !...", she immediately closed her eyes after saying this.
Reema's eyes widened as she processed the words.
Anokhi opened her eyes slowly, only to find Reema staring at her with her mouth agape.
"R... Reema.. k... kya dekh rhi hain ? ...", she stuttered.
"Oooooooo Maaaaaaaa Goooooooo !!!!!...", Reema exclaimed in her bengali tone.
Anokhi had a puzzled expression on her face.
Reema ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders.
"Anokhiiiiiii !!!..."
"Teri beti ????!!!!..."
"Tu sach bol rhi hain ?... Mazaak toh nhi kar rhi...", she couldn't believe her ears and smiled at the same time.
"M... main mazaak kyu karungi Reema..."
"Vo sach mein meri hi beti hain... Meri Mimi...", she said smiling.
"Oh my god !... Oh my god !... Oh my god !..."
"Main sapna toh nhi dekh rhi ?!!..."
"Tune mujhe pehle kabhi kuch kyun nhi btaaya ?... ", she shouted back, jumping like a child.
Anokhi was surprised to see her reacting that way.
Reema dashed over to Mimi and embraced her, telling the world, "Mimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii !!!!..."
Mimi was giddy with delight and wrapped her small arms around Reema.
"Mujhe abhi bhi yakeen nhi ho rha Anokhi !!!..."
"Matlab sach mein ?... Teri beti ?...", she smiled.
Anokhi smiled back.
Reema placed a kiss on Mimi's head before walking over to Anokhi.
"Mujhe jaankar badi khushi hui Anokhi !!..."
"Bta na !..."
"Tune pehle kabhi kyu nhi btaaya ?!... Aur Mimi ke Pap-...", Reema paused abruptly as something clicked in her head.
All of a sudden, she fell silent and began to process everything.
She pondered on the facts that Anokhi lived in PG, she was a working mother, she didn't have any married symbols, and all of these facts eventually led Reema to realize that Anokhi was a single mother, and that there was definitely more to it that she was unaware of.
Anokhi, too, realised from her expression that she had gotten a smidgeon of the truth.
"A... Anokhi...", Reema's voice was low and sad this time.
"M... Mimi teri beti hain..."
"M... matalb mujhe kabhi btaaya hi nhi tune... Isliye main excitement mein... matlab... sorry...", she murmured faintly.
"Sorry ki kya baat hain Reema...", Anokhi smiled as she held her shoulders and comforted her.
"Vaise... Main bhi sorry Reema..."
"Tu meri friend hai... maine kabhi iss baare mein tujhe btaaya nhi..."
"Asal mein... k... kabhi mauka nhi mila... aur... aur mujhe bhi nhi pta tha... ma... matlab main kaise btaati...", she got emotional.
When Reema saw her, she realized there was more to it, but she didn't want to force or spill anything. She realized that there was something Anokhi didn't want to share right now.
"To kya hua Anokhi...", she cupped Anohi's cheeks and said.
"Mujhe aaj pta chal gaya na... Teri itni pyaari si beti hain..."
"Main toh bohot excited hoon!!!...", she quipped, resuming her excitement.
"Mujhe ek chhotu si pyaari si dost mil gayi...", she uttered joyfully.
Her understanding nature made Anokhi's lips curl into a smile.
Reema ran back to Mimi and kneeled down in front of her.
"Mimi..."
She excitedly stretched her hand, "Aap mere dost banoge..."
Mim's face lit up with joy and she immediately placed her small palm over hers.
"Haan jalooooool (zaroor)..."
"Arre vaah !..."
"Dekha Anokhi... Maine kitni jaldi meri Mimi se dosti bhi kar li...", she giggled.
Anokhi laughed out loud.
"Main aapko Chikki bula chhakti hoon ?...", Mimi asked sweetly.
Reema's eyes widened in bewilderment.
"Chikkiiiiiiiiiiiiii ????!!!!!..."
"Haan... Chikki...", Mimi replied back cutely.
"Main toh aaj itni cuteness se mar jaaungi Anokhiiii !!..."
"Mimi kitni cuuuuute hain... Mujhe ek naya naam bhi de diya..."
"Chikkiiiiii... Bilkul mere se match karta hain... chulbuli-bulbuli si... Aisi vaali feeling aa rhi mujhe toh yeh naam sunke...", Reema laughed off.
"Reema...", Anokhi walked over to her.
"Chikki asal mein peanut brittle ko kehte hain..."
"Darasal Mimi ko meethi cheeze khaana bohot pasand haina... Isiliye vo jisse bhi milti hain use kisi sweet dish ka naam de deti hain...", she smiled.
"Oooooohhhh...", Reema contemplated.
"Mujhe to bada pasand aaya yeh naam...", she was filled with happiness.
"Thank you Mimi...", she said as she fondled her cheeks, and the little girl smiled back.
"Anokhi...", said Reema, carrying Mimi in her arms once more.
"Mera toh aaj ka din hi ban gya...", she quipped with delight.
"Main aayi thi yaha tujhse project ka kaam discuss karne... Aur dekho... mera toh promotion ho gaya !!!... Main Chikki Mausi ban gayi !!!...", she burst into laughter.
As soon as Anokhi comprehended Reema's words, her smile began to fade away and her eyes turned glossy.
This didn't get unnoticed by Reema.
Anokhi immediately turned behind and walked away to the kitchen area.
Reema had noticed the change in Anokhi's expression but didn't say anything because she didn't want to intrude on her privacy.
She slowly took Mimi down her arms and making her sit on the bed, she too went into the kitchen.
She approached Anokhi from behind and found her sniffing. She felt too sad for unknowingly making her upset.
"A... Anokhi...", she placed her hand on her shoulder.
When Anokhi felt her hand, she quickly wiped away her tears and turned back, her face plastered with a smile.
"Reema..."
"Tu yaha ?..."
"Mimi se baat ho gayi ?...", she tried to sound normal.
Reema calmly placed both hands on her shoulders and said, "Anokhi..."
"I'm sorry..."
Anokhi was about to cut her in middle but she continued.
"Anokhi..."
"I don't know ki kya baat hain..."
"Lekin..."
"Ek baat yaad rakhna Anokhi humesha...", she said, smiling slightly.
"Agar kabhi bhi zaroorat padhe... Toh apni iss dost Reema ko yaad karna..."
"Agar tu kabhi bhi koi baat share karna chaahe... Toh mujhse kar sakti hain... ", she assured.
"Main hoon humesha tere saath...", she pressed her shoulders to comfort her.
Through tears, Anokhi smiled and hugged her friend to express her gratitude for her understanding of the situation.
"Thank you Reema...", were the only words she uttered.
Reema reciprocated the hug and rubbed her back.
Anokhi felt grateful to have a friend like Reema and and promised herself that she would disclose everything to her when the right time will come.
How was it ?
Do tell me in comments 😊