The relentless rain outside drummed a steady beat on the windows. Priya jumped at the sudden knocking on the hall's door. With a puzzled look, she hurried to open it, and her eyes widened in shock at the sight of Krish. He wass drenched to the bone.
"Krish! Tum yaha kya kar rahe ho? Kab aaye?" Priya gasped, her concern was evident.
Krish stepped inside quickly, shivering from the cold rain. "I'm so sorry tumhe subah subah disturb karne ke liye" He said.
Priya handed him a towel and gestured for him to dry off. "Maafi maangne ki koi zarurat nahi, Krish. Tumhe pehle hee aajana chaiye tha."
Just then, Ram entered the hall and his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Krish. "Krish, tum..abb yaha? Pehle kyun nahi aaye? I'm sorry...."
Krish managed a smile despite his drenched state. "Koi baat nahi, Ram. Mujhe laga tum dono ko akela wakt chaaiye sab kuch suljhaane ke liye toh isiliye..."
Priya who was preparing coffee in the kitchen, overheard their conversation, "Mr. Kapoor ne toh mujhe bataya hee nahi ki tum bhi aaye ho."
Krish chuckled softly.Feeling the warmth of the room seeping into his chilled bones, he spoke "Well, to be honest, baarish ke kaaran main poori raat so nahi sakha. Baarish bahut tez tha, aur aisa lag raha tha jaise car ka chhat mere sar par gir jayega."
Ram couldn't help but smile dryly. "Imagine kar saktha hoon...Bohot hi junglee raat thi!"
Priya returned from the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee, and looked at Krish curiously. "Par tum andar kyun nahi aaye Krish? Hume koi problem nahi hota."
Krish sipped his coffee and savored the warmth. "Maine socha ki tum donon ko personal space dena sabse achha hoga. Aakhirkaar, tum dono ek dusre ko arse baad dekh rahe ho."
Priya softened. She was touched by his thoughtfulness.
Ram nodded in agreement. His gaze were Priya. "Thank you, Krish."
Pihu stirred from her sleep due to the muffled sounds of conversation that reached her ears. Curiosity filled her sleepy eyes and she tiptoed into the hall, rubbing her eyes to make sense of the unexpected scene. Her gaze landed on Ram. A figure she had only seen in pictures. The scene that greeted her was both magical and bewildering.
"Pa...pa..?" she whispered in astonishment.
Ram, catching sight of Pihu, became a statue frozen in time.
"Pihu? m... bachhe...." his voice broke.
His eyes registered shock, a tinge of happiness, excitement and fear. He had waited for this moment, yet the uncertainty of how Pihu would react made his heart race. Pihu, in turn, looked at him with a blend of surprise and joy, realizing the man in front of her was the father she had known only through photographs.
"Mummaa...!" she shouted with a sudden burst of confusion, excitement and hesitation,
"Pihu! baby... rukk jao," Krish, attempted to reassure Pihu. He called her to come closer, but she ignored him and rushed towards Priya, who was her safe haven. she wrapped her tiny hands around Priya's hips and buried her face in her mother's side. Her tiny hands clutched onto Priya tightly.
Ram, sensing the moment, got up from the sofa, took tentative steps toward them, still processing the reality of being a father.
Priya turned around to see a somewhat confused Pihu and kneeled down to her level.
"Pihu beta," Priya said, gently stroking Pihu's hair, "Aap har din puchte the na ki mere papa kaha hai, mere papa kaha hai?"
"Haan" Pihu nodded cutely.
"Woh dekho.... aapke papa, finally aapse milne aagaye hain...." she pointed towards Ram with her eyes.
"Hamesha ke liye?" she asked innocently.
"Haan..abb chalo papa ke taraf mudo" Priya pulled her cheeks and said.
Pihu was still clinging to Priya. She turned towards Ram. Her little heart fluttered with curiosity and a hint of apprehension. This was the man she called "Papa," someone she had heard and seen in pictures but never met.
She studied him for a moment, taking in the unfamiliar features. Then, a realization dawned on her; this was the person her classmates and teachers asked about. The missing piece in the stories she had heard from her mother. The word "papa" suddenly gained meaning.
Priya took Pihu's tiny hands in hers and guided her towards Ram. Ram was still at a loss for words.
Time stood still as Ram took in the sight of her. Pihu, with her tiny hands and wide blue-green eyes, seemed to radiate an aura of pure joy. his eyes moistened with the overwhelming emotions that ran within him. His heart raced.
"Pihu, mera bachha...aajao apne papa ke paas" Ram said with a broken voice, glistened eyes and arms stretched out.
Listening to her papa calling her, a spark of recognition lit up her eyes and a wide smile formed on her lips. Without a word, she ran towards him. As he knelt down to her level, She reached out, as if wanting to touch and confirm that he was indeed real.
"Papa!?" she asked innocently.
"Haaan mera bachha" Ram replied her
Pihu crashed into a hug in a heartbeat. The Father-daughter duo embraced each other as if this moment was the peak of a lifetime of longing. As if it were the last hug they'd ever share.
Pihu felt the warmth of a connection she had never known. She didn't understand the complexities. all she knew was that this was her papa and his presence felt like the missing piece of a puzzle falling into place. The world, at that moment, seemed to shrink to just the two of them, a father and his daughter.
Tears streamed down Ram's face, and Pihu's eyes welled up too. Witnessing this reunion, Priya couldn't hold back her own tears. Krish stood there with a smile and captured this tender moment on his phone.
Waves of emotions crashed through him as he hugged Pihu for the first time. It created a different kind of feeling, the one he had never experienced before. Holding his daughter in his arms, felt like a sense of fulfillment. This was a moment he had longed for, a dream he thought was shattered by circumstances beyond his control.
Pihu's tiny arms around his neck, her teary eyes mirroring his own, created a bond that was beyond the painful past. The weight of the years without knowing her, of missed milestones, melted away in the simplicity of that heartfelt hug. He hugged Pihu tighter.
He looked at Priya, who stood there witnessing the reunion. A soft smile played on his lips. His gaze conveyed unspoken gratitude towards her. An acknowledgment of the sacrifices she had made and the resilience she displayed to protect their daughter. He thanked her internally for carrying this precious gift for him and for enduring the pain all alone.
Ram, his voice choked with emotion, finally spoke, "Pihu...bachhe, aaj se mai hamesha hamesha ke liye aapke aur mamma ke saath rahunga...I promise"
"Pinky promise?" she asked unhugging and forwading her little finger
"Pinky promise" he replied entwining his little finger with her tiny one.
her voice soft but filled with emotion, replied, "I missooouu papa."
Ram (voice shaky and emotional): Papa ne bhi aapko bohot miss kiya Beta.
Pihu (curious, but a bit shy): Papa? meri eyes...aapki eyes, same same..?
Ram (smiling through tears): Haan, darling. same same.
Pihu (pointing to Ram's eyes): Meri eyes copy kiye hain!
Ram (pretending to pout): Lekin Pihu, meri blue-green eyes tumse pehele thi. Aapki waali eyes meri hai.
Pihu (giggling): Copycat papa!
Ram (gasping): Mai? copycat? Kabhi nahi!
Priya (smirking): Mr. Kapoor, aap sure ho ki aapne Pihu ko copy nahi kiya?
Ram (grinning): Khair, bass thoda sa! Ittu sa.
Pihu (pointing at her own eyes): Dekho mumma, papa copycat hain.
Ram (mock gasping): Oh no, yeh maine kya kar diya? Pihu, aapne toh mujhe pakad liya. Mai copycat hoon!
Priya (teasing): Pihu, aapke papa copycat hain.
Pihu (giggling): Silly papa!
Ram (pretending to be offended): Silly? Mai silly nahi hoon. Mai ek serious Blue-green aankhon waala Business tycoon hoon, Ram Kapoor from Bandra...jispe aapki mumma fidaa hoti hain!
Pihu (giggling): Bandar?
Ram (laughing): Arey, Bandar nahi , Bandra hai...jaha aapka ghar hai, Mumbai mei.
Pihu (giggling more): Papa funny!
Priya(acting to be angry): Pihu, bad manners! Aapne papa se achhe se baat karo.
Ram(defending Pihu): Tch Priya! Mere bachhe ko daato mat.
Priya: Aap bigaad...
Pihu(hugging Ram): Papa, nice.
Ram(smiling): Hayee meri bachhi! Jaise maine socha tha tum toh usse bhi zyadaa sundar ho.
Pihu twirled around to showoff her pyjama set.
Pihu (giggles): Pretty dress, papa?
Ram (smiling): Aap jo bhi pehnete ho sabse zyada pretty lagti ho. Sabse best, sabse zyada pretty ho aap.
Pihu (giggling and pulling his cheeks): Aap bhi papa!
Ram(caressing her hair): Waise mumma aapki achhe se khayal rakhti hai na, huh?
Pihu (nods): Chocolates, Ice cream nahi deti par Mama best!
Ram (stroking her hair): Kyaa? mumma aapke saath bhi aese hi karti hai? Very bad!
Priya (faking anger): Mr. Kapoor! aap Pihu ko Bigaad...
Ram(cutting her in between): Abse mai aapko roz chicolates aur ice cream khilaunga, okay ?
Pihu(clapping her hands and jumping): Yayyyyy! Papa aap yahi ruko,
saying so, Pihu ran towards bedroom.
Priya(tauntig him): Mr. Kapoor, aap pihu ko zyada chocolates khilayenge toh uske daanth sadd jayenge. Aur upar se usko abhi bhi bukhaar hai, agar aapne usse ice cream khilaya na toh dekh lena.
Ram: Priya, Pihu bachhi hain. Just cut her some slack. Ice-cream nahi khilaunga, I promise.
Krish: Arey priya rehene do na, aaj pehli baar dono mil rahe hain.
Pihu entered the hall with a chocolate in her hand and hands it to Ram.
Pihu: Papa chocolate.
Ram(picking her up and kissing her forehead): Awww, yeh mere liye hai? Thankyou meri sweetheart!
Pihu kisses his cheek.
Pihu (rests head on his shoulder): Papa stay?
Ram (voice filled with love): Haan, sweetheart. Papa abse aapke saath hi rahenge aur saath mei khoob saare adventures pe jayenge.
Pihu (happily): Adventure! Ice cream?
Ram (laughs): Zarur, mera bachha. Hum khoob saari ice cream saath mei khayenge.
Priya(pretending to be angry): Aur saath mei bimaar hokar mumma ko pareshaan karenge! Haina?
Ram(laughing): Haan woh bhi karenge. waise tumhari favourite Ice cream konsi hai?
Krish(smiling): Chocolate!
Pihu(pouting): Nahi handsome!
Krish(fake pouting): Phir?
Pihu (thinking hard): White wala!
Ram (smiles): Vanilla?
Pihu (clapping): Haan!
Priya expressed her silent thanks to Ram for being there, for embracing their daughter with such warmth and love. It was a moment she had dreamed of and now that it was happening, she couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of happiness and contentment.
She found a sense of fulfillment. It was as if the knots of the past were slowly unraveling, making the way for a brighter future.
Ram's happiness overflowed and his heart echoed with a silent monologue. He looked towards priya with a smile, and said to himself "Thank you, Priya. Shukriya, mujhe sabse beshkeemti tohfa dene ke liye, Woh maa banne ke liye jo hamari Pihu deserve karti hai. Itne saare mushkile aaye aur gaye par phir bhi tumne Pihu ko khush rakha...Yeh sirf meri priya hi kar sakti hai.... Bhale hi maine shuruaati saal miss kar diye hain, lekin main abse har pal ko sanjokar rakhane ka vaada karata hoon. Yeh mere liye, hamare liye, ek nayi shuruaat hai, khoye hue samay ki bharpayee karne ka mauka hai."
The chatter and banter continued between Ram, Priya, Pihu and Krish. Pihu added her innocent charm into the conversation, making everyone burst into laughter. After a while, they all teamed up for a delightful breakfast feast, and shared stories and build connections like a family that had always been together.
The rain stopped and the sun beamed through the windows, painting the room in a cozy glow. Krish decided it was time for a nap and bid the Kapoor family a cheerful good day before heading off to catch some Zs.