Part 12
"I have a plan", said Preet excitedly.
"What plan?" asked Biji and Naeem bi at the same time.
"In case you forgot, I am getting engage in week's time. There will be a party and Mini will come for sure as she is my best friend and Neil..." Preet shared her plan.
"You don't worry about him. I will convince him to come" said Naeem bi equally excited.
"It's a done deal then ,I'll figure out something to bring them close in the party." Said Preet.
"Ok, pakki baat" replied Naeem bi shaking hands with Preet while Biji looked at them all confused. She didn't understand a word. "koi mujhe bhi toh batao kya plan bana rahe ho" said Biji frustrated.
"Oh ho, behenji aap bhi na....see it doesn't matter that Mini broke up with Neil. They love each other a lot. At present Mini's mind is clouded with her overbearing responsibility for Arya. She cant see through it but that doesn't end her love for Neil. She is thinking that maybe she will remain away from him and this will make her forget his love. Neil, on the other hand is thinking the same because he is angry with Mini right now. We should try to find ways and create circumstances so that both of them keep coming close. As far as I know Mini when I gave her a reality check earlier in her room she is already started realizing her mistake now we just have to make sure she keeps getting close to Neil to realize that true love is not a gust of wind that will come and go in few moments but its like a sweet fragrance which stays forever in one's heart even after vanishing." Explained Naeem bi.
"So basically you mean to say that we should keep pushing them towards each other till Mini realizes her mistakes and Neil's anger die downs and Preet's engagement is one such opportunity to us." Repeated Biji in layman's language.
"exactly" said Preet assuring Biji that she got their plan.
Mini was living in personal hell since Neil left the house. She thought it was for everyone's betterment but she didn't know it is going to be this hard to move ahead without him. She missed him terribly. Though she got to see him in the restaurant daily but that was not enough for her. Like she kept ignoring him previously now he was ignoring her in the same way. He was so angry from her it was visible in his eyes. Whenever their eyes met for a fleeting moment he glared at her as if saying through his eyes "you have no right to look at me like that. I am not yours anymore" she thought what she was thinking about their breakup was right all along that she had to sacrifice her love for Arya. But what Naeem bi said to her that day made her question her way of thinking and no matter how much she try she couldn't shake of the feeling that she might have taken a wrong decision.
"Aaj main tujhme duniya se ladne wali Mini nahi balki dari sehmi Babita ko dekh rahi hoon jo log kya kahenge, bhavishya mein kya hoga ye sab soch soch ke jindagi jeena hi bhul gayi thi." These words of Naeem bi haunted her ever since that day.
Even Arya was not happy with this. Though Neil had kept his promise to meet Arya daily but it was not enough for Arya. She clearly misses him and had been upset since he left. And Mini didn't pay attention to the minor things earlier but ever since Neil left she has been struggling to manage daily household chores like breakfast, dinner, putting Arya to sleep and getting her ready for school. She never gave it a thought that how important Neil had become to this house and in their life. Without him she sometimes feels so lost.
Above all she missed the comfort of his arms and the warmth of his touches. She managed through the days somehow but nights were hell . One such night she was missing him so terribly that she couldn't even sleep. she went in his room and kept touching the walls, bedsheet etc to feel him there. That room still has his fragrance left in there. She opened up the cupboard and found one of his T- shirt inside it, may be he forgot to pack it, she thought. She smelled it and closed her eyes in content. She wore it to feel him. Though it felt nothing like his hug but she was happy to have a feel of him around her.
Rani di has asked her permission to clean the room many times but she had denied thinking that after cleaning the room may not be the same again. She was not that old Mini anymore as he felt that something was missing from her life. She tried to act as normal as possible in front of Arya but beside that she just seems like a ghost of her former self.
On the other hand, Neil was also dealing with his broken heart. Though his anger towards Mini had decreased but he couldn't find in himself to forgive her and was definitely not willing to give her another chance. He felt sometimes looking at her eyes that she is feeling sorry and though a part of his heart wanted to go and hug her and tell her that its ok to make mistakes but another part of him wanted to see her suffer just like how he was suffering.
In the restaurant he avoided Mini as much as possible but he had promise to Arya to meet her everyday so he had to endure the pain of going to that house in Mini's presence everyday. Thankfully Arya kept him occupied with her talks and antics otherwise it would have been very difficult for him. Tomorrow night was Preet's engagement party. He didn't want to go but then Naeem bi made him realize that he should not stay in house and sulk alone. It was Mini's mistake when she is enjoying her normal life than he should also do the same and he should show her that her presence doesn't affect him. He was convinced and decided to go the party.
Engagement party was a grand affair. Since Mickey was a only child of his parents. His parents left no stone unturned to make it grand evening for their Son. All arrangements from food to the music and the decoration were top class. Soon Preet and Mickey came in the center of the hall and exchanged rings. Everyone clapped for them. Mickey asked Preet's hand and took her to the dance floor. Soon all the couples were invited on the dance floor.
Seeing Mini and Neil standing alone Preet winked at Mickey and both of them parted. Preet went to Neil to ask for a dance and Mickey went to Mini for the same. Mickey somehow persuaded Mini but Neil was adamant not to go but when he saw Mini going with Mickey to dance. Something burned inside him. He knew Mickey and Mini are just friend, hell...its Mickey's engagement party but his heart didn't listen to him when he saw Mickey placing his hand at Mini's waist. His heart burned with jealousy and hatred for two reason, first, how dare she to dance with that Mickey mouse and second, she broke his heart. He was in pain because of her and she is dancing and enjoying as if nothing happened. So he also took Preet's hand and led her to the dance floor.
Preet gestured to the Dj to change the song to some peppy number and everyone began dancing. Preet started dancing with Neil. She kept moving forward forcing Neil to move backward while dancing and on the other side Mickey was doing the same with Mini. Soon Mini and Neil who were having their back towards each other bumped into each other and they turned to see with whom they have bumped. Just then Preet gestured to Dj and he changed the song to a romantic number and a spot light fell on both of them. Dj asked them to start a couple dance and invited all the other couples also.
Mini and Neil were facing each other for this long after a long time. They were looking at each other intensely. Their eyes started communicating all that which was left unsaid between them. Neil saw remorse in Mini's eyes and Mini saw raw pain of heartbreak in Neil's eyes. Seeing that they were just standing and looking at each other, Preet came on the dance floor with Mickey and she stealthily pushed Mini towards Neil. Mini lost her balance she was about to fall when Neil caught her and steadied her. Dj started the song and forgetting all the thing Neil put his hands on Mini's waist and pulled her closer. He put Mini's other hand on his shoulder.
Kahin Toh, Kahin Toh
hogi woh
Duniya jahan tu mere saath hai
Jahan mein, Jahan tu
Aur jahan, bas tere mere jazbaat hain
hogi jahan, subha teri
palkon ki kiranon mein
Lori jahan chand ki
sune teri in bahoon mein
Neil and Mini began to sway with the music, they kept looking into each other's eyes. Neil swirled her to other side and pulled her back so that now he was hugging her from behind.
jaane na kahan woh duniya hai
jaane na woh hai bhi nahin
jahan meri zindagi mujhse
itni khafa nahin [x2]
Mini turned looking at him longingly and couldn't stop herself anymore as she hugged putting her head on his shoulder as they continued to sway with the beats of music.
Sansein kho gai hain kiski ahon mein
Mein kho gai hoon jane kiski bahoon mein
Manzilon se rahein dhondti chali
Kho gai hai manzil kahin rahoon mein
Kahin toh, kahin toh
Hai nasha, teri meri har mulaqat mein
honton se, honton ko
chumte, oh, rehte hain hum har baat pe
Kheti hai Fiza jahan
Teri zameen asmaan
Jahan hai tu
meri hansi
meri khushi, meri jaan
Jaane na kahan woh duniya hai
jaane na woh hai bhi ya nahin
jahan meri zindagi mujhse itni khafa nahin [x3]
Song ended but they kept standing there hugging each other for few seconds. They came out of the trance only when Dj again changed the music to some Punjabi party song. They parted with each other and both were embarrassed that they let their vulnerability show to the other. But they felt as if their pain has relieved a little after a long time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
to be continued......