Anurag looked at the girl beside him with a smile and saw that she is completely immersed in the prayer. Her closed eyes and her devotion put some kind of belief in God for him.
He has gone through a lot, living in oblivion is not at all easy. Forgetting about past, his family, friends and most importantly his childhood and living in present is kind a difficult situation altogether.
He was in London when his eyes opened after 1 year long coma. The doctor introduced him to his father. He has to believe, because there were no options left for him. He came to know about a big family waiting for him back in India. A mother, a sister, friends.... He has to believe, because he even got to know his name for the first time from that man, his father. Complete recovery again took almost 1 year. That 1 year made him to completely believe in that man, the effort and love came from that 60 year old man was overwhelming.
"Anu, prasad lelo" Thoughts halted with his mother's comcerned voice. He instinctively looked beside and saw a pair of eyes which were closed some moments before, looking back at him now.
"Anu, prasad?!!" His eyes drifted to his mother and took the prasad from Panditji.
"Priyu, tum jaakar gaadi main jo saamaan rakha hai voh stall main rakhde" Prerna awkardly nodded her head and went from there.
(BOLD AND ITALICS is the thoughts of characters)
Anurag ki aankhome kuch dard hai, pata nahi kya?!! Par, sab kuch bhoolkar jeena bhi mushkil hoga na.
She walked towards the entrance thinking about Anurag's condition.
"Raamu kaakaa aap yeh mujhe dijiye, aur aap jaa kar Maata ki darshan karke aayiye"
" Nahi nahi Prerna beta, tumse yeh udha nahi paayega"
" arre nahi kaakaa main hoon na, aap jaayiye"
"Par beta.."
"koyi baat nahi main madad kardoongi, aap jaayiye" Prerna turned back and saw Anurag.
"Theek beta" Ramu Kaakka went from there
Anurag: "Hai, voh... main"
Prerna: "Anurag"
"Tum mujhe jante ho?!"
Prerna smiled and started lifting the baggage. Anurag helped her and they both made their way towards the stall.
...........................
"Rajesh, tu bata tujhe kaise laga?"
"Kya? Kis baare main pooch raha hai tu?"
"Arree yaar, mera beta Anurag tumhe kaisa laga?"
"Anurag!!, main bohut khush hu Moloy, ithne saal jo aasu baha hai, aakhir me, ithne ache bete ko bhagvan ne vaapas de diya. Voh ladka jo mere paas aakar yeh bolta tha ki Baaba Pari ko bolna mujhse ghussa mat ho, aaj kitna bada ho gaya hai na?!!"
"Aaa haa tumhari Pari bhi toh badi ho gayi, aur tumne dekha un dono ko aarti ke vakth? Rajesh, humne jo sapna chowdha saal pehle dekha tha, mujhe toh lagta hai Bhagvan khud chahta hai ki esa ho"
"Moloy...." "Rajesh..." They both hugged each other.
..............................
"Yeh stall....?!!"
"Yeh hamara stall hai, tumhe kuch chaahiye?"
"Ha! yeah, I mean, I don't know what to buy, but as a return gesture, matlab for helping me with the aarti"
" Ohh, but you returned that help now only na" She gestured him to look at the baggage
"No no, its not a help, yeh festival toh hum sabka hai, so isme kuch karna help kaise hoga?!!"
"Ok, ..mmmm.. you can buy this. Chunri hai, Yeh lekar Devi Maa ki charanome rakh kar pray karna, tumhara har dard theek ho jaayenge"
Anurag looked at her with astonishment. He doesn't know how she got to know his thoughts. He smiled and bought that chunri.
"Vaise, tum mujhe jante ho par.."
"Prerna, Prerna Sharma, Rajesh Sharma ki beti hu."
"Ohhh, voh Baaba ka dost hai na?!!, Unke baare bohut baate karte hai voh. And, sach kahu toh, hospital me pehle Baaba mujhe unka introduction diya tha "
"Haa, un dono ka bachpan ka dosti hai, jaise hum...!!" Prerna stopped midway hesitantly
"mmm... main sabko jaan ne ki koshish kar raha hu, I don't know how much time will it take?" He told her about his confusion. She smiled and blinked once at him to give him that assurance.
............................
"Veena aunty, Priyu ko dekhi hai kya aapne?"
"Niki beta, voh stall ki taraf gayi hai"
"jee aunty"
Nikitha spotted Prerna and Anurag from a distance and ran towards them.
"Hai, hello..."
"Niki, aaraam se, tu bhaag kar kyu aa rahi hai?"
Suddenly, Anurag's mom called him and he bid bye to Prerna and went away
"Aree, yeh kaha chala gaya?!! Shit, maine toh isliye bhaagi thi tha ki main usse baat kar saku, aur yeh toh chala gaya!!"
"Koyi baat nahi Niki, voh kal hamare college me hi aa raha hai, MBA new admission"
"Really!!!!!, college jaa na kitna boring tha, ab toh isse dekhne ke liye toh zaroor jaana padega."
"Nikii, He is too good for you, isliye tu rahne de" Prerna laughed saying this
"Priyu, tum uss par line maarne ke baare me toh nahi soch rahi na?!!"
This suspicious question made her heart flutter unknowingly.
"Niki, tu faltu baate mat karo, aur chalo yeh sab stall rakhne keliye meri madad karo"
...........................
Pandal stage
Anurag put that chunri at Devi Maa's feet and closed his eyes.
Mujhe nahi pata ki mera past kya hai, par esa kyu lagta hai ki maine apne life ki kuch important part bhool gaya hu. Why I'm feeling restless? Hospital main bhi baar baar mujhe yahi feeling aa raha tha, jaise ki somebody is waiting for me. Tab maine socha yaha aa kar voh feeling nahi aayega. Par, yaha aakar bhi vahi mehsoos kar raha hu....
...............................................
MUMBAI
In a dark room
Manikkkkkkk.......................Girl screamed
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Hiii guys,
New chapter updated.
Thank you all for the support
Keep supporting me and tell me If I have to make any improvement in the way of writing.