Chapter 55

Part: 54

Kripa got used to her new life style and loved to spend weekends with her students. She learnt to be patient to entertain Josh and admitted Sur as her best student. Now Josh only drops Sur most of the time at classes as he liked Kripa and her talents especially her singing.

Kripa became familiar to do data processing, web development for Prithvi's projects and became an official employee in Prithvi's company in next six months. Damini appointed a Gujarati nanny to take care of Prateek at home while Kripa is off for her work. Only Sundays three of them could meet and have breakfast, lunch, and dinner together and enjoying Prateek's baby talks.

Josh became good friend now and Sheetal gets annoyed sometimes about his over friendliness with Kripa. Kripa smiles as she has no wrong intentions with Josh nor has he. She sometimes smiles at Sheetal's suspicious looks remembering her feelings on Angad's habits.

"Kahin Josh bhi Angad ki tarah toh nahin? Is he waiting for an opportunity from me? Or Angad had no intentions with the girls whom I saw with him? But those girls were not like me!!" She sighs with her confused thoughts.

One day Josh asked Kripa to join him for the singing concerts in New York and New Jersey. Prithvi also encouraged her and both started giving performances in huge programs on certain occasions like Indian Independence Day, Dasahera, Deewali festivals. Slowly Josh made her dance along with him within New Jersey and New York. Soon their pair got good appraisal and Prithvi also encouraged to full extent. Damini also pushed her to go for the performances as Prateek is also got used to stay away from Kripa.

Kripa now stopped craving for Angad and keeps chatting online with Aaliyah whenever she gets time. She is sending her and Prateeks's pictures, her Soul Academy pictures and Josh, Sur, and everything. Aaliyah also encouraged her decision to go for the music concerts along with Josh.

Angad started another branch in Bangalore and expanded his operations for US based company. One of his weekly routine is to visit Aaliyah on Sundays and spend whole day with them. Aaliyah is now 9 month pregnant.

One day:

Angad is switching from channel to channel while Aaliyah is making breakfast for him. Shabbir is doing extra work to cover his hours as he is thinking to take day offs for Aaliyah's delivery. Aaliyah served the breakfast and called Angad atleast half-a-dozen times now. She irritated atlast and walked into living room where Angad's hands are playing with remote controller of TV. She noticed Angad's eyes are not on TV. She checked him from head to toe affectionately. Her eyes moistened to see weak Angad with unshaven beard, uncombed hair, eyes focused nowhere as he lost somewhere in his own thoughts.

She smiled faintly in her mind and walked to his behind to press his forehead with two hands. He groaned and rested head back closing his eyes. She kissed his forehead "Kahan kho gaya hai, Angad?"
Angad opened his eyes to look into her eyes and shook his head with a cold smile.

She caressed his forehead and pressed his temples "Chalo aaj mein ek surprise dikhati hoon" she took him to her computer and opened a folder to show all pictures sent by Kripa.

Angad is surprised and dropped tears. He caressed Prateek's cheeks and face.
"Kitna bada hogaya hai? You didn't want to show me till now?" he blamed her. She smiled and dropped her left hand on his shoulder and leaned to his chair "haan, aaj tak tumhara aankon mein aisi dard nahin dekhi thi ki tum ussey miss kar raha hai."

He smiled at her. He checked her from head till stomach. She wore a denim maternity gown till calf. She put on weight overall and her stomach bulged like a balloon.
He circled his right hand around her waist and caressed her tummy with left hand and kissed there "Aloo! Tumhari beti aur mera Prateek bhi humarey jaisey achey dost banengey. I promise."

Aaliyah smiled and caressed his left ear and stroked his hair back without removing her hand on his shoulder "Are you sure? Wo toh wahan US mein rehta hai. Aur meri beti yahan India mein!! Tum lekey ayega ussey? Will make it possible?" one hope flickered in her eyes.

Angad smiled and nodded his head "nahin, woyi ayega. Kripa lekey ayegi. Ussey aana hi padega. Kab tak door rehsakti hai? Wo meri hai, sirf meri. She will come back." he confidently winked at her.

Aaliyah also smiled at him "Ye kyon nahin kehtey ho ki tum lekey ayega?"

Angad sighed and flickered his eyes "Wahi samjho."

Aaliyah pinched his cheek "Tum aur tumhara ego. Jao lekey aao tab tak meri beti iss diniya mein aajayegi" she walked into kitchen to do arrangements for preparing lunch.

Angad called her back "mein kuch madat karoon?"

"Naa, I'm fine. Tum wo pictures dekhna finish karo and come into kitchen. Shabbir bhi tab tak aajayea."

Angad started looking at the pictures after Aaliyah disappeared. He adored those pictures and kissed Kripa's lips on the screen "Wapas aajao meri jaan!!"
While he is checking the pictures a window popped up with Kripa's id.

"Hai, Aloo!! Kaisey ho? How is my bahu? Prateek is missing his aunt. Kal mera concert hai, LA. Pehli baar, NY se bahar. Wish me!!"

Angad is excited to see her message and affectionately caressed the letters she typed.
He typed "My wishes are always with you, Kripa!!" he started pouring his heart through Aaliyah's id.

He thought in his mind "So, Kripa is now giving concerts? Kaisey? Dance? Singing? Akeli? Is Aaliyah in touch with her? And I didn't know that? Chupa rustum nikli!!! So Kripa lives in NY with Prithvi only. Yeh Prithvi bhi bachpan ka dushmani nibha raha hai. Ek baar bhi mera phone reply nahin kiya tha."

While he is in his thoughts Kripa sent another message "Nishant pushing me 4 LA. Damini maasi taking care of Prateek and me go w/Josh."

Angad surprised to see Nishant is in touch with Kripa. "Yeh bhi mere peeth per maara, Saal*. Yeh Josh kaun hai?" he wondered.

Angad's brain started functioning fast and typed "# do, I lost, wanna spk 2 u"

Kripa surprised "Yeh toh humesha number bhool jaati hai" she grinned. She typed the number "Budhoo! Agley baar bhuley toh main nahin doongi" she pasted grin face.
Angad smiled and dialed her number.

"Hello, Aloo! Tum humesha meri numer bhool jaati ho. Angad ki traits ab lag gaya hai tujhey. Bolo kaisiey ho? How is your health? I will be back after a week. Computer sey door. Aaney ke baad pictures bhejdoongi. Keep updating your health. Tareeq nazdeek aarahi hai na?"

She sighed "mein hi bolti jaa rahi oon. Tum bhi kuch bolo na. How is Shabbir?"

Angad is rolling his tongue inside, biting his lips and enjoying her voice in the phone and thought in his mind "Abb sach much college ki Tattoo jaisi hi lag rahi ho tum, Kripa!! Chatterbox!!"

Kripa is surprised for no response and she whispered "Aliyah!! Tum ho na wahan? Kya hua? Kuch bhi nahin kehrahi ho? Is everything okay there? Tumhara health, Shabbir, aur… aur.. WOH kaisa hai?"

Angad stretched his body and crossed his legs and relaxed his head back "WHO kaun hai?"

Kripa startled and her heart beat raised. She tried to recognize the voice rather want to confirm "TUM!!!"

"Haan MEIN, meri TATTOO!! Kaisey ho? How is Prateek? Aaj hi tum donon ka pictures dekh raha tha. He is so cute. Aur tum bilkul badli nahin. Hmmm, na, you lost a little. Aaliyah is busy in kitchen. Mein message dedoonga. Yeh concert ka chakkar kya hai?"

Tears falling from Kripa's eyes and she closed her eyes to memorise his voice.

"I miss you jaan!!" he admitted as he guessed her feelings other side. She hung the phone and hid her face in hands.

Angad kissed the receiver and sent message to Kripa as he expected her at the same place "THIS MESSAGE IS FROM ANGAD. GOOD LUCK AT YOUR CONCERT. PICTURES BHEJNA BHOOLNA NAHIN. I'M AWAITING. I LOVE U, TATTOO!!"

Kripa looked at the screen with tearful eyes as the message alert brought her into the world. She fumed and switched of the computer. She started sobbing remembering his words.

Angad noted Kripa's number and decided to bother her later. He conveyed message to Aaliyah standing at kitchen entrance. She is surprised "My message ki window khuli rakhi thi?"

"Kyon? kab tak chupana chahti ho? Anyway do you need anything from LA?" he asked walking carelessly to the stove. He smelled the dish on the stove and stirred it.

Aaliyah slapped on his hand to move him from there "Angad! Kripa ko tung mat karo."

Angad laughed wickedly "Tung? Aur mein? Ussey? Wo mera pehla haq hai. Bhulgayi kya? Wo kab tak kahan tak bhagegi? Ek na ek din mere paas anahi padega. And, why not now? And I just now promised you that our kids become good friends like us. Yeh bahu ki chakkar kya hai? "

Aaliyah angrily looked at him and he explained about Kripa's chat.

Aaliyah sighed "Kripa likes it that way and I have no objection to give my daughter to you though Prateek gets your traits."

Angad laughed loudly "Prateek is lucky ussey kripa jaisi partner nahin milegi."

Aaliyah smiled "Angad! Tum bhi na. Tum sach much LA jaaogey?"She suspiciously looked at him to confirm his earlier statement.

Angad tasted the dishes with his finger and gave sharp look to Aaliyah "Tumhey spy karney ki koyi jaroorat nahin hai. Wo meri patni hai and I want her back….soon…as early as possible."He pushed her head with is left hand and walked into living room as the calling bell rang.