@all thanks for being so patient with my lat updates...now i feel i need to take the story quicker for the real story to set in...😆
Part 6 :
Mayank's dad had come back home after a short business trip and Mayank, his 7 year old son, ran in his arms while he was picked up by his dad. Mayank almost shouted in his ears, "Dad, maine aapko bahot miss kiya..." and hugged him tight while Shilpa Sharma approached them and hugged both of them together. Both the parents looked at Mayank smiling at his excitement and smiled to each other for more than one reason. Mr. Sharma urged Mayank to share everything in his school that he had missed sharing with him in recent times and Mayank got out the details of the place his dad had just visited. Shilpa Sharma found it necessary to wait for her chance to add in her words in this special Father-Son duo conversation while Mayank had mentally decided that from the next time he wouldn't ever let his father go alone on a long trip since he was the one who got to visit new places while he and his Ma missed onto the places as well as some great times with his Dad as they were left here adjusting for several days at a stretch without him.
Mayank came back in present times and found the same sadness grip him, which always made him realise how special a bond he had lost forever and how an important part of his life will forever remain incomplete without his father.
The only thing he had used to come over this sadness was by trying to fill in the materialistic void that had been created when he had lost his father 5 years ago, as was tried by his Ma too. He made sure he passed out with all his concentration and focus on studies intact and took up work with the decision to grow as fast as he could at it.
The way out of his messed state of mind, he had come up with which slowly, was by not thinking about it which made it easier to indulge him in the present rather than staying back in times which were now missed.
He asked God to bless the smile that Nupur had when she saw her Bauji's name flash and picked up the call with joy echoing in her voice, that he lacked now.
He was jolted out of his thoughts as he reached home and shaking his head in order to jerk away the gripping moment, he moved towards his house, where his other parent still awaited him as he earlier used to have best life with both his parents.
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Shilpa Sharma opened the front door of the house smiling at Mayank and he realised still all was not taken away. All of a sudden, he was feeling that time has travelled back 5 years and he was on the same door where he was supposed to think of his Ma's smile to be his biggest asset and let his past be past just like his Ma was trying hard to make it look like all was afterall well. He took a step ahead and smiling side hugged his Ma and said, "Ma...aaj tumne apni favurite dish banayi hai kya jo itna muskura rahi ho"
Shilpa Sharma laughed at his words and how he had grown to know her so well now she replied, "Haan, par tumhe kaise pata chala?"
Mayank smiled and shaked his head and said, "Kyunki main apni Ma ko achchi tarah se jaanta hoon..." saying this he moved ahead to freshen up and change clothes which were a bit wet due to rains outside.
He also knew whenever his Ma missed his dad a lot, she cooked his favourite meal 'Lady fingers and Moong ki dal' which eventually, as Mayank had observed, had become his Ma's favourite lately.
He came back and told Shilpa Sharma about how he had helped Nupur today. Shilpa Sharma listened to him open mouthed and said, "Mayank...kahin main sapna toh nahi dekh rahi hoon...matlab tumne sach mein NUPUR ki out of the way jaa ke help ki...woh bhi khud initiate kar ke?"
Mayank replied looking at her over reaction, "Ma...koi galti kar di kya?...aap hi ne toh kaha tha naa...pichli baar...ke tumhari respect ke liye..." he was still very happy to word this thought to make it clear to himself again 'that-was-the-only-reason' he had helped her.
Shilpa Sharma felt proud of her son and gave a pat to him while she added what she loved to add about always, "Ab mujhe ummed ho rahi hai...ab main tumhe shadi ke liye bhi convince kar paaungi"
Mayank looked confused and asked, "Kisse?...Nupur...Ma please...maine toh aise hi help..."
Shilpa Sharma felt amused and shocked at his words , "Nupur...maine kab kaha Nupur..." she had for the first time recieved a reaction from him other than irritaion to get rid of the topic. She smiled and raising her eye brows she said, "Nupur jaisi pyaari ladki tumhare liye toh maine bhi socha tha...par Nupur khud...kyun Mr. Mayank Sharma...kuch serious hai kya?"
Mayank glared at her and her words that irritated him in a different way than usual which irritated him even more and he replied, "Ma please...yeh khud ka banaya hua confusion increase karna ban karo...aap please iss topic ko rest de do...toh mujhe bhi rest milega...ab chalo aapki aur dad ki favourite dish khate hain" he realised his last sentence could hurt his Ma and so he gave her a little guilty look and she smiled at his words for that was the fact and said, "Chalo..." and moved to arrange the dinner for them.
Mayank smiled back at his Ma and venerated her strength even more than he already did from always.
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Mayank was laying awake in his sleeping position and stared at the ceiling while he gave a thought to Nupur. He liked people generally, after knowing them well and only when they had consistently passed his test of observation on their aims, behaviour, heart etc. But Nupur was one girl he had not yet known too well except for the few times he had met her, which were never too pleasant and apart from that he had heard a few things about her from his Ma, but still he felt an attraction towards her, let alone a little liking. He behaved with her the way he did with all, but for the first time he was analysing his own behaviour and wasn't sure if it was right with her. He dis liked his unusual attraction to her when she was his opposite to start with and they didn't exactly think or talk in sync. He accepted his thoughts of not giving it a thought any further and gave in to his sleep.
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Nupur was now sure, that she would never be able to be sure about Mayank and his behaviour. He helped and he fumed. He understood situation and got irritated still tried to control it. He showed clear dis-like, yet didn't back out on the task he had taken at hand. He didn't feel like paying attention to her at all still he had managed to pay for her shoes and yet again showed irritation. She knew one thing though, she had to return that favour to him somehow.
While shopping for herself and her family, she had bought another shirt, still unsure and thought of passing it to Mayank through Shilpa Sharma.
She had given it to Shilpa Sharma, still unsure, saying that it was just to acknowledge his help the other day. Still she was unsure that he would accpet it but she was assured by Shilpa Sharma that this sweet guesture of hers was appreciated by Mayank, which was because Mayank had taken the shirt from his Ma and looked at it confused and had left it in his room and not asked Shilpa Sharma to return it back to Nupur.
Still Nupur was unsure if Mayank actually liked it and Shilpa Aunty had not covered on Mayank's behalf.
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Sorry for the mistakes, if any😆
😊
Edited by Payal-15 - 14 years ago
Tum Se Tum Tak
Sampoorna
Jhanak
Shiv Shakti
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