Kabhi Na Kabhi- Ch. 5-6 Page 15-16 - Page 12

Kabhi Na Kabhi-Chapter 5

Angad laid her down on the bed and kissed her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow." As he turned to leave Kripa took his hand. He sat back down beside her with a smile. "Does Anjali sleep with you everyday?"

"Sometimes." She lifted her head and placed it in his lap. "Angad I have something to tell you."

"What?"

She sat up and hugged him again. "About what Anjali told you."

"Kripa. Don't worry about her she's a silly ten year old girl. No, how old is she?"

She looked up at him with a smile. "She's going to be nine in February. That girl can't stop talking about you ever since you've helped her with that report."

Angad suddenly stood up shaking. "How can she be turning nine in February?" He looked at her carefully, "How can she be turning nine in February Kripa, when Prithvi and you got married in October? I left in July."

Kripa walked to him and touched is shoulder when he jerked back. "She isn't your daughter. She can't be your and Prithvi daughter." He pulled her closer and pinned her to the wall. "Kripa is Anjali our daughter?"

She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together.

"God damn it Kripa." He hit his hand against the wall. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't say she is our daughter."

"She is." He answered stubbornly. "We made love, god know how many times, that night in June after our prom. I left the following month and when I came back in October you guys were getting married. If you married him in October, and if Anjali is his daughter she couldn't be born in February. Why did you lie to me, Kripa?" He had cooled down now.

"What could I tell you Angad?"

"She is my daughter, right?" He pressed himself against her and asked again when she didn't answer. "She is our daughter right?"

Silent.

"Damn it Kripa. Answer me! She is our daughter, isn't she?" He was yelling at her again.

"Yes." She finally said. "She is your daughter, she is our daughter."

"You knew where I was Kripa, then why didn't you tell me? I talked to your father and your mother and they didn't tell me either." His head met her shoulder and she felt tears on her shoulder. "Didn't you trust me?" He asked after a few seconds. "Did you think I would leave you if I found out you were pregnant? Why didn't you wait for me Kripa?"

"We both had different dreams Kripa. You wanted to go to New York and become rich, famous, and successful. I wanted to live here and bring up our children. And, neither one of us were ready to compromise. You left and I completely understand why."

"Why didn't you wait for me?" He asked again.

"No one told me that you were coming back Angad. No one ever told me you were present at my wedding." She lifted his head and kissed him. "Prithvi and I had a wedding not a marriage. There was a difference. A month after you left I started suspecting that I was pregnant. When I went in for the reports they were positive. Every time I tried to contact you my Dad would stop me. By the third month I had to tell them. When Prithvi found out he said he would marry me. How could I say no? He loved me. And, that was the only way I could save Anjali from this world. She wouldn't be called illegitimate. I couldn't bear our daughter to have to hear things. So I said yes. I wanted to tell you but I never got the chance. I tried to accept Prithvi but I couldn't. So he left us. Everyone blames him, but I blame myself."

"Don't blame yourself." He drew her closer and hugged her tightly. "Why didn't you just tell me yourself?"

"Angad you're leaving in less than a week. If I told you and Anjali it would all three of us." She broke the hug and sat down on the bed again. "You're not going to stay here forever. There was no point if hoping, wishing, wanting." She held her hand out to him and he sat back down beside her, holding her. "If anything I still need you. Anjali learned to live without a father. I learned to live without you. But we both needed you. Every time I closed my eyes to pray I saw you smiling before me."

"Kripa I want to marry you. I want to give Anjali the love she deserves, the love you deserve."

"We can't." She sat up again. "I don't know why you suddenly came back here this year, after so many years. But you're going to leave and-"

"No." He stood up and pulled walked to the window. "You don't trust me, Kripa."

"I want to, but I can't. Angad we still believe in different things."

"But we will share the same love we did years ago." He turned and looked at her again. "I quit my job three days ago Kripa."

Her eyes widened, and her blood froze. "You gave up your job? Why?"

He laughed under his breath. "Yes. I gave up the job I had worked for, for so many years. I gave it up because I wanted to be with you. Here in London. Because I wanted to give Anjali a father, even before knowing that she was my, our daughter."

She was still shocked at his words. "And if I would have said no?"

"Then I would have been jobless. Right back where I started off. But I would have still lived here. Maybe worked for the London Times. I don't know wrote a book like I've always wanted to." He walked to her and made her stand up. "Kripa why don't you see that I love you and Anjali. Even if she was Prithvi's daughter. I want to live with you, and I want to have more kids so we can all go for picnic's and have family dinners. So that when Anjali goes away for college we still have younger ones at home."

Kripa smiled through her tears. "You sound like me, Angad. Not yourself."

"Because that's what I really want in life. I don't want to be the most successful journalist for Time. I want to be with you and be your husband, be a loving father. I want to love you forever, and I want you to love me back forever and ever. Please don't say no, Kripa."

"Are you proposing to me?"

He smiled and got on one knee. "I am now. I don't have a ring Kripa but I still ask you. Will you marry me?"

"I don't know, do I?"

He frowned sadly, "You're killing me Kripa. Say yes. Pretty please say yes."

"Alright Angad Khanna. I pity you. And because no other can love you as much as I love you, I will marry you." He was about to kiss her when she stopped him. "But."

"But?"

"I want to tell Anjali about you."

"Ok." He smiled. "Can I kiss you now?"

She pulled him closer and kissed him, and at the same time pulled him down with her on the bed. He looked at her with a smile, "I love you Angad."

"I love you too Kripa." He kissed her again and then hugged her tightly, and rolled on the bed once.

Kripa opened her eyes next morning and didn't find Angad beside her. She sat up worried and wrapped herself in her night robe and ran down the stairs yelling his name. She stopped at the kitchen where Angad was reading the newspaper and sipping his coffee. She relaxed, but her heart was beating faster than ever.

She opened the door completely and walked in. "Good morning." Angad looked up and smiled, pulled her closer after setting his cup and paper down. "I thought you left."

He kissed her, "Good morning to you too. And, no I would never leave you. Anjali called."

"Oh! What did she say?"

"She'll be home any-"

"Mom!"

Kripa and Angad laughed at her stormy entrance.

"I'm in the kitchen sweetheart." She looked back at Angad. "Leave me Angad."

"Morning mom. Morning Angad." Then she noticed her mom standing in his arms. "Did you guys get married without telling me?"

Kripa blinked and Angad left her. "No." He bent down and hugged her tightly. Kripa smiled looking at them. "But we will soon."

She pulled away and her eyes widened. "Really? So I can call you Daddy?"

Angad smiled with tears in his eyes, "I am your Daddy so you can call me your Daddy." he kissed her forehead and hugged her again.

Although Anjali didn't understand everything he said she was happy enough with the idea she had a father finally.

Angad picked her up and swung her around in his arms. Anjali giggled and then pulled Kripa into the group hug. Angad finally had what he wanted. He had the love of his life and his darling daughter. A daughter he didn't even know he had.

Later that day Angad and Kripa told Angad's grandmother that they wanted to get married. And, of course she agreed. The words spread like wildfire within minutes and Kripa and Angad got non-stop calls from people around the city.

Angad got loads of e-mails congratulating him and some saying he shouldn't have quit his job. He was happy with his decisions. And not once did he have to re-think.

Angad, Kripa, and Anjali had dinner together that night and then sat on the sofa watching movies. Finally when Anjali's eyes started to close she held Kripa's and Angad's hand.

"Can you both tuck me in today? Mia's parents tuck her in every night."

"Of course we can." Angad picked her up and the three walked to Anjali's room.

"Good night sweetheart." Kripa kissed her and then left the room.

Angad looked down at his daughter and kissed both her cheeks and the her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too." She kissed him back with a smile. "You know Daddy your grandma always tells me that you and mom were high school sweethearts."

He laughed, "We were. Come now go to sleep." He kissed her again and shut the lights before going to bed.

After the door to her bedroom was closed Angad picked Kripa up in his arms. "Lets go tuck you in as well."

"I thought you were going to be tucked in with me." She unbuttoned the first button of his shirt as he walked into her room and then closed the door behind them.

"Anjali's at home."

"She won't bother."

"Then I will." He threw her on the bed and she laughed watching him fall beside her. She turned on her stomach and hugged him. "Love you."

"Love you too."