Part 6
"So that was Armaan's story" Shaina ended. She wasn't a person who will share her friends secrets or past with anyone, but somehow, her heart trusted Riddhima. Riddhima felt tears in her eyes on hearing about all that bitter and unexpected cruel past of his boss. He seems a tough man, but now she know, that time had broken him so badly that now he wore that mask of unawareness and ignorance on his face. "But you know what is the most bitter part?" Riddhima look up at shaina's pain face and moved her head, giving it a shake, as asking what it is. "All cause of his bad experience, Ananya is getting neglected. Armaan is kind of scared that if he ever love her, if he ever get close to her, he will loose her too" Shaina's voice broke as she felt a lump in her throat and get up from the bed and moved towards the window. Taking a deep breath, she put her hands on the rail and continued. "I still remember that day...Ananya was barely one...she just learn how to crawl and accidentally hit her head with the sofa wood. Armaan didn't move an inch to take hold of her while she cried badly." A lone tear trace down her cheek. Riddhima too get up from her bed and coming forward, put her hand on Shaina's shoulder. "If it would have been someone else, they would have said how cruel kind of father he is that is letting his child cry infront of his eyes and not moving forward to hold her, hug her, console her. But we saw...we saw his clenched hands digging into the sofa-arm to try to control himself to get up. We noticed his facial expression changing from serious to hurt. We saw his eyes getting teary seeing her crying but he did controlled himself just cause of his illusion, his thinking, his fears that if he love Ananya the way he loved Riya, if she got to know and learn that her father loves her, he will loose her too." Shaina was torn on feeling that his ever so supportive friend is so broken and helpless inside himself. She is just so afraid for his future and she knows, if he continues to work like this in future, he will became too practical, a robot, a mechanical man and that means, that they all will loose this soft-hearted, lovable and deary friends who right now need love in his life the most. Only if God could help him someway. Riddhima understands and consoles shaina. These friends bonding really inspires her. Its so rare to have this kind of unbiased, selfless friendship now-a-days.
"Armaan, we are going out for an hour...Would you like to join us?" Nitin asked being ready himself in a blue and green check shirt nicely tucked in denim jeans, just wishing to get him somehow out from his shell and this thinking process they know he was in right from last night dinner after watching his Sneha. "No, you guys caryy on yaar...I know you need this break after working almost the whole night to get ready with this presentation...I am just gonna go through it one last time and then, retiring into my bed" Armaan said placing the laptop on to the coffee table in front which was just resting in his lap before and rubbed his eyes. The redness of them was enough to let others know how hard the last night was for him and he surly need this sleep. "Ok but you take care haan...it will not take us more than one and a half hour" Nitin assures him looking at his wrist watch. Akshay was already out to get some information for the project and shaina was accompanying Nitin to his outdoor visit as soon she joined them. "Isn't Riddhima going out with you guys?" Armaan asked with a concern face. "She said she have a little headache...so she wanna rest" Shaina explained. "Oh..." Armaan said looking back at his laptop screen blankly. Biding him bye, they both left the apartment. Armaan again get hold of his laptop and get back to work.
Getting tired, he shut off the laptop and went upto kitchen only to find the stuff which could help him make a strong coffee just they way he like. He switched on the coffee maker and pour water into it for himself at first, but on second thoughts, added another cup of water. "May be Riddhima will need it too". After getting it ready, he pour it carefully into two mugs and went towards her room only to get stop in tracks hearing her. "Mom, Just tell them anything...any reason you can think of but postponed this wedding" Her voice almost feels like at the verge of crying as she ?was in a conversation with her mother on laptop and the speakers were on. The door was ajar, making Armaan have a clear view inside. He first thought to moved back and stop interrupting in her personal life but he couldn't move. "Riddhima, they have been asking for it from 6 months now and now i can't make any more excuses...what's wrong with you beta?" Her mother voice seems stern yet loving. Armaan straightly remembers his own mother and the love, the divine love he used to get by her. He missed her badly. Only if she can get back to him, he will tell her all his fears, all his pain, all his miseries. "You don't know about it mom...You know nothing." Riddhima sighs as if hiding a bitter truth inside. "Then tell me...You both are in this relationship from last 8 years...Your father get you engaged. ...It was his last wish to see you both get married but time doesn't allow him that...but i don't wanna be late Riddhima...I want to perform my rights as a mother before i leave this world" Smriti get on emotional. "Mom...please don't say like this...see i am coming back in few days...we will discuss it then" Riddhima almost begged for that much time. Smriti stay quiet for a moment and then Riddhima heard. "Ok...but just remember, you better get back home with an appropriate and genuine reason to delay this marriage or with a date for your wedding" She said and the call dropped. Riddhima keep looking at the screen for a moment and get back into senses hearing a knock on the door. As far as she remembers, Shaina told her that she, nitin and Armaan were going out and Akshay was already out for something. Thats why she thought this time would be perfect to talk to her mother in detail on skype. On not getting a response, Armaan get inside holding two cups of coffee in both hands. Riddhima quickly shut off the laptop and straighten herself. Armaan quietly sit on the other side of the bed and extended his hand forward to hand her coffee mug which she took without giving him a glance. they keep sitting in complete silence, taking small sips of there coffee's when Armaan start. "Ms.Riddhima...Our parents do what is in best of our interest..."Riddhima looked up at him the next instant and he said sheepishly. "Sorry, but i heard your conversation with your mother" Riddhima ignored his eyes and look around trying to get courage for herself. Armaan look back into his coffee cup and traced its rim with his finger. "You are very lucky Riddhima, to get love by your mother...the much i heard from her, she loves you alot and want to do her best possible to see your happy future...Don't loose her and her love over some minor issues and ego" Armaan said getting up when Riddhima spoke up. "I know sir...parents always do what they think is best for their child...but sometimes, they don't even realize how much wrong their one action is going to cost their child's life" She said in a dual meaning. Armaan turned to her with a strange expression displaying on his face. "What do you mean by that?" He asked sternly yet in a calm voice. "I just mean sir, always what parents think, is not right...there are somethings which i know thats gonna harm me if i agree with my mother...but just cause of the reason that my mom think its right, am i suppose to jump into the fire?" she questioned him. Armaan thought of her words for a minute and said. "Certainly not. But explain her then the reason of your action...why you are doing the thing she don't like...make her understand your point of view" Armaan suggest. Riddhima sighs and puting the coffee mug on her thing, moved the other hand from her silky long hairs, to control the fire burning inside her just even with the name of her stupid idiotic fiance. "Somethings are not just easy to tell and more than that, its hell more difficult to make her believe whatever i am gonna say is truth..." Armaan sit beside her and she looked up at him instantly as he said. "If she love you...she will believe you" Saying so he get up and left the room without turning back. Riddhima keep on thinking about it for sometime and then lay back onto her bed.
Next day they all got ready and leave the hotel to have that meeting they were here for. Mr.Mehra's driver took them straight to that 32 floor building. Mr.Mehrs has already booked a conference hall for the meeting and it worked. He and his partners really liked this fly-over project they wish to do with Malik Builders. Nitin has done his work fabulously and Akshay also got the quality report he arranged after collecting data from here and India. Shaina was announced to be the project manager along with another guy. Armaan was happy and confident that like before, he and his company will do his best to get on and get done with this project as successfully as before. The quickly get back to hotel and packed there bags as they? have a flight to catch in next three hours to get back to Mumbai, India, to there families. But during the whole journey in that business class area of that airline, all Armaan could think about was Riddhima's words. Right from the moment, he had that conversation with her, he was in denial. He couldn't stop thinking about it. WHATEVER HE IS DOING WITH Ananya IS RIGHT??? IS GETTING AWAY FROM HER JUST FOR HER SAFETY AND HAPPY LIFE, IS HE PUSHING HER INTO SOMETHING THAT SHE DOESN'T DESERVE???? He just shake his head and pressed the seat button back to put it into half laying position and lay back, closing his eyes. The airhostess came and switched off the lights above him which provide great relief to him. But his mind keep thinking about his life and Ananya, his relation and reaction to Ananya.
Getting back home, he wished Bi and get straight to Ananya's room, rolling up his cuffs and removing his watch. Bi took the hand-carry from him and after leaving that to his room, came back to Ananya's room to only found him standing beside her bed, looking at the sleeping Ananya. Sometime later, a small smile formed on his lips as he said "Bi, you remember, she use to say Baaa alot even when she wasn't able to speak" He didn't turn but knew, Bi was standing there, listening to him. "She would roll on the bed to get to me so i can took her up in my arms whenever you had to go out" he continued. Bi came forward and stand beside him. "She needed you then Armaan and she need you now...and more than that, she need you the most in her coming life" Armaan turn his haed as a tear traced his cheek "You don't think whatever i am doing with Ananya is right Bi?" Armaan asked for the first time. Before, he just use to ignore whenever whoever use to ask him to change his thinking and attitude towards Ananya but now he just need to ask someone. "No Armaan. you are not doing right at all beta...Ananya needs you the most beta. Who am i...just a care-taker...i love her alot but it could never be matched to the love a child feel with the presence of a father or mother" Bi lovingly cupped his face and said. "Its you Armaan, ho can provide her comfort, love, protection...not just these but also its gonna be your reaction and affection to her which will help her build her confidence and personality. Always, a child learn whatever there parents teach them. If you let her be away from you Armaan, i am afraid, she also gonna be away from you forever...In this whole process of saving her, you are just going to loose her" And that made Armaan more scared and frightened. He looked back at Ananya and sit beside her, caressing her tiny face, moving the hairs away from her face. The fear of loosing her shook him inside out. He can't afford to loose this only left relation in his life no matter what happen. He keep looking at her, acknowledging her amazing features and move down to give her a soft kiss on her chubby cheek. "daddy never gonna leave her princess at any cost now" he promised and kissed her again.
Armaan smilingly entered his room as he just remembered how he played with Ananya for whole three hours. All his tiredness went away just with her sweet giggle she gave as he tickled her. He made her sit in his lap and feed her while she keep playing with her spoon, making sounds banging it on the table. He remembered Riya used to do that in the same way and he kissed her all spicy foodie cheek just to make her giggle more. He promised never to miss this happiness of his life ever. Armaan took a warm shower and after changing into his night suit, get a hold of his bag and open it to get his file so he could go through it before having a meeting tomorrow only to find his clothes and things being replaced by a girls clothes and things. He moved hands through the bag and cursed. "damn, the bag got exchanged" Right then, his hand found a diary and he looked at it for a minute and open the first page to found the name "Riddhima Gupta"?
Part Seven-----page 35Edited by cool_SK - 13 years ago
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