Chapter 7
Kripa felt in relief as soon as her eyes dawned over Aaliyah, however she noticed along with who's office she had wandered into, her boss's office. Kripa looked over at Mr. Khanna's face he seemed confused.
"Ms. Sharma, do you know this little kid?" Angad questioned, for a second Kripa forgot that she was Ms. Sharma a bit of realization flooded through Kripa, her name was no longer Mrs. Kapoor. "Uh yes, I'm so sorry for the disturbance" Kripa said as reality hit, while she started to pick up Aaliyah.
"Who's her mother?" Angad asked examining the little girl in Kripa's hand, who was busy holding her papers and crayon box. "She's my daughter" Kripa's reply threw Angad off for a second, he thought again did he hear the right thing, had she just said it was her daughter. What the'how can that be.
"I thought, you said you were single" Angad felt dumbfounded, wasn't she single then how could a kid appear from no where. Maybe she had adopted the child, but thought it would be a bit silly for young unwedded women to adopt a child. Angad looked at Aaliyah, she resembled to Kripa a bit. She had Kripa's nose and lips an beautiful brown hair like Kripa's.
"I am. Mr. Khanna, it's that I'm a ah widow" Kripa spit the words out as if it were going to poison her mouth. She hated telling someone she was a widow, the pity glares she received were beyond bearable at this moment. She didn't want anyone's pity.
"Oh. Well get back to work and make sure she doesn't wonder off again" The answer Angad gave surprised himself. He would have yelled probably fired her, not because she had a child but the child was wondering the office during working hours. That was unacceptable, but for some odd reason Angad dismissed and just let it off. "Sorry and thank you" saying that Kripa walked out of Angad's office and into her own.
It bothered Angad all day. Kripa was a widow, with a child over that. Angad pitted her, there went his chance in dating her, although she was technically single just a mother though. "What up bro" Armaan said as he put down the sandwich and glass of coco cola on the table between Angad and him. Armaan would spend majority of his time in Angad's house, his own home would get lonely with just him since his family lived in Upstate New York.
"You won't believe it, Kripa; she's a mother!" Angad said while trying to sallow down the news himself still. Armaan almost choked on his sandwich hearing Angad's report. "What?!" Armaan replied after taking a sip from his soda to push his sandwich down his throat.
"What you mean? She's a mother, she has a child. How? Isn't she young?" Armaan recalled Kripa's face in his head, she didn't seem that old seemed like 24 or 25. "Nah, bro she's young and a mother" Angad said while ripping a bit of Armaan's sandwich for himself. "Wow, damn. How old does the kid look? Did you see the kid?" Armaan was back to his normal state eating his sandwich, it was surprising news; Kripa was a mother but 24/25 year olds did have children mostly around the age of 1 or 2 years old babies.
"Yeah, I saw her daughter. I think she brought her to work and the kid must have wondered off and came into my office. And when I called Kripa to ask if she knew what a kid was doing here. She told its was her child. The little girl seemed like she's two or three years old." Angad said while biting into his bit of sandwich.
"Oh yea, she called me in the morning asking if she could bring someone to work for next couple of days because she was having some family issues. I said yes, since the next couple days there isn't anything major happening in the office. But I didn't expect it to be her daughter. I thought it be a little sister or cousin or something" Armaan assumed she must had problems with her husband or something, that she needed to bring her daughter along.
"I don't why, but Kripa intrudes me in a strange way not bad one but good one" Angad admitted to Armaan. There was something about Kripa, that made Angad curious about her. He dated many girl non which were ever serious for him, but Angad didn't really want to date Kripa; he wanted to know her, who she is, how her life is. It must have been horrible when she lost her husband, Angad thought.
"She seems sweet. You can't date her though, her husband will probably kill you" Armaan said lightly with slight laugh. "I don't want to date her, I want to know her. An besides she's a window" Angad replied and took the last bite of his portion of sandwich. "Whoa! Seriously? Man that's harsh." Armaan said with a sigh, he didn't think she would be a widow maybe divorced but the fact of being a widow never crossed him.
Kripa picked up the three plates and cups an took them to the sink and started washing them. Sammy headed off to the bedroom, while Aaliyah went back to her color books. "Mom, you want me to help you?" Kali said lending her mom an offering hand. "Sure, here dry the plates." Kripa said while handing Kali the plate. "How come Aaliyah went to work with you today and not Misty Auntie's house?" Kali questioned, remembering Aaliyah's ranting about being in Mommy's work place. "Oh, um" Kripa thought for a second what to say Kali was old enough to know what's going on, at least compared to Sam and Aaliyah she was.
"I'm not going to let Aaliyah stay with your Misty Aunty no more, while I'm at work" Kali noticed the bitterness in her Mom's voice. Pretending to be oblivious to Kripa's bitter tone, Kali question "Why?"
"That stupid bi'She hit Aaliyah, how on earth could she pick up a hand against my daughter!" Kripa replied violently, she was about to curse but stopped herself from using foul language in front of Kali. "What! Aunty hit Aaliyah? Is that bruise on her right arm from Auntie's beating" Kali felt disgusted, how could her Aunt do that. She had always noticed the fake affection towards them and the bitterness with Mom, but she never imagined that she would actually pick up a hand against Aaliyah.
With a sigh Kripa replied "Yes. Aaliyah will go to work with me for the next couple of days, until I can figure out something" It frustrated Kripa, what had come of her life. She never really liked Misty because of the attitude and ignorance she carried, but she didn't think Misty would hit Aaliyah or anything of that. Kripa knew Misty disliked her, but those weren't only her kids but Misty's own brothers too. For the first time in years Kripa missed her family, and her best friend Riddhima. Thinking of Riddhima, Kripa wondered where she might be today, how she might be.
Kripa was never angry at Riddhima for turning her back on her, when she married Shiva. To a point Kripa understood Riddhima's reaction, she herself might have reacted the same way if Riddhima took such a haste decision which probably could ruin her life. Kripa wondered could she be able to meet Riddhima again, its been ten years since she saw Riddhima. The last day Kripa saw Riddhima was on her wedding, which had been a small ceremony in a nearby church with couple of friends. Riddhima had still been persisting that Kripa had time she could turn around right now and leave with her to Northwestern University in Chicago, but Kripa was stubborn as well she went through the aisle and said her 'I do'. That day had been the last day Kripa saw Riddhima.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
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