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[COLOR=blue][SIZE=7]PART 24:
Angad and Kripa were successful in getting back home without disturbing anyone.
[SIZE=7]MORNING:
Prithvi left for work when Kripa was still sleeping. He gave her a light kiss on her cheek before he left. Kripa frowned in her sleep, as if she could tell that it was not Angad's kiss.
Angad peeked into Kripa's room before he left. She was still asleep. He gently walked to her bed and kissed her lips. She smiled in her sleep, turned over, and hugged her pillow. Angad smiled, covered her with her blanket and left for work. He left a note under her pillow.
She found the note when she woke up, "Aaj raat ko kahan milna hai?"
She blushed as she remembered their beautiful night at the beach and then the backseat of his car….."we are almost like teenagers in love" she thought. Shayad chup chup ke pyar karney ka mazaa hi kuch aur hai…..
She saw a bouquet of roses with a beautiful poem written by Prithvi on her nightstand. She felt guilty, "Prithvi bhi mujhsey kitna pyar karta hai…..main kaisi uljhan mein hoon…..kaise usey bataaoongi apney aur Angad key baarey mein……shaam ko Angad sey hi poonch loongi……kuch tho hul nikaalna padhega…."
She was about to leave for her work, when she saw Dilip staggering from his room.
"Papa! Kya hua?"
Dilip was sweating profusely and holding his chest, "beti…zara doctor ko phone karna…"
Kripa called the doctor, and then called Angad.
"Haan…main abhi aata hoon…Prithvi ko bataa diya?" Angad asked
"Haan…main usey bhi phone karti hoon…" Kripa said, as she hung up. Her first impulse was always to call Angad, she could only think about him whenever she needed someone. Although, Prithvi was her husband and Dilip's only son, she did not even think about calling him first.
"Prithvi…papa ki tabiyat theek nahin hai…doctor aaye hain, aur unhey hospital ley jaaney ko keh rahey hain…."
Kripa was shocked at Prithvi's response, "Kripa…Angad ko keh do wo chalaa jaayega….main abhi ek important meeting mein phansa hua hoon….main baad mein milta hoon…"
Kripa could not believe her ears- how can a son be so selfish-that is what Prithvi was- selfish to the core….he just cared about himself, no one else mattered…..he was not buying a house or starting all this business for her, but for himself! She had no guilt now…….there was no way she could live with a man like that even for another day.
Angad arrived soon, "chalo Kripa chachaji key saath hospital chaltey hain"
[SIZE=7]HOSPITAL:
Dilip did have a massive heart attack, but was stable enough to under go an angioplasty. Angad and Kripa stayed at the hospital, till he was out from the procedure. Prithvi and Kartik also came later.
"Kripa…tum nahin hoti tho aaj papa ka kya hota?" Prithvi sobbed on her shoulder. Prithvi's plight had no effect on Kripa. She stood still and did not even try to console him…..she had seen his true colors……those were crocodile tears with which he had managed to fool Angad and Dilip for years, and also made her feel guilty about her relationship with Angad………she was not going to fall for that anymore.
"Prithvi…..tum ghar jaao…main papa ke paas hospital mein rahoongi….." Kripa said firmly
"Nahin Kripa….tum Prithvi key saath wapas jaao…..main yahin rahoonga…."Angad intervened
"Angad theek keh raha hai…..Papa Angad key saath sabsey comfortable rahengey……chalo Kripa raat bahut ho gayi hai…….ghar chalo…." Prithvi held her arm. Kripa freed herself from Prithvi's grip, "muhjey apney papa ke yahan chhod do……mujhey unki bhi chinta hai……"
Angad understood that Kripa was no longer interested in spending anytime with Prithvi at home. Angad was too distraught after Dilip's heart attack to even offer to drop Kripa. At this point, he knew that he had to be at Dilip's bedside…….no matter what.Kripa understood Angad's dilemna, and did not expect him to accompany her.
"Theek hai…..main tumhey wahin chhod doonga…..achcha Angad raat ko kuch chahiye ho tho phone kar dena…..main ya Kartik aa jaayengey….." Prithvi put his hand on Angad's shoulder. Even Angad was surprised to see Prithvi's matter-of-fact attitude after his father's near fatal heart attack.
Kripa packed an overnight bag, and went to her father's house. Suryabhan was pleased to see her but worried about Dilip, "beta mujhey pehle bata diya hota….main bhi hospital aa jata…"
"Papa….aap kal mere saath chaliye ga…."
Kripa could not sleep that night. She went to get a drink of water from the kitchen, when her father turned the light on, "beti kya baat hai? Jab sey aayi ho pareshaan lag rahi ho……kya Dilip ki chinta hai?"
"Haan papa….wo bhi hai….par…."
"Par kya beti……batao kya baat hai?"
Kripa had always confided in her father since childhood. She hugged him and started sobbing, "papa…main bahut badhi uljhan mein hoon………"
"Aao….yahan baitho…aur batao kya baat hai" Suryabhan sat down with Kripa on his lap, just like he used to when she came back from school, upset about a friend or a poor grade.
"Papa…….main Prithvi sey pyaar nahin karti……."
"Wo tho main jaanta hoon beti, par ho sakta hai dheere dheere tumhey pyaar ho jaayega……"
"Nahin papa…." She poured her heart to him. She told him about Angad, his sacrifice, her initial attempts to make her marriage work, and then how Angad and her finally confessed to each other and got extremely close, "papa…..ab main aur Angad us mukaam par pahunch gaye hain, jahan sey wapas nahin aa saktey…….."
Suryabhan looked serious, "beti kya matlab?"
"Haan papa….main aur Angad ab ek doosrey ke ho chukey hain…….hamesha ke liye…."
"Beti……..main kuch upaay nikaalta hoon……aakhir tumhari khushi ka sawaal hai………Dilip sey baat karoonga…….wo pehley theek ho jaaye……." He kissed her forehead, "ab jao, achchi beti ki tarah so jaao……"
Kripa kissed him goodnight and went to her bed. She was relieved, as if a large burden had been lifted from her chest. A father-daughter relationship is always special….a father would do anything for his little girl's happiness, even if it meant breaking the societal rules.
Over the next few days, Angad helped Dilip recover at the hospital. Prithvi paid his visits like a visitor-he was always "busy" with something. Dilip was a little taken aback by Prithvi's attitude. One day, when Angad was helping him change his clothes, "beta……main bahut khush kismat hoon jo maine tumhey us din juvenile court sey apney ghar laaya tha…….tum hi mere sachche bete ho……." Dilip had tears in his eyes. Angad's eyes got moist also, "chachaji……..aapka karz tho main kabhi nahin utaar paaoonga……….aap na hotey tho main aaj bhi kisi jail mein sadh raha hota…….." they both hugged each other.
Kripa made sure she brought home cooked food for Dilip and Angad everyday. Suryabhan sat around and entertained Dilip, as they shared their past court stories.
Suryabhan noticed how comfortable Angad and Kripa were with each other. He was also unhappy with Prithvi's behavior, and particularly displeased with Kartik, who seemed unusually interested in his daughter. Suryabhan was happy that Angad was always there to shield Kripa from Kartik. Kripa insisted on staying with her father during this period.
Dilip came home after a week. Prithvi brought in the floor plans for the new apartment building, 'papa….ab aap theek ho gaye hain….dekhiye kaun sa floor plan aapko achcha lagta hai….Kripa tho kuch batati nahin hai……"
Kripa intervened, "Prithvi, main papa ko chhod kar kahin nahin jaaoongi….tumhey shift karna hai tho kar lo…..main tho yahin rahoongi…"
Dilip was touched by Kripa's gesture, he looked at Prithvi, "beta achcha hoga tum sab yahin raho….pata nahin meri tabiyat kahin phir kharab ho gayi tho…"
Prithvi looked disappointed but folded the floor plans, "jaisa aap sab chahey……"
Kripa went upstairs and saw Angad standing near his room. She smiled and went close to him. She whispered, "bhagwan bhi yahi chahta hai ki hum judaa na ho……ab papa theek ho gaye hain……….raat ko kahan milna hai?"
Angad smiled back mischievously, "wahin jahan koyi aata jaata nahin…….."
….to be contin
Cricket
