Meghna rushes breathlessly to the place where Beauty, Nandu and Vedika had been headed. They are surprised and alarmed to see her arrive, panting.
Beauty: Kya hua Meghna ji….sab theek toh hai? Aap achanak waapas kaise aa gayi?
Meg briefly tells them what had happened. As she finishes, she sees Beauty and Nandu exchange knowing smiles. 😉She opens her mouth to say something, then closes it again. With a deadpan expression she takes the keys from Beauty and rushes on her way.
As soon as she leaves, the irrepressible two burst into laughter.
Meg reaches the tractor just in time to see Chaman hoist Angel gently into it. She is about to run up and hand him the keys, but she sees an expression on Angel's face that she has in all likelihood never seen before: gratitude…even gentleness?😳 Meg slips behind a tree, pausing a moment so that the newfound expression on her friend's face can last a little while more.
Raj is still engaged in a cosy chat with Nikki when Neha comes back to the ward after a consultation with the doctors. Seeing the scene before her, she pauses in the doorway and smiles. But Raj senses her after a moment and raises his eyes to hers as if it ask, "What are you thinking?" She smiles again and shakes her head.
As they accompany Nikki out of the hospital, she grabs Neha'a dupatta and demands, "Mummy, apne promise kiya tha ki aap mujhe beach le jaoge aur candy-floss khilaoge."
Neha looks apologetically at Raj. "Hume jaana hoga….i'm sorry, main aapko batana bhool hi gayi…"
Raj: (coolly) Toh isme kya problem hai? Main bhi tum logon ke saath chal raha hun na….that is, agar tumhe koi aetraaz na ho toh!
Neha breaks into a delighted grin. "Bhala mujhe kya aetraaz ho sakta hai!"
Nikki squeals with excitement and grabs hold of his hand. The three get into Raj's car and drive to the beach. It is late evening now, and the lights from the vendors's stalls cast a warm glow over the crowds, making them all somehow benign, sympathetic.😊
Nikki walks proudly between her two companions, holding each's hand in her own. She is confident in the smartness of her new head covering. She surveys other children passing by like a queen looking at her subjects. 😛
Neha sees her and thinks, "Kitna time ho gaya, Nikki ko aise khush, hanste hue dekh ke…..yeh sab, Raj ki wajah se hai…!"
They reach a ferris wheel. Nikki starts demanding, "Mummy, mummy, mujhe ferris wheel pe jaana hai…..please!"
Neha: (firmly) Nahin beta…..tumhari tabiyat theek nahin hai…..chakkar aa jayega….
Nikki: Mummy kuch nahin hoga…..please Mummy chalo na!
Raj: Mujhe nahin lagta koi problem honi chahiye….Nikki waise toh bilkul theek hai….
Neha: (helplessly) Lekin mujhe unchayi se bahut darr lagta hai…issliye main toh iske saath bilkul nahin ja sakti….aur akele yeh darr jayegi…..
Nikki pouts and bursts into tears. "Daddy mujhe hamesha wheel pe le jaate the…..Mummy aap toh mujhe hamesha mana karte rehte ho…!"
An expression of pain crosses Neha's face. Raj sees it and picks up the sobbing child. "Don't worry princess….Mummy nahin chal sakti toh kya hua….main chalunga na tumhare saath!"
Nikki: (wiping her eyes and looking at him) Sach?
Raj: Bilkul!
He carries her to the ride as a teary-eyed mother watches with a mixture of tenderness, gratitude and kindling hope on her face.👏
Tomorrow: Armaan, Jassi and the laddoos.
