Part 12 (iii)
(Have not proof read)
"Milind, what are you doing here?" asked a surprised Prachi trying to free her arm.
Neev watched them silently with his mouth gaping slightly and his eyes open wide.
"Never mind about that. Answer my question first. What did you just say?"
Prachi started trembling, seeing the fury in his eyes.
"I won't come in the way of your happiness," she muttered.
"No, after that," he said impatiently.
"I'll let you visit Sahana," she said with feeling.
"No....at the very end," he persisted.
"I can't keep you from Ayesha," she said regretfully.
"What has Ayesha got to do with us?" he asked in annoyance.
"She is the woman you love," she said in a pained voice.
"Says who?" asked Milind furiously.
"I saw the two of you in your office. You were hugging her and telling her that her love will win."
Milind was shocked to realise that Prachi had seen him with Ayesha.
"Was it the reason that yesterday you left without meeting me and handing over the food you prepared?" he asked as he suddenly comprehended her strange behaviour.
She nodded her head silently.
"Now, don't tell me that you were jealous of Ayesha."
She remained silent but bent her head down in shame. Her head told her that she had no right to be jealous of any woman in his life but her heart couldn't help but feel upset seeing another woman in his arms.
Milind secretly felt happy that Prachi was as possessive of him as he was of her.
"For your kind information I don't lust after married women," he said gruffly.
Prachi looked at him in shock.
"She's married?"
"Yes, she is. To my close friend Varun. All three of us were together in the same college in London and were very good friends. Varun and Ayesha got married only a year ago and live in Delhi. Both of them are passionately in love with each other but have giant sized egos. Ayesha is very ambitious and career minded. She wanted them to postpone plans to expand their family for some time as she wanted to start a boutique. Varun on the other hand was keen to have a baby soon. They had got into an altercation and Ayesha left him a month ago and came to her mother's place here in Pune. She expected that her husband will call her back soon but instead he has sent her a notice for judicial separation. She received it yesterday and came running to me in tears. She still loves Varun deeply and was desperate to get back with him. She asked me to help unite them. I assured her that I will speak to Varun and sort out their issue. Since Varun is head strong I had asked her to give me some time to soften him up. I told her that her love will win, meaning her love for Varun, not for me. How could you even think I could love anyone else when I am so obviously and hopelessly in love with you?" he asked in indignation.
She looked up at him stunned.
"You love me?" she asked incredulously.
"Were you not aware of it Prachi? How can you be so blind? Why do you think I spend so much time with you and Sahana? Why do you think I am desperate to be in your company always. Does that not speak for itself?" he asked in a hurt voice.
She had to admit that he did indeed behave like a lovesick little puppy. Only she presumed all that attention was for her daughter. How wrong she was.
He continued in a husky emotional voice, "You two are the most important girls in my life. My life is meaningless without you. When you talked of annulment on grounds that the baby was not mine, you broke my heart, darling."
Her eyes welled up as she clearly saw the love in his eyes. Why could she not see it before or was she too scared to see it, lest it turns out to be a mirage?
"I am sorry, Milind. I was too scared to believe anyone could love me for who I am. I thought I was unworthy of you although I couldn't help falling irrevocably in love with you."
"How could you think so little of yourself?" he admonished her. "Your inner beauty radiates through and brightens your external looks, making a confirmed bachelor like me go weak in the knees."
She blushed at the compliment and bent her head down in shyness.
Holding her chin he lifted her face and was about to kiss her when they heard the unmistakable babble of little Sahana. They turned and saw her in Rehana's arms as she and her little troop made their way towards them.
"Well, well well....look who's here, Sahana. Your Papa! And shamelessly romancing his wife in broad day light, that too in a public place!" exclaimed Rehana mischievously.
Both Prachi and Milind turned tomato red and looked bashfully at the new entrants as well as the sole existing one. Sahana leaped into Milind's arms and calling out 'Papa....Papa..." she covered his face with her drool as she literally licked it in happiness. Milind hugged her close, his eyes softening with love for his little angel.
Prachi tried to lessen the embarrassment of being caught red handed by introducing Neev to Rehana.
"This is my friend, Neev. Neev, this is Rehana, Milind's friend's wife."
"Why, am I not your friend, Prachi?" asked Rehana jocularly and turning to Neev, shook his hands.
She then introduced all the members of her family to him. Neev shook hands with every one including little Asma. As the children were getting restless, Rehana took leave of them. Sahana was still busy admiring her handsome papa, pulling at his moustache and beard and trying to telling him about the party in her childish gibberish.
Prachi turned her head to Neev and then to her husband and back to him again, her tear-filled eyes silently pleading with him not to separate them. Neev understood her plea. He had been silently observing the depth of love these two obviously had for each other when they impassionedly confessed their feelings to each other. He knew that they were really meant to be. Although it was heartbreaking for him to lose the woman he loved so soon after finding her, he knew that the man she has chosen was far more worthy of her than he ever could be. A man who saved his beloved's life, who so selflessly took care of her in her hour of need, who accepted her unconditionally into his heart and who was prepared to give her up for her happiness surely deserved all the happiness he could get. He would definitely not stand in the way, especially since the happiness of the woman he loves is so inextricably woven with that of this man. He only wanted to hold his daughter for a minute before he bade them good bye.
"Would you not let me hold my... sorry...your daughter for a couple of minutes?" he asked Milind.
Milind who was absorbed in listening to his daughter turned to him and smiled at him guiltily.
"Sorry for the intrusion. We created quite a scene, didn't we?" He then turned back to Sahana and stretched his arm holding her towards Neev.
"Sahana baby, this is your.."
"Neev Uncle," finished Neev for him. Hearing this both Milind and Prachi heaved a sigh of relief although both of them felt bad for Neev. In that one word Neev conveyed his acceptance of their relationship.
When Neev tried to take her from her papa, Sahana shrugged her shoulders and turned away from him, clinging to her papa tightly.
Neev could not help feeling hurt by her reluctance to come to him. Milind felt embarrassed by her behaviour and explained that she generally took time getting used to new faces. Milind tried to reason with his little daughter. "Sahana baby, this uncle is a wonderful man, a close friend of your mama and papa. Won't you go to him?"
This time Sahana looked at Neev curiously and although she was not too keen to leave her papa, she let herself be lifted by this stranger. She stared at his face intently wondering why was her papa keen to palm her off to this stranger. Neev smiled at his little girl and remarked to Prachi that she was a carbon copy of her. He then asked them if he can get her a gift. Milind and Prachi nodded their heads. He went to the nearby gift shop and asked Sahana to pick what she wants. She looked around and pointed her hand to a big air filled Bugs Bunny which was nearly twice her size. He nodded his head and bought it for her. As it was too big for her to hold, Milind carried it for her.
They then walked Neev to his bike. Taking his daughter from Neev's arms, Milind asked him when was his flight so that they can come to the airport to see him off but Neev said that he hated good byes and preferred to leave alone. Milind tried to apologise to him about everything but before he could proceed further Neev asked him not to feel sorry for him. He would always be grateful to him for letting him know that his Prachi was alive and well and happy with her family. He then jocularly said that if he ever heard that he hurt her in any way, he will take the next flight back to India to take care of him. Milind laughed and said he will never give him an occasion to complain. Wishing them all the very best he got on to his bike and sped away as the threesome looked on.
Edited by Opti - 16 years ago
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