Thank you for all your replies...Here is Chapter One...and those who are reading it for the first time, there is a prologue on the first page...
Chapter 1 "The forgotten Birthday" As Prachi was picking up the mess that the children left on the floor the doorbell rang. Even before someone opened the door, she knew it was definitely him. He was coming back from a meeting overseas. He had missed the party, but he had still managed to come back before midnight. Prachi asked her mother to open the door as she finished cleaning up.
Premlata, just like her daughter knew who the late comer was. As she opened the door, he stepped in with a big bouquet of red roses. She smiled at him as he bent down to take her blessings.
"Aunty…where are the two birthday girls" he asked
"Beta…one is in the kitchen while the other one is upstairs…you have lots of making up to do…she is mad at you" replied PL as he followed her inside.
Coming to the kitchen, he gave Prachi the bouquet of flowers and said "Happy Birthday…you see I still managed to come on time…"
Smiling back at him she said "Thank you Angad…How was the meeting…did we get the contract…"
"Prachi…yeh sab baatein baad main karonge…first where is the little one…is she mad at me…" [we can have have those talks after]
Pointing up at the stairs, she said "Upstairs…in her room…and yes she is mad…why did you promise her when you knew you were going to be late…now go and make it up to her before she eats my head" said Prachi
Just like Prachi had said, she was in her room. As soon as she saw Angad entering the room, she hid under her blanket, indicating that she was mad and didn't wish to talk to him. Angad couldn't help but smile at her gesture. He knew that she couldn't stay angry with him for long. Sitting beside the bed he said "How is my little princess doing"
Still hiding inside the blanket she said "Diya, Angad papa se gussa hai" [Diya is mad at Angad papa]
"Even if I say I'm really sorry and I promise I won't do it again…"
She spoke out from inside the blanket once again saying "Diya, Angad papa se baat nai karegi" [Diya won't talk with Angad papa]
Holding his ears he said "Dehko, maine apne kan bhi pakad liye…ab tho tum mujhe maaf kardo…" [Look, I even hold my ears…won't you forgive me now]
She slowly peeked out from her blanket and laughed as she saw him holding his ears. Getting out from bed, she stood in front of him. Putting her hands on her hips she asked "Why are you late???"
"Woh…main tumhare liya ek achisi gift khareed rahi thi…Isliye main late hui" [I was late because I was looking for a nice gift for you]
Trying to hold her excitement, she looked at his hands and then behind him, but did not see anything that resembled like a gift. "Where is my gift?" Picking her up in his arms he said "Its downstairs in the living room"
Getting off from his arms, she rushed downstairs to see her gift and he followed her behind. Diya entered the living room and saw a big box wrapped in pink. As she opened it, both Angad and Prachi stood near the door. Even Prachi was curious to find out what it was.
As diya saw the beautiful pink bicycle, she screamed in excitement. She ran up to him as he picked her in his arms. She placed kisses on his cheek and said "Thank you Angad papa…can we go and ride it outside…"
"Not today beta…its night…we will tomorrow okay…but if you want we can go for an ice-cream"
Nodding her head, she asked "Can mama come with us too"
"Why not, I'm going to treat both of the birthday girls…" he said looking at Prachi
"You guys go along…I will stay back" said Prachi
"C'mon Prachi…its your birthday…you can't stay at home all day…at least not today"said Angad
"Haan Prachi…why don't you go with them…I will clean up the house…go and have some fun…"
"No its okay mama…there is so much cleaning to do…I'll stay back…but both of you don't be too late…Diya has school tomorrow morning" said Prachi. It was indeed her birthday, but she preferred to stay at home. It was like this for the past five years.
As she waved goodbye to her daughter and Angad she heard her mom's voice from behind. "Why didn't you go with them…aakhir tum kab tak aise rahogi…usse bhool jao…un yaadon ko bhool jao Prachi…" [How long will you stay like this…why don't you forget him and those memories]
Turning around, she faced her mom "Mama…why do you always think that I'm still living in the past… The day I left India, I forgot everything…Maine un yaadon ko bhula chuki hoon…They don't mean anything to me anymore" she simply replied and went upstairs trying not to argue with her mom anymore.
Premlata watched her daughter from behind. How easily did she lie to her? She knew her daughter more than anything in this world and she knew that those past memories were still haunting her present. She clearly saw the pain behind her daughter's smile. It has been so many years yet, she refused to listen. It was like if her daughter still had some hope left. Hope that things would one day become like before. As PL went back to the kitchen, she thought of that day. Deep down, she blamed herself for her daughter's fate. Only if she would have said no, none of this would have ever happened.
Much later, when Angad returned with a sleeping Diya, he saw Prachi in her room. Once, he placed Diya in her room, he went to see Prachi in her room to inform her about the new deal. As he entered, he saw her on the bed, with a box in her hands. As he sat in front of her, she said "Diya fell asleep…tumhe pareshaan tho nahin kiya?"[Hope she didn't trouble you much]
"Nahin [No]…she fell asleep in the car while we were coming back…Anyways, I'm here to talk about the trip…"
"Did we get the contract?" questioned Prachi. As it was something important for their company.
"No we didn't but we got something better…I met the owner of MM hotels…and he wants to open a new branch here in Montral…and we will be the main advertisers…isn't that great"
"Yes…but who is this MM hotel's owner..."
"He is a nice man…although I heard a lot of bad things about him…but I believe he is a great business man…he will be coming in next week to finalize the deal…you can meet him then…"
"Whatever you say…if its good for the company than I have nothing to object…" she said.
"Well okay then, I'll take a leave now…see you at work tomorrow…" he said. He took a few steps but then stopped. Turning around, he walked back at her and took the box out of her hands and placed in back in the closet. Before he left he stood at the door and asked "How long Prachi…how long will you keep on doing this…" When she didn't say anything, he simply left.
Somewhere in the other side of the word, Milind woke up in the middle of night. It was something he now got use to. After what had happened, how could he possibly sleep peacefully? Wiping off the sweat from his forehead, he stepped out from the bed and went towards his cupboard. Opening the door, he took out the photo frame that was hidden between his clothes. He hated her for what she had done, but still couldn't help himself from looking at her picture. Even in the dark, her smile brought a glow in the room. He stared at the picture for a while and before he placed it back, he whispered "Happy Birthday"
Edited by Heeba - 17 years ago
Anupamaa
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
