Here's the final chapter from Pragya's point of view. Sorry this one is long and I typed it on my phone so sorry for any mistakes. Happy reading.
Chapter 5
Michelle is setting me up on a date to meet her friend's grandson. I told her my mom wants me to meet someone later in the week and she suggests to meet him too but meet Aditya Mohan now. I am meeting him for dinner and it'll just be the two of us so no pressure from staring families. There's no harm in meeting the guy tomorrow and who is mom sending? She didn't even tell me his name.
Stuck in traffic I recall what Michelle told me "Aditya is a little bit shy but he's very friendly once he opens up to a person." I had Mr. Shameless in my life before and now I am meeting Mr. Shy, life can be really ironic. What if I like him? As much as I hate to admit but I have a soft corner for Abhi. I loved our small petty arguments and those deep mesmerizing eyes.
I'm an hour early so I decide to go to the bookstore that's next door. there's a a novel releasing today and I want to pick one up before it sells out. At the cashier's counter there's a very cute little girl sitting on the counter with her mom chatting to the chaser and the other cashier motions to me that she's free. She rings my bill and I pay her and as I turn to leave I hear "Di." I turn and the little girl is motioning me to bend down. "Hi, you want to talk to me?" She has an adorable giggle and she nods yes. "I'm Pragya and what's your name?" She responds beamingly "I'm pretty Priya." Ah she is so adorable. "Di, you are very pretty too and I like your dress, you are wearing my favourite colour magneta." She is trying to say magenta, before I could respond she grabs my glasses, "You look better without these." I can't see her face but I can hazily make out that she is pulling her arm back and with all her might I think she just threw my glasses away.
"Priya! What did you do? That is not nice. I will get it for you and I am so sorry. My daughter doesn't like wearing her glasses and she tells the same to everyone she meets to not wear theirs either." Her mom goes and gets my glasses and she tells me there's a big crack in the middle of both lenses. I can feel the cracks as I run my fingers over. "I'm very near sighted. I can't see a thing now, everything looks so blurry" I tell the mom.
"Sorry di. I didn't know you can't see. Will you forgive me? Mommy is mad and she won't forgive me until you do? I only need mine to see really really far away." I hear her crying "Priya don't cry, you didn't know. It's ok I will have it fixed. I will be ok but I was supposed to meet Aditya and I have never met him before. I can't meet him without my glasses." Her mom tells me "There's a store a block away and I can take this there to see what they can do. Please give me your number and I will call you from there. Once again we are so sorry." After getting my number she leaves with her daughter who once again says "Sorry di".
A deep husky voice is talking to me from behind "If you want uh ... we can meet later?" I turn around and I can kind of see a blurry man. "Sorry I should introduce myself I am Aditya Mohan." He takes my hand and shakes it. I drop my novel and I bend down to pick it up. Muttering in my mind I can't help but think that he's here, I can't see him so I'm literally blind on a blind date and I can't find my new book. "Nice choice, I got the same book. That is why I came here first" he tells me while handing me my book.
My phone rings and she tells me my glasses can be fixed today but it'll take 2 hours, I relay this to Aditya. "Well you have to wait to get your glasses back and it's dinner so let's go next door and eat. We can talk and try to get to know one another since we are both here." That does make sense but ... he's waiting for me to respond "That does sound good but I can't see, everything is blurry and ..." I am at a loss of words and I am so frustrated at this awkward meeting. I feel him take my hand into his and very carefully he's taking me to next door.
Aditya was very quiet when we first got here but after some small talk he started to talk about himself. I already told him about my doomed marriage. He makes me laugh, his conversations are engaging and we have some things in common. He confides in me that he wasn't much of a reader at first but after reading a well chosen novel he had to read more and now he's hooked. I smile recalling my first novel. He tells me he's started to build a collection and some of the titles he's mentioning are ones that are sold out and I so want to read them. Maybe later I can borrow them?
I am having such a lovely time, we talked for hours and our food was delicious. Aditya is someone who I wouldn't mind meeting again. He puts me at ease and he's making my heart flutter just like Abhi did when he didn't get on my nerves. I cant meet the guy my mom wants me to see as I really like Aditya.
"Di! Here are your glasses." Priya puts them on and I can see her pretty face again. I kiss her cheek in thanks. Her mom pulls away and they excuse us.
"It's so good to get my glasses back. Aditya I..." He's standing in front but with his back to me. "What's wrong?" I ask putting my hand on his shoulder and he turns around. My eyes get teary, my heart aches and this immense rage is about to overpower me. I start shouting "What is all this? You just love playing with anyone's emotions right? Hadn't I endured enough from you that you had to do this too. You always deceive. Where's the real Aditya or let me guess there never was one. I ..." The man sitting in the table beside ours gets up raising his hand and proclaims that he's Aditya and he shows me his driving license. I am done with all these charades, and I start walking towards the entrance.
The real Aditya runs in front and explains how he met Abhi at the bookstore and he noticed that once I came Abhi couldn't take his eyes off me. They started talking and Aditya clued in that I am the same Pragya that he came to see. He tells Abhi he won't show up so he can meet me again as the guy her mom sent. Abhi had looked at him in anger and told him "I will let not let anyone disappoint my wife and there is no way you are bailing out on her. You are a sweet guy who probably deserves her. Looks like I won't get my second chance as she will like you." As Abhi was about to leave Priya had thrown my glasses. Aditya had a plan as it felt to him like fate was trying to give us a fresh start without having anyone come in the middle. Aditya pushed Abhi to take his place and to change his voice so I wouldn't recognize him. I ponder over the conversations I just had and Abhi was nothing but honest and caring.
Abhi was still at our table and I sit down next to him. He's changed his wardrobe, he's wearing faded blue jeans and they are not ripped, a clean white dress shirt and a navy blazer. He's wearing glasses, that must be from reading too much - oh he loves to binge whether it's food, alcohol, and now books. I suppress a laugh that's coming.
"I didn't intend to meet like this. I was going to see you later. First I was going to apologize for everything and then ask for a second chance." He closes his eyes and he continues "The last 3 months I talked to your family and Suresh because I wanted to know everything about you so I won't screw anything up the next time." He takes my hand in his and continues "I am so sorry and I can't express how much in words."
Tears were forming in his eyes and I began telling him "I know you. Despite you trying your hardest to show me your bad side I did see the good side of you too. I know you are truly sorry and your eyes don't lie."
"Pragya I want to give these divorce papers back to you. Our anniversary is coming up in a few weeks and I would like to remarry you. When we got married my heart wasn't in it and the marriage vows didn't mean anything to me. This time I will mean each vow and I will give this mangalsutra to you with all my love and commitment. Will you remarry me?" Tears are streaming and I am all chocked up. I can't believe this is happening. I nod and Abhi pulls me into am embrace. He speaks again "Before marriage many couples share good memories from the times they dated. We never got the chance to date before but I won't let it go this time." My heart is overwhelmed, he takes a deep breath and continues "On each date I will prove to you that I will always keep you happy Chashmish, no I meant to say Pragya."
"You can call me Chashmish or Kishmish, I like these nicknames you gave me. Now that you have glasses can I call you Double Battery?" Not a second goes by and he says "I am still a singer and these are reading glasses. That nickname is only for Suresh, he's always overly charged to start anything." I laugh and respond "I'm teasing you. I love the sweet and silly arguments we have. From now onwards you are my Manu as you hold my heart." He kisses me on my forehead and his tears drop onto my cheek and he hugs me a bit tighter and says "I love you my sweet Kismish Chashmish." I look into his eyes, "I love you too Manu." He looks me over and says "My Kishmish gained a few pounds" and winks at me showing his biggest boyish grin and his eyes twinkle waiting for me to respond.
I hope you liked this story. Next one is "Second Chances" where it highlights some of their dates and it ends with their remarriage. Let me know if you want me to post the sequel story. Thanks for reading and the comments.
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