Hello All! Thank you for the lovely comments and likes! As always means a lot!😃
Okay here you go with the seventh chapter! Don't forget to leave your feedback!😳
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Happy Reading!
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Chapter 07
Abhishek slammed his laptop shut.
"Okay spill it out Pragya!"
"What?"
Asked Pragya surprised.
"You have been biting your nails for the last 30 minutes! I can't take this anymore! So tell me, what's up?"
Pragya came and sat next to him.
"Promise me you will listen first before reacting!"
He looked at the hand she pointed out, amused.
"What? Why?"
"Because you have to! And because I say so!"
He paused for a minute before giving up.
"Okay promise! Happy?"
"Well... I wanted to talk about Aaliyah. Well, about Aaliyah and Neel both!"
"Neel! What did he do now? Did he try to contact her again?"
"Abhishek calm down! You promised to listen to what I am going to say!"
"Pragya just tell me what he did now! Or I am going to go right now and talk to Aaliyah!"
Abhishek got up only to be stopped by Pragya.
"Wait! Abhishek wait! Nothing happened! Just look at you! I just said I wanted to talk about Aaliyah and Neel and see the way you are reacting!"
"Pragya just tell me what is going on!"
"Nothing! Well, at least nothing as for you to react this way! I just wanted to know what the lawyer told you about them, well about divorce and all that... You know just in case Daadi asked me... Nothing else!"
He observed her for few seconds before accepting her story.
Abhishek sighed as he sat down again trying to calm down.
Pragya decided to let go of her Plan A straight away.
Phew! Just her words are never going to work with him!
She needs more people telling him this.
Time for Plan B!
***
"What?"
Purab asked again.
"UFF! Purab how many times would you ask Di the same thing!"
Bulbul said annoyed.
"Well, Pragya beta I am with you! This is what I expected from you. I knew you would not disappoint me. I might be old and you kids might think I don't know what is going on but I do know. Abhi sees Aaliyah's tears but he doesn't understand how to deal with them. That is his problem. He fails to see what is right in front of his eyes. He thinks divorce would end it all. But I know Aaliyah will never be happy without Neel. So I am with you in whatever you hope to do!"
"Daadi what?"
"I swear Purab if you say 'what' one more time I am going to lose it completely!"
Bulbul muttered scowling.
"Okay Bulbul calm down! I don't know what will happen. But I just want to give Aaliyah a chance to reconsider her decision. I think... Well, I think Aaliyah could be taking a wrong decision under pressure and I don't want it to have any effect on her or Aditi. As for Abhishek, well... I don't think he would realize it till he sees it for himself that Aaliyah is confused right now and we need to give her space to make her own decision."
"But Bhabhi Abhi is going to kill me if he gets to know about all these plannings behind his back!"
"I know Purab. I can't even imagine how he would react. That is why we have to hide all this till we make him realize that he has to let Aaliyah decide for herself."
"I am with you Di! You have no idea of all the plans that come to my mind right now!"
Bulbul said excitedly.
"See Bhabhi! I am scared of this only! Bulbul is going to go overboard with all the planning and Abhi will sense it just like that! You mark my words!"
"UFF! Purab you are such a fattu!"
"Okay okay calm down! So Pragya what is the plan?"
Daadi intervened and all three turned to Pragya.
***
"Okay start!"
Bulbul muttered seeing Abhi entering the living room.
"I am telling you this is a bad idea!"
Purab muttered back.
"So... Bulbul beta this was Aaliyah's wedding lehenga... She looks so pretty na?"
"Haan Daadi... So pretty. Aaliyah looks so pretty and see so happy..."
"Haan beta see her smile. Well, we never get to see that anymore..."
Abhi paused for a second and peeked at the photo.
"Well Bulbul... You should have seen our Aaliyah back then. She was so crazy those days..."
Purab added.
"Yes Purab. Remember what a chatterbox she used to be... I think Aditi has gone after her..."
"No way Daadi! I don't believe it! That is so not the Aaliyah I know! How come she is changed now?"
Bulbul asked looking at Daadi.
"Well, Bulbul beta she changed a lot after the separation. I mean she would try to act normal but something is changed..."
Daadi said looking at Abhi.
"This is all because of that Neel! Only because of that Neel!"
Abhi finally spat out as he left the room angrily.
***
Meanwhile at the park
"Really? That is crazy!"
Pragya said laughing as tears ran down her face.
"What! You think that is crazy? You have no idea Bhabhi! There was this one time... Yeah! It was when I was pregnant with Aditi... We were going somewhere and we passed this mango tree. Suddenly I wanted to have mangos. He said he will get me some but I wanted mangos only from that tree. That also right at that moment. We fought and fought and finally he climbed the tree and got me mangos."
"UFF Aaliyah!"
They laughed together watching Aditi playing in the park.
"Aaliyah honestly don't you miss him?"
Aaliyah considered the question before answering.
"Well... I think I do. But that's no use now..."
"Do you think he misses you too?"
"Bhabhi aap bhi na..."
"Does he?"
"Well, he kept saying he does... He says he misses us."
"And do you believe him?"
"I don't know. I mean I want to believe him... But then I am scared..."
Pragya placed her hand on Aaliyah's.
"Aaliyah you have got to make a decision! Sooner you make up your mind the better it would be for you... And Aditi as well... Do you understand? You have to decide this! Not anyone else."
Aaliyah nodded as she clutched Pragya's hand.
"I know! And Bhabhi thank you!"
"Well... I just want you and Aditi to be happy. That's all! There is nothing to thank me about."
"I know... But still thank you."
"Achcha baba! So shall we go now?"
Pragya got up to leave only to be stopped by Aaliyah.
"Bhabhi you know Bhai is not bad... He is just being careful!"
Pragya laughed.
"Arrey Aaliyah! I know! In fact you are very lucky to have Abhishek as your Bhai! I know he is only looking out for you. And he is worried about you. I understand him!"
"I know you do! And I am glad about that!"
Aaliyah smiled at her.
***
After few days Aaliyah decided to give Neel another chance much to Pragya's relief. Now only if Abhishek approves her decision, everything would be alright.
Pragya stood with Aaliyah as she expressed her decision in front of Abhishek.
"Bhai I have made my decision! I want to give Neel another chance. Last chance!"
Pragya saw his surprise hearing the words.
"Aaliyah are you out of your mind?"
"Bhai one last time. I really need to do this!"
"And I won't let you do the same mistake again! There is no way I am letting you go through all that ever again!"
"Abhishek you know you cannot force her! You have to let her decide!"
Pragya finally chimed in.
"Pragya you don't know anything... So stay out of this!"
He muttered annoyed.
"Well Abhishek I know enough to say this is wrong! You have to let Aaliyah decide!"
"Aaliyah is MY sister. I know what is good for her!"
"Abhishek you are missing the point here! What about Aaliyah's happiness? Aditi's future?"
"I am there for them! I will take care of them!"
"That's not the same! This is wrong! Abhishek I am telling you this is wrong!"
"Pragya this is none of your business! Just stay out of this!"
Pragya heard Aaliyah objecting to Abhishek's words.
Pragya felt a pang in her heart hearing his words but she chose to ignore it.
"Abhishek you are missing the point here. You are not seeing what Aaliyah and Aditi are going through. You have to give him another chance! For Aaliyah! This is her life!"
"Pragya I am warning you! Just stay out of this! This is between me and my sister!"
"This is about Aaliyah and Aditi! They are my family too! I have a say in this too!"
"They are not your family! They are MY family! You are just an outsider! You have no idea what we went through earlier! You cannot interfere in my family matters!"
Pragya searched his eyes but could not find the familiar warmth in them anymore as anger clouded his mind.
He was just the same old Abhishek but yet he wasn't.
That Abhishek would never say all this to her!
Pragya turned on her heel and left the room.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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