Present:
Nimisha dropped her work as she heard constant calling buzz. "kaun hai itni subah? Hogi koyi sales person!!"
"Navya!!" she screamed and held her hands and brought her inside. "Arey wah! Yeh sehzaadi kaun hai? Ananya hai aap?" she lifted the little 3+ year old cutie girl besides Navya. Ananya shyly nodded her head as confirming her question. Nimisha kissed her cheeks "Aao Navya! Bhaito. I'm glad you came today."
"Sorry! Nimmi! I didn't call you before I come. I didn't know if I took your time." Navya apologetically explained.
"Haan, Navya! You are right. You should call me before you come. Waisey mein kuch world conference ki taiyyariya kar rahi hoon" Nimisha rolled her eyes and both laughed. Nimisha screamed "Anant bhaiyya! Dekho kaun aya hai"
Anant walked out of his room and surprised to see them. "Hi, Navya!" he stopped as opened his mouth surprisingly at Nimisha widely staring at the girl in her arms. Nimisha handed over her to him "Mein coffee banati hoon." She left and Anant carried Ananya as a delicate doll. Ananya dropped one hand around his neck. He checked her from head to toe and changed his looks to Navya who is admiring them with tearful eyes. He filled tears in his eyes quizzically looking at Navya and she shook her head and he closed his eyes hiding his face in Ananya's small tummy admiring Ananya's embrace. He delighted to have Ananya's little hands on his head. He is experiencing the flashes of his past, his first day of office, Navya's appearance, his craving for her, his flirting with her in festive days, his consummation with Navya.
He carried Ananya to his room and placed her on bed. He removed her shoes and placed them down near the bed. He caressed Ananya's cheeks, hands, legs and feet. She is looking like a fairy princess in light pink frilled gown and bob hair, small ear rings. He smiled at her and she blushed by squeezing her mouth with her tiny hands making the mouth oblong. He softly rubbed her feet on his face and kissed under feet. His eyes are flowing tears and placed his head in Ananya's lap.
Navya who is watching them standing at the door wiped her tears and dropped hand on Anant's head. Anant looked into her eyes and held her hand. He kissed her palm and hid his face into her lap, her sari frills. He silently sobbed. She caressed his hair with trembling hands. Tears are rolling down her eyes too. She wiped as Ananya is watching them confusingly.
"Anant! Ananya is scared." He wiped his tears and smiled at Ananya. Ananya is relieved and smiled back. He removed a chain from his neck and dropped around Ananya's neck. Navya startled "Anant! Yeh kya hai? Iski kya zaroorat hai?" Anant stared at her and got up. He caressed her left cheek and held her chin with his forefinger and thumb "Zaroorat meri pyar ki hai. Mera sab kuch tum donon ka hi hai, Navya!" He turned his looks to Ananya and said with trembling voice "This is just a first gift to my daughter."
Navya moved at his emotion and covered her mouth to stop her sob. Anant looked at her at her sob and moved his head sideways and hugged her with one hand and kissed her head. "Chup hojaao. I don't mean to make you cry. Thanks for bringing my daughter." She shook her head and wiped her tears and sniffed. "It's my duty. I couldn't bring her in past years. Now I came and thought it's my first duty to show her to you."
He stared at her for a second and lifted her face to stare into her eyes. Navya's eyes are still moist and he glared for some more time. She stared into his eyes expecting him to say something. He stared into her eyes hesitating to utter his mind out. At last he gathered words "Thanks for having my child" Navya hugged him and hid her face in his neck fold. Her sob, heavy hiccups and her closeness is giving some soothing sensation in him. He felt the pain he hid for all these years coming out of her. He tried hard to stop his tears and embraced her caressing her back to sooth her pain.
Ananya watched the room silently for a while and took Navya's picture frame from the side desk "Mama! This is your picture" Navya moved away from Anant and wiped her tears sniffing between hiccups. She looked at him and smiled faintly. He smiled and wiped the tear drops on her cheeks. Both looked at Ananya and Navya emotionally moved to see the picture "Tum pagal ho."
Anant nodded his head and smiled biting his lower lip "Pagal, deewana, sab kuch hoon tumhari liye"
He stretched his hands for Ananya and she came to him "Why did you keep mama's picture? You love her?" Anant startled and worriedly looked at Navya. Navya blushed "You can tell her. She won't open her mouth in front of anyone else. Bahut samajhdari hai"
He surprised, "Clever than mother!!"and carried Ananya to kiss her cheeks loudly thinking in mind "I love her to core of my heart."
Navya got a call and walked out gesturing 'excuse' from Anant. Anant's smile disappeared and his face became pale when he heard Navya saying "Haan, Amar! Really! I will be there in few minutes. I'm starting now immediately, bye"
Nimisha came with coffee tray and suspiciously looked at her "chaley jaaogi?"
Navya faintly laughed "haan, jana hai. Amar is here. surprise visit. Sorry for disappointment. I'll come again" she took Ananya from Anant and put her shoes. Anant helped to put another shoe "Itni jaldi kya hai? Is he already home? Why don't you have coffee and go?" Navya smiled "it's okey, Anant! Nimisha! (she turned to Nimisha) I will come again. Amar is almost home. He is already missing Ananya."
Anant shrug and walked her out of the room. "Bring Amar home sometime, if he stays for some days." Navya looked into his eyes blankly. Nimisha took Ananya inside the kitchen to give her some chocolates. Anant looked at her with soulful eyes. "Aisa mat dekho, Anant! Settle hojao. Shadi karo,have kids. Sab kuch bhool jaogey."
Anant laughed sarcastically "karoonga jab.." Navya stopped him by covering his mouth "Don't start again, you know it's not possible. Think positive way. I forget everything when I see Ananya's innocent face. Tum bhi bhul jaogey jab tumhara bachon ka nadani cheherey dekhe toh"
Anant smiled and kissed her hand and held to his heart "Ananya ko chod do mere paas. I too forget everything." Navya smiled between tears "you don't change." She tried to take her hand but he held it tight staring into her palms. She quizzically looked at him "kya dekhrahe ho? Chodogey nahin? Mujhey jaana hai"
Anant nodded his head "Ek baar chod diya, galat kiya tha. Abb phirsey dhaamney ki icha jaag rahi hai"
Navya pulled her hand "Then I will stop coming." Anant laughed.
"Mama! See so many chocolates. Nimisha gave me."Ananya's voice brought them out of their world.
"Nimisha nahin, bua kaho." Navya took Ananya and Ananya shyly looked at Nimisha "bua."
Nimisha filled tears "Yeh pukar Kitna acha lagraha hai. Khaash yeh such much meri bhatiji hoti" she kissed her cheeks and wiped her tears. Anant and Navya stole looks.
"Navya! Wait a minute, I give you some sweets, you like sweets right." She walked into kitchen despite Navya's warnings.
Navya told Ananya "Papa ko kiss do."
Ananya shied and loudly kissed his cheeks when Anant bent for it. He stared into Navya's eyes and she nodded her head "She knows. Only she." Anant suspiciously looked at Navya and kissed her cheeks when she blushed. "I have to talk to you a lot. Spare some time for me" Navya shook her head as agreeing.
"BYE" she left after taking sweets from Nimisha. Both Nimisha and Anant stared at her way for a while with painful eyes.
Anant lay on the bed pressing his temples. Nimisha reached him "Aaj phir office nahin jaogey?"
He shook his head sideways and she sighed "Papa ney kahin baar phone kiya tha. Chaley jao, bhaiyya! Navya kush hai tujhey aur kya chahiye? Aaj tak tum uskey liye pareshan tha na. Abb wo ananya ke saat aur Amar ke saat bhi kush hai. Get along with life, bhaiyya!"
He stared at her for a while and shook his head and got ready to leave for office. Nimisha smiled and walked into kitchen to arrange breakfast.
"Pagli, mere liye apni jindagi bhi kharab karli. I have to do something for Nimisha. I'm so lucky to have her in my life."
He got ready in cream yellow dress shirt and blue trousers. He came to Nimisha "Nimisha! I'm leaving. Kush? But you have to promise me too. You also have to go forward with life. Karogi?" Nimisha smiled between tears of joy.
"Good. I will tell Raj that you are ready to go out for dinner with him." Nimisha thought of stopping him and again stopped as she seeing him becoming normal.
Anant is recollecting the scenes of Ananya with Navya while driving to his office. Navya ki baton ka matlab kya hai "she knows, only she?" Ananya knows I'm her father? Navya doesn't stay with Amar? How could Amar leaving Navya alone? Phir donon saat mein rehney ki kya matlab hai? Wo Navya ko chod deta meri liye. I should find out this. Abb Amar hi agaya hai toh he must be doing something. Navya mere paas wapas ayegi?"
Anant felt happy and excited with the thought of Navya coming back to him. He recollected the past where he left it at his US journey.