Hello readers! So here is a little glimpse into Kabir's past. I will reveal more as the story moves forward. Also I am introducing a new character in this chapter.
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Nandita Tripathi: Kabir's mom
Chapter 8:
January 15, 2014. 4:00 pm. Rachna's Room.
Rachna is walking around her room trying to think of a plan to get out of the house so she can meet Kabir at the ghat.
"Oh god! It's already 4 o'clock! How do I get out of the house to go see Kabir? What excuse can I make?"
Gunjan comes to Rachna's room and finds her worried and nervous.
"Hey Rachna, what happened? Why do you look so worried?"
"Gunjan! Thank god you're here...I need your help! Kabir asked me to meet him at the ghat today at 5 and I don't know how to get out of the house. Please give me some idea!"
"What? Kabir asked you to meet him?!? When and how did this happen my dear sister?! What are you hiding?"
"Gunjan please! I don't have time to tell you everything right now but I promise I will tell you everything when I get back home. But help me...make some excuse for me!"
"Ok ok. Let me think. Let's do this. Let me tell mausi ma that I have to buy some supplies from the market for my school project and I will ask her to let you come with me. Then I will go to the market and you go meet Kabir. Good?"
"Yes! That's perfect Gunjan! Hurry up and get permission from mummy."
Gunjan leaves to go ask Shail while Rachna changes her clothes and gets ready to go.
Rachna is wearing a kurti with black skinny jeans and these shoes.
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Shail agrees to let Rachna go to the market with Gunjan.
"But Gunjan, make sure that you and Rachna come back home early. Rachna just got back from the hospital and I don't want her to get too tired or sick."
"Ok mausi ma, I promise. We'll be back soon. Bye!"
"Bye beta."
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January 15, 2014. 5:15 pm. Benaras Ghats.
Rachna gets out of the auto and sees Kabir sitting on a bench. She quietly goes behind him and covers his eyes with her hands. Kabir is surprised and puts his hands up to his face.
"Rachna, is that you?"
"Who else would it be? Waiting for somebody else?"
"Thank god you're here. I thought you would not be able to get out of your house. Come sit."
"I had to work pretty hard to get out of the house and come meet you. Anyways, now tell me...KT's story."
Kabir frowns. "KT's story...do you really want to hear it?"
"Yeah Kabir. I think I deserve to know why you suddenly left so many years ago. And how did you go from Kabir to KT? Please tell me."
"Ok. If you really want to know then listen."
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Flashback - 15 years ago
A little 10 year old Kabir is running around the living room with his mom (Nandita Tripathi) chasing after him.
"Kabir please drink your milk beta! Kabir!"
"Nahi! I don't want to drink milk."
Nandita gets tired of running after him so she sits down on the sofa to catch her breath.
"Mom are you ok?"
"Oh Kabir, you made me run so much that I am really tired! Please beta, drink just a little bit of milk."
"Mom you know that I don't like milk? But only for you I will drink a little."
Nandita smiles. "See, now that's my son! Mommy's little boy!"
While Kabir is drinking his milk, the phone rings. Nandita picks up the phone and is shocked at what she hears. She drops the phone and starts crying. Kabir is shocked to see his mom react like that. He gets really scared so he runs to dadi's room and brings her to the living room quickly. Dadi sees Nandita crying and gets tensed.
"Nandita beta, what happened? Why are you crying?"
Nandita sees dadi and Kabir looking worriedly at her. She wipes her tears.
" Kabir beta, please go and play with Rachna for now ok? I need to talk to dadi about something."
"But mom, what's wrong? Is everything ok?"
"Kabir everything is fine. You go and play with Rachna. Go."
Kabir is not convinced by his mom's words but he decides to go to Rachna's house to keep his mom happy.
"Ok. Bye mom, bye dadi."
End Flashback
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Kabir has tears streaming down his face. His voice is heavy with sadness.
"That's the last time I saw my mom Rachna. I don't know what happened after I left the house. I don't know what she and dadi talked about that day. I don't know why mom was worried or where she went. I don't know anything..."
Rachna is also crying. She puts her hand on Kabir's shoulder to comfort him. Kabir breaks down completely and envelops Rachna in a hug. Rachna and Kabir are lost in each other's arms. Rachna is thinking about what Kabir has just told her. She remembers that day clearly.
[Rachna's thoughts]
I remember that day. Kabir had come running into our house and he was crying. Mummy had given him his favorite chocolates to get him to stop crying. I remember that we had played hide and seek and planned for Kabir's birthday party. Then at dinner time, Kabir had gone back home. That was the last time I saw him.
Rachna gets conscious that people are staring at her and Kabir. She gently breaks the hug. She tenderly holds Kabir's hand and softly wipes away his tears.
"I remember that day too Kabir. It was the last day I saw you. I went to your house the next morning and there was a lock on your door. Where did you go suddenly?"
"When I went back home after playing at your house, mom was gone. Dadi was very quiet and she didn't tell me anything even after I asked her so many times. Then the next morning dadi said that we were going to Delhi and we just left."
"But your mom and dad?"
"I don't know. Whenever I try to ask dadi she just gets very quiet and tensed. She has told me to never ask about them. I have had many fights with her about this but it's no use, dadi has never told me anything about mom and dad. After we moved to Delhi, dadi became everything for me...my mom, dad, friend, teacher, everything."
Rachna put her head on Kabir's shoulder. "I'm sorry Kabir. I didn't know that all this happened with you..."
"It's ok Rachna. How could you have known? After shifting to Delhi, I could never think of coming back to Benaras again. Whenever I thought of Benaras I would always think about mom and dad and that would just make me very sad and angry. I mean how could they both just leave me and dadi? I just don't understand. I just don't understand..."
"Shhh Kabir...don't hurt yourself by thinking about these things."
"I can never forget these things Rachna. I just cannot forget, no matter how hard I try. I went to college, became a successful fashion designer, and opened my own company in Mumbai but I would trade all of this. I would trade all of my success, money, and fame just to find out the truth about mom and dad. I just want to know what happened to them."
"It's ok Kabir. Everything will be ok."
"Dadi also says that. I don't really believe it. But whatever. Anyways, you know something?"
"What?"
"Whenever I used to miss mom and dad, I would think about you. Thinking about our childhood would always make me happy Rachna. Thinking about you would make me forget my worries. I really missed you in all these years."
Rachna gets emotional hearing this from Kabir.
"Hey Rachna, why are you crying?"
Rachna starts hitting and punching Kabir. "Stupid! Idiot! Paagal!"
"Hey! I am saying good things about you and you are crying and hitting me! Not fair."
"If you missed me so much, then why did you take 15 years to come back to me? Do you even know what has happened with me in all these years? Do you even realize how miserable I have been without you? Without my best friend?"
Kabir holds his ears. "I'm sorry Rachna. I'm really sorry. Forgive me?"
Rachna crosses her arms. "Not going to forgive you so easily Mr. Tripathi. You are going to have to do something special for me."
Kabir smiles. "Ok then, what should I do? What do you want me to do for you? Sing, dance, take you shopping, promote you,...or something else?"
Rachna shakes her head. "None of those options. Think of something else."
Kabir thinks for some time. "Ok. Got it. Come with me."
Kabir holds Rachna's hand and drags her towards his car. He drives off without telling Rachna anything about where he is taking her.
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Precap: Kabir's surprise for Rachna.
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What did you think of this chapter? What happened to Kabir's parents? What will be Kabir's surprise for Rachna? Comments, likes, criticism all welcome!
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