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CHAPTER 7
SO MUCH MORE OF YOU
Pragya woke up in the morning, impatient of the surprises that the day held for her. What new could Abhi do today? She freshened up and quickly fetched herself some breakfast. She didn't want to keep Abhi waiting once he had arrived. She dressed up in another of here monochrome salwar and was sitting in the couch waiting for him, he had said he would arrive at eleven in the morning, but Pragya assumed twelve - he was Abhi.
Around eleven thirty, as Pragya impatiently waited for Abhi, she received a text message from him.
"Hey chashmish! So sorry, I got some urgent work, cannot avoid. I shall make up for this sooner than you think! ;)"
As Pragya read the message, a sudden feeling struck her. It was new to her. It was not sadness, and it was neither anger, yet it had elements of both sadness and anger to a mild extent. She was looking forward for this all morning! Abhi nah! Couldn't he inform her earlier? She wouldn't have got ready like this!
A disappointed Pragya went back to her bedroom. After sometime, she calmed down. She thought to herself, why she was annoyed? If he suddenly got work, how was he to inform her in prior? It didn't seem very unreasonable. But much to Pragya's surprise, in spite of reasoning it out, her disappointment remained. That Abhi - he did manage to surprise her didn't he? -By not turning up!
Pragya had just changed back into her pyjamas, when the doorbell rang. She reluctantly went to answer it. She knew it for sure, it would be Mrs. Deshpande from the next apartment coming to request her for cup sugar, or flour or something irrelevant. Her mood was becoming fouler by the minute as she approached the door.
Pragya - You!
Abhi - Who did you expect Stephen Hawking?
Pragya - Huh? Steph"why?
Abhi - Never mind chashmish, the joke is over! (And came that irresistible grin!)
Suddenly Pragya found her foul mood vaporise into thin air! She was that grumpy kid who suddenly found a slab of her favourite chocolate lying under her pillow! She enquired how he was there when he had work.
Abhi - Work? What work? I was just kidding chashmish! I just wanted to piss you off for a bit. Said Abhi with an impish grin.
Pragya gave in to laughing. Abhi was so unpredictable. With him nothing was for sure, yet she realized, she found assurance in his presence.
Pragya - So? What plans for the day?
Abhi - Lets just relax and hangout outside! It is a bright day, what say? Want to go for a long drive? My Aston Martin hasn't hit the road in ages! Or would you like to come and enjoy at my private beach? We could surf!
Pragya thought for a bit, but these weren't exactly her idea of fun. It was too exotic, to up-market and for some reason very fake.
Pragya - Abhi, what the fun of driving in such a car that has all your attention and not the person sitting with you in it? Or what fun is a beach, when there is no one else there! No chaat, no balloons, no children running about...no essence of life? How do you enjoy?
Abhi was surprised! The car holding a greater attention mattered? Dude! It's an AM! It deserves more attention! And the unhygienic chaat? The crowd? How were those ever going to add to anyone's fun?
Abhi - So how do you have fun lazing around in a bright day such as this? Please don't tell me you watch old documentaries!
Suddenly Pragya was struck with an idea!
Pragya - Okay, Abhi. I will show you the world from my perspective today! We will have fun my way! Let's see if by evening you still think chaat and crowds are tacky!
Abhi jumped! How did Pragya know what he was thinking? Freaking mind reading chashmish thought Abhi.
Abhi - Umm..okay, what is your plan. And FYI I am a celebrity, I can't just go into a crowded place without security and pretend I am in a vacation in Mars and no one around can recognize me!
Pragya laughed at that and said - Don't worry, I have that covered. For one day I will rob the celebrity out of you and take you through a common man's life and his simple ideas of having fun outside on a bright day such as this!
Abhi - And how will you manage that?
Pragya - Wait and watch.
Having said that Pragya hurried off to her bedroom to take something out of the wardrobe. Abhi waited anxiously to see what she was up to. After a few minutes, Pragya returned with something in the shade of horrible grey in her hand. She first enquired if Abhi was carrying a sunglass, to which he said yes'.
Pragya came up with what she was holding. It looked as ancient as an itinerary from the Mughal era would look. It was woollen and faded and looked like she dug it out after at least a century. She held it out towards Abhi - wear it. Abhi stared at the object incredulously - it was a mask of sort, only woollen. It was an ancient form of what those commandoes wore during war. It could cover ones entire face from the head up till the neck leaving a small patch in front for the eyes and nose to pop out.
Abhi - Chashmish never in this lifetime will I wear that ancient balaclava!
Pragya - Abhi! You forgot? You're a celebrity (mocked Pragya), you have to hide from the crowd, else you have to go to Mars to roam about freely.
Abhi - But this? Come on chashmish, you ought to have a better gear than this! I am a rockstar! If the press ever knew!!
Pragya - Uh-huh! You're not a rockstar today! That is the whole point Mr. Rockstar! Today you are Hariparasad Chaurasia'-Suresh's cousin from his native village! Now wear that and put on you sunglass and put on this cardigan over your branded t-shirt. The way your denims are torn, it will add to the poor look anyway (giggled Pragya)
Abhi stood there stubbornly, no matter what he wasn't going to wear those hideous things in her hand. Then she looked up at him and asked, "You trust me nah?"- from the smile in her face, Abhi knew, that even Pragya knew that she had won this time!
When Abhi got close to sit behind Pragya's scooty, he had no idea about what was lying ahead of him that day.
As they passed, the guard gave him a very weird look! A woollen cap on such a bright day? But Abhi had started to enjoy this already. He didn't know if it was the proximity to Pragya or it was just the fact that he could be so free today, but his heart was already thumping in happiness!
They first stopped to have lunch at a famous dhaba' nearby. Abhi showed resistance but one look at Pragya's pleading and smiling face broke all his sense of hygiene and resolution to be firm on this. If he was breaking the rules today anyway, might as well break it well thought Abhi. Soon he gorged on butter chicken, tadoor naan, daal makhni, lassi and many more mouth-watering dishes. Pragya smiled as he watched a childish Abhi forgetting his rockstar image and enjoying small things in life. It was just the beginning she thought. They strolled around the roads with hawkers around crying to sell their products. They checked out things, they bargained happily and soon Abhi was enthusiastically bargaining over a rupee with a street seller! Seeing this Pragya burst out laughing and Abhi became conscious. Soon he was laughing too. In the evening they went to the beach, Abhi gorged on the chaats! He never knew this street food could be so very tasty! He thought of getting daadi there one day, he knew never in his life could he convince Aaliya or Tanu for this. He wished he could at least convince Aaliya, but Tanu he didn't care about anymore. They roamed on the beach, and throughout the day Abhi got those stares! He found it hilarious thinking what could possibly be going on in the minds of these people about him and how would they react if he suddenly unmasked himself! He ran with children in the beach, they had ice lollies and even bought silly balloons. It was his day, he thought, he could do anything. Later in the evening, when the crowd started to part, he held chashmish's hand, just clutched her palm. Pragya didn't react - it was a long day and she thought she had let Abhi to be close enough to her, to hold her hand.
As they stood there ankle deep in sea water holding each other's hand and staring at the horizon, a lot of thoughts crossed their mind. It was a unique day for Abhi, it opened his eyes, he found happiness in small things and to his surprise he was much happier in these then he ever was amidst his lavish life. He felt oddly close to chashmish at that point. It was like he was re-born today and chashmish had guided him through it. He held her hand today more as a support than as an equal. He was new here, in this world.
Abhi - Tanu isn't my wife chashmish.
Abhi didn't say anything more, and Pragya didn't need to hear more. She understood. That one statement culminated the entire distance between those two hearts of Abhi and Tanu. Pragya realized that Abhi was her own reflection. Once the image of the rockstar was pulled off him, he was just like her - leading a loveless life. Pragya looked into the mirror in her mind and Abhi looked back from it, they had merged into each other in a way that couldn't be explained - they were the same - She was Abhi - Abhi was she. They had the same identity.
IN TOGETHERNESS WE THRIVE
Pragya and Abhi rode back to Pragya's home. He got off her scooty and stood quietly. A part of him wanted to go up to her apartment, but a small voice in his head reminded him of the almost kiss that happened last week. He was debating within himself, when she asked him to come up for coffee. And before he could decide, Abhi found himself following her upstairs.
Pragya opened the door of her apartment to see her hall room lit. She instinctively looked at the shoe rack and saw a pair of familiar shoes. She looked up to see the door to her guest room was shut. In reflex she turned around and faced Abhi and motioned him to walk out to the corridor. A surprised Abhi walked out. She followed and slightly shut the door behind her.
Pragya whispered - Abhi! Suresh. He is back
Pragya didn't know why there was panic in her voice, a part of her was asking her why she was hiding him? But she didn't have time for that. She quietly motioned Abhi to leave. Abhi understood, but he didn't know why felt so outraged at seeing Suresh at his chashmish's house. He tried to reason with it, it was obvious, he was her husband - yes he knew he didn't love her, he didn't even deserve her, but she was his - a fresh hate spread inside him. He was walking away, and it all happened in a second, suddenly he turned around to see Pragya walking towards her apartment door. He just walked back and touched her shoulder. Pragya turned around and in a flash of a second he bent down - a lot of things happened at the same time - a part of him wanted to press his lips on her and another part vehemently shouted at him that Pragya was married and so was he. He bent towards her in this dilemma and at the last moment he shifted his face to the side and bent further and the almost kiss converted into an urgent hug. - At that moment the husband in him applauded, but a small part of him regretted losing the moment. They hugged for a long time. Pragya on suddenly receiving the hug, reciprocated out of reflex, but after that she just didn't let go of him. They didn't know for how long they hugged each other - it was urgent, they couldn't let go, it seemed like an invisible thread was tying them around and they couldn't let go. Abhi whispered in her ears, "Don't worry, go inside. It will be okay"
THE SILENT PROFESSOR
As Pragya walked inside, she felt strange. She realized Suresh had been away for an entire week. She had no idea where he was, but strangely she was never enough worried, it sounded strange, but today when he was physically present in the same house, the reality of his existence struck her. She again remembered she was married to him. She was his wife. How had she forgotten it so soon? She realized she never tried finding out where he was. She had silently accepted his absence and there was no void inside her. She wasn't even happy to see him back, she was indifferent. She didn't have any curiosity to know about his whereabouts. All she could think of right now was that hurt she saw in Abhi's eyes before he had hugged her. She thought he was upset because, he had found a friend in her, who was in a similar state, but today Pragya's husband was back, in a way she had ditched Abhi in their unsaid bond, where they both were struggling. It affected him, and that affected her. Pragya dropped the key on the chest next to the door, and on that sound Suresh came out of the guest room. Pragya looked at him. He still looked grim, why she wondered. Vaguely his last words were coming back to her. She was overwhelmed to see that in spite of Suresh standing before her, she was worried for Abhi. No, thought Pragya - her life was a compromise because Suresh never loved her, but Abhi's could be different - she will help Abhi win Tanu back.
Suresh - Pragya, I am sorry I left without even saying bye.
Pragya thinking to herself - Yes, I will have to bring back Abhi's hope first - he needs to realize he still loves her, then he will want to try.
Suresh - I know you are upset with me. After whatever I said that day,
Pragya thinking to herself - If I can make them realize their feelings for each other, at least Abhi won't be lonely again. I don't have a choice but to be lonely for life, that is not the case with him. If he is happy, I will be happy seeing my friend happy.
Suresh - I know you don't want to talk to me. It is okay, take your time. We will talk when you want to. If I have the right to take my time, you should too. Goodnight.
As Pragya stood there lost in her thoughts, she hardly heard what Suresh said. She just quietly went to her bedroom and shut the door behind her. Suresh seemed like a stranger she couldn't trust enough to keep her door unlocked.
Pragya decided to text message Abhi. She knew he was lonely; she didn't want him to feel she had left now that her husband was back.
Pragya: Hey hope you reached home safe. Suresh didn't ask where I was all day. He is sleeping in the other room, and I am in mine with my door locked from inside
She didn't know why she felt the need to mention that they were in separate rooms, but she had to mention.
Abhi: Hi, yes I reached home safe. Tanu already slept when I came. I am at the other corner of the bed listening to music.
Abhi didn't know why, but he felt relieved to hear chashmish was in a different room and why he needed to tell her that there was a good distance between them on the bed. But he had to. Similarly when Pragya saw the message, a small part of her felt warm and comfortable - a part she still didn't recognize.
Pragya: We have to make this work. This cannot continue. They are our respective partners. We have to give them another chance. What say?
Abhi: I don't know. Suresh doesn't love you and Tanu loves her career over me. I don't see it working out.
Pragya: Tanu needs to realize the value of your marriage, your value. Remind her of the love that once existed, she will be back. Try Abhi. Please?
Abhi knew Tanu better than chashmish. He knew that even if he tried Tanu wouldn't value their marriage. Abhi never mattered to her, having Abhi-the rockstar as her husband before the cameras did. That she had. Nothing else mattered. But he knew that Pragya would be happy if he tried. He decided to agree before her for her sake.
Abhi: I will try to improve things with Tanu chashmish. I promise. And will you give Suresh another chance? Sometimes people say things in anger that they don't mean. You talk to him. I am sure your opinion will change.
Pragya knew how old Suresh's feelings for BB were. She knew better than Abhi that how much ever she tried, he will end up compromising with her. Maybe he will make sure he never utters those words out before her again, but the truth wouldn't change. But she decided to agree before Abhi, so that he felt encouraged to give his marriage another chance.
Pragya: Yes Abhi, I will talk to him. And Abhi...thanks for holding my hand and walking me through the toughest time of my life like it was a cakewalk. Goodnight. J
Abhi: As I promised, I will always be there by you. Tomorrow is a fresh start for both of us. Goodnight!
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