FF:Destiny's Children (Pgs 1 to 5) Also ck Pg 84

As the door to the Operation Theatre opened he looked up and hurriedly went to the doctor who appeared at the entrance of it. His wife's mother and his sister were close at his heels. Before they could utter a word, the doctor who removed his mask and gloves, broke into a broad smile and said:

"Congratulations Mr.Mishra. You have two healthy and beautiful daughters and a bonny son!"

"My wife..."

Before he could complete the sentence the doctor assured him that she was doing fine and would soon gain consciousness. As he was speaking Milind saw two nurses carrying the babies out and heading straight to the neonatal intensive care unit. Since the babies arrived prematurely they will be under observation till they are fully fit to be taken home which may be a week or couple of weeks the doctor continued. Milind went up to the NICU and looked through the glass at his babies. His eyes brimmed with tears of joy and he broke into a smile even as his sister and mother-in-law shook his hands and hugged him. His wife was brought out of the OT and was wheeled into the ward. Milind sat next to her and held her hands waiting patiently for her to open her eyes. After what seemed like ages but was only an hour or so, Prachi opened her eyes and looked at her husband. Milind leaned forward and kissed her forehead tenderly as he said in a soft loving voice.

"Welcome back my love and thank you for giving me three adorable little babies". Sukriti and PL looked on with smiles and left the room silently to give the couple their private moment.

Part III

Inder's death proved to be a huge turning point in the lives of his near and dear ones. Losing her spouse of twenty five years left PL a shattered woman. She had entered the Shah house as an innocent, shy eighteen-year old bride with no great ambitions or dreams in life. Within the first year of her marriage she delivered a son and a couple of years later, a beautiful daughter. Her entire world revolved around her husband and the two children. Although she knew nothing about business, she was Inder's moral support, encouraging him to chase his dreams. Inder's father had left him a small eatery to manage. Inder wanted to turn it into a renowned hotel and had a plan to achieve his objective. Now, PL was an excellent cook, an expert in making all the Gujarati dishes under the sun. Inder used to follow her into the kitchen with a note book in hand, pestering her into revealing the recipes for her dishes. Initially she was reluctant to discuss such 'feminine' matters with her young husband but when he assured her that there was a purpose for his unusual demands, she gave in. Inder then got his cooks to prepare these dishes in his restaurant. Soon word of mouth got around that Inder's restaurant served the best Gujarati food in Mumbai. With the city's sizeable Gujarati population, not to mention the large floating population from the neighbouring State, Gujarat, who came to the city on a day-to-day basis, there was no dearth of customers. Non-Gujaritis also thronged the restaurant to sample genuine Gujariti cuisine. Soon Inder managed to gain a reputation as a shrewd entrepreneur which helped him obtain bank loan to expand his business. There was no looking back since then and today Shah Group of Hotels was a Rs.600 crore concern. Inder acknowledged PL's contribution to the business only recently on the occasion of their silver wedding anniversary. PL was pleasantly surprised by her husband's public praise of her. Although she knew her husband loved her dearly she also knew that he was an old fashioned man who believed that a woman's role was primarily that of a home maker. According to him, women were more ornamental and dainty, to be cherished and taken care of. Not that she complained since it suited her temperament just fine. With Inder gone now, though, she felt her life support has been removed. She tried to desperately hold on to the past and kept rambling about Inder and his achievements to anyone who cared to listen.

Another person who felt equally, if not more, lost was Prachi. The girl lost the two men in her life who mattered the most to her on the same day, one to death and the other to marriage. Ironically the man she thought would be her trustworthy companion, who will captain the ship of her life, ended up being indirectly responsible for snatching away the man who gave life to her. Unlike her mother who could not stop talking about her father, Prachi just withdrew into a shell. Mired in grief, she stopped interacting with the rest of the world, reliving her past with her father in silent memories. Ayesha tried her level best to get her out of sorrow but days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, but there was no progress in Prachi's behaviour. She continued to remain a recluse. Neev tried to contact her several times to explain his side of the story but to no avail. She refused to speak to him. What hurt her the most was not the fact that he had married a Briton but that he did not trust her enough to share details of his life with her in all the long conversations they had over phone. While she had shared with him the smallest of details in her life, telling him innocuous things like the stray puppy she found on the road or the new mall that has opened up near their house, he did not convey to her a news as large as his having fallen in love and married someone.

Pranay Shergill was the man who knew Inder the longest, for forty five years of their fifty years existence on this earth, to be precise. They were together since preparatory school right up to college. Although they had lost touch with each other soon after graduation, meeting him again and becoming his business partner was something he would always cherish. His wife was a very ambitious woman and was not happy to see him play second fiddle to the more powerful Inder. Hence, she insisted that they start their own company. As Pranay never learnt to stand up against his wife, he bowed to her wishes and Shergill Garment Exports Private Limited was born. Both the men, however, continued to be the best of buddies and were looking forward to becoming Sambandhis. Unfortunately Neev ruined everything for them. His thoughtless deed had snatched his dear friend from him. After the funeral, father and son had a show down wherein each accused the other of betraying his confidence in the other. It soon came to light that the letter Pranay wrote to Neev regarding the wedding arrangements never reached him. His roommate had received the letter and had forgotten to pass it on to him. Pranay had called him only once during that month and even then the line had got cut before they could discuss the wedding arrangements. After trying to call him a couple of times, he gave up as he was busy with the wedding preparations which required lot of attention, especially since they were done in short notice. Although he eventually forgave Neev, he could not bring himself to be associated with the Shah family again, being ashamed and guilty for having been responsible in some way for their loss. He had, therefore, sold the remaining shares of Shah Group of Hotels in the market and resigned from the board of directors.

Mishraji was another person deeply affected by the loss of his master. He had been with the Shahs for over twenty years, managing the accounts of their business. He held Inder in very high regard for he had never seen a more humane person. When he discovered that his wife was suffering from cancer, Inder was the one who extended all monetary and emotional support. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, his wife, Prema, died leaving behind a nine-year Milind and a two-year old Sukriti. PL used to frequently visit the Mishras to check on the little girl. Over the years, Sukriti spent more time at the Shah House than she did in her own house, although she was very close to her brother who was like a surrogate mother to her. The Shahs had volunteered to finance the education of both the kids but Milind being head strong and self respecting, even as a young boy, refused to live off other's charity. He had made it clear that he will make his own future. The boy studied in government schools and colleges and completed his education through various scholarships. After Inder's demise, Mishraji tried to manage the affairs of the company as best as he can under the new leadership of Alaap Shah but was very unhappy with his handling of the company.

Alaap was the one least affected by the old man's death. He took over the stewardship of the company although Inder's will had given him only 15 per cent stake in the company. Inder was aware of Alaap's abilities or rather the lack of them and hence did not trust him to take over the company. Instead, after providing for his wife, he had left the bulk of his shareholding in the concern (50 per cent) to the man his daughter, Prachi was to marry. As the entire family was shrouded in gloom after Inder's death, Prachi's marriage was the last thing in anyone's mind. So Alaap had a free run of the company having coaxed, cajoled and even bribed the board members to appoint him as the Chairman and Managing Director of the concern. The two Shah women did not question him as they were in their own separate worlds of gloom.

Part IV

(1)

One year later

It was Inder's first death anniversary. The Shah family was slowly limping back to normalcy. PL had arranged a pooja for the departed soul of her late husband. After the pooja, there was an "Annadhan" ceremony where food was offered to the poor. PL had gradually come to terms with the fact that her husband is no more and she will have to get on with her life for the sake of her children. As Alaap was leaving the house for work, PL stopped him and asked to speak with him for a few minutes. Anticipating what is in store, Alaap tried to wriggle out, giving the pretext of an urgent business meeting. PL would hear none of it and insisted that he stay back and listen to what she had to say. Sighing he asked her to make it quick. She broached a subject which was bothering her lately.

"Alaap, it is high time we thought of Prachi's future. It has been a year since your father's death and the mandatory period of ban on functions is over. We need to find her a good match and settle her down in life."

Alaap knew that this was what his mother wanted to discuss with him. Nodding his head in approval, he promised to start immediately the search for a bridegroom befitting of their beloved Prachi, and left the place in a hurry. On the way to his office, he was wondering how long he can put off Prachi's marriage. He was not too keen to settle her down for his position at the company would be endangered the day she gets married. Now, that was something he was not prepared to accept. He had gotten used to the power and the pleasure associated with his post. He will have to come up with something to shut PL's mouth and also keep Prachi from marrying anyone. Try as he may, he was not able to figure out a way to achieve both.

(2)

Alaap's office at the Shah Group of Hotels

Sukriti entered in and asked to speak to Alaap Shah. The lady at the reception informed her that he is at a meeting. Insisting that she needed to meet him urgently, she volunteered to wait till the conclusion of the meeting. As the minutes ticked by, Sukriti became increasingly agitated at not being called in. As the office was about to close, she could wait no longer and she barged into Alaap's cabin even as the receptionist tried in vain to stop her from doing so. Alaap looked up at her with a start. Before he can say anything Sukriti threw herself in his arms.

"Alaap, I can't wait any longer. Please arrange to make me your wife in front of the world, in the presence of our families."

"What? Are you crazy? Do you know who I am? The Chairman and Managing Director of Shah Group of Hotels marrying a poor accountant's daughter? I can get a thousand pretty girls at the snap of my fingers. Why should I sabotage my freedom in your hands?"

"But Alaap we are already married."

"Says who?"

"Did you not marry me in that temple in Khandala? I had to lie to my father that I was going on a college picnic."

"Who is the witness to it? There wasn't even a priest to bless the wedding and you call that a marriage? No court of law will accept that."

Sukriti was shocked to hear Alaap speak this way. He was always so sweet and charming to her. He made her feel like the most wanted woman in the world and now he was saying things which made her feel dirty and ashamed of herself. How could she have been so naive? How could she have trusted him and offered herself to his voracious physical needs? She flung into a fury and dug her finger nails into his chest, screaming he cannot do this to her, he cannot forsake her now after everything was over. Alaap shrugged himself free from her and rang for the security who then dragged her out of his office, kicking, crying and screaming.

(3)

Milind returned home late that evening, dejected that his life was going nowhere. Despite his best efforts, his dreams of making it as a businessman seemed unattainable. Unable to bear his father's biting words every day, he had finally attended the interview for a job at one of hotels in the city. If he is offered the job, he will take it, he thought. He cannot let his father continue to be the sole provider of their family. Moreover, ever since Inder's death, his father's health had been progressively deteriorating. As a son he needed to step up and shoulder the burden of his family, allowing his father to rest. So thinking he walked in to find Sukriti huddled in a corner. Her eyes were swollen and red from hours of crying. After Milind's endless coaxing, she finally opened up and narrated the details of her relationship with Alaap. Alaap had relentlessly pursued her since her college days. Although initially she resisted his charms, she finally succumbed to them. They frequently met at various places. At this point Milind interjected and asked her if she was with him at the Shah House on the day Prachi was to be engaged, remembering the giggles and whispers he thought he heard that day. Sukriti admitted she was, to which Milind cursed himself for not paying enough attention to his sister. Maybe a lot of things could have been averted including the so-called 'marriage' in Khandala which, according to her, took place a couple of months back. Sukriti finally told him what happened that evening. Hearing that Alaap had spurned his sister after using her, Milind was furious. He left his house immediately and went in search of Alaap.

He knew Alaap frequented a particular pub which was not far from their house. He headed straight to the place and found Alaap drinking there with some of his good-for-nothing friends. He dragged him from the high stool on which he was seated and punched him in the stomach. Before a stunned Alaap could react, he punched him again, this time on his right jaw. What followed was a series of punches at various parts of the swine's body. His friends tried to separate the two but to no avail. Milind was like a man possessed, furiously punching the man responsible for his sister's humiliation. The pub owner fearing a law and order problem, promptly called in the police. Soon they arrived and dragged Milind away from there.

One of Milind's friends, Ganpat, happened to be passing by as Milind was pushed into the police van and taken to the police station. He rushed to Milind's house to inform his family about Milind's arrest. Baba had entered a few minutes before that, after spending long hours at the office trying to reconcile the accounts before the annual closing. Sukriti had just finished telling him about what had transpired that evening between Alaap and her. Even before he could recover from the shock of it, hearing the news of his son's arrest for thrashing his beloved master's son was too much for the old man to bear. The man had a massive stroke and crumbled to the floor. Sukririt screamed in horror, seeing her father's plight. Together she and Ganpat rushed him to the nearest nursing home.

(4)

Sukriti slowly walked to the police station, her face lined with worries, eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. How was she going to break the news to Milind about their father's condition, she wondered. The previous night was a particularly long one. On reaching the hospital Baba had been wheeled into the ICU. Not knowing what to do or whom to approach, she had called Shah House and spoke with PL who was stunned to hear that Mishraji's condition was serious. She promptly got herself driven to the nursing home. By the time she had arrived, Mishraji had slipped into coma. PL later came to know of the entire chain of events that day and was furious with her son. As Alaap had not returned home that night, she could not confront him immediately. She, however, assured Sukriti that she will ensure justice for her. Sukriti broke down in her arms, asking her to forgive her for everything. PL laid a reassuring arm around her and stayed with her through the night. In the morning PL called home and spoke with Prachi who informed her that Alaap had still not returned home. She then explained everything to Prachi who was appalled at what had befallen the family who had meant a lot to them. PL asked Prachi to get in touch with their family lawyer to secure Milind's bail. In the meantime she asked Sukriti to meet Milind and inform him of his father's health condition, volunteering to stay behind to take care of Mishraji. Here she was now, struggling to find the right words to convey to her hot headed brother the most heart breaking news of their lives.

Milind was shocked to hear of his father's condition. Gritting his teeth, he spat out that he will finish off Alaap once and for all, even if it meant he will be sent to the gallows for it. Sukriti tried in vain to reason with him but holding the bars of his cell so tightly that his fist turned white, he kept screaming that he will kill Alaap no matter what. Suddenly she blurted out that if he does so her baby will be fatherless. That stunned him into silence. She then begged him to get her married to Alaap if he wanted to see her alive since she cannot bear the humiliation of becoming an unwed mother. At that moment, the jailer came to unlock Milind's lockup door, informing him that the Shah family have secured his bail. Milind was about to protest that he did not want any one's sympathy but Sukriti silenced him, saying that he first needs to see their father.

The brother and sister then went to the nursing home where PL informed them that a team of doctors were examining Mishraji as of that moment. She also assured them that all medical expenses will be borne by her. When Milind objected, saying that he knew how to take care of his father, she gently explained to him that while she knows that he will do all that he can to save his father, she too has a duty towards the man who had slaved for their family for so many years. She begged him to give her the satisfaction of being of some use to Mishraji, now that he needed help. Drawn by her plea, Milind relented and gave in to her. He wanted his father back with them in good health. This was not the time to show his obstinacy, he thought. Nodding his head, he muttered that he has some unfinished business to take care of and rushed out of there, heading straight to Alaap's office.

(5)

Having been beaten black and blue by Milind, Alaap did not want to take the chance of going to his house that night and be caught and questioned by his mother. He had, therefore, spent the night at his friend's place. The next morning he left for office from there. The upper half of his face was hidden in large goggles and the lower half, by a large scarf which was tied around his neck and pulled up over his chin. As he pulled out a file to examine, he heard the door swing open and saw Milind's towering form at the entrance. He tried to slide under the table, but Milind reached him in seconds and pulled him up.

"Look, Alaap. I've not come here to start another fight."

When Alaap looked at him puzzled, he continued "Lets talk this, man to man. While I despise you and would rather not have anything to do with a creep like you, I do have to think of my sister's future. She loves you and is now carrying your child."

At this, Alaap's mouth fell open. "Look Milind, I didn't mean to impregnate your sister."

"Oh yeah? What were you planning to do then, just trick her into marrying you, sleep with her and then bid her good bye?"

Before he could respond, Milind bit out, "What has happened has happened. We now have to think of a way to rectify the mistake. Do you want your daughter or son to be called a bas***d?"

Recovering from the initial shock, Alaap managed to stammer out, "I'll pay for the abortion".

Milind gave him a menacing look which led Alaap to cower down in fear. His body still ached from the previous day's thrashings. He was not looking forward to a replay of the action. Milind continued as though he was not interrupted, "Alaap, make an honourable woman of my sister. Marry her and the rest is forgiven and forgotten."

Alaap frantically squeezed his brain to come up with a plan to make good a bad situation. He knew that Milind will beat him to the pulp if he refuses to do so. While he can get the police to handle him, he cannot escape his mother's wrath if she comes to know of what he had done to Sukriti. He suspected that she already did. He was sure she will force him to accept Sukriti as his wife. Now Alaap was one who believed in quid pro quo. If he gives something he will ensure that he gets something in return. It then struck him like a flash, why did he not think of this before? He can hit two mangoes with one stone. He did find Sukriti attractive and did not seriously mind being married to her. The only hesitancy on his part was that he was not getting anything in return for his grand gesture but this will ensure that he gets his price.

Looking at Milind, he calmly said, "Okay, I'll marry your sister.... but under one condition"

Milind who had let out a sigh of relief on hearing that Alaap finally was willing to accept his sister as his wife, looked at him suspiciously.

"I'll marry your sister provided you marry mine."

Milind was shocked out of his skin hearing this. "Your sister? Prachi?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, Prachi. And before you jump with joy at having hit the jackpot let me hasten to add that on the day of the wedding you will have to sign over to me the wealth that will pass on to you."

"What wealth?" asked a still confused Milind.

"The wealth that my dear father has left behind for the man who will marry my sister. The old horse has bestowed 50 per cent of the shareholding of Shah Group of Hotels to his future son-in-law. Now that will be you. I don't want to fritter away my family wealth to some outsider. So the two weddings will take place on the same day and right after the wedding you will write off your rights over the Shah wealth. You will have to sign an agreement to the effect before the marriage. In case you back out in the last minute and try to retain my father's wealth, I'll make your sister's life a living hell."

Milind was too stunned by what he heard to react immediately.

"So, what is your answer?" Alaap asked him cockily. He knew he left Milind with no choice.

"Give me a day to think it over", Milind said and staggered out of there.

Part V

(1)

One month later

He sat in his heavily brocaded sherwani in front of the holy fire, sweating profusely from the heat generated by it. Pushing aside the floral sehera, he wiped off the sweat from his brow and wondered how long the ceremony will go on. The priest seemed to endlessly chant some sanskrit mantras, all of which were going way above his head. Damn these elaborate weddings, he thought. Left to himself, he would have been miles away from this bedecked mandap, the thronging crowds and the blaring noise. Unfortunately he did not have much of a choice. He looked to his right to see the woman for whom he was willing to subject himself to this torture. She looked happy and contended in her maroon bridal saree. Seeing her so happy made it worth the while, he consoled himself and looked past her to the man seated next to her who had started it all. His thoughts went back to that fateful day when he heard one of the most unusual proposals.

Milind's flashback

After he had left Alaap's office that day, he walked back home in a daze, with several thoughts criss-crossing his brain, making his head throb. He had gone to meet Alaap with one wedding proposal and got two instead, like the 'buy one, get one free' ads on television and print media. He was in no position to settle down in life. Damn, he did not even have a job. How was he going to support himself, let alone another woman? His father's health condition was still worrisome as he had still not come out of coma. Sukriti's marriage cannot be postponed till he fully recovers, as with every passing day, her impending motherhood will become more visible to the rest of the world and jeopardise their reputation. He, however, did not have any compulsion to get tied down so soon in life. Alaap's condition that he surrenders the wealth that will be bestowed on him after marriage was the least of his worries. In fact he had no intention of enjoying that wealth even if he was allowed to do so. He despised the very idea of marrying for money. His self respect was way too important for him and there is nothing more demeaning than to enjoy the fruits of someone else's labour without being worthy of it. He will amass wealth, but in his own terms, with his own toil. Moreover, by giving his assent to Alaap's proposal and writing off the wealth in favour of his brother-in-law, he will ensure that his sister's future is secure, not only emotionally but also monetarily. And the woman he will be forced to marry is not so bad looking, in fact the damn creature is breathtakingly beautiful, he thought. So why was he hesitating to accept Alaap's proposal right away? Apart from his joblessness, the biggest deterrent was the fact that his heart was pledged elsewhere. Yes, the man was in love, has been so for years now. He was a man of honour and wouldn't dream of breaking a woman's heart after building her hopes up. Although he had no plans to marry her in the near future, given his economic condition, he had assured her that they will be united in marriage once he gets his life on track. What will he tell her now?

That evening they met at their usual place, in a coffee shop at Bandstand in Bandra. He hesitatingly elaborated on the meeting with Alaap, finishing with the unusual proposal. When he was through, there was a pregnant silence for a long time. He wondered what was going through her mind but was unable to read her face; he never could, even in the past. After what seemed like eternity, getting no response from her, he cleared his throat and gently asked her what should he do. She looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears and said quietly, he himself knew the answer to that question. As his sister's future lay at stake, he did not have a choice, did he, she quizzed him. He silently shook his head in the negative. She told him that they cannot be so selfish as to think about their own happiness when that of their loved ones was in danger. They may have loved each other but destiny held different plans for them. They just weren't meant to be. The sooner he forgets her and gets on with his life, the better. He asked her whether she will be able to forget him. She circumvented the question and wishing him luck, abruptly got up and left.

The next morning he received a call from the hotel he had attended the job interview the day before. They offered him a decent salary and wanted him to join immediately. With the two major hurdles to his decision out of the way and keeping his sister's interest paramount in his mind, Milind called up Alaap and agreed to his proposal. He insisted in coming to Shah House and formally asking PL to accept his sister as her daughter-in-law and him as her son-in-law. He respected her way too much to hide things from her. Alaap was apprehensive of how much truth Milind was planning to reveal to PL and what will be his mother's reaction to it. His fears were unfounded though. Milind did not delve into details about Sukriti's physical condition or Inder's will. In a matter of fact tone he told her that Alaap and Sukriti loved each other and wished to be married. Knowing Alaap's wayward character, he did not feel confident giving his sister to him. Hence, to ensure that she is treated well, he would like to marry Alaap's sister. On marriage, however, he will take his bride to his house because he believed that a woman's place was by the side of her husband, wherever he may live. Although PL was initially taken aback, she promised to speak to her daughter and get back to him. By that evening, PL had informed him that she had got Prachi's consent and that the two weddings can take place as soon as possible.

End of Milind's Flashback

Here he was one month later, all set to embark on a journey unknown. He slowly turned to his left and looked at the woman who will soon become his wife. She wore a beautiful bright red wedding saree, with heavy zari embroidery work. She was bedecked in jewellery from head to toe. Her oval blemishless face was half encased in gunghat. From what little was visible to him, he could see that she was exceptionally beautiful, even with minimal make up, or maybe because of it. His heart skipped a beat as she looked up at him. He quickly lowered his gaze and pretended to study the flames of the fire before him.

(2)

Seeing his lowered gaze, she summed up the courage to take a closer look at the man who was soon to be her husband. She couldn't get a good view of him through the floral strings of the sehera. Now who was the fool who had come up with the bright idea of covering the faces of the bride and the groom in gunghats and seheras, she irritatedly thought to herself. She wished she had seen him more closely when he had come barging into her room more than a year ago. She was distracted that day, her thoughts all over the place, that the minute she set eyes on him in that khakhi shirt and faded denims, not to mention that handkerchief carelessly tied around his neck, she immediately concluded that he was the plumber she was waiting for. Not even in her wildest dreams did she think that he was Milind, the man who will one day become her husband. She thought back to the sequence of events which led her to the altar.

Prachi's Flashback

Prachi was getting ready to attend her music classes that morning. She was still far from her usual self although she had slowly begun to accept the reality that her father was no more. She kept herself busy with her music classes and painting, both of which were her favourite past times but she hardly interacted with the outside world. Ayesha used to check on her sometimes but with her busy work schedules and her mother's health problems, she rarely found the time to do so of late. Just as she was leaving her room she heard noises in the hall. Looking down, she saw Milind walk in stiffly. From his look she gauged that he had come to discuss his sister's future. She had heard the entire story from her mother the previous day and was indignant at Alaap's callous behaviour. She tried to speak with him but he had snubbed her, asking her to mind her own business. Now, seeing Milind's determined look and purposeful gait, she decided to stay back on the corridor upstairs and listen to what he had to say to her mother. When she heard his proposal to marry her so as to ensure that Alaap refrains from ill treating Sukriti, her eyes widened in horror. She staggered back to her room and held on to the poster of the bed, breathing heavily. Marriage to Milind? Never in her wildest dreams did she think that this day will come. After that fateful day, when her dreams of marrying Neev dissolved even before they materialised, her father falling victim in the process, she had vowed to herself that she will never trust another man or entertain thoughts of marriage. She wanted to spend the rest of her life being a good daughter, a good sister and in future, a good sister-in-law and aunt to Alaap's children. She never wanted anything for herself but now she was confronted with the possibility of becoming someone's wife, a thought she was not willing to even consider.

Shaking her head, she resolved to tell her mother that this marriage was not happening. Just then, her mind played back Milind's words ' that he wished to marry her so that he can ensure that his sister is treated well by Alaap. The full implication of what he had said hit her then. It meant that he did not trust Alaap to take good care of his sister, not that she would blame him. Her brother was not the epitome of virtue. So if she refuses to marry him, she was convinced that Milind would not risk getting Sukriti married to Alaap, but then was he left with much choice? Who would marry Sukriti now that her relationship with Alaap has become public knowledge? Then again, she cannot put it past Milind to not care about what the world thinks. He may decide to take care of Sukriti for the rest of her life rather than take a chance with her future with Alaap. She had heard enough about his obstinacy from Mishraji. She also knew that Sukriti meant the world to Milind and that he will go to any extent to ensure her well being. Sukriti never stops praising her brother in her innumerable visits to Shah House. She had also heard enough about Milind's fierce temper. Only a couple of days before, he had beaten the hell out of Alaap. If she refuses to marry him, and as a result Alaap-Sukriti's marriage does not take place, he may have no qualms thrashing her brother up again, maybe even kill him. Then there was Mishraji's health condition to consider. The man who was like her father was lying in coma because of her brother's deed. She had spent two hours by his bedside the previous day. Doctors have still not given up hope altogether, although they placed a very slim chance of his full recovery. What will happen if on recovery he realises that things have only gotten worse during his ailment? No, she cannot take the chance of so much catastrophe being unleashed around her because of her reluctance to get into a matrimonial bond.

Just then her mother entered her room and was about to tell her about Milind's proposal. Prachi raised her hand to stop her and quietly said that she had heard everything and that she was willing to marry Milind. PL heaved a sigh of relief. Caressing her head, she said, "Every mother wants to see her daughter well settled in life. To be frank, initially I could not digest the thought of my daughter marrying below her status and living in a chawl. I went to the pooja room and prayed fervently to Lord Krishna, our resident deity, to show me the way. On the one hand was the future of my daughter and on the other, the future of an innocent girl whose life has been ruined by my own son. I thought that they were mutually exclusive. I wondered which I should give importance to. While I have no problems accepting Sukriti as my daughter-in-law, I feared that by doing so I will be condemning you to a life of poverty and despair. It was then that I realised that I was being short-sighted. Did I not start my life with your father in humble surroundings? Am I now not in a position where all my comforts are met? How was the transformation possible? It was all because of your father's hard work and determination to succeed in life. I see the same fire in Milind's eyes. I see him as a man of principles, a man who would go to great lengths for the well being of his family. The fact that he came up to our house to ask that his sister be accepted as a bahu of this House only under the condition that the daughter of this House becomes his wife, and that too without bringing with her a single paise as dowry, shows not only the extent to which he will go to ensure his sister's happiness but also that he has a high self esteem. If he can do so much for his sister, how much more would he do for his wife? I thought that Neev, with his impeccable family background and education would make you a good life partner. Alas, that was not to be. Now this alliance has come on its own. I think God is showing us the way. In my view, Milind will make an excellent husband and son-in-law."

Prachi did not know how far her mother was right about Milind but she knew that she will have to accept him for the good of everyone, especially for the happiness of Sukriti. As though suddenly struck by a thought, PL looked at her daughter worriedly.

"Prachi, would you be able to adjust yourself in his surroundings? Life in a chawl can be difficult, beti."

"Don't worry, mama. Money and comfort mean nothing to me. People and relationships are more important. I will adjust to everything."

Her mother proudly kissed her daughter on the forehead and said a silent prayer for her well-being and happiness.

End of Prachi's Flashback

As she broke from her reverie, she heard the priest ask the bride's sister to tie the ghatbandhan. As Prachi had no sister, her cousin Naintara tied her pallu with Milind's stole. Sukriti's cousin, Mala did the same for her. The two brides and the grooms then proceeded to take the pheras at the end of which the grooms put on the mangalsutra around their brides' necks and applied the sindoor on their maang. Mrs and Mr. Mishra and Mrs and Mr.Shah then took the blessings of the elders gathered on the auspicious occasion.

(3)

After the wedding reception, the two bridegrooms excused themselves and went to one of the rooms at the back of the wedding hall where they were met by Alaap's lawyer. The past month had witnessed frenzied legal activity. First, Alaap dropped the case he had filed against Milind for thrashing him at the pub. Then his lawyer had drawn up an agreement that Milind would hand over to Alaap the inheritance he would get once he becomes the son-in-law of the Shahs. Now the lawyer held two sets of documents in his hands - one which gave him the rights over half of the Shah empire and the other which snatched it from him. Milind was prepared for this moment. When the lawyer extended the papers to him, Alaap offered him his pen to sign, a smirk playing on his lips. Milind raised his palm to stop him and instead pulled out his own pen and signed on the dotted lines of both the documents. While Alaap snatched the documents from him and gloated over his victory, Milind turned on his heels and, with his head held high, went back to his wife.

The bidai ceremony was an emotional affair. Sukriti clung to Milind, weeping inconsolably. Milind, who was teary eyed himself, patted her back and kept reassuring her that he was in the same town and will always keep a watch over his beloved sister. Prachi hugged her mother and cried silent tears. PL became emotional too and prayed that Prachi would have a happy married life. She asked Milind to take care of her precious daughter to which Milind merely gave a grim nod. Soon two bridal cars arrived, one which took its occupants to Shah House and the other, to Milind's chawl.

On reaching Milind's house, the newly weds were welcomed into the house with an arti taken by Manjula Iyer, their neighbour and Mala Sharma, Milind's cousin from Lonavla. The small house was flooded with Milind's friends and neighbours. Manju was a teacher at the Government primary school in their locality and her husband,Venkat, was a clerk in the local post office. They had two boys, Aditya, aged six and Anurag, aged four. Both the kids were very fond of Milind, who was equally fond of them. Mala, Milind's and Sukriti's lone relative to attend their wedding, was their maternal uncle's only child. Her mother died when she was young and her father was afflicted with a paralytic stroke. She had, therefore, come alone to Mumbai, to grace the wedding of her cousins.

Aditya and Anurag kept tugging at Milind's kurta and giggling at him for they have never seen him so overdressed before. Milind smiled at them indulgently and dipping into his pocket, brought out two bars of chocolate which he handed, one to each of them. Clapping their hands in glee they snatched the chocolate, muttered a hurried thank you and sped away. The two ladies then took Prachi into the bedroom which was simply but tastefully decorated. Milind's friends gathered around him, cracking jokes and laughing loudly. Soon the two ladies reappeared. Manju shooed the guys out and excused herself. Having left her father in the care of some neighbours, Mala expressed her inability to stay back and wanted to be dropped at the bus stand so that she can take the bus back to Lonavla the same night. Milind's friend, Ganpat volunteered to drop her and she left with him.

Locking the door behind them, Milind stepped into the tiny bedroom. Prachi who was sitting on the narrow bed, stood up nervously when she saw her husband. Taking the glass of milk in her shaking hands, she slowly extended it up to him. Muttering that he does not drink milk, Milind proceeded to violently tug at the collar of his kurta till the buttons snapped open. He whisked the offensive piece of garment over his head and threw it on the head of the nearby chair. He then slung a towel around his neck and a pair of pyjamas over his shoulders. Picking up his soap from the nearby shelf, he went out of the room and out of the house. Prachi stood there confused as to where he had gone and when he will return, if at all. Sitting before the old mirror which hung on one wall, she slowly removed her jewellery and put them aside in her jewellery case. In ten minutes he was back in his pyjamas and vest, scrubbing his hair dry. Her breath caught in her throat as she ran her eyes over his athletic physique. She quickly lowered her gaze when he turned around to meet her eyes. He informed her that she can have a bath and change her clothes if she wanted to.

As she looked around for the bathroom, he smirked and sarcastically said, "Your highness, lesser mortals like us do not have the privilege of an attached bathroom. Bathrooms and toilets are common for houses in each floor. You will have to go out of the house and turn left. The bathroom is at the extreme end."

So that was where he had gone, she thought, but looked unsure about venturing out in the dark. Looking at her, Milind continued, "Don't worry. Nobody will bite you or kidnap you on the way. Anyway you need to get used to this if you want to have a bath at all, or are you planning to spend the rest of your life without one?" Left with no choice she quickly picked up her night gown, towel and soap and stepped out."By the way, don't expect to share my bed", he shouted behind her, "it is not large enough for the both of us. You can make yourself comfortable anywhere else in the house, though." She did not respond to that.

When she returned, she saw him sprawled on the bed, fast asleep. Emboldened to see him in that state, she tiptoed up to his bed and observed his sleeping form more closely under the moonlight which streamed through the room. Not bad, she thought, not bad at all. In fact, the guy was simply gorgeous-the chubby cheeks, half covered by well trimmed beard; the dark moustache between the snub nose and the full luscious lips; the long lashes that covered small but sharp eyes which lay closed; the wavy mop of hair that was spread on the pillow- everything was highly appealing to her eyes. In sleep he looked so vulnerable and childlike in the absence of the stern look he sported when he was awake. With a small smile playing on her lips, she looked around for something to lie on. Noticing a mat rolled up in the corner of the room, she spread it on the floor next to his bed and stretched her aching body. It was a long day indeed and she was waiting for this moment when she could finally rest her tired body. The hard cold floor, however, made it difficult for sleep to take over her immediately. After tossing and turning around for a while, she finally managed to slip into a deep slumber.

He was suddenly awoken in the middle of the night by the sound of continuous sneezing. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around and realised that the sound came from his new bride who was sleeping on the floor. Getting up, he went up to the wooden cupboard and brought out a thick blanket. He shook her awake and spread the blanket on the mat, before letting her lie down again.

"I don't want you to fall sick. I have my hands full without having the added responsibility of taking care of a sick woman," he said gruffly, by way of explanation, and went back to bed.

Turning her back to him she hid a smile. "He cares", she thought, "this is not as bad as I feared it would be".

(1)

Prachi woke up the next morning feeling something heavy around her waist. On closer examination she realised it was Milind's arm slung loosely around her. The guy seemed to have unconsciously placed it there in one of the many flip-flops he indulged in the previous night. Careful not to wake him up, she slowly wriggled out of his lose hold and quickly finished her morning routine. As she was about to prepare the morning tea, she heard Milind wake up with a wide yawn. Quickly going to the bedroom to check on him she saw him sitting on the mat, looking down at the floor and then up at the bed in confusion.

When he saw her, he said accusingly, "You pushed me down from my bed, didn't you?"

She gave him an incredulous look which made him want to retract his words. That was a ridiculous accusation to make, he thought, considering that she was but a wisp of a girl in comparison to his Samsonian structure. How the hell could she have knocked him off the bed? Moreover, the bed did not look like it was slept in and there was another mat lying next to the one he had slept in, indicating she had slept on the floor too. Holding his head, which by now started throbbing, he tried to recollect what had happened the previous night. Prachi brought him a glass of water to drink. Although on an impulse he tried to push away the glass, he took it hesitatingly, as his throat felt parched. As he sipped the water, he asked her how he came to sleep on the floor. Prachi did not answer him. He then noticed the white piece of cloth around her palm.

"What is that?" he asked her.

"What?" asked Prachi, feigning ignorance.

"That, around your right palm," he said, pointing at her bandage.

"That's nothing. Just a small cut."

"How did you get it?" he persisted.

"Cut my hand while holding up the mirror. Couldn't save it though," she said apologetically and pointed to the empty wall where the mirror was hung earlier.

Slowly the events of the previous night started coming back to him. He remembered coming home drunk the previous night, manhandling Prachi and yelling at her. He couldn't remember anything else. Was he somehow responsible for the cut? He wasn't sure but felt embarrassed to ask. What if he was? How was he to react? Pushing aside his thoughts, he got down to the issue at hand. He snatched her hand and asked her if she had applied some anti-septic. When she shook her head in the negative, he cursed under his breath and went up to the shelf where he kept the medical kit. Returning back to her, he took her hand in his, undid the cloth around it and applied some Dettol on the wound. Seeing her flinch, he blew gently on it and wrapped her hand in cotton and gauze. Prachi looked on in wonder. The guy does have a caring heart, she thought, although he keeps it well hidden most of the time. She wasn't wrong after all. When she got up to go to the kitchen, he stopped her.

"You can't do anything with that hand of yours", he said brusquely.

She tried protesting but he will have none of it. "Besides," he continued, "I've still not worked up the courage to be your guinea pig."

He then proceeded to prepare tea, bread toast and omelette at record time. Giving her a cup of tea, he took one himself and sat down with the newspaper. After he had a few sips, he looked up to see Prachi trying to balance the hot cup in her left hand and drink the tea. Emitting another expletive, he went up to her and taking the cup from her, he brought it to her lips. She sipped the tea with trembling lips, all the while staring at him with large, limpid eyes. He felt himself getting drawn into their magnetic pools. Wanting to get a hold on himself, he turned his face away from her, still holding the cup for her, though. He waited patiently till she finished the tea. When he picked up the breakfast plate, she told him she wasn't feeling hungry now and would have it later.

"You're sure you'll be able to manage on your own?" he asked, trying hard to mask his concern.

She nodded mutely. He then went about getting ready for work. As he was about to leave for work, he turned around to her.

"I'll ask Manjula to send across some food for lunch. Moreover, Venkat had invited us for dinner at their place tonight. So you needn't have to cook for the rest of the day. In fact our next nineteen dinners are taken care of,"

Looking at her confused expression he said by way of explanation, "That's one of the privileges of being a new wedded couple. All the families in this chawl have booked us for dinners for the next three weeks."

She smiled at that, making his heart skip more than a beat. Why does she have to look so distracting beautiful? he thought. Trying to keep his mind from that disarming smile, he felt compelled to say something.

"Why did you not sleep on the bed?" he blurted out and later felt like biting his tongue. Now why did I bring up last night? he thought.

"And risk getting my head chewed by you?" she quizzed him back.

He didn't know how to respond to that. "I don't normally drink", he stated in a matter of fact tone.

"I know" she quietly said.

She does, does she? he thought looking at her questioningly. How?

Just then they heard the front door bell ring.

(2)

Just as Prachi opened the door, Ayesha came barging in. Holding Prachi by her arms she twirled her around and gleefully congratulated her on her wedding. Still holding Prachi, she turned to Milind who was mutely standing nearby.

"Congratulations, Milind. You have landed yourself every Indian man's fantasy- a beautiful, docile, undemanding and dumb wife," she said jocularly and received a punch from Prachi who had broken free from her hold.

"Why did you not attend our wedding", asked Prachi with a sullen face. Before she could respond, Milind looked agitatedly at his watch and said that he really needed to get going as he was running late for work.

"Let me not hold you back, Milind. We can always catch up some time later", said Ayesha nonchalantly. As Milind hurried out, Ayesha winked at Prachi and asked her, "So madam, how's married life with our chawl's hottest dude?"

Prachi blushed a deep red but persisted, "Ayesha, don't sidetrack me. I asked you why you did not turn up for our wedding. I was eagerly waiting for you."

"Well, the last time I tried helping you with your wedding plans, the wedding did not happen. So I thought that you stood a better chance of getting married in my absence", Ayesha said with mock sorrow.

"Come on Ayesha, get serious and answer my question," Prachi was getting impatient with her by now.

"All right, I did want to attend your wedding but I guess fate had other plans. My mother took seriously ill the day before the wedding. I had to take her to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore as advised by my doctor here. They ran some tests on her for which I had to stay back. As the doctors wanted to start the treatment immediately, I admitted her there. I just arrived back this morning. "

"How is Amrita Aunty now?" asked Prachi with concern.

"She has stabilised but nothing can be said for the moment. I had to come back because I had to resume duty. I'll visit her over the week-ends."

"Why did you not tell me anything, Ayesha?" Prachi looked hurt that her best friend had not confided her problems in her.

"And let you worry your head over it? What purpose would it serve? As it is you had enough and more things to worry about. I did not want to burden you unnecessarily with my problems. Anyway facing such problems has become part and parcel of my life", she said ruefully. Prachi was still upset with her. Ayesha tried to cheer her up.

"Look what I got you as your wedding present!" she said, taking out a small packet from her hand bag and handing it over to Prachi. Prachi opened it to reveal a beautiful intricately carved porcelain figurine of a couple. The man was kneeling before the lady with his hand crossed over his heart. The lady was looking at him with eyes filled with love. Below the figurine were these words carved in gold.

To the world you may be one person,
but to one person you are the world.

"That is beautiful Ayesha!" exclaimed Prachi, examining it more closely, "Must have cost you a fortune!"

"Nothing is expensive for my darling friend", Ayesha hugged Prachi.

Prachi looked around for a place to keep it and found space in the small showcase which hung on one side of the wall of the front room. It held a few cups and trophies which she presumed Milind must have won. She made a mental note to ask him about when and where he won them later. She placed the figurine carefully beside the trophies.

The two friends then spent the whole morning chatting and making fun of each other. Noticing Prachi's bandaged hand, Ayesha volunteered to cook. After lunch, Ayesha took leave of her as she had to report to her company for the afternoon shift.

"For God's sake, you are not going to attend a fashion show, just a dinner at a friend's house. Wear whatever you are comfortable in. As long as you are not in your birth suit, I have no problems taking you with me."

Prachi turned red with shame hearing this and made a hasty exit. Ten minutes later the newly-weds were at the doorstep of their neighbours, Milind in his khakhi shirt and faded denims and Prachi in a baby pink salwar suit. They received a warm welcome from the Iyers. After Prachi handed Manju the small box of sweets that Milind had bought for them, she followed the host into the kitchen, volunteering to help. Manju shooed her away assuring her that everything was ready to be served and she was merely giving the final touch. Milind and Venkat caught up with the latest political scenario, discussing animatedly who will win the coming general elections. Not interested in politics, Prachi looked around for the kids. Adi and Anu just walked in at that moment after play. Seeing Milind, they shouted out in glee and jumped onto his lap in unison. Milind enveloped them in his wide arms, gave them bars of chocolates and continued his conversation with Venkat. Prachi tried to lure them to her. Although they flashed their sweet smiles at her, they refused to get off Milind's lap. Unrapping the chocolate in a hurry, Anu had already started munching on it when Manju came in and snatched the chocolates from their hands.

"Milind, you are spoiling them rotten. Look, they will eat only chocolate and skip the dinner." She complained.

"Now Adi, Anu, is that true? Will you guys make a fuss having your dinner?" asked Milind, in mock admonishment.

The two boys shook their heads vigorously in the negative.

"See Manju, you are unduely harsh with them. They are good boys who will listen to their Milind uncle, wont you guys?"

This time they nodded their heads in agreement.

"Lets see," said Manju and served the kids first. Before getting off Milind uncle's lap both the kids kissed him on either cheek. As Anu's mouth was smudged with chocolate, Milind's beard turned brown on one side. Prachi couldn't help smiling at her husband's appearance, but seeing Milind glare at her, she quickly suppressed it. Once the kids had their dinner, they brushed their teeth, wished everyone good night and went to bed. Manju then spread out four large banana leaves and laid out a typical south indian thali for them. It was only when Prachi sat down to have the food did Manju notice the wound on Prachi's hand and realised that she was not in a position to eat with her hand. As the food was already served on the banana leaf, she could not use the spoon either. As Prachi looked around helplessly, Manju came up with a prompt solution. Turning to Milind, she said in a cajoling tone.

"Come on, Milind. Won't you feed your darling wife?"

Having no alternative, he nodded his head in resignation and took the food to Prachi's mouth. Prachi opened her mouth shyly and took in the food. Milind tried hard to concentrate on the job at hand rather than on those lovely lips which opened and closed as he kept alternatively feeding Prachi and himself. Just as he was about to feed her the last mouthful of food, she accidentally bit his fingers. He jerked his hand out and shook it in pain. Startled seeing blood ooze from his finger, Prachi snatched his hand instinctively and put his finger in her mouth, sucking the blood. Milind felt a sudden tingling sensation course through his body and his body became warm from head to toe. Prachi released his finger when she realised what she had done and bent her head down in shyness, not wanting to meet his gaze. Manju and Venkat who were watching all this with great amusement, teased them both, making them blush.

After dinner, as Prachi helped Manju clear the dishes, Manju dragged her aside and said in a hushed voice.

"I know Prachi that it is not my business to advise you but being Milind's neighbour and friend I am sharing with you my thoughts. I know that you come from a well to do family and are used to certain comforts in life. Life here in the chawl may be filled with hardships but as long as you are with the man you love, any problem is surmountable. Milind is a gem of a human being, a little short-tempered and stubborn but he has a heart of gold. Did you see the way he interacts with my kids? You don't often find men who love others' kids as their own. I think such men are trustworthy and childlike themselves. Hope you give him his own little ones soon."

It was obvious that Manju thought that theirs was a love marriage. Not wanting to dispel her conclusion, Prachi nodded her head in silence and returned to Milind's side. Soon they took leave of the Iyers and returned back to their house to spend another night of uneasy togetherness.

****

Here's a picture of Manju and Venkat. Below is Milind with Adi and Anu. Don't ask me what Milind and co are doing giving an interview to Star T.V. Pictures are courtesy 'Megala' forum (for Manju and Venkat pictures) and Yasmin (for the Milind-Adi-Anu pictures).

Milind's chawl was a mini-India with people from all across the country. There were the Sens from West Bengal, the Mohantys from Orissa, the Shuklas fom U.P, the Yadavs from Bihar, the Reddys from Andhra Pradesh, the Raos from Karnataka, the Kapoors from Punjab, the Shindes from Maharashtra, the Meenas from Rajastan, the Kuttys from Kerala and the Baruas from Assam, to name a few. So Milind and Prachi ended up sampling nearly all the cuisines of the country for dinner over the next three weeks. Days were uneventful ' In the mornings, after Milind left for work, Prachi kept herself busy with her paintings and sketches. She also practiced her singing to keep her vocal chords in shape. Afternoons were spent visiting Mishraji at the nursing home and talking to him endlessly, even though she wasn't sure whether the old man could hear a single word she said. She played badminton and kho kho with the chawl kids in the evenings and waited for Milind to return as each day the sun bid good bye to yet another day.

He looked at her like she was out of this world.

"You know what? You take a cab and go to the Inorbit Mall. Well, that may cost you about....hmmm.. a hundred rupees. Once there you can blow up the rest of the money in clothes, shoes, perfumes, handbags and other girlie stuff. One thing, though, in all your excitement to shop, don't forget to set aside another hundred rupees to take the cab back home. Otherwise you'll be stranded there with your big shopping bags."

It took a full five minutes for Prachi to register his sarcasm. She bent her head to hide her tears. She has never been spoken to in this manner by anyone, save her hot headed husband. Although she has been hearing such cryptic and sarcastic comments for a month now, she could not help being sensitive to them.

Milind suddenly felt uncomfortable. Was he being unduly mean to her but then why was she always asking stupid questions? he thought.

"That's my salary", he said. "I am giving it to you so that you don't come running to me for each and everything. By the way, tomorrow is the last day to pay the electricity bill. I had forgotten to pay last month's bill as I got caught up in the wedding preparations. If the bill is not paid tomorrow they will cut the electricity supply. So don't forget to pay it." He then handed over the electricity bill.

Prachi nodded silently and kept the money and the bill in the wooden cupboard.

Part IX

After Prachi had her bath she decided she will shop for some good shirts for Milind. It was only after she landed at the shop did she realise she had no clue about shopping for men's clothes, having not had an occasion to do so all her life. She did not know his shirt size or the colours which will suit him. As she looked around the racks in confusion, a helpful salesman dropped by and asked if he could help. When he realised her plight, he asked her how broad was her husband. She did not know how to describe him. She looked around and spotted a broad shouldered six footer amongst the customers. Pointing to him, she said that her husband will be roughly his size. On being asked whether her husband was fair or dark she replied that he had a beautiful brown tan. She added that he was a very handsome man. The salesman couldn't hide his smile hearing this and asked her if she was newly married. When she replied in the affirmative, he told her that he figured it out from her adulation of her spouse. He then showed a blushing Prachi some of the shirts which will look good on her 'handsome' husband. Not being able to decide between a stripped, light blue shirt and a plain snow white shirt, she picked up both. On returning home, she hung them in the cupboard and waited to surprise him.

That evening when Milind returned back from work, he opened his cupboard and got the shock of his life. Removing the shirts from the cupboard he yelled out,

"Prachi!" Elated to hear her name from his lips for the first time since the day she came to live with him, Prachi rushed to him, expecting to be complimented for her superb choice of shirts. Instead what awaited her threw her completely off board.

"What are THESE doing in my cupboard?" he shouted in annoyance.

"I....I...had bought them for you" stammered Prachi.

"Who asked you to? And Arrow shirts at that!" he snapped back." It must have cost a fortune!!!"

"Just fifteen hundred rupees each" mumbled Prachi, tears stinging her eyes.

"Three thousand rupees!" exclaimed Milind. "Do you realise that you just blew up 20 per cent of my salary on a single day?"

Prachi was trembling by now. "Milind, I was tidying the cupboard when I noticed that your shirts were old and worn out. I discarded that white shirt which was in shambles and decided to buy you some new ones."

"What? What did you say you did with my white shirt?" he snarled and turned around to look for it in the cupboard, realising for the first time that it was missing.

"I ...I gave ...it away to the dhobiwalla", she said with trembling lips.

He couldn't believe what he just heard. 'Just look at the audacity of this woman', he thought.

Looking at her with red hot fury, he spat out, "Who asked you to mess in my affairs? Do you know the value of that white shirt to me? It was the first shirt my Baba gifted me when I won the 'Best outgoing student' award in my college." He still remembered that day when his father gave him the shirt with so much love and pride in his eyes. How he wished he could make his Baba as proud of him as he was on that day.

"Milind, I thought that since you are working in a hotel where many people see you, the new shirts would make you look smart", she tried to reason.

That did it. She had inadvertently hit a raw nerve. Something snapped within him and he shook her by her arms.

"So I don't look smart enough for you in my shabby clothes, do I? Do you feel embarrassed to be seen with me? Is my low class appearance not compatible with your high class one?"

Tears started falling rapidly down her cheeks and she quickly lowered her head, lest he sees them.

Just then they heard someone's steps at the door and turned towards the sound in unison.

(2)

"Milind", cried out Manjula, standing at the door with Anu in her arms. Her face was lined with anxiety and her eyes, filled with tears. The boy was moaning. Milind and Prachi rushed to her. Picking the boy up in his arms he noticed that the boy was burning up with fever.

"What happened?" asked an alarmed Milind.

Prachi looked worriedly at the boy.

Between sobs Manjula told him that Anu had been running fever for the last two days but that night it had shot up to over 104 degrees due to which the boy started having convulsions. She tried everything including cold water swabs but the fever was not letting up. As Venkat had left for a hiking expedition with his friends the previous weekend, there was no one to help her take care of Adi and also attend to Anu at the same time, she said. Without wasting any time, Milind swung Anu on his shoulders, making his way out. He asked Prachi to lock up their house and go to Manju's place to take care of Adi while he takes Manju and Anu to the nursing home. He asked her not to wait up for him as most probably he will spend the night at the nursing home.

As it was raining pretty heavily that night, Milind and Manju had trouble finding an auto. Milind had swaddled Anu in his big rain coat and put his arms over him to protect him from the lashing rains. Manju held the umbrella for both of them. Finally they managed to find an auto after ten minutes of wait and took the sick boy into the nursing home. Luckily a paediatrician was on her rounds and she examined the boy. Suspecting viral fever, she advised that the boy be put on drips immediately because he was dehydrated. After Anu was taken care of, Manju sat down by his side and let out a sigh of relief. Milind went out to get the medicines. When he returned, Manju had already fallen asleep by the side of her son's bed, exhausted from lack of sleep for the past two days. Milind watched over the boy all through the night and kept the nurse busy in changing the drips whenever the bottle turned empty. Manju woke up in the wee hours of the morning and apologised for putting Milind through so much trouble. Milind dismissed it with a wave of his hand, saying that he was merely doing his duty towards his 'sister'. Manju was overwhelmed with emotion. Holding his hand she asked him that if he considers her as his sister then would he be offended if she said something. Milind shook his head and looked at her in confusion, wondering what she was hinting at. Hesitatingly she told him that she had accidentally overheard the last bit of their conversation the previous night. Milind put his head down in shame.

"I don't mean to pry Milind, but why were you so harsh with Prachi last night?" On hearing no response, she continued. "The girl has given up a lot to come and live with you, Milind. She is doing her best to adjust to the surroundings which are totally different from what she is used to. Despite the hardships she is facing on a daily basis, I have never seen her complain about anything. All I see is a girl with a smiling face, eager to please her husband and integrate into his way of life. Do you know that she had asked me to teach her to make dosas because you like them? Why can't you be a little more sensitive to her?"

"She had spent three thousand rupees on shirts I did not even want in the first place" said Milind grumpily, "How will she run the house if she fritters away money like this?"

"Milind, it is your fault for suddenly thrusting on her the responsibility of running the family without extending any help. You have been taking care of your house for years now whereas she has just become part of your family. Why don't you help her draw up a budget so that she knows how to prioritise the expenditure? I am sure she'll manage quite well within a month. She looks to be a quick learner. Tell me something, do you really feel happy when you see her unhappy face?"

No he did not, he thought. It tore him up inside every time he saw those large lustrous eyes lose their gleam and fill up with tears, hearing his harsh words. She may not have chosen to spend the rest of her life with him and may have been compelled to do so because of her brother's misdeeds but she has never ever let her discontentment show on her face or her manner. Come to think of it, she has never once retaliated. Her blunders so far have been the result of inexperience rather than malice. Maybe he was too seeped in his prejudices to see her for who she is or understand what she must be going through.

Just then, Anu's doctor arrived and said that they would like to keep him at the nursing home for another day at least. Manju assured Milind that she will take care and that he can go to work. As Adi did not have school that day, he can remain at the chawl with Prachi. Taking leave of her, he left the room, immersed in deep thought about Prachi and, on the corridor, was met by the doctor who was attending to his Baba. Greeting him jubilantly, the doctor shook his hands.

"Congratulations Mr.Mishra. Your father is showing definite signs of improvement. Since last night he is off the ventilator and is breathing on his own. He is still in coma and is a long way away from full recovery but there is definitely more hope now", he said.

Milind was exhilarated hearing the news and rushed to see his father. "I must say Mr. Mishra, you have one remarkable wife," continued the doctor who had followed him in.

Milind looked at him in confusion. "My wife? Prachi?"

"Yes, the lady has been visiting her father-in-law every afternoon without fail for the last one month and spending over three hours by his side, talking to him, reading to him, sometimes even singing to him!", he smiled."We used to wonder at the woman's patience, doing all this for a comatose patient, knowing that he may well not be aware of a single thing around him but she was relentless. I guess her patience and perseverance has paid off."

Milind was too stunned to react to this piece of information. Prachi had been meeting his father every day and he wasn't even aware of it! Why was she taking so much trouble for his father? Was he not under the impression that the Shahs, including Prachi, treated his father merely as an employee? Yet, first PL surprised him with her generosity, offering to take care of the entire cost of treating his father and now her daughter, his wife, astonished him with her patience, willingly sacrificing her afternoons to be with an old man who was not even conscious of her presence.

He staggered out of the nursing home, dazed but with a new found empathy and admiration for his one-month old wife.

(3)

Prachi was just handing over the milk to Adi when Milind dropped in to collect the keys to their house. She looked with concern at her husband's tired and drawn face.

"Is everything all right Milind? How is Anu now? Where is Manju?"

"Manju is still in the hospital with Anu. They suspect it to be viral fever but they want to keep him under observation for some time. Will you be able to take care of Adi till Manju returns?"

"Don't worry, I'll take care. I'm preparing breakfast for him. If you wait for a few minutes, you too can have breakfast with him."

"No, don't bother. I am already running late for work. I'll just have a quick bath and get going before my boss eats my head." He then rushed out, only to return back almost immediately and said "Thanks for everything."

Prachi was taken aback initially but then smiled at him, showing her dimples and causing him a mini heart-attack all over again. Shaking his head to get off the distracting image from it, he left the place.

Manju returned that afternoon, sooner than expected as Anu's fever had left that morning and he was doing well. She enquired whether Adi troubled her a lot. Replying in the negative, Prachi gave him a good character certificate, making the boy happy with his Prachi aunty. On hearing about the improvement in Baba's health from Manju, Prachi was eager to see her father-in-law. She spent another fruitful afternoon with her comatose father-in-law, this time reading him passages from the Gita.

Just as she stepped into her house that evening, there was a cloud burst and Mumbai witnessed one of the heaviest monsoon rains for that year. Prachi was worried for Milind's safety. Trains came to a grinding halt due to flooding and water logging. Buses barely managed to inch their way through the traffic which had clogged all the arterial roads. With electric lines snapping at several places, power supply was switched off in pockets of the city to avoid electrocution. In an effort to avoid the potholes and open manholes on the sides of the roads, people snaked their way through the middle of the roads, holding on to the road dividers for support in the darkness. Milind had to get off his train two stations before his. He waded through waist deep water for eight kilometres, reaching home after nearly an hour and a half.

Prachi opened the door to a tired and weary Milind who collapsed on the nearby wooden sofa. She rushed to him with a towel, Dettol and soap.

"Milind, I know you are exhausted but I think you should have a shower as soon as possible." Not wanting him to misconstrue that she found him stinky, she hastened to add,"I heard that there is an outbreak of leptospirosis, a deadly disease in the city. Rats' urine mixed in rain water causes it, I believe. If one has waded through stagnant water, taking a shower soon thereafter is supposed to reduce the chances of contracting it."

Milind nodded and headed to the bathroom with the towel, soap and the dettol. After a few minutes he came in feeling more refreshed. Prachi had a bowl of steaming hot soup ready for him. Handing him the bowl she snatched the towel from his hand and started to vigorously dry his hair while he sipped the soup. Milind was surprised by her sudden assertiveness but liked it, nonetheless. She cares for me, he thought. After dinner, Milind was all set to stretch himself on the floor when Prachi held his wrist.

"Milind, you sleep on the bed, I'll sleep on the floor. The floor is very cold due to the rains. You'll fall sick sleeping on it."

"If that is so then would you not fall sick if you sleep on it?" he queried.

"Well, I'm not going out to work whereas you are," Prachi tried to reason.

"Now, how do you think I can work in peace, knowing that my wife is sick at home?"

Prachi did not have an answer to that.

Milind continued, "I think there is a solution to this. With some adjustment, both of us can sleep on the bed. That way neither of us will fall sick." Prachi shyly nodded her head in agreement.

They then tentatively stretched themselves on the narrow bed, each trying to make the other comfortable in it. Actually they were both quite nervous yet excited by the proximity. Wanting to break the ice, Prachi started to apologise for her extravagant purchases of the previous day and her generosity in giving away his shirt without checking with him first. Milind gently placed a finger on her lips and said that if anyone has to apologise it has to be him.

"I am sorry, Prachi. I was thoughtless and rude and inconsiderate and ...." Before he could continue, it was Prachi's turn to place her hand over his mouth.

Both looked into each other's eyes and saw in them the eagerness to make an appeasement. After several minutes of the mutual gazing, Milind smiled and said, "I must admit that you have a good taste."

Seeing her confused expression, he continued, "Both the shirts are superb selection."

Prachi's eyes lit up. "So you like them? Will you wear them to work?" Seeing him nodded his head in agreement Prachi felt elated. She was planning to return them the next day and ask if the shop can give back the money in exchange.

Suddenly struck by a thought she asked him, wide-eyed, "Milind, with one fifth of your salary gone already, how will we manage the expenses for this month?"

Smiling at her innocent question Milind assured her that he will take care of it. He then enlightened her as to how. The coffee shop at the hotel in which he worked in required somebody at the counter for a couple of hours for two weeks as the regular guy who sits there has some sports practice to attend. He can take up that opportunity by staying back after work and make good the shortfall. Prachi was touched by this and her eyes filled up with tears.

Alarmed to see his wife's tears, Milind asked her, "Now, what did I say wrong? Why are you crying?"

Prachi assured him they were not tears of unhappiness but of gratitude. Milind gently wiped her tears away and asked her to promise him that she will never cry again, which she did. Still gazing at each other, they gradually fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, there was a loud clap of thunder, hearing which Prachi panicked and without a thought clung to her husband. Milind woke up, startled by the sudden tight embrace he was subjected to, but on seeing Prachi's eyes, tightly squeezed shut, he smiled at her fears. As the sounds of the thunder receded, Prachi opened her eyes, realised what she had done and move away in shyness. "You can continue to cling to me if it makes you feel safe. I don't mind", Milind said in amusement. Prachi blushed at this and buried her face in the pillow. Soon sleep overcame both of them and they slept peacefully for the rest of the night.

The next day was a Sunday. Milind was still fast asleep at 9.00 a.m. Prachi had finished her morning routine, prepared the breakfast and waited patiently for her husband to open his eyes. Sitting by his side, she looked over at him, playing back in her mind the hug she inadvertently gave him the previous night and blushing at the thought. Finally Milind woke up to greet the new day and seeing the beautiful countenance of his wife looking over him, he flashed her one of the most charming smile, she had ever seen. Prachi's blush deepened, making her even more attractive in his eyes. Asking him to brush his teeth and come for breakfast, she quickly went to the kitchen area, trying to get a control over her senses which were running riot at the moment.

Just as they were finishing up with the breakfast, they heard the front doorbell ring. Prachi opened the door to be greeted by Ganpat and Vijay, Milind's friends from the chawl. Looking in at Milind who was seated quite coolly on his sofa, they asked him to get ready for the football practice. Milind excused himself, saying that he had sprained his ankle the previous night while staggering home in darkness. After being assured that it was nothing serious that a day's rest would not take care of, his friends left. Prachi rushed to his side and knelt before him, lifting his ankles in turn, to examine them.

"Why did you not tell me you have sprained your ankle?" she asked.

"Arey buddhu, did you see me limping either last night or this morning?"

"No", said Prachi still confused.

"How could I have sprained my ankle and be able to move around freely?"

"Then why did you say you did to Ganpat and Vijay" persisted Prachi.

"Just to get them off my back. I want to spend the rest of the day getting to know my wife." Milind looked at his wife adoringly.

Prachi's face brightened up hearing this. Although they had been married for a month now, Milind had never spent a single Sunday at home. He spent the only rest day of the week with his friends, catching up on their lives, playing football or cricket with them or going to watch various sports events across the city. As he was away at work the other six days, this meant he hardly spent any time with Prachi. Now that he has declared with he will be with her for the day, Prachi was excited about having her husband all to herself, atleast for a day. Smiling at her excitement, Milind asked her to bring a notebook. Although she did not know what he had in mind, she obediently brought one. He then asked her to sit beside him on the wooden sofa and got busy writing down something in it. Looking over his shoulders she realised he was chalking out the monthly budget.

Income: Rs.15,000

Expenditure:

Provisions - around Rs. 1,500

Fruits and vegetables - around Rs.650

Milk - Rs.350

Rent - Rs.2,500

Electricity - around Rs.400 (paid for the month)

Mobile recharge - Rs.500

EMI for the motor cycle - Rs.2,500

Train pass - Rs.250

Petrol expenses - Rs.200

Newspaper - around Rs.150

Baba's medical expenses- Rs.5,000

Contingency expenses/savings - Rs.1,000

Total : Rs.15,000

Prachi learnt that although PL had volunteered to pay Baba's medical expenses, Milind had accepted her offer only under the condition that he repays the debt and he was setting aside five thousand rupees every month to do so. The knowledge of this only served to enhance Milind's image in her eyes. Here was a man who did not bow to any or accept anything in charity. She was impressed by his belief in himself and his own abilities to take care of his family. After working out the expenses for her, he asked her if she would find it difficult to manage within the tight budget. Prachi assured him that she will keep their family ship afloat in the face of all storms. Milind smiled at her confidence and felt happy to have such a co-operative wife.

Milind then insisted that he helps her prepare the lunch and dinner and went about expertly cutting the vegetables and peeling the garlic. While indulging in the joint cooking activity, they shared with each other their likes and dislikes, growing experiences, incidents from their childhood which were unforgettable and so on. Suddenly Prachi was reminded of something.

"Milind, can I ask you something?" she asked in a serious tone.

"Yes, Prachi, what is it?"

"When you came to the Shah House last year and I mistook you for a plumber, you mentioned to Ayesha that we had met as kids fifteen years back and that nothing has changed in all these years. What did you mean by that?"

"Oh, that! Do you really want to talk about that?" quizzed back Milind.

"Yes, Milind, I'd like to know what you meant by that statement. What had happened when we had met all those years back?"

Milind hesitatingly revealed the details of their first meeting.

Milind's flashback

It was Alaap's ninth birthday that day. Inder had arranged for a huge party for which a reluctant twelve-year old Milind was dragged by his baba. He wore his only good pair of trousers and a floral shirt which his baba had bought for him for that year's diwali. As soon as they landed in Shah house, his sister, Sukriti who was five years old then was immediately carried into the house by PL who was very fond of the girl. His father got busy entertaining Inder's business associates. Milind felt very uncomfortable in the alien surroundings. Since he did not know anybody else in the house, he kept standing in a corner, watching the people around him. It is then that he noticed a thin tall boy with a group of his friends. From his expensive dress he could make out that he was the birthday boy. He was loudly bragging to his friends what gifts his father has bought for him and where he was planning to take him for their next family vacation and so on. Suddenly Alaap noticed Milind and called out to him

"Hey, you, who are you? How come you are at my party?"

Milind introduced himself as Mr.Mishra's son.

"Oh, so you are our naukar's son, are you? Get us some soft drinks," he ordered rudely.

"You go get it yourself," Milind retorted back.

"How dare you speak to me like this? I'll tell your father about your impertinent behaviour."Alaap threatened.

"Go tell him. I don't care," said Milind and turned to leave the place.

Just then he overheard Alaap loudly call him a pansy, pointing to his floral shirt and laughing out loud and his friends joined him.

As Milind looked up he saw Prachi standing on the top of the stairs with her group of friends and she was smiling at him.

Ashamed to be humiliated in this manner by the Shah kids, Milind left the place even before the party began, earning the wrath of his father when he realised later that his son had gone home without his knowledge. Ever since then he had made it a point to avoid the Shah house like the plague until Prachi's fateful non-starter engagement the previous year.

End of flashback

Prachi was astounded hearing about this incident. She did not remember the day very clearly. After all she was barely seven years old then. All she remembered was joking around with her friends. Could it be possible that Milind mistook her smile for ridicule when in reality she had no intention of doing so in the first place? She asked him so aloud. Milind had to admit that it was quite possible that he could have misunderstood her smile, for at that moment he was blinded by fury and was not really thinking straight. Now that he has observed her in closer quarters she did not appear to be a girl who would make fun of people or hurt their feelings. Prachi apologised to him nonetheless which Milind waved off saying there was no need for it now.

They later had their lunch, complimenting each other for an excellent meal. That evening they heard a knock at the door. The dhobiwalla was standing there with Milind's white shirt, nicely starched and ironed. He told Milind that he knew memsaab was new to the house and must have mistakenly given him the shirt. He had it washed, starched and pressed. Now it was as good as new. Thanking the dhobiwalla for the trouble, Milind handed him a hundred rupee note. The dhobiwalla protested saying that it did not cost that much but Milind insisted tha he keeps the money. Prachi heaved a sigh of relief seeing Milind's favourite shirt back. After Milind had kept the shirt carefully in the cupboard, he turned to his wife and smiled at her, saying, "All's well that ends well". She smiled back in return.

(5)

The following weekend Milind was searching for some papers in his cupboard when a big plastic cover fell down from it. Picking it up he looked in to find sheaves of white art paper containing various sketches. He curiously took them out and examined them more closely. To his surprise he found them to be mostly sketches of him! Each of them was signed at the bottom with a stylish P, indicating that these were the handiwork of his better half. Just then Prachi walked in after her bath, her hair wrapped in towel. Seeing the sketches in Milind's hands, she hurried to him and tried snatching them away. Milind deftly dodged her hand and held the sketches high over his head. After several attempts to get them from him by jumping up high, Prachi finally gave up and moved away with mock disappointment. Milind came up from behind her and asked her sweetly how come she hid from him the fact that she was an expert artist. Prachi tried to shrug it off saying that sketching was just a pass-time and she was no expert at it. Milind wouldn't agree with her though, remarking that she looked more like a professional. Leafing through the sketches, he realised that the portraits of him mostly always had him sporting grumpy, frowning, scowling, sullen, morose or serious expressions. There were only a couple of them which had him smiling in them. Asked why she had so few sketches with his smiling face, she retorted that she can only sketch the faces she mostly sees. As a smiling Milind is a rare commodity, so are the sketches showing him do so! Milind vowed that she will get to see more of the smiling Milind from then onwards, bringing a broad smile on Prachi's face. Amongst the sketches were a couple of sketches of Baba. Looking at them, Milind was reminded of something.

"Prachi, I heard that you are visiting Baba regularly in the afternoons and that it is because of these visits Baba is showing definite signs of improvement. How come you never mentioned a word about this to me?"

"Sorry, Milind. I did not think you will be interested to know. But then, you never told me about your morning visits to the nursing home, either."

"Well, I visit him because he is my father. I am only fulfilling my duty."

"What makes you think that I am doing more than merely fulfilling my duty? Milind, your Baba is like a father to me too. Right from childhood he has been taking care of me like one. Whenever my papa was out of town on business, it was your Baba who used to help me with my studies. I was always a little weak in Maths. If it had not been for your Baba I would not have cleared the board exams. It breaks my heart to see a man who was once strong and energetic be confined to the bed without knowledge of himself or the world around him. I hope he returns to us soon. This is my only prayer."

Milind was moved by the concern and genuine affection he saw in her eyes for his father and assured her that God will surely hear her prayers and Baba will be with them soon enough.

(1)

The next major festival, Ganesh Chaturti, was fast approaching but the impasse in their relationship continued. Milind was not rude as he was on Raksha Bandhan day nor was he obstinate as he was on Dahi Handi day, but he had withdrawn more and more into his shell. His speech had reduced to monosyllables and he steadfastly avoided eye contact with Prachi even while uttering these rare words. He constantly looked like he was battling with himself leaving Prachi perplexed as to what to do. She tried her best to make things appear normal and hoped that the rest of the residents in the chawl did not notice the fissures in their relationship. Her sessions with God increased for she knew that retrieving the situation was beyond her power.

It was the eve of Ganesh Chaturti. The chawl was all decked up to welcome Lord Ganesha the next day. The chawl lads were hanging up the serial bulbs on the trees lined up on the path leading up to the chawl when they realised they ran out of lights for one stretch of about three metres. One of them remembered that Milind bhaiyya had some serial bulbs at his place. So he ran up to his house and asked Prachi if he can have the lights that Milind bhaiyya usually keeps on the top of his cupboard. Prachi dragged a stool to the cupboard, climbed up and found the lights where the lad said they would be. As she brought them down, she knocked down something which fell with a thud. Looking down she saw a brown diary which had gathered considerable dust. As the lad was still waiting at the door, she handed over the serial lights to him and went back to the diary. Dusting it she was about to return it back to its place when she noticed some visiting cards which had spilled from the diary, lying scattered around. She gathered them together and was about to put them inside the diary when she inadvertently opened a page on which her name appeared. She did not have the habit of nosing through someone's diary but the mention of her name got her curious and she skimmed through the page first and later read it more thoroughly. Milind's scrawl and staccatoed style of writing was unmistakable. The page was dotted with doodles, expressing his anger as well as anguish.

April 8, 2005

Met her at the coffee shop today. Did not know how to break it to her but had to do it for Sukriti. Told her about Alaap's condition - that creep😡 will accept Sukriti only if I accept his sister, Prachi and hand him the share of property that will be transferred to me on marriage. Told her that I give a damn about the property. Did not want a single pie of Inder Shah's wealth. Am troubled more about ditching her after promising to marry her. Could have bashed up that creep 😡and forced him to marry Sukriti but then will he keep her happy? I think not. He will make her life a living hell. Couldn't see my sister suffer. Asked her what to do. Was expecting her to hit me, yell at me. But she surprised me with her calmness. She said that we were not meant to be and asked me to forget her. Asked her if she could, but she did not answer, just left leaving me shattered. How can I forget her? How can I stop loving a woman I had loved for the past ten years? For the first time I understand a lover's pain in losing the one he loves. 😭😭😭

With her hands shaking uncontrollably, Prachi dropped the diary. She slumped on the bed, her face ashen with shock. Along with the realisation that Milind had loved someone before marriage came a hundred questions which were chaotically running through her head. When Milind insisted she comes and lives with him in his chawl, was it because of Alaap's condition? She did not know that Alaap could stoop to this level. Milind did not seem to have much of a choice, for Sukriti's future was at stake and she knew he would do anything for his sister but how can he stop his heart from loving the woman he has loved for ten years? Does he still love her? Did her indirect confession of love scare him off? Was it the reason why he was trying to distance himself from her? If he did not want her in his life, why did he act very friendly with her? Why did he show he cared for her? Why did he let her build her dreams around him? Strangely she did not feel angry with him, only disappointed that he did not tell her the truth. After all they did develop a special bond of friendship over the past two months. Could he not have told her about his past? When he came to know of her love, why did he not tell her that he cannot return her love because his heart was already taken? She would have gladly stepped aside, for his happiness meant the world to her. Why was he torturing himself and baffling her with his coldness? Who was this woman that Milind loved and most probably still loves? The last question kept repeating itself in her head over and over again. She had to get it cleared somehow, but how to find out? Should she ask Milind? Will he tell her? She wasn't sure that he will. After all despite her repeated requests to confide in her his problem he refused to open up. Why would he confide in her now? Then how will she find out about this mysterious girl? Suddenly it struck her that the best person who could throw more light about Milind's past is Ayesha. After all they had lived together in the same chawl for so many years. They also seemed to be good friends. Maybe Ayesha will know about Milind's lover. Rubbing away the tears which had trickled down her cheeks, she got up and hurried towards Ayesha's house.

Reaching Ayesha's place, she was about to push the door and enter in, when she stopped in her tracks hearing a familiar voice.

"I can't love her, Ayesha. I can't love Prachi." His voice sounded plaintive and desperate.

Before Prachi could recover from the shock of hearing Milind's voice, through the crack in the door she saw Ayesha reach out to Milind and hold his head in her hands, "Why Milind, why? Is it because you have still not forgotten our past?"

Prachi.

Ayesha reached out to him and held his head in her hands so that he can meet her eye, "Why Milind, why? Is it because you have still not forgotten our past?"

"NO", he shouted, "IT IS BECAUSE I HAVE!"

"Ayesha, it is not that I feel guilty for getting past us," he said, his voice laced with frustration.

"Then what is the matter?"

Milind had no answer to that. Ayesha continued, "Milind when you told me about Alaap's condition, I knew that you were the best bet for Prachi. I knew you well enough to be sure that you will keep Prachi happy. So I gave you up not only for Sukriti's happiness but also Prachi's. That woman has been through a lot in life. She lost the two most important men in her life on the same day, one to death and the other to marriage. The one brother who should have kept her best interest in mind was more bothered about retaining power and wealth that he was willing to trade her for it. If the man she marries also does not appreciate her goodness and keeps her happy, that poor soul will be totally shattered. Prachi is too good a person to deserve this."

"I know Ayesha, she is too good for me, just too good", he lamented.

Ayesha was getting irritated with him now. "Stop it Milind. Stop whining. I know you love her as much as she loves you. Tell me, can you really push her from you?"

"I tried to Ayesha. I tried being rude to her. I tried to be heartless with her."

"You did what?" Ayesha was besides herself with anger now "You dare not hurt that poor angel. No wonder Prachi is miserable these days. She is a good actress you see, doing her best to cover up her feelings by smiling always but I know her well enough to read the pathos behind that smile."

Milind looked equally miserable now, his eyes were sunken, his shoulders were slumped and he looked defeated. Her heart went out to him. Putting her hand on his weary shoulders, she said in a more understanding voice, "Milind, you really want this relationship to work as much as she wants it, don't you? If not why are you working two jobs?"

The showdown with Ayesha had finally removed the cobwebs in his mind. Milind wiped away the tears which had unknowingly trickled down his cheeks. After he thanked her and wished her good night, he excitedly hurried to his wife to grab her in his arms and bare his heart to her.

Milind took two stairs at a time in his haste to reach home and let go of all his pent up feelings of the past weeks. He reached the front door and pressed the bell several times, eager to see his beloved wife. There was no response. He then banged at the door - still no response. He started getting alarmed. Why was Prachi not opening the door? Was she ill, has she fainted like she did on the Dahi Handi day? Panicking, he hurriedly searched for the duplicate key in his hip pocket and on finding it opened the door. He rushed in and found no one in either of the rooms. Has she gone to Manju's house? he wondered and was about to go to his neighbour's house when he noticed the notebook on the bed and the note under it flapping in the breeze. Pulling the note out, he read it curiously.

As he ran his eyes through the note, they widened in shock and despair. Dropping the note, he looked around and found his diary lying on the floor. Her sketches of him lay scattered around it. He knew then that due to his folly, he had lost the only woman he truly ever loved. He kept shunning her because he thought his love could not match up to hers, that he was not good enough for her. Now she has left him thinking that his heart is taken by another and hence he does not love her at all. Can he really blame her? When he himself could not see the truth staring at his face, the irrevocable truth that he loved her more than his own life, how could he expect her to understand him? The poor girl gave up her shyness and openly declared her feelings for him in public and how did he react? Like a coward, he ran away from the very same feelings he too had for her. She was desperately trying to save their relationship. She begged him to confide in her his worries, his confusion, his despair. It was he who was pig headed enough not to share his concerns with her. It was he who had thrust her in misery and disillusionment. He could not blame her for the conclusion she had arrived at after reading the diary. Anyone would have done the same, especially if they were subjected to the strange behaviour she was subjected to for three whole weeks. How pained she must have been to come to know of his past in this manner. He should have confided in her about his past love. He did not, because he felt it was a closed chapter; that it did not have a bearing on their present, but did it really not have a bearing? Was he not shying away from his feelings for her fearing that the past would repeat itself and his love for Prachi may weaken over time like his love for Ayesha did? Why could he not see the difference between the love he felt for Prachi and what he thought he felt for Ayesha? Why did it require some hard talking by Ayesha to disentangle his muddled thoughts and feelings? Why did he just not follow his heart which was crying out for Prachi all the time? His heart ached for the pain he had caused to the woman who had reposed complete faith in him.

He did not want to waste another minute. He needed to speak to her immediately; to explain to her how wrong he was in treating her with disdain; to tell her how much he loved her and wanted her back. Wiping his eyes which had brimmed over with tears, he took out his mobile and called Shah House. PL came on line and as soon as he identified himself, cheerfully enquired about how he was and how was Prachi. Shocked by her query he hurriedly mumbled that both of them were fine and assured her that he was merely making a courtesy call. As the whole implication of what that call meant sunk in, he felt that his entire world was caving in around him. Prachi was gone and he did not know where she was. He ran out of his house and not knowing where to look for her, he rushed to Ayesha's house. He banged at her door with all his force and called out her name. Ayesha who was getting ready to cook her dinner opened the door and seeing Milind she asked him teasingly, "So, did Prachi madam swoon after hearing her patidev's love confession?"

It is only then that she noticed that Milind's face was death pale. She looked at him with concern and asked him, "Milind, are you alright?"

"She's gone, Ayesha", he whispered. "She's gone, my Prachi has gone. She has left me." Holding the frame of the door, he slid down and broke down completely. He wept uncontrollably like a baby, "I can't live without her, Ayesha. I can't live without her."

"Let's go now," he said with a sense of urgency. "Let's go and get back Prachi from there."

"But Milind I do not know where Sneha lives."

Milind was crest fallen. Trying to find a solution to their problem, Ayesha suddenly snapped her fingers. "Wait, I know of a way to get her address. Prachi must have written down her phone number in the telephone book in Shah House. I'll get PL aunty to give the number to me."

Milind looked concerned. "Ayesha, if Ma comes to know that her daughter is missing she will be worried."

"Don't worry. I will not let her know that Prachi is missing. Just give me your cell," she said.

Milind passed on his cell to her. She dialled Shah House and asked for PL. When she got her on the line she told her that she needed Sneha's telephone number as she wanted to invite her for Prachi's surprise birthday party. As Prachi is not supposed to know about the party, she cannot ask her. So she was asking her mother instead. PL bought her flimsy story because Ayesha does come up with some of the weirdest of ideas to celebrate people's birthdays. She searched the number in the telephone book and gave it to her. Armed with the number, Ayesha immediately called up Sneha's house. Identifying herself as Prachi's best friend to Sneha, she asked her if Prachi was there. Sneha was initially reluctant to admit that she was, but Ayesha could make out from the hesitancy in her voice that she was lying. Ayesha then explained to her that there was a small misunderstanding between Milind and Prachi which her husband wanted to clear up with her. After a lot of pleading and cajoling, Sneha agreed to let Milind meet Prachi. Ayesha asked her not to let Prachi know that he was coming and Sneha agreed to keep it a secret. Ayesha then took down her address and handed it to Milind.

"Milind I think you need to meet Prachi alone. She must be too raw and hurting right now. If she sees us together, it will only aggravate matters. "

Milind agreed with her and bidding her goodnight, he set off on his bike to bring his beloved back home where she belongs.

Why has she been singled out for the choicest of treatment by destiny she wondered. All the men in her life seemed to have abandoned her when she needed them the most. Her childhood friend whom she trusted with the smallest of details of her life did not trust her enough to confide in her his love life, thereby letting her weave dreams around him which were shattered before they were realised. Her father who had always been her emotional anchor was not strong enough to bear the disappointment of her broken engagement and left her for the heavenly abode even before she could bid him a proper adieu. Her brother, her own flesh and blood, used her as a pawn for furthering his own ambitions. Her husband, from whom she never expected anything in the beginning, gave her a ray of hope through his actions, only to snatch it away before it fructified into something more meaningful. She felt cheated; she felt betrayed; she felt lost. Her life, which appeared to have achieved some purpose after she started bonding with Milind, seemed to suddenly turn rudderless again.

When she left Milind's place that night she was still in a state of shock to register what had befallen her. All she knew was that she needed to get out of that place as soon as possible as she felt too suffocated. She did not want to go back to Shah House lest she worries her mother who already had her share of troubles, what with a son like Alaap. If she comes to know that her daughter's life was in shambles, she would have been too heartbroken. It is then that she remembered her childhood friend, Sneha. As she took the local train to Malad where she lived, the entire evening's events started slowly seeping in. Strangely she felt no anger or bitterness against either Milind or Ayesha, only a huge sense of disappointment at not being taken into confidence. She felt betrayed by their secrecy.

She did not blame them for loving each other. After all it is not a crime to love but why did they not tell her about it? Ayesha was her closest friend. She had been with her through her most trying and turbulent times and understood her like none other. Then why did she not tell her that she was in love with Milind when her marriage was fixed up with him? She would have definitely brought them together even it meant marrying any creep Alaap would have chosen for her in return for his marrying Sukriti. Ayesha had been through a lot of pain since childhood and deserved happiness and she would have ensured she got it. Moreover, she knew nothing of Milind back then and would not have missed him but now that she has fallen so hopelessly in love with him, leaving him was tearing her apart from within.

Her heart cried out in agony at losing the only man she loved romantically. When she lost Neev she felt more betrayed than hurt. The fact that she mistook friendship for love hit her only after she lost him because she did not feel the pangs of a ditched lover but that of a ditched friend. Losing Milind, though, was like losing her heart, for within the short time she had known him she had accepted him fully into her heart. He was her world. Losing him was like losing her breath, the reason why she felt suffocated and breathless at the sight of him with Ayesha but she had willed herself to give him up because at the end of it all his happiness meant more to her than her own.

Meanwhile in Sneha's apartment

Prachi had reached Sneha's house at around 8.30 p.m. While Sneha was elated to see her long time friend, she quickly realised that something was amiss seeing her friend's face. Despite Prachi's best efforts to hide her tears, the melancholy look in her eyes was unmistakable and Sneha's heart went out to her friend. She gently enquired if something was wrong but Prachi merely told her that she was having some marital problems and wanted to stay with her for a couple of days till she finds an alternate accommodation to move into. Seeing that she did not want to discuss her problems with her, Sneha did not prod her but told her she can stay with her as long as she wants. Moreover, her husband was away attending a Medical Conference in Geneva and will not be back till the weekend. After she showed her the guest room, Sneha offered to serve dinner but Prachi wanted go up to the terrace to get some fresh air. While waiting for her, Sneha had received the call from Ayesha. Although she was initially reluctant to admit Prachi's presence in her house, she also knew that unless the newly-weds communicate they cannot sort out any issues between themselves. As Milind's visit can help solve whatever problems they were having, she invited him over.

Milind was there at her doorstep at around 9.00 pm. Sneha was surprised that he had reached there so soon but then could understand his urgency from his eyes which constantly kept searching for his wife even while he was introducing himself to her. Sneha did not want to make him wait longer. So after the preliminary introduction she took him to the terrace and switching on the light, left the husband and wife alone to sort out their issues in private.

Disturbed from her troubled thoughts by the sudden brightness, Prachi turned towards the light and saw Milind standing at the entrance to the terrace. Her heart skipped a beat to see the person she was thinking of at that very moment. Soon the excitement of seeing the man she loved so dearly was clouded by the heart wrenching pain of having lost him and she turned her back to him. Milind was quick to notice the change in her expression and was equally pained at having caused it in the first place. He slowly walked up to her. She got up from the swing and went to the far corner of the terrace. Not wanting to intrude into her private space, Milind stood two feet away from her and poured his heart out.

"Prachi I know you are angry with me right now. You have every right to be. I have no right to be standing in front of you after all that I had subjected you through in the past weeks. You had been nothing but loving and caring not only towards me but also towards my family. If it had not been for you, my Baba would now not be on the road to recovery."

At the mention of Baba, Prachi turned around and raised her palm to stop him, "Milind, you need not feel obliged to me for what I had done for your Baba. I was a fool not to realise that your change in attitude towards me was because you felt grateful to me for taking care of your Baba and not because you had developed feelings for me. It was my mistake to have misunderstood you and built my dreams around you. Ever since I revealed my love, you were doing your best to push me away. Only I did not take the cue. I did not realise that you can't love me, now or ever."

Milind was shocked to hear this. Did she think that he merely felt gratitude towards her? "Prachi, who said I can't love you?" he asked her quietly.

"You did" she said, more as a statement rather than as an accusation. "I heard you tell Ayesha you can't love me. I can understand it Milind, you can't love me because you can't forget your love for Ayesha."

Milind was completely shaken by now. Prachi had heard him? Was she there when he confessed to Ayesha his problem? How much had she heard? Not much, from what she was saying now, he thought ruefully. He could well appreciate her pain. It was one thing to read his diary and quite another to also hear him admit to his ex-lover that he can't love his wife. How much she must have hurt hearing those thoughtless words. He wanted to hit himself for causing her so much anguish.

"Prachi, I am so sorry you heard those words but they did not mean what you think they do. I thought I can't love you enough, as much as you deserve. I thought my love was inadequate in front of your supreme love and sacrifice. It is not that I have not forgotten my love for Ayesha, Prachi, but that I have forgotten it and that too in one month. I was scared that if I can forget a ten-year love in a month, what sort of commitment I can bring to my love for you. I was scared that I may end up hurting you more by giving you hope. That is why I tried to push you away from me, Prachi, I tried to make you dislike me but I couldn't stop loving you, I couldn't give you up. You are my world, Prachi. Without you I am nothing," he said, his voice betraying his pain.

Prachi looked into his eyes and saw the truth in his words. She could see his desperate longing for her; his remorse for having hurt her and most of all his deep love for her.

By now Milind was reduced to tears. He started pleading with her "Prachi, please give me a second chance to prove my love, to wipe out the pain I've caused, to......" Before he could continue Prachi reached up and putting her arms around his neck, she dragged his face to her and sealed his lips with hers. Milind was too stunned by the suddenness of her act but he let himself drown in her kiss.

(5)

Moments later Prachi broke free realising what she had done quite impulsively to stop Milind from rambling away. She bent her head down, unable to meet his gaze. Lifting her chin up with his finger, Milind couldn't resist teasing her, "Now, THAT was unexpected." Prachi's blush deepened and she tried to move away. Milind dragged her back into his arms when Prachi suddenly realised there was something still not resolved yet. Pushing herself back, she looked into Milind's eyes and asked him with concern as to how Ayesha was taking all this. It is then that Milind realised he had not explained to her what had transpired between him and Ayesha in her house. He guided her to the swing and once they were seated, he narrated the entire chain of events of that evening starting from Ayesha waylaying him and questioning him about his behaviour towards Prachi to her making him see what he failed to see. He also told her what she had said about their own relationship and how it was bound to fail given their temperaments. Prachi looked a little sceptical but looking back, she found no instance when Ayesha displayed even a shadow of remorse at their relationship breaking up. Was she such a good actress or was it that love for Milind was as much a mirage to her as it was to him? One thing she knew from her own experience, the length of time of knowing a person is no guarantee that your love for that person would be deeper. She knew Neev since childhood and yet what she thought as love was not love after all. Milind and she agreed that it was their joint duty to ensure that Ayesha finds true love soon and decided to do their part in helping her do so. Milind then held her hand and said in a serious tone, "Prachi, there is something I want to tell you." Prachi looked at him curiously.

"I don't want you to get this wrong. Our marriage did not take place under the most ideal conditions. I married you for the sake of ensuring and preserving my sister's happiness. So atleast there was something in it for me from the start. It is a huge bonus that I ended up getting the most precious woman on the face of this earth. But this marriage has not been a fair deal to you. You did not get anything but hardship by marrying me. You had to give up a lot of comfort for my sake. In the initial weeks of marriage you also had to put up with my temper tantrums and taunts. I even came home drunk one day and took out on you my anger against your brother. In all your goodness you did not utter a word against any of it. On the contrary you not only took good care of me but also my baba. At the beginning of our marriage I mocked you as 'Your highness' but in truth you are my queen and I want to treat you as one. Although I want to give you everything, at present I am unable to. I want to make myself worthy of you before I make you mine."

"I have everything I want, Milind", assured Prachi. "I have you and there is nothing more that I need. It is not what a man has that counts but what he is. I could have never hoped to have got a better husband than you. I admire your righteousness, your independence, your love and care for your family, your sense of duty and diligence, your sense of humour, your principles, your... "

"Bas, bas, bas..Prachi. I am merely a human being, not a demi-god. Please don't put me on such a high pedestal. I know that you value human relationships more than any material things. That only goes to show the goodness of your heart but I do have some ambitions in life. I want to achieve them. I want to be my own man and not merely an employee. In pursuit of my dream I had not taken up a job for a long time but as I have to run a home, I took up this job at the hotel. Someday I want to own a hotel. I am working hard towards achieving that dream by learning all there is to know about running a hotel business. I hope to achieve my dream soon. So until then can we postpone consummating our relationship? Believe me there is nothing more that I want than making you mine and becoming yours but I want it to be the celebration of the fulfilment of my dream."

Prachi gazed at her husband with new found respect. Here is a man who was willing to reign in his desires in order to achieve his dream and provide her with comfort. As she remained silent, Milind got nervous and fidgeted around.

"If you are not agreeable Prachi, we can become husband and wife in every sense of the word as soon as possible. I don't want to impose my views on you and deprive you of your conjugal rights."

Prachi smiled and shook her head, "No, from today, your dreams are my dreams. I will wait till you fulfil yours. I am sure you are going to achieve your dream pretty soon because you have the drive needed to achieve it. Until then we will just be lovers who immensely enjoy each other's company but do not take the final step to physical intimacy."

Milind was so happy that his wife understood him. He hugged her again and kissed her forehead.

They went down to meet Sneha and tell her that their misunderstandings have been resolved. Sneha was very happy to hear that her friend was back with her husband. She insisted that they have dinner with her before they left for their home. During dinner Sneha light heartedly mentioned to Milind that Prachi had some strong crushes in school. Milind was curious to know more. Despite Prachi jabbing her friend at the ribs to stop her from revealing her secrets, Sneha went ahead and spilt the beans. Prachi seemed to have had crushes on fictional, historical and mythological characters. Among the fictional characters, her strongest crush was on Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Among the historical characters she had a crush on Martin Luther King. Her favourite mythological character was Karna from Mahabharat.

"Now, that is quite a variety you have up there", joked Milind.

Prachi punched his shoulder and screwed Sneha's ears for revealing her crushes to her husband.

Part XV

Nine days later

Prachi woke up in the morning to greet another day; only this was no ordinary day, but the day she was born. All her birthdays, except the last one when she was still mourning the loss of her father, were celebrated with great pomp and grandeur. Although Prachi herself did not attach too much importance to the day, she considered this particularly birthday special because it was her first birthday as Prachi Milind Mishra. She mouthed her full name and feeling really good about it, smiled at the sleeping form of her husband who had given her half of that name. She leant forward and traced his lips with her index finger, marvelling at their fullness and shapeliness. When she saw him stir, she quickly withdrew her finger. Milind opened his eyes and seeing his wife, smiled sweetly and wished her a good morning. She waited with baited breath for his birthday wish to follow, but it did not come. Hiding her disappointment she wished him back and went about her morning chores. While Milind had gone for his bath, his cell rang. Picking it up, Prachi realised it was PL calling to wish her on her birthday. She thanked her and said she will drop by later that morning to take her blessings. Just as she disconnected, Milind returned and enquired who was on the line. Prachi merely said that her mother had called and that she was going to meet her. Milind asked her to give her his regards and proceeded to get dressed. Soon he was screaming for his socks, his handkerchief and his watch. Prachi scurried and found the things he wanted. Taking them from her, he brusquely thanked her and got ready for work. As he was about to leave the house, Prachi hesitantly asked him if he was not forgetting something. At first he looked confused but then as realisation dawned, he smiled and leaned over to give her a light goodbye kiss on the cheek. He was gone before she could fully recover from the huge disappointment. 'He did not remember my birthday', she thought sadly.

She got dressed, and went to the temple before going to the Shah House. PL was glad to see her daughter. Prachi took her blessings and hugged her. PL kissed her daughter on the forehead and gifted her a set of diamond ear rings. Just then Sukriti had walked in and hugging her bhabhi, wished her a very happy birthday. She gifted her a beautiful Titan watch and said it was from both her husband and herself. She said Alaap wanted to wish her but had to leave early to attend an important business meeting. Prachi knew she was covering up for him but did not say anything. PL insisted that she stays back for lunch. Over lunch PL enquired how was Milind and asked what gift he had given her. Holding back her tears, Prachi conveyed his regards to her and said that he intended to surprise her that evening with his gift. PL expressed her satisfaction with her son-in-law.

After lunch Prachi made her regular visit to the nursing home to see Baba. Placing his limp hand on her head she sought his blessings. Although he was not conscious, she felt he was blessing her from whatever mental state he was in. She returned home that evening and was soon surrounded by the chawl kids who dragged her down. They pulled her hands towards the community hall which was adjoining the chawl. The welfare society of the chawl had built it and, for a nominal charge, the residents of the chawl conducted their functions there. The hall was decorated with balloons and streamers. A large banner with a happy birthday message hung on one wall. A table at the centre had a huge chocolate cake on it. As Prachi entered in, she was greeted with loud clapping. Prachi looked around to see nearly the entire chawl gathered there. PL, Sukriti and Sneha were there too. Prachi was very happy to see them all. Ayesha asked her when Milind was expected to come and was told that he comes home very late these days. Ayesha then said that they may not be able to wait for him as the children had school the next day. So they started the party. After the birthday song was sung and the cake was cut, refreshments and snacks were served. The children then sang and danced for their Prachi didi. Prachi was asked to sing too and she obliged. They had a few games like the 'dumb charades' and 'passing the parcel'. The party finally got over close to 8 o'clock. The children carried to her house all the gifts their Prachi didi received and wishing her good night, they left.

Prachi sat down on the wooden sofa, looking at the gifts and pondering over the happenings of the day. She had received birthday wishes from everyone who knew her except from the one person whose wishes mattered the most to her. Her eyes grew moist as she struggled hard to overcome her disappointment. Realising she had not prepared anything for dinner, she hurried to the kitchen to start cooking. Just then she heard the front door bell ring. Expecting to see a tired and worn out Milind, she was surprised to see a refreshed and excited Milind at the door step. Before she could recover from the shock, he proceeded to blindfold her with a large handkerchief and ignoring her protests, he whisked her in his arms and carried her out, banging their door shut on the way. Prachi kept asking him where he was taking her to but he would not utter a word. She could feel him carrying her up many flights of stairs. Soon they reached their destination. Milind gently let her down and removed the blindfold. Prachi looked around in curiosity and realised that they were on the terrace of the chawl building. The walls of the terrace were lit up by small diyas. On the water tank of the chawl was stuck a large banner which proclaimed "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DARLING WIFE" in big red letters. On one side of the terrace was a table on the centre of which was a small black forest cake. The table was set for dinner for two. Prachi clasped her hands in glee, looking around at the arrangements her husband had made without her knowledge. She rushed to her husband and hugged him tight.

"You remembered Milind, you remembered my birthday?!" she exclaimed.

"When did I forget, to remember it?" he asked her amusedly.

"You did not wish me in the morning. I thought you had forgotten."

Milind then knelt before her and with his hand crossed against his heart recited these lines which he himself had composed:

"I wasn't there to greet you into this world

I wasn't there for most part of your life;

But I'm here with you now, and will always be

Till the very end, my beloved wife."

When he finished, he took her hands in his and kissed them.

Prachi was surprised to see the poet in him.

"I did not know you wrote poetry!" she exclaimed.

Getting up, he said, "I don't normally write poems, Prachi, but you are a great source of inspiration."

He then explained to her why he waited till now to wish her. "Your family and friends have known you longer than I have. So I wanted them to have the opportunity to wish you first. But I want to have you exclusively to myself after that so that I can celebrate the closing hours of your birthday with you. Although I am a late entrant into your life, I am the one who will be with you now and forever."

He continued, "I kept everyone informed about my plan. That is why no one bothered you with too many questions about my whereabouts. I had returned from work while you were at the hall. After freshening up, I had come up here to make these arrangements. As I had already bought the dinner, I asked them to keep you busy till dinner time so that you would not have time to prepare anything. So, Mrs. Prachi Milind Mishra, how do you like my surprise?"

Prachi punched his chest in mock anger and said she loved her surprise.

"Wait, there is more", he said.

He then went to the music player plugged to one corner of the terrace and switched it on. The song below sung by George Benson played on it.

If I had to live my life without you near me
The days would all be empty
The nights would seem so long
With you I see forever.. oh so clearly
I might have been in love before
But it never felt this strong
Our dreams are young and we both know
They'll take us where we want to go
Hold me now
Touch me now
I don't want to live without you

Nothing's gonna change my love for you
You ought to know by now how much I love you
One thing you can be sure of
I'll never ask for more than your love
Nothings gonna change my love for you
You ought to know by now how much I love you
The world may change my whole life through but
Nothings gonna change my love for you

If the road ahead is not so easy
Our love will lead the way for us
Like a guiding star
I'll be there for you
If you should need me
You don't have to change a thing
I love you just the way you are
So come with me and share the view
I'll help you see forever too
Hold me now
Touch me now
I don't want to live without you

Nothings gonna change my love for you
You ought to know by now how much I love you
One thing you can be sure of
I'll never ask for more than your love
Nothings gonna change my love for you
You ought to know by now how much I love you
The world may change my whole life through but
Nothings gonna change my love for you

Nothings gonna change my love for you
You ought to know by now how much I love you
One thing you can be sure of
I'll never ask for more than your love

Looking at Prachi's surprised expression, Milind explained that Ayesha had told him this was her all time favourite love song. So he wanted to play it for her. Moreover, the song conveyed exactly what was in his heart. Then, holding her hands in his, he gently dragged her to him. He slipped one hand to her waist and gently swayed to the music. Prachi immediately fell in line and put one hand on his shoulder. They held each other and danced through the song.

At the end of it, Milind kissed her forehead and led her to the table. He extended the knife to her and after she cut the cake, he fed her a piece. As she bit the piece, he leaned forward and bit the part that was sticking out of her mouth, brushing his lips against hers as he did so. A tingling sensation ran through her body and she bent down her head. He gave her small gift wrapped box. On opening it, Prachi found a cell phone inside. He told her that now he can call her through the day and whisper sweet nothings. Prachi blushed and gave him another hug.

They then had their dinner in silence looking deep into each other's eyes. The light from the diyas flickered, enhancing the romantic ambience. After dinner they sat on the mat Milind had spread out and chatted for hours. Prachi told him that this was the best birthday she ever had. As their eyelids grew heavy, they stretched themselves on the mat and fell asleep in each other's arms under the sky lit by the near full moon and the stars. The diyas burnt themselves out as the night wore on.