Maanvi: im sor...
Just then she paused and looked at the man shocked...she could remember those light brown eyes anywhere...
Maanvi: VIRAT!!!!
Maanvi smiled at the man in front of her who looked at her confused
Maanvi: Oh My God!! Partner!!
He still looked at her confused trying to remember who she was and how she knew him...and then came his eureka moment...
Virat: maanvi!! Wow yaar, you have changed sooo much...didnt recognise you for a minute...
He looked at maanvi up and down...she was wearing a formal black dress and black heels...she had worn light make up and had her hair let out free...
Maanvi: i see you forgot me easily (she pouted)
Virat smiled: no yaar, it's just that you look very different now...
Maanvi smiled and slightly laughed...
Maanvi: good!!! You better not have forgotten me!! (she said playfully)
Virat smiled looking at her...and ruffled the back of his head...
Virat: i guess some things don't change (he grinned) anyway, how are you??
Maanvi looked at her watch, she only had 5mins left till she had to reach the school...
Maanvi: haan, im good. However i am sort of in a rush right now as i am late...so i have to go now...
Virat: ahhh i see now, no wonder why you were running...and then the coffee (he pointed at the split coffee)
Maanvi: sorry yaar, but here, take my number and i expect you to call me!! we need to have a long chat! (she laughed looking at virat nodding his heas obediently) and i will treat you to coffee too...since i spilt this one (and smiled)
Virat: yess mam!! (He saluted her) but let me drop you off since you are late...
Maanvi: its okay virat, i will manage..its close by...plus you seem like you are going somewhere...
Virat: no worries maanvi, let me take you...my car is just around the corner...
Maanvi hesitated a bit...virat noticed and smiled...
Virat: if it helps, im on my break from work so have a lot of time left...let me take you otherwise you will definitely be late...(he smiled)
Maanvi: okay virat...but we need to hurry, i only have 5 minutes...
Virat: then lets gooo...
And they quickly went to the car...
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Virat and maanvi sat inside virats car...he turned the engine on and looked at maanvi...
Virat: let's hope you navigation has improved over the years (he grinned cheekily)
Maanvi looked at virat and rolled her eyes...
Maanvi: my navigation was and is never wrong, you need to just listen and follow my instructions (she stuck her tongue out as virat smiled)
They drove off and maanvi told him where to go, after turning left and right they finally reached their destination...maanvi looked at the time, she was still a little late, but she was happy that she reached soon...virat looked at where they were and noticed a school...he wondered why maanvi had to be here...meanwhile maanvi saw abhay stand at the gate with his arms crossed... "hes angry" she thought and smiled...
Maanvi: and we are here...thanks virat...you are a life saver...
Virat: voh toh mein hoon (he winked)
Maanvi raised her eyebrows after hearing virat speak in hindi...she smiled at virat and spoke back o him in hindi too...
Maanvi: acha, toh mein chalti hoon, phone karna mat bhoolna okay!!! (She said as she got out the car)
Virat: don't worry i won't forget...but do you need to me to take you anywhere else...
Maanvi: no virat, it's okay...after here i am heading home...i will manage...
Virat: okay then i will drop you home...
Maanvi: i will manage yaar, plus you need to get to work...
Virat: don't you worry about work...and i insist...
Maanvi looked at virat and agreed...
Maanvi: okay fine...i will be right back...my son is waiting for me and is probably goin to be very mad as i am late (she slightly laughed)...
Maanvi quickly went across the street...virat got out of the car for a while as he watched her leave...he leaned against the car as he was maanvi go to a child who was outside the school...
Virat: she has a son (he smiled softly watching them from far)
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Abhay: mummy you are late!!!!
Abhay huffed and crossed his arms looking at maanvi with anger and then turned around not facing her...maanvi smiled at her son, he looked super cute angry...maanvi went to face her son...she knelt down to him and smiled...
Maanvi: sorry sweetly (she said softly)
Abhay looked away in anger...
Maanvi: sorry baba...acha look, im holding my ears too
She held her ears and looked at abhay...abhay looked at her and started to smile and laugh...
Abhay: acha maaf kiya...
Maanvi: thank you!!!! (she said as she kissed him on the cheek)
Abhay: i love you mummy...
Maanvi: i love you too!!
And they hugged...
Maanvi: now lets go home...
She took abhays hand and they started to walk towards virats car...abhay looked at the man leaning against it looking at them...he was a familiar face...abhay immediately smiled...
Abhay: mummy, who is that??? And why is he looking at us...
Maanvi: vohh (looking at virat) he is your mummas good friend...because of him i reached to you now...otherwise your mummy would have been even more late...
Abhay: good friend??? Meaning an uncle??...
Maanvi: hmmm haan...your uncle...
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Virat watched maanvi and the child carefully approach him...he smiled at the familiar face he saw...abhay and virat both looked at eachother smiling...
Virat: hey kiddo...
Abhay: hello uncle...
They got into the car...and virat drove off to take them home...and suddenly maanvi told him to stop the car...
Maanvi: virattt...stop stop stop...pull up over here...(she said quickly)
Virat stopped the car and looked around looking confused...abhay looked at his mother confused as well...
Virat: maanvi!! (he said sweetly) do you live on a main road?? (he them said sarcastically)
Maanvi looked at virat confused by the way he was talking...and due to the random question...
Maanvi: no virat...i don't...
Virat: then why have you told me to stop...i said i was dropping you home...
Maanvi: i told you to stop because our house is nearby from here...
Virat: haan toh let me drop you off...
Abhay watched maanvi and virat bicker moving his head back and forth...
Maanvi: no yaar, you are getting late for work...we can manage from here and you can go straight to work...
Virat: abe meri maa
Maanvi raised her eyebrows at virat...virat looked at her and became quiet
Abhay: maa?? But uncle...she my mummy...
Both virat and maanvi looked at abhay...who was looking at them both confused...and started to laugh...
Maanvi: haan sweety...i am your mummy...only yours...
Virat smiled looking at maanvi and abhay...
Virat: aur maanvi...maine kaha na, don't you worry about work...
Maanvi: kya yaar, you are talking as if you are the boss and you can leave and go whenever you like...
Virat: thats because i am the boss...and i can leave and go whenever i like...(he grinned)
Maanvi looked at virat surprised and then started to cough...virat looked at manvi concerned...
Virat: are you okay??
Maanvi nodded: haan...just shocked to hear that you are a boss...
Virat started to laugh and handed her some water...
Virat: no lets go...i will drop you home...
Maanvi nodded and didn't say a word...allowing virat to take her and abhay home...
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They reached outside maanvis house...
Virat: unbelievable...(he said to himself as he looked around)
Maanvi: what?? (looking at virat in confusion)
Virat looked at maanvi surprised to know she heard him...
Virat: nothing...its just that...i live down the road from you (he slightly laughed)
Maanvi: really?? Then how comes i haven't seen you around...
Virat: i just moved to London...it hasn't even been a week...
Maanvi: ohhh i see...
Virat: anyway...i will get going...however i will drop by soon since i live near...(he winked)
Maanvi: no way boss...since you can go to work whenever you like...i insist you come in for coffee...
Maanvi emphasised on the word "coffee" as she grinned at virat...
Abhay: haan uncle...come in our house please...
Virat: okay then...
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Virat entered the house and abhay took him into the living room...they both sat down on the couch as maanvi left them alone to make coffee and do some other work...
Abhay and virat sat on the sofa silently...virat scanned the entire room, it was very homely, photographs and paintings on the wall...a television in the corner of the room and a coffee table in the center...the fireplace added the warmness to the house..."maanvi's choice has calmed and matured" he thought to himself...he looked at abhay who was sitting there silently...
Virat: hey kiddo...since we are no longer strangers, we can talk na?? (he said as he smiled sweetly)
Abhay looked at virat and nodded...
Abhay: hi, i am abhay (he said smiling)
Virat: hello abhay...i am virat...
Abhay: hi virat uncle...
Virat smiled at abhay...his eyes and smile was just like maanvi...
Virat: vesey beta...where is your dad?? At work??
Abhay: no uncle...daddy is home...
Virat: really?? Where??
Abhay: let me take you to him
Virat looked at abhay confused as abhay took hold of his hand and took him to a different room...abhay opened the door and took virat with him...
Abhay: daddy is there with him...
Virats confused expression had turned into a sad one as he looked at abhay...abhay had taken him to their home mandir...where his fathers photo stood with the bhagwan statues...
Abhay: daddy...meet virat uncle...he is mummy's good friend...and virat uncle this is my daddy...
Virat: raj...(he whispered)
Abhay looked at virat confused...
Abhay: do you know my dad??
Virat nodded and knelt down to abhay...
Virat: we were friends...
Abhay looked at virat and just then maanvi came...
Maanvi: abhay...virat...what are you two doing here??..
Maanvi looked at virat who was clearly looking upset...and abhay went running to his mother...
Abhay: nothing mummy...virat wanted to meet daddy so i brought him here...
Maanvi looked at abhay and caressed his face...
Maanvi: sweety, go freshen up...and then come down quickly so you can do your homework and then watch cartoon...(she smiled)
Abhay: okay mummy...
And abhay quickly ran upstairs to his room...maanvi looked at virat and saw nothing but guilt...she gave him a reassuring smile...
Maanvi: coffee's ready...
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They walked into the kitchen...there was silence between them...
Maanvi: how many spoons of sugar...
Virat: two please...
Silence arose between them again...maanvi felt a dull atmosphere around her...she looked at virat sitting at the dining table with his coffee, drinking it quietly...maanvi started to keep herself busy with some work...she started to cut fruits for abhay as she kept on glancing at virat...
Virat: how? (he spoke breaking the slience between them)
Virat and maanvi looked at eachother...it was like virat was reading her...
Virat: when?? (he asked another question...
Maanvi took a deep breath composing herself...she never really liked talking about her past...it always brought back a pain in her chest...
Maanvi: 3 years go...when we were living in paris...(she paused for a bit)...drink driving...
Maanvi started to peel an orange...Virat looked at maanvi shocked...
Virat: raj drove under the influence of alcohol???
Maanvi: no...no yaar...raj didn't even drink alcohol...
Virat looked at maanvi confused...
Maanvi: raj was coming home from an office event one night...and as he was driving he met with an accident with another car full of youngsters who were under the influence of alcohol...his car was flipped and then hit by a bus...he was taken to the hospital...but there was no chance of survival...
There was silence once again in the kitchen...
Virat: im so sorry maanvi...
Maanvi nodded...as she finished getting the plate of fruit ready...she looked at virat and saw a guilty expression...
Maanvi: stop yaar (she smiled)...i don't like it when people feel guilty that im a widow...its okay yaar...its all written in my destiny...
Virat: destiny has been pretty tough on you though...
Virat and maanvi looked at eachother with a serious expression...
please take your time and do not rush on anything?
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Debate Mansion
