The parent-3'Ch 15-pg35,jan30 2014 - Page 5

"Abhi..." Geet called in a sweet voice as she approached towards the window.As far she remembered,all the windows of the room were open before she entered the bathroom.

"Abhi.."Geet called again.She was about to open the window near the bed when,Abhi's voice touched her eardrums..

"Don't open the window,GD"..Abhi spoke as she hid her face in the duvet once again.

"But why Abhi???" Geet asked in confusion,taking a seat beside sleeping "birthday girl".

"I am in "sulking" mode..and I want to sulk in "appropriate" scenario"...Abhi explained.

"But why are you in "sulking" mode,dear???" Geet inquired removing the duvet from Abhi's face.

"Because I want a "puppy" for my birthday gift and mumma strictly and adamantly denied my wish" Abhi told in a voice full of disappointment.

"Thats really sad,abhi.!!!" Geet exclaimed with a dramatic sigh and smile..

"Isn't it.GD???Moreover mumma wants me to wear "Salwar kameez" for the evening party.."Abhi complained with a cute pout..

"But Abhi why are you spoiling your birthday for the gift you are not going to get???What about other gifts.."Geet tried to say but she was interrupted by Abhi..

"Its not about gift,GD..!!!Mumma thinks,I can't take care of a puppy.." Abhi spoke coming into sitting position.."For God sake,I am fourteen now..."She exclaimed further dramatically throwing her hands in the air.She was a drama queen indeed.

"You know,you are so cute.."Geet said as she leaned forward to pull abhi's chubby cheek but before she could complete her task,abhi had hidden herself again in the comforter.

"Let me sulk,GD..."She said with slight anger.."and please don't open the windows and don't switch on the lights.."Abhi gave the further instructions for maintaining the sulking scenario.

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Geet switched on the torch as she tried to locate an important paper in the pile of files kept on the study table.Four hours had passed and Abhi still hadn't come out from her "sulking" mode.Moreover,It was a cloudy day with no "Sun" outside,"Even Weather was helping Abhi to maintain her sulking scenario.."Geet thought with a smile as she opened one of the file.With in few minutes,she was too lost in her search that she did not realize someone entering the room with stealthy foot steps.

She was scared and shocked as someone hugged her from behind in the dark room suddenly. Geet turned around only to get a bone crushing hug from the same person as she heard a girly voice,almost yelling in her ears.."Happy birthday...!!!"

The shock and fear,Geet had initially felt was now replaced by some "alien" emotion.She knew,some one had misunderstood her as abhi but still,she did not want to speak and break the hug.She did not know why but,her arms,in their own accord,hugged the person next moment as a sheer film of moisture formed in her hazels. She felt a serene calm enveloping her existence as if she had found a missing part of herself she had lost long ago,as if she was waiting for this moment since her whole life..

Tears were now prominently flowing down her cheeks as she hid the "face of the unknown yet known girl" in her bosoms..Till now,Geet had figured out that she was hugging a girl,who was most probably of abhi's age and had come in her room to wish her...

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Suta was told about Abhi's sulking by Mrs.Sharma as soon she entered Sharma Residence.She had assured Sharma aunty that she would cheer up her best friend's mood for sure.The immense darkness had welcomed her as soon she opened the door of Abhi's room.Then she spotted,a silhouette near the study table.She wanted to suprise Abhi with her early arrival as well as her plan to spend the entire day with "birthday girl",hence she entered the room stealthily to wish Abhi,But as soon she hugged the person near the study table,she came to know,she wasn't Abhi.Suta wanted to break the hug immediately and say sorry but something stopped her.Motherly warmth she felt in this person's embrace made her hug the person more closely.Suddenly she wanted to cry loud and share all her problems..She wanted to tell that person that her father had died..She wanted to complain that he had never loved her..She wanted to tell her that she did not get select in school basketball team...Even she felt like sharing about slight hair growth above her upper lip..Somewhere her heart believed,only that person had solutions of all her problems..Tears she was trying to control till now finally made their way out of her eyes,when the person hugged her closer to her heart...

Abhi exclaimed as she switched on the lights.

Sudden appearance of light and Abhi's voice made Geet and Suta break the hug as both of them looked at each other for the first time.

Geet kept looking at the young girl 's face ,who was practically stranger to her,yet seemed so close.Moisture in girl's eyes pinched Geet's heart.She did not know when she started caressing her head and face..

"How did this happen??" Geet asked with extreme pain in her voice as she looked at the scar on Suta's fore head..

"I fell from the swing in the garden..."Suta told her like a little kid,with a pout.For some reason,She could not maintain her "pain resistant" attitude before Geet..

"It might have hurt alot.."Geet exclaimed as she caressed the scar now.

The concern and pain in Geet's voice suddenly reminded her of "Maan". She had always felt same vulnerability in his presence like she was feeling right now.Suddenly she stepped away from Geet thus creating some distance between them.It felt awkward to hug and talk to someone whom she had met for the first time in her life.

"Hello..I am also here..." Abhi's complaining voice grabbed both Suta and Geet's attention.

"Happy birth day...!!!!" Suta yelled as she jumped into the bed and gave a tight hug to birthday girl.

"Thank you..."Abhi said with a wan smile which did not go miss by Suta..

"I know you are sulking abhi..and I know the reason too..." Suta exclaimed pinching abhi's cheek.

"You do???"Abhi asked with surprise.

"Yes..aunty told me..."Suta answered.

Geet was smiling witnessing the interaction between two friends.Though,she wasn't properly introduced to Suta yet but she had realized till now that Suta and Abhi were best friends.Geet was immensely surprised when Suta whispered something in Abhi's ear and She happily jumped out of her bed and her "sulking mode" too..

"Really???You know..you are the "Best-est",suta.." Geet heard Abhi exclaiming with extreme happiness and excitement in her voice.

"Since birth sweet heart.." Suta said raising her imaginary collars when her gaze went back to Geet who was watching everything with a sweet smile playing on her lips..

"Abhi..you did not introduce us???" Suta spoke,getting up from the bed.

"Do I need to???You both were hugging each other few minutes ago as if you know each other since ages..."Abhi exclaimed with a laughter as she came towards Geet..."Anyways..Suta..She is Geet Didi AKA GD ..my roommate.."

Finally Abhi did the formal introduction..

"Nice to meet you GD.."Suta said with a smile..

"Same here suta.."Geet exclaimed as she saw Mrs.Sharma entering inside the room with a tray in her hands...

"wow..Halwa..Mumma.." Abhi squealed taking the tray from her mother's hands and serving everyone in the room.

Mrs.Sharma was pleasantly surprised hearing the chirpy voice of her daughter.

"Wow..My chatter box daughter is back into action.."Mrs.Sharma spoke kissing Abhi's fore head.."Common..let me feed you today..."She said further taking the "halwa bowl" from her hands,,

"But mumma..."Before Abhi could speak further she was interrupted by her mother..

The familiar longing was back to Suta's eyes as she watched Mrs.Sharma feeding Abhi but this time,there was someone else in the room who could see and understand what her eyes were saying,,who could read silent yearning of her heart through her eyes..

Suta tore her gaze away from Mrs.Sharma and Abhi,when she found Geet holding a spoon of halwa near her lips.Suta had no idea how GD understood her yearning. Geet herself would not have been able to answer if Suta had asked this question to her instead of eating the halwa from her hands silently.

"You have got my eyes..."Suta said innocently looking carefully in geet's eyes while licking her lips simultaneously.

"and you have got yours from your mother right???" Geet chuckled as she fed suta another spoon.

"May be.."Suta spoke shrugging her shoulders.."I have never seen her actually..She died when i was born.."

"Ohh..I am sorry.." Geet spoke sadly.."and what about your father???"

Instead of Suta,It was Abhi who answered Geet's question..

Geet was quite surprised with the way Abhi talked about her best friend's father.She sighed in relief to find that Mrs. Sharma was not in the room to witness all this..

Suta exclaimed with a devilish smirk on her lips as she rubbed her hands in glee...