Chapter-2,page-14:https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/92676760
CHAPTER-3.
"How did this come on my shirt?!"Shlok exclaimed to himself again,as he tried to untangle the gold chain from his shirt button..
"Maybe I dropped it at the park..I'll check over there tomorrow.."Astha murmured to herself,and humming her favourite song,got ready to shower..
It was not coming off..He kept trying for two more minutes,until frustrated he tore off the button itself.Shlok studied the chain and locket carefully.
The locket had a clasp.He slowly opened it.It had two photos in miniature form.Of three people.On the right side was a smiling beautiful woman alone.On the left side was a smiling man,with the girl he had bumped into,hugging him lovingly.She was smiling in the photo too..
Unaware of his own act,Shlok raised his finger,and gently,touched the smiling girl's face in the photo..
Her smile is so..That face,it reminded him of..She was..
Suddenly he realized what he was doing and what his thoughts were,and instantly he closed the locket,and put it away,wrapping it in a tissue for safety.
"Damn the rain!"He cursed,as he hurriedly got into shower to get rid of the mud,and the memories of the wet girl,with beautiful long hair..Beautiful eyes..Beautiful smile..Beautiful voice..Mesmerizing.."Damn the girl!"He cursed this time,as his thoughts shifted to her again.
He turned his shower to the coldest temperature,and let the chilling water numb his senses..He did not want to remember the girl..But all the chilling shower water helped in doing was to remind him of the girl standing with her face turned to the raining sky.Rainwaters wiping the mud clean from her beautiful face..
"Damn the rain and the girl and the mud!!!"He cursed again as he scrubbed himself vigorously...
Astha was chattering with her beloved Ajji,her grand mother ,and her mother,when the phone rang..
Astha ran to pick the phone in the other room..
"AYI!!!!!AJJI!!!!!!!"Astha screamed at the top of her voice from beside the phone,she had run to pick..
The two startled woman ran as fast as they could..Her scream had scared them a lot.
"AYI!!!AJ-"
"ASTHA!What happened?!!"Her clearly worried mother exclaimed out,as she found a white and pale looking Astha,standing with the phone receiver in her hand.
Astha held out the receiver to her mother..Really scared now,Mrs. Kalindi Kirloskar,Astha's mother,took the receiver from her..Her hands shaking with nervousness..
"H..Hello.."She managed to say in a suddenly tight and choked voice.
"Who is this?"Asked a clipped female voice from the other end.
"I'm Mrs. Kalindi Kirloskar,Astha Kirlosar's mother.."She said,her dread increasing by leaps and bounds with every passing second..Even her mother-in-law,Astha's Ajji,had gone pale in worry too,as she stood by her and Astha.
"Oh..So Mrs. Kalindi.I'm.."
Sorry to say that..Kalindi mentally prepared to hear the bad news..Her hand instantly tightening on the receiver..
"Yes?"
"I'm really happy to say that your daughter got the job in our company..Congratulations..We'll send her the appointment letter tomorrow.."
Kalindi,did not hear anymore..The receiver dropped from her hand,as a beaming smile started to replace the worry in her features..
"You got the job..Astha you got the job.."Kalindi whispered in a bemused voice,as her eyes started getting misty..
Astha sobbed out,and hugged her mother tight..Her grand mother,also managed a beaming smile,between her suddenly misty eyes,as she saw the mother and daughter hugging each other..
"HELLO..?HELLO?!"Someone was still on the line,Astha's grandmother realized,as she wiped her eyes,watching the mother and daughter sob into each other's arm.
"Hello?"She quickly picked the receiver,least the person on the other side got pissed,and it affected Astha's new job.
"Ok as I was saying..She will get the appointment letter,at her home.."The voice droned on,giving the details,as Astha's Ajji listened with half concentration..Tears falling from her eyes endlessly as she stared at her little Astha sobbing with happiness,as she hugged her mother tightly.
Finally Ajji kept the phone when the person on the other side disconnected it.
"ASTHA!What a crazy girl you are!Why are you crying when you got your dream job at your dream compay?!"Kalindi tried to smile,as she pulled her up to see her face,and tried to stop the sobs of her weeping child.
Finally Astha's sobs diminished,and she wiped her tears,and smiled up at her mother and grand mother,who were both smiling at her with love and tenderness..Astha wiped at her tears with her hands,and suddenly her eyes rounded,as she remembered something..She whirled round,and ran for the staircase.
"Astha!Where are you going?!"Kalindi called out.
"I have to give this news to Baba!He will be so happy when he hears it!"Astha sent a last incredible smile,at her mother and grandmother,as she vanished up the staircase.
"Astha but,how can you.."
"Let her go Kalindi."Her mother-in-law interrupted,patting her lightly on the shoulder.
"But how can she..?"Kalindi could not finish the sentence,as her eyes started brimming again.
"She needs time Kalindi..Let her go to Avdhut now.."The old woman's eyes shone with years of intelligence,and she turned away from Kalindi,before she could see the tears in her eyes too..
Chapter-4,page-23:https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/93061545
Kumkum Bhagya
Tum Se Tum Tak
Sampoorna
Jhanak
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