PART 35
Its been almost 3months since Pratham had came back home and had joined office. They would all go to office together and Pratham had been handling export business. It is evening when Anmol was in his room after office and Ragini walks in with tea for him.
Ragini: Yeh lijiye aapki chai
Anmol: Thank You
Ragini: Mujhe abhi tammy ki uniform lene jana hai, order ki huyi thi aur market se kuch aur bhi cheezein leni hain, aap chalenge?
Anmol: Ragini you know I would love to par trust me main aaj bahut thak gaya hoon, aap kisi aur ko le jayiye aur agar itna zaroori nahi hai to main kal chalunga aapke saath
Ragini: Zaroori to hai lekin koi baat nahi aap araam kijiye main dekhti hoon.
Just then Pratham came knocking on the door and walked inside.
Pratham: Chachu yeh lijiye voh file, main office main dena bhool gaya tha. Aur chachi kya chal raha hai?
Ragini: Main bas market tak jaa rahi hoon aur apke Chachu mere saath nahi aa rahe
Pratham: To main chalta hoon na aapke saath, main bhi apne liye kuch shopping karlunga
Ragini: Chaliye yeh bhi theek hai, main aati hoon neeche tayar hokar
Pratham: Allright then I will see you downstairs.
Anmol smiled at their conversation and Ragini joined Pratham shortly after while Anmol went to take a shower. Ragini picked up Tammy's new uniform from the store and later they went to the mall where Pratham picked few clothes for himself. Meanwhile Gunni and Abhay were driving back from work and Abhay had been glancing at her when Gunni wasn't looking.
Abhay: Gunni, tumse ek baat karni thi
Gunni: Haan kaho, kya baat hai
Abhay: Well, ek advise chahiye tumse...um...mujhe lagta hai ki mujhe kisi se pyaar ho gaya hai
Right then Gunni's reactions changed and for some reason she felt something in her heart and Abhay had noticed that. He knew that she also shared same feelings for him but they both didnt disclose them to each other and finally he had to take a step.
Gunni: lagta hai matlab, tum sure nahi ho?
Abhay: Well kuch mahino se soch raha hoon aur mujhe lagta ki main to pyaar karta hoon use par abh yeh nahi pata ki voh mujhe pyaar karti hai yaa nahi aur mujhe use baat karne se dar lag raha ke kahin usne naa kardi to aur main uske saath apni dosti bhi nahi khona chahta
Gunni: Well in that case, umm tumhe zaroor baat karni chahiye aur waise bhi tumhe koi ladki mana kyun karegi? Padhe likhe ho, well career oriented ho, aur dikhne main bhi theek thak ho.
Abhay: Oh thanks to well ummm theek hai kal valentines day hai to main soch raha hoon ki use propose kardu, aur tumhe mere saath kal chalna hai.
Gunni: Main? Lekin mera wahan kya kaam... tum dono ke beech main kya karungi?
Abhay: Nahi main chahta hoon ki tum bhi saath chalo aur isi bahane tum use mil bhi lena aur haan mujhe ring select karni hai to tumhe saath chalna hai size dene ke liye. She's almost same size and height as yours, tumhari fitting sahi rahegi. Abh main use to nahi le ja sakta kyunki surprise hai.
Gunni just sat there and she didn't know why she felt like crying. Did she love him? Well she thought its too late to think about such things since Abhay had obviously made his decision.
Abhay: Gunni? Kahan kho gayi? To teh raha ki kal tum mere saath chalogi, main tumhe shaam 7 baje karunga aur hum ring pick karne ke baad chalenge dinner par jahan tum bhi use mil lena
Gunni: Hmm theek hai... ummm kya main jaanti hoon use, I mean uska naam kya hai?
Abhay (smiled to himself): umm jaanti to ho par tumhare liye bhi surprise hai, tum kal mil lena usse.
Just then they reached home and Gunni was still sitting at her spot and Abhay reminded her that they are home. Gunni silently wished him bye and headed inside. She quickly walked to her room and went to freshen up and process what had just happen in few minutes. On the other hand, Ragini and Pratham had finished their shopping and walked towards their car when Pratham realized he forgot his keys inside the showroom.
Pratahm: Chachi aap bas 2 min rukiye, main apni keys wahan andar bhool aaya. Be back.
Meanwhile Ragini stood there holding shopping bags in one hand and holding her phone in the other hand to text Anmol that she will be home shortly. Right then, some goons came around her and she became attentive. They slowly approached her and were teasing and laughing while making cheap remarks about her and body. One of them came close to her and had just touched her when Pratham punched him sideways which shocked Ragini. Others ran away while Pratham snatched that one goon and continously punched him and kicked him. Ragini was shocked to see Pratham in such rage and she tried to stop him but Pratham wasn't listening.
Pratham: Chal uth abhi tujhe police ke haawale karta hoon, teri himmat kaise huyi meri maa smaan Chachi ke saath aisi harkat karne ki. Ainda kisi aur ke saath aisa karne ki sochna bhi mat
The goon apologized and Pratham hit him once again before he let him run away. He turned to Ragini who lifted the bags from the floor and walked near him.
Pratham: Chachi aap theek to hain na
Ragini: Haan main bilkul theek hoon
Pratham: Agar main sahi mauke pe nahi aata to pata nahi voh...
Without hearing much, he sat in the driver seat and drove home fuming in anger. How could someone do that any woman, he thought and that too with a woman who was like a mother to him. Ragini, sensing that he is too angry, decided to not talk to him for now and they drove home silently. They reached home and everyone was waiting for them at the dinner table, Pratham kept the bags on the couch and just when Inderjeet told him to have a seat, he walked away quickly to his room and slammed his door which was heard by everyone. They were all surprised what had happened to him.
Vasu: Are ise kya ho gaya? Ragini, kya hua?
Inderjeet: Haan beta kya hua, itne gusse main kyun hai?
Ragini lowered her head and told them what happened in the market and how Pratham beat that goon up, and this enraged Anmol and everyone else at the table. Anmol quickly got up from his chair.
Anmol: Ragini, tum theek to ho?
Ragini: Haan Anmol main bilkul theek hoon, Pratham sahi mauke par aa gaya tha. Maine use bhi kaha ki main theek hoon par uska gussa abhi thanda nahi hua.
Alekh: Pratham ne theek kiya Ragini aur uska gussa jayaz bhi hai
After few minutes, Ragini freshened up and came downstairs to have dinner.
Sakshi: didi aap yeh khana Pratham ko uske kamre main de aayiye, main tab tak kitchen sambhaal leti hoon.
Ragini: Haan Sakshi, layiye mujhe dijiye.
Anmol and Ragini walked to his room where Pratham was sitting on his head. Ragini sat next to Pratham whereas Anmol sat on the other side. Ragini noticed a wound on his hand and she started tying a bandage to him and he just sat there silently.
Ragini: Pratham, main theek hoon aur aap the na wahan pe mere saath, mujhe kya ho sakta tha. Chaliye chodiye aur abh aap khana kha lijiye.
Anmol: I am proud of you Pratham, main to nahi tha wahan par par mujhe khushi hai ki tumne apni Chachi ke liya itna kuch kiya.
Ragini was feeding Pratham and he ate quietly. After finishing dinner, Ragini placed the plate aside.
Pratham: Pata nahi mujhe kya ho gaya tha, jaise hi maine use Chachi ke paas dekha aur usne Chachi ko choohne ki koshish ki to mera khoon khaul utha. Apne aap ko main kaabu nahi kar saka.
Ragini: Thank you, Pratham.
Pratham: Chachi aap thank you kehkar mujhe kyun sharminda kar rahi hain, wahan koi aur bhi hota to main aise hi react karta aur aap to phir meri maa smaan Chachi hain.
Ragini and Pratham both had tears in their eyes and Pratham hugged her. Anmol also sat there with teary eyes and witnessed the scene. They wished Pratham goodnight and walked out of the room together. While they were heading back, Gunni was heading upstairs to her room and Ragini noticed her being little lost.
Ragini: Gunni? Kya hua aap theek to hain?
Gunni: Ji... jee chachi bas thoda tired.
Anmol: Well then goodnight Gunni.
Gunni: Goodnight Chachu, Goodnight Chachi.
Ragini: Goodnight
Now Ragini and Anmol were in bed and Ragini placed her head on Anmol's arm and had other hand on his chest.
Ragini: Kuch waqt ke liye to main dar hi gayi thi par Pratham ne sahi mauke par aakar sabh kuch sambhaal liya. Lekin uska gussa maine aaj tak aise nahi dekha.
Anmol: Voh apki izzat karta hai Ragini aur koi bhi aisa kuch dekhkar apno aap ko rok nahi pata aur main to khush hoon ke aap akeli nahi gayi, main te nahi tha par Pratham tha wahan aur usne wahi kiya jo main us halaat main karta. Khair aap uske baare main sochna band kijiye aur so jayiye.
He kisses her forehead and they both slept in each other's arms; place where Ragini felt most secure.
