Hey everyone!
Here is my latest OS, based on the pre-cap of Thursday! Hope you guys like it! Don't forget to like/comment! And please don't request another part for this because it's not going to happen haha. As you all know I'm really behind with my writing due to personal issues. Will try and update the FFs soon!
Until then, ENJOY!
Pihu, stopping in front of Priya's bookstore: Are, yeh toh meri Mom ka shop hai.
Ram: Are you sure?
Pihu: Ya, haan!
Ram: Andar aao, andar aao. Ek minute, zara dhyan se dekho. Kya yahi aap ki Mummy ki dukaan hai?
Pihu: Haan, (She lets go of Ram's hand and wanders in) Mamma, Mamma!
Ram walks in behind her, looking around at all the books. Pihu walks up to the cash, where she sees a copy of "Bade Achhe Lagte Hai". She looks at Ram while pointing to the book because she can't reach it.
Pihu: Woh meri Mom ki favourite book hai. "Bade Achhe Lagte Hai". Woh hamesha isse yahan rakhti hai.
Ram looks at her with wide eyes and then slowly walks over to her and picks up the book. He looks at it. It was his favourite book too. It was the same book he had given to Priya before the accident'and it was the same book he had found at the accident site. All those memories come crashing back to him like a ton of bricks. Unfortunately, his story had ended the same way as the book; the couple didn't end up together. He looks down at Pihu and kneels to her level.
Ram: Yeh meri bhi favorite book hai.
Pihu: Aap ko books pasand hai?
Ram: Hmmm, aur aap ko?
Pihu: Haan. Mom kehti hai books hamare best friends hote hai.
Ram: Accha, toh duniya ki sabse khubsoorat Mom ko books bhi bahut pasand hai?
Pihu, sadly: Haan, lekin shayad unhe yeh bookshop band karni padegi..
Ram: Kyun?
Pihu: Pata nahi, lekin maine usse Kaddy Didi se baatein karte hue suna tha. Shayad uss Khadus Uncle ki vaja se.
Ram: Khadus Uncle?
Pihu: Haan, Mom ka boss. Bahut Khadus uncle hai.
Ram: Oh I see. Aur aap ke Papa? Woh kya karte hai?
Ram noticed Pihu's face fall as he asked about her dad.
Pihu: Pata nahi. Woh hamare saath nahi rehte. Lekin Mom kehti hai ke main bilkul un ke jaisi hoon.
She looked up at Ram and then walked past him, to a shelf that was behind him. She picked up a book by Anjaan and looked at him.
Pihu: Mom ko yeh books bhi bahut pasand hai. Isiliye toh main jaanti hoon yeh Mom ki hi shop hai.
Ram stood up and walked towards her. He took the book from her hand, had a quick glance at it and then looked at the shelf which had the author's entire collection. It was Anjaan's books. The same Anjaan for which he responded to emails. He looked down at Pihu and remembered the email he had received back at home, from a woman requesting for a book signing session in her shop to help her daughter's future. Could it be the same woman? He had to meet her mother and find out.
Ram: Yeh sab books aapki Mom ko pasand hai?
Pihu nods.
In the back room of the bookshop, Kaddy is still talking to Rahul via videochat.
Kaddy: Rahul, bas ab 10 minute ho chuke hai. (She heard Pihu's voice and looks up). Pihu? Yahaan kya kar rahi hai? I gotta go. Main tumse baa mein baat karti hu. Bye.
Before he could reply, she shut off the laptop and got up. She picked up the books that were on the counter in front of her and went to shelf them. She came out to see Pihu standing talking to a man.
Kaddy: Pihu? Tum yahan kya kar rahi ho?
Pihu turns to her: Kaddy Didi, aap ne Mom ko dekha? Woh mera lunch box leke gayi aur jab main clair lene gayi, toh main raasta bhool gayi. (then she looks at Ram) Oh sorry, yeh Kaddy Didi hai.
Kaddy: Hello Sir. Thank you Pihu ko yahaan laane ke liye.
Ram: It's ok. Kya main Pihu ki Maa se baat kar sakta hu? Main jaanta hu woh iss waqt yahan nahi hai but can you tell her to give me a call? (He hands her a card)
Kaddy: Haan, sure.
Ram: Thanks
Kaddy, to Pihu: Aap ki Mom ko kisi kaam se busy hona chahiye tha. Pata nahi woh kahan hai. Tum yahin ruko mere paas, main usse phone karti hu. (She looks up at Ram) Main Pihu ko sambhal lungi. Aap ko shayad kuch kaam hoga.
Ram: Haan lekin main yeh book kharid na chahta hu.
He places a copy of "Bade Achhe Lagte Hai" on the counter.
Pihu looks up at him surprised: Kamaal hai, yeh aap ki favourite book hai aur aap ke paas hai bhi nahi?
Ram looks at her and laughs while Kaddy turns red and embarrassed.
Kaddy: Pihu! (She looks at Ram) Sorry sir. (She mutters under her breath) Apne baap ke rude genes abhi bahar nikalna tha kya.
Ram hears what she said and smiles again but he doesn't comment on it.
Ram: Its ok. (He kneels down to Pihu's level). I'm sorry meri Maa main apni copy India mein bhool gaya. Aur aaj isse padhne ka mann kar raha hai. So kya main usse kharid sakta hu?
Pihu: Meri Maa nahi, meri Pihu. Mera naam Pihu hai. Aur aap ke paise hai, aap ko jo kharid na hai aap kharid sakte hai. Mujhe kya.
Ram laughs: Thank you.
He looked at her intently for a second and couldn't help but think that she reminded him so much of himself'and Priya'
He was paying when Priya walked by the store and peeked in. She saw Pihu and Kaddy standing and a man buying her favourite book. She raised her eyebrows and wondered who he was. He was dressed in a suit and he looked like he was here on business. But there was something oddly familiar about him even though his back was facing her. Then it occurred to her that it might be the same man she was supposed to show around. Kaddy caught her eye and was about to open her mouth when Priya put a finger on her lips and shook her head. She hid behind the store and kept peeking in when the man turned and Priya froze.
Ram kneeled down to Pihu's level. Priya kept peeking in with tears now flooding her eyes. She couldn't believe Ram was here. It had been 5 years since she had seen him and he looked so handsome in his waistcoat and pink shirt. And he had met Pihu too. How would she stay away from him. She couldn't keep Pihu away from him for much longer. She was within earshot and could hear the conversation.
Ram: Aap duniya ko sabse khubsoorat Mom ko kehna mujhe phone kare. Aur dobara aise ghoom nahi ho jana. Aur Mom ki tarah thodi meethi baatein bhi karna. Toh unhe bhi bura na lage ke aap Papa ki tarah teekhi baatein karte ho. (he winked at her).
Pihu: Are, main jaan bujh ke raasta thodi bhool gayi thi. Lekin thanks, aap mujhe yahaan laaye.
Ram laughed and stood up.
Priya smiled through her tears. Seeing Pihu against her father was an adorable sight. One Kapoor against the other. Pihu was just like Ram. It made her smile to see him face off against his own daughter, and maybe he would see what he was like from a third person's perspective. Deep down inside she badly wanted to come out of her hiding and appear in front of Ram and tell him she was alive. She wanted to tell him about their daughter. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and cry against his broad chest for everything she had been through staying away from him in the last 5 years and apologize for all the pain she caused him back then by not coming back. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him and how much she missed and remembered him in the last 5 years. But she also knew that it wouldn't be that simple. He must've moved on by now. He seemed happy. She didn't want to intrude into his life again, reopening all those locked up feelings. They had both moved on and maybe it was time to let it go once and for all. But then what about Pihu? She had a right to know about her father. And especially lately, she had been asking about him a lot. Seeing the other kids in school with both her parents had started to affect her and she started to wonder where hers was. And it didn't help the fact that she reminded Priya constantly of Ram and she ended up telling her daughter that she was just like her Papa.
Ram approached the exit of the store and Priya quickly turned and stood with her back against the wall facing the rest of the mall. She peeked back in to see Ram waving at Pihu.
Pihu: Bye
Ram: Bye
He turned around and Priya quickly resumed her place as he walked out the store. She closed her eyes and sighed a sigh of relief that he hadn't seen her. Tears escaped her closed eyes. "Aap duniya ko sabse khubsoorat Mom ko kehna mujhe phone kare" His words echoed in her ears. How would she call him when he didn't know that the world's most beautiful Mom to Pihu had once been the world's most beautiful Wife to him. Why did he want her to call him? She had so much to think about. There were so many questions that she had to answer. To Ram, to Pihu and to herself. But for now, she had to get in there and talk to Kaddy and then go for her meeting. She regained her composure and wiped her tears. She turned and walked into the store. Pihu saw her and came running to her. Priya kneeled down to her level.
Pihu: Mom, aap kahan chale gaye the. Main raasta bhul gayi Mom. Main bahut dar gayi thi lekin woh Uncle ne meri madad ki aap ko dhoond ne mein. Phir maine aap ki shop dekhi aur hum yahaan aaye. Pata hai uss ki favourite book bhi "Bade Achhe Lagte Hai" hai. Bilkul aap ki tarah. Uss ne mujhe kaha aap ko usse phone karne ke liye. Pata hai, mujhe clair khana tha aur ek hi bacha tha aur maine uss Uncle se pehle paise de diye. Uss ne kaha ke main bahut smart hoon aur maine kaha ke main Mom pe gayi hoon kyunki meri Mom bahut smart hai.
Priya just kneeled there looking at her and listening to her story about her interaction with Ram. Tears started to prick her eyes again and a couple rolled down her cheeks.
Pihu: I'm sorry Mom. Please mat roye. Main jaanti thi aap meri chinta kar rahi hongi.
Priya, wiping her tears: It's ok Pihu. Pihu, woh Uncle ka naam kya tha?
Pihu bit her tongue: Pata nahi, maine pucha nahi. Lekin Kaddy Didi ke paas uss ka card hai. (She turns to Kaddy) Mom ko card dikhao na!
Priya held Pihu by her shoulders: Pihu, aap thodi der ke liye andar jao, mujhe Kaddy Didi se thodi baat karni hai. Ok?
Pihu: Nahin kyun? Mujhe bhi baat sunni hai.
Priya: Pihu please mera bachha. Good girl ki tarah Mamma ki baat sun lo.
Pihu's face fell: Ok Mom.
She slowly walked to the back room. Priya stood on the other side of the counter and looked at Kaddy.
Kaddy: Kya hua, aap ne mujhse kyun kaha chup rehne ke liye. Woh aadmi aap se milna chahte the. Uss ne kaha aap ko phone karne ke liye.
She handed Priya the card. Priya slowly runs her fingers over his name printed on the small card. Tears prick her eyes once again. She couldn't believe that he was here. What would be his reaction when he found out the truth? These were questions that invaded her mind and she had never sensed a possibility that they would ever meet, but now that he was here, things changed.
Kaddy: Kya hua? Aap aise ro kyun rahi hai? Kaun hai woh aadmi?
Priya snapped out of her thoughts and wiped her tears. She looked up at Kaddy.
Priya: Woh mera ateet hai Kaddy. Woh Pihu ke Papa hai'
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