Okay guys..here is the next chapter...wrote a big one....
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Chapter 4
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Heer
wokeup to the early, it took her a few minutes to realize where she
was...she then remembered Prem was in the hall..she quietly got out to
check if he was still sleeping..Prem was still sleeping..his arms
wrapped around himself. He must be cold..the heat from the fireplace
was gone and it was cold. She went to her bedroom and got a blanket and
gently place it over him. Prem shifted to the warmth of the blanket.
She
moved away, but got stopped..she turned to find the pallu of her saree
caught in the blanket and was in Prem's hand who was still sleeping.
She slowly moved towards him and tried to slip the saree out of his
hands, as she moved the blanket, Prem moved again pulling her pallu
closer to him and causing Heer to fall right on top of him....
Prem
opened his eyes to meet her eyes looking at him...He smiled..what a way
to wakeup he thought..if only this could happen everyday..wake-up to
her face first thing in the morning..
Heer quickly lifted
herself off him and started to leave..only to realize that Prem was
still holding onto her pallu..She pulled on her pallu and Prem let it
slip slowly out of his hands..She went back to her room..
Prem
was up now...still smilling at what happened..it was then he realized
that there was a blanket over him and understood what just happened..He
sighed and thought, Heer still remembers that he doesn't like the cold
and falls sick easily if it gets cold..why couldn't she just admit
it..she was still in love with him...
********
Heer
decided to go down and have breakfast in the Cafe to avoid last night's
situation again. She got down to the Cafe and sat down after getting
some stuff from the breakfast buffet..Prem came and sat beside her with
is breakfast, before she could protest, the hotel manager came by to
the table.
"Mrs Juneja" he said to her utter shock, "we have
setup the whole day as per the honeymoon package. I just found out you
are here with your husband and this is even better, you will not get to
see exactly what the new couple will see and make a better assessment."
Heer was too shocked to say anything, Prem took advantage to this and
said, "Thank you very much for all the arrangements, I am sure we will
enjoy it very much"
The manager handed the keys to the rental car and the itinerary to Prem and left. Heer reached out to grab it but couldn't.
"Prem, this is serious. I am here on work, I need to see all this and
make a decision and let my office know if any changes have to be made
to the routine."
"Heer, I am serious. I am also here on work, I
also need to know if this place is worth making an investment. See we
are both here on work and have to go to the same place, I don't see the
reason to take two cars. I think we should just go together. I don't
see any issue with this. I mean unless you are uncomfortable being with
me all day, are you afraid of something"
"I am not afraid of anything" Heer said determined. "Fine, we can go out together"
Prem smiled, reverse psychology, it always worked on Heer. It worked then, it still works now.
**********
Prem stopped the car at Tapkeshwar Temple, he wanted to get thank God for the gift he gave him.
"I thought we should stop and get blessings." he told her
They both got off went up. The pandit took their names, finished the puja and blessed them.
"May you live happily together with your children"
Prem felt as if he was getting Gods forgiveness for his mistake and a
chance at a new life with Heer. Heer felt uncomfortable, but did not
protest.
Next stop was Guchhupani also called Robbers' Cave.
The scene was breathtaking, the hilsl and fog. They stopped the car and
got out..Heer felt the breeze and shivered, it was colder that she
thought, she should have gotten her sweater. Prem noticed and took of
his jacket and wrapped it around her and quickly walked before she
could say no..
Heer noticed a newly married couple enjoying
the view, the husband was lovingly feeding his wife some samosas. She
smiled. They noticed her watching them and cameup to talk to her.
"Hi, I am Seema and this is my husband Rohan."
"Hi, I am Heer, and this is..." her voice trailed..how was she going to introduce Prem as.
"Hi I am Prem, nice to meet."
"Nice to meet you both." she said. "So you are also a newly married
couple like us, you are so in love I can tell, by the way you look at
each other"
"Umm..not exactly.." Prem said.
"I see so this
is your second honeymoon, I think it is good to go on a second
honeymoon to spend time with each other. Please come join us, we have
extra samosas and would love your company."
They all sat down and enjoyed the samosas.
"So do you have any kids" Rohan asked.
"We have one daughter, Chahat" Prem told her smiling.
"How sweet, how old is she?"
"She is 5 yrs old, and is just like her mother, her Mama's daughter she
says to me." Prem said, remembering what Chahat said to him when they
first met.
Heer didn't know what to say, there was nothing to argue about, Chahat was their daughter.
"Wow, you have a 5-year old daughter and still are so in love with each
other. I hope my husband is as much in love with me as you are with
your wife after we have been married for as long as you have." Seema
said. "Come on we should take a picture together". Rohan took a picture
for the three of them.
Prem walked to Rohan and asked him, "If
you don't mind, can you take a picture for the two of us also, its just
that well, we came here so unexpectedly that we don't get a camera."
Heer glared at Prem, but did not want to make a scene in front of the
couple.
"Sure that is not a problem, okay now, get close together. Prem wrap your hand around your wife."
Prem place his hand on Heer shoulders and smiled..."Heer, come on
smile" Seema shouted. Heer gave a weak smile. The camera clicked. Prem
reached into his pant pocket with his right hand to get something, his
left hand still wrapped around Heer, not wanting to let her go. He gave
Rohan a card, "Thank you very much for the picture, here are my contact
details. I really appreciate it"
Rohan and Seema left and
Prem waved them goodbye, he was hoping they could stay longer, he knew
once they were out of sight, Heer would slip right out of his hand..A
few minutes later that was exactly what happened.
She glared at him, "What was all that, huh? Second honeymoon. This is a work trip remember."
"I didn't say honeymoon, Seema did, and you didn't seem to correct her
either. I was just playing along with what I thought you wanted them to
think." he smiled at her coyly.
Heer scolded herself, she should have corrected Seema, then none of this would have happened.
They both got into the car and head towards Mussorie. They stopped on
the way to grap a quick lunch, since it was going to be a long drive.
Prem decided not to push his luck any more and refrained from teasing
Heer. They started again after lunch.
**********
Heer looked out to see the beautiful scenic view as they drove through
the hills. She remembered how she and Prem had always wanted to come
her. They were here, but were not here together...She was lost deep in
her thought when she heard her phone beep, it was a message from
Chahat. Heer didn't get a chance to talk to Chahat in her hurry to
leave from the room in the morning. She read the message. It was a
saturday and she came home early and Jasmeent aunty and her were having
lots of fun. Heer smiled and dailed Jasmeet aunties phone.
"Mama, you forgot to call me in the morning", Chahat said.
"I
am so sorry, I promise I will make it up to you and bring you lots of
things from her. So how are you, you are not troubling aunty right, be
a good girl and Mama will be back in a couple of days."
"okay, I will forgive you now. You know me I am always a good girl. Mama Jasmeet aunty wants to talk to you."
"Heer Beta, don't worry, Chahat is absolutely fine and we are having
lots of fun, in the evening we are going to a carnival near home. I
will take good care of her. You just concentrate on the work there and
getting home."
"Aunty, you are the only person in the world with
whom I could leave Chahat with and know that she is safe. I will finish
my work as soon as possible and come."
She hungup the phone and
looked out the window again. Prem glanced over to Heer, her head was
turned back, he sighed, how he longed to talk to his daughter, hug her
and tell her he was her father. He wondered when that day would come.
**********
They
were stuck in a traffic jam for the past 3 hrs, the traffic was barely
moving. There had been a landslide due to the recent rain and part of
the road was closed. Heer was getting nervous, the sun was setting and
they have not yet reached the place. She was relieved when they finally
started moving.
Half an hour later the car stopped on the road.
Prem got out to check, it was a flat tire. He changed the tire. Heer
noticed that Prem had gotten grease on his hands and forehead, she
handed him her handkerchief.
"There is stream of water a few feet down, you can go an get cleaned," she said to him
"Its okay Heer, it is getting dark and I don't want to leave you alone on this deserted road."
"I will be fine, it is just 5 minutes away"
Prem nodded his head and went hesitantly, he didn't want to say no.
Heer was standing next to the car alone and then realized it was indeed
getting dark. Just then a jeep passed her buy, but stopped a few feet
ahead and reversed. There were two guys in the front seat, it looked
like they were drunk.
"Hi Sweetheart, car trouble, how about we give you a ride", the one in
the driver seat said, getting off the car and moving towards her. The
other one followed him closely.
Heer moved back, fear gripped her, she kept moving back and the man
kept moving towards her. He lifted his hand and grabbed her hand.
The next moment he was flying across and hit his car. Prem was back and
I quickly hugged him. I felt relief and safe immediately. But that was
short lived when I realized that there was another guy with him. Prem
turned to face him, enraged. How dare they touch my Heer!!! Scare her
like that...It was my fault.. I never should have left her
alone....Prem punched him in the face and he fell back in pain.
Prem turned to me, "Are you okay." his eyes full of concern."This is
why I said I didn't want to go. Come on lets get out of here. He opened
the door and I got in. He started to walk back to the driving seat. By
now the driver of the other car was up and hit Prem on the head with
the spanner that Prem used to change the tire. Prem fell on the road
bleeding. The driver raised his hand to hit him again, only to be
stopped by the second guy.
"Are you mad, once is enough, if you hit him again he will die, come on lets go." He dragged him out of there.
Heer got to Prem tears rolling off her eyes. Prem was now semi-conscious calling her name, "Heer..."
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Well...what do you think....😊
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