"So that was Arjun's story" Shaina ended. She wasn't a person who
will share her friends secrets or past with anyone, but somehow, her
heart trusted Arohi. Arohi felt tears in her eyes on hearing about all
that bitter and unexpected cruel past of his boss. He seems a tough
man, but now she know, that time had broken him so badly that now he
wore that mask of unawareness and ignorance on his face. "But you know
what is the most bitter part?" Arohi look up at shaina's pain face and
moved her head, giving it a shake, as asking what it is. "All cause of
his bad experience, Ananya is getting neglected. Arjun is kind of scared
that if he ever love her, if he ever get close to her, he will loose
her too" Shaina's voice broke as she felt a lump in her throat and get
up from the bed and moved towards the window. Taking a deep breath, she
put her hands on the rail and continued. "I still remember that
day...Ananya was barely one...she just learn how to crawl and
accidentally hit her head with the sofa wood. Arjun didn't move an inch
to take hold of her while she cried badly." A lone tear trace down her
cheek. Arohi too get up from her bed and coming forward, put her hand
on Shaina's shoulder. "If it would have been someone else, they would
have said how cruel kind of father he is that is letting his child cry
infront of his eyes and not moving forward to hold her, hug her, console
her. But we saw...we saw his clenched hands digging into the sofa-arm
to try to control himself to get up. We noticed his facial expression
changing from serious to hurt. We saw his eyes getting teary seeing her
crying but he did controlled himself just cause of his illusion, his
thinking, his fears that if he love Ananya the way he loved Riya, if she
got to know and learn that her father loves her, he will loose her
too." Shaina was torn on feeling that his ever so supportive friend is
so broken and helpless inside himself. She is just so afraid for his
future and she knows, if he continues to work like this in future, he
will became too practical, a robot, a mechanical man and that means,
that they all will loose this soft-hearted, lovable and deary friends
who right now need love in his life the most. Only if God could help him
someway. Arohi understands and consoles shaina. These friends bonding
really inspires her. Its so rare to have this kind of unbiased, selfless
friendship now-a-days.
"Arjun, we are going out for an
hour...Would you like to join us?" Nitin asked being ready himself in a
blue and green check shirt nicely tucked in denim jeans, just wishing to
get him somehow out from his shell and this thinking process they know
he was in right from last night dinner after watching his Sneha. "No,
you guys caryy on yaar...I know you need this break after working almost
the whole night to get ready with this presentation...I am just gonna
go through it one last time and then, retiring into my bed" Arjun said
placing the laptop on to the coffee table in front which was just
resting in his lap before and rubbed his eyes. The redness of them was
enough to let others know how hard the last night was for him and he
surly need this sleep. "Ok but you take care haan...it will not take us
more than one and a half hour" Nitin assures him looking at his wrist
watch. Akshay was already out to get some information for the project
and shaina was accompanying Nitin to his outdoor visit as soon she
joined them. "Isn't Arohi going out with you guys?" Arjun asked with a
concern face. "She said she have a little headache...so she wanna rest"
Shaina explained. "Oh..." Arjun said looking back at his laptop screen
blankly. Biding him bye, they both left the apartment. Arjun again get
hold of his laptop and get back to work.
Getting tired, he shut
off the laptop and went upto kitchen only to find the stuff which could
help him make a strong coffee just they way he like. He switched on the
coffee maker and pour water into it for himself at first, but on second
thoughts, added another cup of water. "May be Arohi will need it too".
After getting it ready, he pour it carefully into two mugs and went
towards her room only to get stop in tracks hearing her. "Mom, Just tell
them anything...any reason you can think of but postponed this wedding"
Her voice almost feels like at the verge of crying as she was in a ?
conversation with her mother on laptop and the speakers were on. The
door was ajar, making Arjun have a clear view inside. He first thought
to moved back and stop interrupting in her personal life but he couldn't
move. "Arohi, they have been asking for it from 6 months now and now i
can't make any more excuses...what's wrong with you beta?" Her mother
voice seems stern yet loving. Arjun straightly remembers his own mother
and the love, the divine love he used to get by her. He missed her
badly. Only if she can get back to him, he will tell her all his fears,
all his pain, all his miseries. "You don't know about it mom...You know
nothing." Arohi sighs as if hiding a bitter truth inside. "Then tell
me...You both are in this relationship from last 8 years...Your father
get you engaged. ...It was his last wish to see you both get married but
time doesn't allow him that...but i don't wanna be late Arohi...I want
to perform my rights as a mother before i leave this world" Smriti get
on emotional. "Mom...please don't say like this...see i am coming back
in few days...we will discuss it then" Arohi almost begged for that
much time. Smriti stay quiet for a moment and then Arohi heard.
"Ok...but just remember, you better get back home with an appropriate
and genuine reason to delay this marriage or with a date for your
wedding" She said and the call dropped. Arohi keep looking at the
screen for a moment and get back into senses hearing a knock on the
door. As far as she remembers, Shaina told her that she, nitin and Arjun
were going out and Akshay was already out for something. Thats why she
thought this time would be perfect to talk to her mother in detail on
skype. On not getting a response, Arjun get inside holding two cups of
coffee in both hands. Arohi quickly shut off the laptop and straighten
herself. Arjun quietly sit on the other side of the bed and extended his
hand forward to hand her coffee mug which she took without giving him a
glance. they keep sitting in complete silence, taking small sips of
there coffee's when Arjun start. "Ms.Arohi...Our parents do what is in
best of our interest..."Arohi looked up at him the next instant and he
said sheepishly. "Sorry, but i heard your conversation with your mother"
Arohi ignored his eyes and look around trying to get courage for
herself. Arjun look back into his coffee cup and traced its rim with his
finger. "You are very lucky Arohi, to get love by your mother...the
much i heard from her, she loves you alot and want to do her best
possible to see your happy future...Don't loose her and her love over
some minor issues and ego" Arjun said getting up when Arohi spoke up.
"I know sir...parents always do what they think is best for their
child...but sometimes, they don't even realize how much wrong their one
action is going to cost their child's life" She said in a dual meaning.
Arjun turned to her with a strange expression displaying on his face.
"What do you mean by that?" He asked sternly yet in a calm voice. "I
just mean sir, always what parents think, is not right...there are
somethings which i know thats gonna harm me if i agree with my
mother...but just cause of the reason that my mom think its right, am i
suppose to jump into the fire?" she questioned him. Arjun thought of her
words for a minute and said. "Certainly not. But explain her then the
reason of your action...why you are doing the thing she don't
like...make her understand your point of view" Arjun suggest. Arohi
sighs and puting the coffee mug on her thing, moved the other hand from
her silky long hairs, to control the fire burning inside her just even
with the name of her stupid idiotic fiance. "Somethings are not just
easy to tell and more than that, its hell more difficult to make her
believe whatever i am gonna say is truth..." Arjun sit beside her and
she looked up at him instantly as he said. "If she love you...she will
believe you" Saying so he get up and left the room without turning back.
Arohi keep on thinking about it for sometime and then lay back onto
her bed.
Next day they all got ready and leave the hotel to have
that meeting they were here for. Mr.Mehra's driver took them straight to
that 32 floor building. Mr.Mehrs has already booked a conference hall
for the meeting and it worked. He and his partners really liked this
fly-over project they wish to do with Singhania Builders. Nitin has done
his work fabulously and Akshay also got the quality report he arranged
after collecting data from here and India. Shaina was announced to be
the project manager along with another guy. Arjun was happy and
confident that like before, he and his company will do his best to get
on and get done with this project as successfully as before. The quickly
get back to hotel and packed there bags as they have a flight to catch
in next three hours to get back to Mumbai, India, to there families. But
? during the whole journey in that business class area of that airline,
all Arjun could think about was Arohi's words. Right from the moment,
he had that conversation with her, he was in denial. He couldn't stop
thinking about it. WHATEVER HE IS DOING WITH Ananya IS RIGHT??? IS
GETTING AWAY FROM HER JUST FOR HER SAFETY AND HAPPY LIFE, IS HE PUSHING
HER INTO SOMETHING THAT SHE DOESN'T DESERVE???? He just shake his head
and pressed the seat button back to put it into half laying position and
lay back, closing his eyes. The airhostess came and switched off the
lights above him which provide great relief to him. But his mind keep
thinking about his life and Ananya, his relation and reaction to Ananya.
Getting back home, he wished Bi and get straight to Ananya's room,
rolling up his cuffs and removing his watch. Bi took the hand-carry from
him and after leaving that to his room, came back to Ananya's room to
only found him standing beside her bed, looking at the sleeping Ananya.
Sometime later, a small smile formed on his lips as he said "Bi, you
remember, she use to say Baaa alot even when she wasn't able to speak"
He didn't turn but knew, Bi was standing there, listening to him. "She
would roll on the bed to get to me so i can took her up in my arms
whenever you had to go out" he continued. Bi came forward and stand
beside him. "She needed you then Arjun and she need you now...and more
than that, she need you the most in her coming life" Arjun turn his
haed as a tear traced his cheek "You don't think whatever i am doing
with Ananya is right Bi?" Arjun asked for the first time. Before, he
just use to ignore whenever whoever use to ask him to change his
thinking and attitude towards Ananya but now he just need to ask
someone. "No Arjun. you are not doing right at all beta...Ananya needs
you the most beta. Who am i...just a care-taker...i love her alot
but it could never be matched to the love a child feel with the presence
of a father or mother" Bi lovingly cupped his face and said. "Its you
Arjun, ho can provide her comfort, love, protection...not just these
but also its gonna be your reaction and affection to her which will help
her build her confidence and personality. Always, a child learn
whatever there parents teach them. If you let her be away from you
Arjun, i am afraid, she also gonna be away from you forever...In this
whole process of saving her, you are just going to loose her" And that
made Arjun more scared and frightened. He looked back at Ananya and sit
beside her, caressing her tiny face, moving the hairs away from her
face. The fear of loosing her shook him inside out. He can't afford to
loose this only left relation in his life no matter what happen. He keep
looking at her, acknowledging her amazing features and move down to
give her a soft kiss on her chubby cheek. "daddy never gonna leave her
princess at any cost now" he promised and kissed her again.
Arjun smilingly entered his room as he just remembered how he played
with Ananya for whole three hours. All his tiredness went away just with
her sweet giggle she gave as he tickled her. He made her sit in his lap
and feed her while she keep playing with her spoon, making sounds
banging it on the table. He remembered Riya used to do that in the same
way and he kissed her all spicy foodie cheek just to make her giggle
more. He promised never to miss this happiness of his life ever. Arjun
took a warm shower and after changing into his night suit, get a hold of
his bag and open it to get his file so he could go through it before
having a meeting tomorrow only to find his clothes and things being
replaced by a girls clothes and things. He moved hands through the bag
and cursed. "damn, the bag got exchanged" Right then, his hand found a
diary and he looked at it for a minute and open the first page to found
the name "Arohi Alhuwalia"
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