"Prem Sahit" (One shot Story)

Hi friends,

I had written this story, 'Prem Sahit' for a short story contest in IF, had edited a large part to make it fit into 300 words. But it took away a lot from the story. I felt to post the original here for my friends to read. In between let me mention I didn't win the contest as I didn't deserve it this time for sure.

I would like to thank few very special friends of mine, Bini, Sara, Jyothi & Golu they have pushed me & my creativity.

Thanks to my readers and friends, Monika, Sumaiya & Jessica for encouraging me with my previous poetic ff, it helped me to feel like posting this one. Thanks a ton ….. Really appreciate ur comments and kind words.

Here is the full length story hope u all like it.

Luv u

Bhoomi😃

  Prem Sahit

Bhargavi lived in Delhi with her parents, she was beautiful and full of attitude. She was pampered a lot by her father who loved her the most and never said No to her when it came to fulfilling her wishes. Bhargavi's dad Shanmukh had his best friend Sreenath living in Bangalore. He shared mails, letters & gifts with him regularly and they were the closest to Shanmukh. Shanmukh was more concerned about Sreenath when Sreenath had met with a near fatal accident at his factory back in Bangalore and in that Sreenath had lost his eyesight. From that time Sreenath's son Vikrant started writing letters to Shanmukh on behalf of his dad. Shanmukh in return started sending gifts for Sreenath as well as Vikrant. Bhargavi didn't like the fact that his father was so very much impressed by this person, he selecting a gift for Vikrant and sending to him had annoyed Bhargavi. Been the only child she couldn't share her father's affection towards anyone else of her age. Every time Bhargavi would as usual open the gift that Sreenath would send and her father would tell her every time not to tear the wrapper but carefully open it, and read the chit over the gift wrap. Bhargavi would read it and always stumbled with, ' Prem Sahit yeh Bhet''Kripaya'...' the Pure Hindi Vikrant would use to address. She would be annoyed but her dad was impressed every time by Vikrant.

Bhargavi's friend got engaged the marriage was in Bangalore.  Apart from the marriage her dad asked her to give the gift to Sreenathji and stay there for a little time they will feel nice. Somewhere her dad knew she will become a little more mature staying there for few days. Bhargavi agreed only to go there and know the very fact that Vikrant wasn't as good as his father believed to be. She met Sreenath ji and he introduced his son Vikrant. Bhargavi met him saying, "Prem Sahit yeh bhet'..', you are the one who sends this note with every gift to Dad on behalf of your father. Ur Hindi does impress my dad and that's why he sends u gifts along with Ur dad." She had an expression saying she isn't impressed though. Vikrant felt it weird but tried to ignore. She attended her friend's wedding and after that day Bhargavi use to observe Vikrant and his behaviour where she could know he wasn't that disciplined as much as her father would feel. He was very cordial with everyone and use to help his dad in every work. But more than support he use to make his father enjoy by listening to the radio with him or going on a walk with him. Vikrant was their only son and he had no problem in helping his mom in the kitchen or serving Bhargavi and others coffee.

One day Vikrant accompanied Bhargavi for shopping, as she was new to the place and wanted to buy sarees for her mom and various books for her dad. The salesman in the shop struggled in his broken English. Vikrant was able to get that the salesman in his broken English couldn't properly explain the quality and the detailing of the material. The salesman wasted the time to get English words to say and also listening to those broken English words seemed too funny.  To ease the salesman and save their time Vikrant asked him to speak in Hindi they can understand it. Bhargavi recollecting the way she has many times stumbled reading his Shudh hindi got furious and said, 'Few can impress with their Hindi why cant he with his English.'  Vikrant was taken aback and understood Bhargavi dislikes him for some reason. So he felt better to stay away from interfering and didn't look at Bhargavi at all. Later Bhargavi observed Vikrant not even looking at her and he was standing besides her but looking outside the shop which for her looked awkward. She felt he is showing attitude with that, as if he has no interest to be with her there. She asked him, 'How is this colour on me?' Vikrant heard and tried to reply with his genuine thought. He said, '' Yeh rang aapey utna nahi nikharkey araha hai jitna aanaa chahiye'. Bhargavi heard from him no and felt how can a colour not suit her, she looks good in every colour ' how can he say that' and bought that colour Sari to show her anger.

Reaching home she went into her room. In the kitchen Vikrant and his mother were conversing, her mother asked him which colour saree bhargavi had bought for her as she is going to gift her a saree and doesn't want the same colour sareee to give her. In the course of the conversation Vikrant told her about the colours she had bought and what had happened, Bhargavi was thirsty and had come towards the kitchen and  heard their conversation, she heard Vikrant saying to his mom about what all happened at the shop and he explained telling his mom that" Maa har rang mey Bhargavi khub nikharti hai lekin rang bhi nikhar uthey to kya baat hoti'' Bhargavi heard and blushed now she was able to grasp what he meant and she was been too negative about him. He was not saying the colours don't suit her. A compliment from him it was, but why was she too happy with those words? She thought in her mind'it's due to the depth in those few lines. Somewhere now she understood that her dad isn't impressed by the Shudh hindi but by the depth his said lines carry.

In the mean time she got to know from the friends of Sreenathji that the fire that took place in the factory due to which Sreenathji lost his eyesight, in that many people's lives were saved by the quick action of Vikrant. He was the hero where he saved many people by getting into the factory and shutting out the wires and putting off the power or else the whole factoy would be under huge fire flames.  He was the most popular guy of the street with everyone loving him right from the old to the children on the street. A mechanical engineer by profession he was and as a person he had a heart full of love for everyone. He use to write for a local newspaper as well on a lot of social issues. Bhargavi reading those articles use to feel absorbed in them. Bhargavi loved the bond in the family. The mother father and son they all had meetings after dinner in the balcony watching the night fall, the moon n stars and laughing about the day that gone by. Bhargavi wanted to be a part of this family but didn't knew if she was that lucky.

Bhargavi's attitude now was ego free, she became calmer and more polite as well as became more focus and serious towards grasping the things she observed and had never noticed be it the oldest language Sanskrit in which Vikrant was a scholar or the interesting mythological stories Vikrant's mom told her. By observing a lot of things she became mature and now could know the essence of the friendship between her dad and Sreenathji. Sreenath ji shared with her many memories and she understood the difficult times and the fun filed times both these friends have gone through. Even without his eyesight she never saw Sreenathji upset or sad but full of smile and encouraging her and blessing her with as much love as her father showered upon her. 

Bhargavi use to wait for Vikrant to come from office standing in the balcony and would laugh recollecting she would have looked so funny if she had told this to her friends as she never thought she could ever be impressed by anyone this much, as she had felt  herself to be too higher to feel someone else deserving the same. She knew she liked Vikrant now and she doesn't know if its love or not yet, but she will be happy to come into a family like his. She knew staying here for a month and above she had felt so much change in the way she thought and how humble she felt. The anguish she had disappeared as she learnt to smile and love with heart content; she loved everyone the family and the neighborhood who all surrounded her every afternoon. She made so many friends and she got to know their simple lives with simple little happiness.

She had till now known Vikrant's nature, his helpfulness and always smiled from the balcony when he would be coming from office giving ride to the street kids. He would be extremely tired still give them a ride and then come into the house and hug his mom for making the food so delicious he got the smell before entering the house he always said. Bhargavi was touched knowing him and had fallen for him. Vikrant whether had noticed the change in her feelings she didn't knew... but she enjoyed his company. He would joke as she would say sorry for all those rude behaviour be it at the shop or at home, he would say ' In her Uugra avatar she  makes her eyes so wide... and they must be helping her in having a broader vision and wider look at him, so its fine she must have got a bigger clear look at him ', he would say and both would start laughing. Talking with him about Delhi and about her friends, her dad whom she loves more than anyone and sharing with him the career she wants to perceive. Vikrant would listen attentively and share his thoughts with eyes all focused to explain her how to achieve her goals and encourage her saying nothing can be impossible for the daughter of Shanmukh uncle. She knew her dad had fought all odds and achieved great heights and was her inspiration. She was always happy to know her dad is respected and adored in the same light by all here.

The time of her stay in Bangalore was coming to an end with she having to go back soon as she had applied for a course in Delhi. She packed her bag and wanted to talk with Vikrant before leaving and knew she had a great trip here, not just in Bangalore but deep within herself' She had not only traveled from Delhi to Bangalore but had taken a dip into her heart and had found someone special a pearl a gem whom she wants to be with.

As she was to leave she met Vikrant who was putting her luggage and driving her to the airport. Bhargavi looked at him and said with a shyness that made her to look beautiful and pretty, she said, 'Vikrant har rang mey nikharna badi baat nahi'. Lekin Har insaan jo Aapsey miltahai uski zindagi mey nikhaar ajata hai'U are a wonderful person''. Vikrant smiled with those words'. He saw her face; her smile and that glow which made him know she said with all her heart. Bhargavi blushed as he gazed into her eyes and Vikrant smiled again coming close to her replied, 'Agar Aap hamey apnaa samjhengi to Zindagi hamari nikhar uthey." Bhargavi looked at him and both looked into each other eyes and the thoughts of how it would be, to be together in love. Vikrant wanted to take the lead before she leaves for Delhi and he said, " Prem Sahit, main khud ko dena chahoon, to kya Sweekaar hogaa aapko.. ?' Bhargavi smiled and recollected the first line she had said when they had met was Prem Sahit'. She used to be annoyed but how beautiful it feels to hear this now from Vikrant.. With a lot of love and shyness her smile increased. Bhargavi and Vikrant were in love as looked at each other ' Bhargavi replied, ' Prem Sahit yeh bhet sweekar karungi jeevan bhar dilmey basakar rakhungi'. Vikrant was more than happy to get this answer from her' and he knew she was almost in tears saying that...  he wiped her tears and hugged her saying, "U came here and I saw a childlike Zidd in you, u stayed here and somewhere u showed how much u love ur dad and how possessive r u , ur maturity increased ur inner beauty reflected upon me' ur soul touched me whenever u could understand my spoken , written lines without I trying to explain it to u. Ur heart could feel the same way what my heart felt. U appreciated the little things which I cared." Bhargavi smiled knowing he has observed her so much' she said, "I am the lucky one to have found someone like u in my life' U can bring out the inner strength in people and bring out a smile on faces of dispair' am not as good as u but my hearts feels blessed and proud to say I LOVE U.." Vikrant held her hand as tears flowed he said, "Prem Sahit, prem ki sheetal chau , prem ka komal ehsaas aur mann ka samundra jitna vishaal sneh hum ek dusrey ko prem sahit arpit kartey rahengey'. Sath sath jeevan ke sathi banker'" both cuddled, they found each other to be that special someone as they swam in the ocean of love.

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"I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you."