We move ahead with this FF. Am not writing of how Pankeeta happened but it has and Meeta di and Pankaj wedding is due to happen in 4 weeks.
The Republic day celebrations were over and the flying by him and Dhruv had been the highlight. They had done some fantastic air acrobats and his finale salute had been exhilarating thought RB as he completed his morning jog. The cold wave this year the cold was bad and the weather was as bitter as his heart he thought. The chasm between him and Preeto was so wide that he did not know how to bridge it or if Preeto even wanted him to bridge it. She had suddenly become such an enigma to him, always making sure of his comfort when he went to her home, those small details that made him comfortable even without his saying or asking. What was she up to? Was he to read something in this? And every time he spoke to her she froze. What was happening? He decided enough was enough and today he was going to talk to her and get to the bottom of this when she came to the base today to meet Dhruv and Jogi. And what were those two up to with their secret meetings with Preeto? It was all getting too much.
Dhruv, Jogi and Preeto are in the base canteen talking when RB comes in. Preeto stops talking and looks at him. Dhruv invites him to join them and RB sits next to Preeto.
Preeto (mutters to self) ' 'Yahin baithna tha. Doosri taraf bhi baith sakte the. Aise baithe rahenge toh mein kuch bol bhi nahin paaongi.'
RB to Preeto ' 'Kuch keh rahi ho?'
Preeto shakes her head saying No.
RB ' 'Muh mein zubaan nahin hai ya phir use ghar chod kar aayi ho.'
Preeto is getting annoyed and Dhruv and Jogi notice and tell RB to stop teasing her.
Dhruv to Preeto ' 'Thanks Preetoji. Ab I hope aapka idea kaam kar jaaye warna lene ke dene padenge.'
Jogi also agrees to this and the two of the leave Preeto and RB in the canter. Dhruv tells RB to drop Preeto home as she had come with him and he was leaving immediately.
As Dhruv and Jogi go out, Jogi asks Dhruv ' 'Jaldi toh koi nahin thi phir kyon chala aaya. Hum chod dete Preetoji ko.'
Dhruv ' 'Jogi tu kya andha hai. RB aur Preetoji ke beech me jo chal raha hai tujhe nazar nahin aa raha hai kya? Meine toh inhe isliye saath chod diya ki inke beech job hi problems hain unka kuch toh yeh dono hal nikaalen.'
In the canteen RB looks at Preeto who refused to look up at him.
RB ' 'Chalen ya raat bhi yahin bitaani hai.'
The two get up and go out to get into the car. RB decides to drive to the lake first so that he can talk to Preeto before he drops her home.
Preeto (realizing they have come to the lake instead of her home) ' 'Yahaan kyon aayen hain?'
RB ' 'kyonki mujhe tumse baat karni hai aur ghar me baat nahin ho sakti.'
The two of then leave the car and walk towards the lake.
RB ' 'Tumhaari problem kya hai Preeto? Tum chahti kya ho? Kabhi aise behave karti ho ki mera hona tumhare liye koi mayne rakhta hai aur kabhi aise behave kati ho ki mein kuch bhi nahin hoon. That I just don't exist.'
Preeto (her heart in her eyes) ' 'Mujhe khud ko nahin pata mujhe kya ho raha hai aur aap keh rahe ho ki aapko samjhaun. Jab mein khud samajh jaoongi toh sabse pehle aapko bataa doongi ki mujhe kya hua hai. Kabhi toh lagta hai koi bimaari hai. Rona aata hai toh hasne lagti hoon aur jahan hasna hota hai wahan ro deti hoon.'
RB is stunned to hear this. He had never thought that his Preeto would let herself feel so deeply for him.
RB (in a soft tone) ' 'Kabhi socha hai yeh pyaar bhi ho sakta hai?'
Preeto (in an equally soft tone) ' 'haan par pyaar itna dard toh nahin deta. Yeh ehsaas toh sukoon deta sukoon cheen toh nahin leta, chein deta chein cheen toh nahin leta. Yeh pyaar nahin ho sakta. Mujhe aapse pyaar toh nahin hai RB. Mujhe aapse pyaar nahin hai.'
RB ' 'Meine kahan kaha ki tumhe pyaar hai ya phir mujhse pyaar hai.'
Preeto ' 'Mujhe ghar jaana hai. Please, abhi.'
RB takes her home and immediately comes back to the base to his quarters.
RB (Standing in front Preeto's Portrait) ' 'Aaj dil ko sukoon mil raha hai. Jo haal idhar hai wohi haal udhar bhi hai. Agar meri neend udi hai toh tum bhi nahin so rahi ho. Ab dekhna yeh hai ki kab tak mujhse khud ko door rakhogi. Ek din kudh chali aaogi meri aagosh mein. Us din ka intezaar rahega mujhe.'
It was 1 week since she and Rb had had the conversation. In this week she had kept avoiding him everytime he came home. Sonu, Beeji and Papaji would not have dinner without him. Meeta di had learnt to make all his favourite foods and was even making food less spicy for him. Even Baani had started treating him with respect. When he was there the whole house revolved around him and when he was not there the whole house revolved around him. Even Ishu di and Jiju kept talking of him when they came. It seemed every one had decided to punish her by talking of him and only him. Or was it that she only heard that part where he was mentioned. What was happening to her?
It was Friday and she had promised that she would meet Dhruv jiju and Jogiji before the Valentine week. As she came to the base she called Dhruv on his phone. He sounded tense and told her to come near the air strip. Both he and Jogi were there and so were some others and it seemed all were tense. On seeing Preeto Dhruv came to her.
Dhruv ' 'RB sortie par gaya hai aur uski fighter me kuch problem ho gai hai. Sab isliye tense hain ki landing safe ho jaaye.'
Preeto went white as she heard this. Seeing her condition Dhruv told her to go and wait in RB's quarters giving her the key and told her that either RB or he would come for her asap.
As she waited for him, Preeto kept chanting every verse of the Akhand Paath she remembered even as she kept calling herself every kind of a fool. In one hour's time she got Dhruv's sms that RB had landed safely and would be over at his quarters in another hour's time. She sat down and cried silently. As RB let himself in, feeling totally finished with the day's flying, someone hugged him tightly as if she would never let him go. His Preeto had come. His wait was finally over and all he had to do for it was have a near death experience. But as they say, when you feel God's presence you find happiness and he had been denying His existence for the past 19 years.
RB (gently disengaging Preeto from him) ' 'Tumhe toh mujhse pyaar nahin hai na. Phir kyon ro rahi ho, kyon mera intezaar kar rahi ho?'
Preeto ' 'Pyaar nahin karti. Jo mein mehsoos karti hoon use sirf pyaar kaise kahoon. Mera toh sab kuch aapke naam se shuru hota hai aur aapke naam se khatam hota hai. Kya yeh sirf pyaar hai?'
RB pulled her back into his embrace and they just held each other for some time and he then tells her to wait as he changes to drop her home. As they travel back Preeto tells him of Dhruv and Jogi's Valentine plans and makes him laugh. RB switches the car radio on and the two laugh at some of the messages. As they reach, RB tells her to stay for some more time and Preeto shyly says it is late and she needs to go. The song "Abhi na jao chod kar" starts playing and the two burst out laughing hearing it and as they laugh together their eyes meet and the song continues.
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