FF - Togetherness Again - Epilogue & A letter from NK Updated Page - Page 2

Originally posted by: RaginiJoshi

This is going to be a wonderful story! The way you arrange the words, make your piece beautiful. I'm glad you posted an another AU story. Awesome start! A very good teaser, it definitely teased. Waiting for more and more to come😳

Originally posted by: Siddharth_K

Beautiful FF! You write so well..even the emotions are so correctly expressed. One can read and feel every line simultaneously. A good start. The story is interesting. Do continue soon-ish😉

Originally posted by: shabz50

Beautifully written love the start 

Originally posted by: sampa79

Nice update soon next part 

Originally posted by: poojadas77

Awsome story plz update soon

Originally posted by: metoyou

And yet another masterpiece is in the making...

A very intriguing, simple yet painful prologue. You manage to keep me awestruck every time. Seriously, you are so gifted! 

That heartbreak...oh yes, that hurts very much and it takes a lot to set your love free... 

Eagerly waiting for more because this can be quite a(n) (emotional) rollercoaster ride! 

Part 1

Ragini pushed aside the curtains of the windows revealing a rather sunny and bright day in winter.  A smile spread across her face to see the sun shine brightly at her after a long time. Her Sunday began on a bright note she thought. She stood with her eyes closed in the balcony of her bedroom on the 20th floor facing the sun. She let the warmth soak through her. Holding herself as she wrapped her arms around her, she took in a deep breath. A strange comfort could be felt in the air today. A feeling of being close to some loved one she thought. She remained there for a while all by herself.

After her return to India about a year back Ragini had settled down in Bangalore and stayed along with her in-laws and worked in one of the multinational companies. Being a single parent to her son, Ranbir, she had to face many challenges. But she survived; she survived all the rough phases of life with a smile and lived for her son. Life put her through many trying situations, but she triumphed each one and never ever complained about  it being unfair to her.  That was Mrs. Ragini Malhotra, all of 30 a single mother, confident and strong woman.

                                                  

***

'Ranbir!' Look what mamma's got you?' Ragini said cheerfully as she walked into her son's room with a tray of hot cocoa milk and some cookies for breakfast.
 
She kept the tray on his study table and turned to walk across his room and slid the curtains aside,  allowing  the sun to peer through the window. Ranbir stirred from his sleep disturbed by the daylight encroaching his room and he quickly turned away to avoid the sun spoiling his favorite dream, the dream to play with his father someday. 

'Wake up Beta', Ragini persuaded as she picked up his toys lying carelessly on the floor in his room. 

'Two minutes mamma', Ranbir pleaded sleepily without opening his eyes. 

Ragini went on to pick up the color pencils and his drawing book from the bedside table. She saw his drawing of my family', she picked the book up gingerly and watched it closely; she saw three figures smiling at her. She recognized two of them immediately to be Ranbir and her, but the third figure she guessed it to be Ranbir's father. It was not very clear as Ranbir had a very blur vision of his father and she thought he was too small to understand anything about his father's absence in his life. She only managed to convince him that he shall meet his father soon someday and that little hope kept the boy going. She put her best efforts to be both a mother and father to him. She'd attend his school events, join him and play pillow fight, tell him best of bedtime stories and the least she thought she could do for Ranbir was she played cricket and football too. But despite her best attempts Ranbir missed his father and all Ragini could do was keep him positive about his arrival in his life someday.  For now it was just her in-laws, Mr and Mrs Malhotra and Ranbir that meant family to her.

Ranbir, a fairly smart kid for his age of five and a half was a bright child and very well brought up by Ragini. His innocence and his craving to see his father hurt Ragini a lot. She felt a stab at her heart each time she heard him ask about his father, but she never told him the truth as it would break his heart. Eventually he would know the truth she thought. 
She quickly set aside the drawing book and pushed the thoughts away and sat next to Ranbir who slept soundly. 

'Ranbir, your time is up, wake up beta', she patted his head warmly and slowly traced his innocent face with her palm. Ranbir still refused to wake up.

She continued, 'I shall count upto three and if you don't wake up, mamma is not taking you out today'.

'One'

Ranbir opened his left eye and saw his mother smiling at him. 

'Two'

He pretended to still be sleeping. And Ragini knew this peek-a-boo game of Ranbir and it was time to get up and turn away. 

'And three', she said, and turned away.

'Good morning, mamma', Ranbir clung to her from behind and kissed her cheek.

'So finally my boy is up', Ragini said and hugged him warmly.  

'Mamma! I am a good boy and I know you will take me out.'

The mother-son had such Sunday mornings often and had never changed in the last four years.
 
                                                     

***

'Mr.Gupta, I've landed safely and I hope you have made the necessary arrangements for my stay here', Nachiket spoke on the phone as he pushed the trolley carrying his luggage towards the exit.  

'Of course, Sir, all the necessary arrangements have been made. Welcome to Bangalore and have a good stay here, sir!' the other voice spoke.

'Thank You'.

'Driver, first take me to the construction site and then we shall head home', Nachiket said and shut the door of the car.

Nachiket Khanna, Mumbai based industrialist had created a huge business empire and climbed the ladder to success in just about four years. He was a young businessman with a heart of gold. He had a very intriguing past and he credited his success in business to a life altering incident which diverted him consciously into business. He never discussed his personal life and so very little about him was known to all. At 32, he was single and one of the eligible bachelors of the country. A perfectionist and a workaholic defined Nachiket Khanna, the owner of Khanna Industries.
   
                                                   

  ***

'Yes, Karan, I shall be there!' Nachiket spoke to Karan. Karan Kapoor, his best friend since childhood settled in Bangalore. Karan was Nachiket's strength and weakness both. It was only Karan to whom Nachiket spoke to and poured his heart out, but there were certain doors which were not opened to him too.

He checked his watch which showed it was about 4.10. He was in no mood to attend a kid's birthday party, but when it came to Karan he could not say no' and well he always thought of Karan's kids as his. So after a lot of thinking he concluded to first get some toys for the little Kapoor and then meet his friend. 
                     
                                                           

***

Forum Value Mall, Bangalore.

'Ranbir, come here beta, don't wander around.' Ragini warned Ranbir as she picked up some daily groceries. She went on picking up things one after another and cross checked with the list in her hand. Too engrossed in the list and noise, Ragini did not realize when Ranbir slipped away and escaped to the toy section at the far end of the floor. 

He accompanied Ragini to the mall since he loved the toy section and particularly the third row in that section. There was a big toy helicopter that could be operated with a remote control that sat there. It was a big one which he wished to own and play with. 
He stood there admiring it and wishing for it to be his. 

'Excuse me, toy section?' Nachiket asked the attendant and thanked him for showing him the direction. He'd been to pick toys before too, so it was easy this time around. 

He took a stroll around the section after he'd picked a couple of toys. He walked past the rows and rows of toys and accidentally bumped into this tiny figure unknowingly.

'Oops, I am sorry young man, I did not notice you', Nachiket apologized to the little as he bent to pick up the toys he dropped on the floor.

'It's OK!' Ranbir smiled and handed him the toys which he picked it even before Nachiket could bend down and collect. 

Nachiket smiled at him and ruffled his hair lovingly and began to walk away when he heard the child speak again, 'By the way, thanks for calling me a young man, my mom thinks am still a child!'. 

Nachiket chuckled and turned around to see the kid again. The innocence in his voice and the sparkling eyes caught Nachiket's attention. He'd witnessed this similar combination before too. 

'Well, I must say you certainly are an intelligent, young man!'

'Thank you for being kind!' Ranbir said with a generous smile and continued to admire his favorite piece of toy with his hands stuffed in the pockets.

Nachiket was curious to see what had caught this little child's attention and he followed his eyes to see a helicopter sit on the last shelf. Nachiket smiled as he thought after all he is a child and bound to fancy owning a toy helicopter for now. He looked around to spot either of his parents, but did not find anyone remotely. It was just the two of them in the toy section.

The boy's eyes spoke so much about his desire to own that wonderful toy of the store. Nachiket felt this strange attachment to this child and suddenly spoke up, 'Can I buy you this helicopter?'

Ranbir turned to face Nachiket and looked at him longingly. Nachiket could read a lot of questions in his eyes and there was this loneliness in his eyes that tugged his heart. Ranbir sunk his head a little for a second as if considering the offer, but he lifted his head and continued without any hesitation. 'No! Thank you so much, but my mamma says, if I behave well and be a good boy, my dad will bring this for me someday.' He paused and looked at the toy with glistening eyes and continued, 'The day I see my dad I am sure he will gift me this.' Ranbir said pointing to the helicopter.

Nachiket was too hurt to know that the child had not seen his father. For the first time he felt short of words, he was confused how to comfort a child of his age with words. He cursed himself to have thought something tragic about his father, but the words meant just that. 

'Where is your mamma?' Nachiket managed to ask Ranbir with small voice. He wanted to see the mother who'd brought up this child. He was amazed at the child's mature yet innocent talks. Nachiket was impressed with his poise personality at this tender age.  He wanted to meet the woman who patiently brought this wonderful child up. 'How must she be answering to such questions' he thought? It was very ironical to see a tycoon, who, when spoke, the world heard, but was tongue tied and helpless at this moment.

'Ranbir!' He heard a soft female voice call out from behind.

To be cont...

Originally posted by: NeiRaFreak

O My Goodness, Another beautiful story in its making by a beautiful writer 😳

It is always pleasure reading you curious and you make sure to leave us curious about whats gonnqa be next by the end of every update of yours... This one though has a sad start but I am sure it will end on happy note as the title promises 😳 

Waiting for the update you said you'll do by evening 😃

Thanks for writing and sharing with us dear 😊