Strangers!! (kkb) – Part 21

She trembled at the thought of a custody battle for her daughter. She has to try reasoning with him before it was too late.

She hesitated for a while and haltingly said, “Neev, you are right. You do have a right as her biological father. But please try to understand me. I cannot give you a right that I am unable to give Abhi. You may have fathered her but Abhi has been more than a father to her. His bond with my daughter is far more stronger. He has been taking care of her and watching over her even before she arrived in this world. He modified his entire life to suit her, sacrificing his freedom for her. He even single-handedly brought her into this world when I could not be taken to the hospital due to a curfew. He loves her and she means the world to him.”

“If you love him and he loves our daughter then why are you leaving him?” he asked puzzled by her strange decision.

“Because I do not want to come in the way of his happiness. Fathering a baby that is not even biologically his will only complicate his life. Hence I have decided to leave him for his own good. Even after I leave, I will not stop him from visiting her and spending time with her but I can’t allow him to assume the responsibility of a father and ruin his own life. I can’t continue to keep him away from Ayesha,” she said sadly yet firmly.

“What?” Abhi sprang up and came out of hiding. He had enough of this. He needed to know what was going on in that pretty little head of hers. He rushed to Pragya’s side and clasping her arm, he dragged her up from the sofa. Gritting his teeth he asked in a raised voice, “What did you say?”
Pragya and Neev looked at him in astonishment.
“Abhi, what are you doing here?” asked a surprised Pragya trying to free her arm.
Neev watched them silently with his mouth gaping slightly and his eyes open wide.
“Never mind about that. Answer my question first. What did you just say?”
Pragya started trembling, seeing the fury in his eyes.

“I won’t come in the way of your happiness,” she muttered.
“No, after that,” he said impatiently.
“I’ll let you visit Isha,” she said with feeling.
“No….at the very end,” he persisted.
“I can’t keep you from Ayesha,” she said regretfully.

“What has Ayesha got to do with us?” he asked in annoyance.
“She is the woman you love,” she said in a pained voice.
“Says who?” asked Abhi furiously.
“I saw the two of you in your office. You were hugging her and telling her that her love will win.”
Abhi was shocked to realize that Pragya had seen him with Ayesha.

“Was it the reason that yesterday you left without meeting me and handing over the food you prepared?” he asked as he suddenly comprehended her strange behavior.
She nodded her head silently.
“Now, don’t tell me that you were jealous of Ayesha.”
She remained silent but bent her head down in shame. Although her head told her that she had no right to be jealous of any woman in his life, her heart couldn’t help but feel upset seeing another woman in his arms.

Abhi secretly felt happy that Pragya was as possessive of him as he was of her.
“For your kind information I don’t lust after married women,” he said gruffly.
Pragya looked at him in shock.
“She’s married?”

“Yes, she is. To my close friend Varun. All three of us were together in the same college in London and were very good friends. Varun and Ayesha got married only a year ago and live in Delhi. Both of them are passionately in love with each other but have giant sized egos. Ayesha is very ambitious and career minded. She wanted them to postpone plans to expand their family for some time as she wanted to start a boutique.

Varun on the other hand was keen to have a baby soon. They had got into an altercation and Ayesha left him a month ago and came to her mother’s place here in Pune. She expected that her husband will call her back soon but instead he has sent her a notice for judicial separation. She received it yesterday and came running to me in tears. She still loves Varun deeply and was desperate to get back with him. She asked me to help unite them. I assured her that I will speak to Varun and sort out their issue. Since Varun is head strong I had asked her to give me some time to soften him up. I told her that her love will win, meaning her love for Varun, not for me. How could you even think I could love anyone else when I am so obviously and hopelessly in love with you?” he asked in indignation.

She looked up at him stunned.

“You love me?” she asked incredulously.

“Were you not aware of it Pragya? How can you be so blind? Why do you think I spend so much time with you and Isha? Why do you think I am desperate to be in your company always. Does that not speak for itself?” he asked in a hurt voice.

She had to admit that he did indeed behave like a lovesick little puppy. Only she presumed all that attention was for her daughter. How wrong she was.
He continued in a husky emotional voice, “You two are the most important girls in my life. My life is meaningless without you. When you talked of annulment on grounds that the baby was not mine, you broke my heart, darling.”

Her eyes welled up as she clearly saw the love in his eyes. Why could she not see it before or was she too scared to see it, lest it turns out to be a mirage?
“I am sorry, Abhi. I was too scared to believe anyone could love me for who I am. I thought I was unworthy of you although I couldn’t help falling irrevocably in love with you.”

“How could you think so little of yourself?” he admonished her. “Your inner beauty radiates through and brightens your external looks, making a confirmed bachelor like me go weak in the knees.”

She blushed at the compliment and bent her head down in shyness.

Holding her chin he lifted her face and was about to kiss her when they heard the unmistakable babble of little Isha. They turned and saw her in Bulbul’s arms as she and her little troop made their way towards them.

“Well, well well….look who’s here, Isha. Your Papa! And shamelessly romancing his wife in broad day light, that too in a public place!” exclaimed Bulbul mischievously.

Both Pragya and Abhi turned tomato red and looked bashfully at the new entrants as well as the sole existing one who was looking at them pensively. Isha leaped into Abhi’s arms and calling out to him in her ever sweet voice. she covered his face with her drool as she literally licked it in happiness.Abhi hugged her close, his eyes softening with love for his little angel.

Pragya tried to lessen the embarrassment of being caught red handed by introducing Neev to Bulbul.
“This is my friend, Neev. Neev, this is Bulbul, Abhi’s friend’s wife.”
“Why, am I not your friend, Pragya?” asked Bulbul jocularly and turning to Neev, shook his hands.

Bulbul then introduced all the members of her family to him. Neev shook hands with everyone including little Roshini. As the children were getting restless, Bulbul took leave of them. Isha was still busy admiring her handsome papa, pulling at his moustache and beard and trying to tell him about the party in her childish gibberish.
Neev looked at Abhi and ISha who were unaware of the inner turmoil laughing happily at each other which was a great sight to others.
The screen freezed with Neev’s blank face, Abhi and Isha’s smiling and cooing face, PRagya’s pleading face.

Heyy guys,, My My ur comments, man I was blown out. Since I hv no time with me, I will finish it short sorry for that dudes. All ur comments made me think of my own story in a new perspective. They all were unique. U all told how u wanted Abhi to unite with Pragya and Isha which was almost my point of view. And viola, u all were correct. According to me, if someone says hi to us when we say then we are friends, so being in the same room for almost one year, sharing a personal space, talking spending time with each other, made them in a comfortable zone. As u all said, Neev who was thinking that Pragya is dead can live his life alone hereafter in a new space, but Abhi who came to a conclusion that Prgya and Isha is his world he cannot to adapt to a new life that esily than NEev. But with no fault in his side, Neev also deserves both of them but as tha phrase say ‘timely help is the only help’ Abhi deserves them more as he not only helped them but provided them with his warmth that is husbandly friendly and fatherly warmth to them.

I want to explain more but my time is running out guys. Hope u all are happy with the reunion of abhigya.
My todays question is, how u all want Abhi and Neev’s face off should be whether to be spicy or smooth with no words between them and how u want abhigya to unite?
Thank u Anjali- u gave me a really good analysis of the story and I was impressed with ur view, thank u dear. And I am not awesome dear its just abhi and pragz makes me write like this and viewers like u make me do this tough job

Mythili- thank u dear well even I was confused at first why abhi should have them over neev hope u get ur ans through todays update
Sakthi sree devi – thank u so much da for appreciating me and thank u for gvng me ur view hope u like todays update.

Peculiar- wooh ur name says I think u r peculiar abt stories glad u liked mine. And thank u for ur comment well abhi has not adopted isha according to others isha is their own kid but she is not and yah will see some romantic mom.
Dramaqueen – thank u ma… hope u like this update.. love u too

Mokshi – thank u dear.. and yes u r right hope u like this update.
Sugan bhai – thank u bhai for always being there for me. Hope u like this one too bhai.
Saranya akka – thank u so much akka and u r correct akka.. hope u like this union of abhigya waiting for ur comment love u akka

Nannu – well nannu u r correct indeed but abt neev he have to believe coz Pragya was not in touch with him, his phone was crushed, and moreover PRagya’s bro told him abt her suicide and the situation they were in made him to believe but other than that abhi got Pragya. Thank u for ur comment and love keep supporting me
Reshma – thank u so much dii

Masssneha – aww thank u so much dear for ur love and support I cant express in words I will try to pm u coz I am really running out of time don’t take me wrong.. u will succeed in ur 12th getting more marks than me my mark is so less u can achieve more all the best doctor sahib. Love u da

Dilsh – thank so much dilsh.. I am so glad u liked the episode hope u like this episode. Even though I hv not planned for any fight btw neev and abhi as there was enough drama already I asked others too if they want a tugging war btw the heroes just for u. love u dear keep supporting me

Abhigya – u r correct all want abhigya to unite and it hpnd too thank u for ur comment da for telling me ur view.. keep supporting me love u dear.
Phew.. grt work haan replying to u coz u guys are the best. My mind stopped working and it started analyzing ur comments too keenly that I don’t knw how time went. Thank u all for ur love and support. Love u all stay blessed aur haan don’t forget to comment and tell the ans to the ques.. sayanora to all…