Tanu’s House…
Aliyah barged into Tanu’s house fuming not only because Abhi had decided to officially make Sam and Sid his children but also because of the argument she had with Purab and Rachna, no one supported her, it was clear they we’re all on Pragya’s side, and her stupid friend Tanu was not being helpful in any way.
“What is your problem Aliyah? How dare you barge into my house like that? I know you are my best friend but still you have no right. ” Tanu said angrily as she stood up from her seat.
“An idiot, that is what you are Tanu, in fact you are a stupid idiot. ” Aliyah yelled at her in frustration.
Tanu gasped holding her chest. “Did you just call me an idiot? ”
“No I called you a stupid idiot, it would have been better if you were just an idiot cause then you wouldn’t be stupid or if you were just stupid, but you, you just had to be both. ”
“I will not tolerate you talking to me like that, that too in my very own house. ”
Aliyah just eyed Tanu from head to tall like she was nothing, making her feel uncomfortable. “Do you think I came to praise you, you fool, you have known Abhi since we were in high school and yet you still failed to make him fall for you and this pragya has known him for less than a year and he is already head over heels in love with her. ”
“Abhi is not in love with Pragya. ” Tanu scoffed, “he only feels sorry for her. ”
“Okay Tanushree let us assume you are right Abhi isn’t attracted to Pragya in anyway, but please explain to me why he called the lawyer today to know the process of officially making Sam and Sid his very own by giving them his name? ”
“Like I told you, it is only sympathy nothing else after all we both know that you brother has a good heart unlike you, heartless woman. ”
“I might be heartless but I am smart and you – I have always known that you are stupid but I never expected you to be this stupid, I mean stupid is even a better word you are simply worse than stupid. A man would do anything to impress a woman he is attracted to even if it means jumping out of a flying plane and this is exactly what Abhi is doing treating Pragya’s babies like they are the world to him so that he can get into Pragya’s good books, he wants Pragya to notice him and fall for him as well and when that happens they will get married make more beautiful babies and you will forever remain single cause no one wants to spend the rest of their lives with a dummy like you even the dumbest man will reject you and you will forever be alone a damsel in distress. ” Aliyah mocked Tanu making her feel hurt, but Aliyah did not stop there. “Even a blind man would see that Abhi has fallen for Pragya, now you have two jobs – make Abhi hate Pragya and make Abhi fall for you. ”
Tanu started panicking moving back and forth, this is exactly where Aliyah wanted her because she knew that if her brother were to marry someone as stupid as Tanu who does not think before they act it will be easy to control her unlike someone who is observant, strong headed and independent like Pragya.
Flashback….
Aliyah was walking to her room when she heard Pragya and Rachna talking, it was like they were talking about Bulbul and her current work.
“Bulbul really loves her work. ” Pragya said as she was folding the clothes on her bed.
“Yes you are right about that, she really is passionate about what she does. ” Rachna replied holding sleeping Karan in her hands.
“What about Aliyah what does she do, I mean what did she study? ” Pragya was curious to know something about Aliyah because the woman was always at home doing absolutely nothing.
“I think it’s business management, why do you ask. ”
“It is because I have noticed that unlike Bulbul, Aliyah loves to reap were she hasn’t sown, she loves living on her brother’s money were as she can make her own money, she is lazy and she loves people to do her job for her, she wants to be on top by using other people, she loves to take credit for other people’s work. I think she loves Abhi’s money more than she loves him, and because of money she turned out to be very greedy. ” Aliyah’s breathing stopped for a moment when she heard this, no one could describe her so well, but somehow Pragya managed to look right through her, instead of leaving, she just decided to stand by the door and listen to more of their conversation.
“Wow, you are quite observant, I have been living in this house for five years and if not for Bulbul, I would have never thought Aliyah as such a person. Rachna said impressed by her friend’s observant nature. “Okay madam observant what have you observed about me and other members of this house hold in a space of two months.”
“That you will submit to your husband and support him through thick and thin, you might seem tough and rude but you have a heart of gold and it’s not that you don’t want to work or that your husband doesn’t want you to it’s just that he feels you will be over working yourself with Karan still young that’s why. ”
“Okay that’s true I really want to go back to work but Akash is really worried about me. ” Rachna said looking down at the little bambino sleeping in her hands.
“That’s because he loves you. ” Pragya told her giving her a smile.
“Yes. ” Rachna said shyly. “Next, what about mother. ”
“Your mother in law aunt Pami loves good things but never wants to work for them, loves to be in control when but can’t do anything because she doesn’t have power, your father in law, has learnt to live with his ungrateful wife, kind of like grown used to her. ” she said shrugging and continued. “Bulbul loves to get things done her way, she is stubborn but in a good way she is the total opposite of her sister, if anything as the youngest of the three I believe she is the one who is supposed to behave like a spoiled brat but it’s her sister instead and I think she has a little crush on Purab even though she behaves otherwise. ”
“I am speechless, you hit the nail on the head. ”
“Thank you. And as for Purab, not that he is selfish or anything bad, he is just afraid, I am not sure, but that is what I think, he is afraid to lose the people he loves, he is scared that they might leave him, so he acts practically, he always weighs the advantages and disadvantages on a scale, I don’t know, maybe he lost people who are dear to him. ” Pragya sighed saying, “looks like he doesn’t even let people in his heart, he doesn’t want to get attached to them because he doesn’t know how he will feel once they leave, so only a few people have got a special place in his heart, he fears getting hurt. ”
“Yes it’s true, Abhi and Purab met at school in forth grade, they were both nine years old, all I have heard is that Purab is an orphan just like Abhi, his parents and little sister who happened to be six died in a fire even though his sisters’ body was not found, he still believes that his sister is somewhere out there, from what I have heard his parents were filthy rich and it turns out that one of their business rivals is behind there death, Purab survived because he was not home that day he was at his friends place on play date, the only thing he regrets is not carrying his little sister with him and he still blames himself for her disappearance, till date he hasn’t forgiven himself and he keeps punishing himself for that. After his parents death Purab’s uncle dumped him at some orphanage where he was adopted by a lovely couple who died in an accident when he was eighteen years old, he now runs their company but he still hasn’t forgotten his first family. I think you are right about Purab when you say that. ” Rachna agreed with Pragya giving her a nod.
“I understand him, his been through a lot. It hurts when you lose someone you love. ” Pragya said with tears forming in her eyes as she remembered the family she lost.
“Okay let us not ruin our moods by thinking of sad thoughts what about Abhi? ”
“What about him? ” Pragya responded with a question.
“Your observation? ”
Pragya thought for a while with her hands tapping her chin. “Mmmh Abhi….Abhi….Abhi. He is kind at hearted, doesn’t want to see people hurt, which happens to be both an advantage and disadvantage on his part, because he doesn’t want to see people he loves sad especially those who are close to him he ends up getting hurt himself, I think he is too gullible, he easily trusts people and because of his gullibility most people around him are fake, but he fails to see that especially that model Aaliyah’s best friend Tanu and most people don’t see the real person he is, they just see him as rich and arrogant only the people close to him know the real him. ”
“You are right, I also think most of his friends are with him for his money and fame. ”
“I just hope he sees that soon as I enough. ” Pragya said and continued fold the clothes.
End of Flashback…
“Aliyah what do you suggest I do? ” Tanu asked bringing Aliyah back from memory lane.
“Use Pragya’s trick. Vulnerability. ”
“How? ”
“Make yourself vulnerable. ”
“How do I do that? ”
“You need to become homeless. ”
“Are you out of your mind? ” Tanu screamed.
“Listen – when you don’t have a house to live in I can ask you to come and stay with me because my house is bigger and because your parents don’t live in this city, so it won’t be difficult to convince Abhi to say yes and it will be easy to win Abhi’s heart once you are under the same roof. ”
“I like the idea, but what do I do to my apartment? ”
“We will burn it. ”
“But Aliyah- ”
“Relax Tanu, I have got everything planned out. ” Aliyah assured her.
Aliyah succeeded in burning Tanu’s home, now Tanu was officially homeless, even though she still had enough money to book a hotel room or rent an apartment, they were now standing outside the Mehra mansion.
“Aliyah, are you sure this will work? ” Tanu asked yet again.
“Yes I am, all you have to do is shade a few crocodile tears and done you are in. ”
“Okay, I guess I am ready. ” both Aliyah and Tanu entered the Mehra Mansion with Tanu crying and Aliyah consoling her.
Akash was the first one to see the two women coming in. “Now what new drama is this? ” Akash asked looking from Aliyah to Tanu.
“There is no drama going on here. ” Aliyah was the first to answer.
“Why is she crying then? ” Deljeet asked pointing at Tanu.
“Because a fire broke out in her apartment and she has no where to stay, so I decided to bring her here because this house has so many rooms and she can use one of them. ”
“Aliyah you know that this house belongs to your brother, you just can’t bring anyone you feel like to stay here. ” Indu said.
“Yes granny indu is right. ” Bulbul agreed with her.
“I also agree with her, you just can’t bring whoever you feel like. ” Rachna added.
“I see how it works I can’t have a friend stay over because she is in need of a place to stay, but you can bring in a total stranger with two illegitimate children and it’s okay? ” Aliyah asked Rachna. Abhi came down with Pragya carrying both Sam and Sid in his hands, they looked like a happily married couple who have been blessed with two wonderful children when Tanu saw this that is when she even cried louder just to catch Abhi’s attention to everyone’s surprise.
“What is happening here, and why is she crying? ” Abhi asked clearly not happy about the scene Tanu was causing.
“Well, you see Abhi, Tanu does not have a place to stay. ” Aliyah replied.
“What happened to her apartment. ”
“A fire broke out there. ”
“Fire, but how? ” Abhi asked surprised. “I am sure she carelessly left an electrical appliance on, that’s what you get for being careless and wishing ill on people. ” he accused Tanu.
“Abhi, what are you doing, instead of helping her you are scolding her. ”
“And what do you want me to do, do I look like I own a guest house or a hotel? ” he asked his sister, even though he did own hotels which where managed by Akash.
“How can you be so rude, I know you do own hotels around the country and but there is another way you can help her. ”
“What way would that be? She is from a well to do family, just call her parents and I am sure they will buy her a pent house or something. ”
“Qhy should her parents buy her a pent house when they are five rooms which are not being used. ”
“I have plans for those rooms, first of all bunty and bubbly are growing up they can’t continue to share a room, Karan is growing as well very soon he will need his very own room and the last two rooms obviously belong to Sam and Sid. So all five rooms are not available. ” Abhi said shaking his head from side to side.
“So what if we have guests, where will they sleep? ”
“We could take them to one of my hotels and there is a guest house at the back, so maybe she can live there. ”
“And what about Pragya, why isn’t she living in the guest house? ”
“Well that is because Rachna and Pragya are more like sisters and she is more than a nurse to grandma and not to forget that she is the mother of my kids so she is practically family. ”
“But Abhi, Tanu is family too, I mean you have known her since I was in highschool. ”
Abhi : heaved in a sigh and said, “okay, she can only live here on one condition. ”
“What is it? ”
“Only if Pragya agrees. ” Everyone was taken aback by Abhi’s condition no one thought that Abhi would put up such a condition, even though Bulbul, Rachna and grandma were happy they were shocked as well because they never thought that Abhi would put up such a condition, Pragya on the other hand was feeling so confused not knowing what to do she just stood by the stairs with her mouth open.
“But Abhi, how can I even decide that when this house does not belong to me. ” Pragya finally managed to find her voice.
“You are the mother of Sam and Sid, and they are my kids, so everything that belongs to me belongs to you as well. ”
“I can’t accept all this, it is good enough that you have taken up the responsibility of being the father of my kids but this. ”
“Listen Pragya, I might have put all my property in Samrat and Siddhart’s name, but not to worry it clearly states that they are not entitled to anything not until they turn 25 and if God forbid anything happens to me everything will be transferred in your name. ” now that was worse than his first condition, who does that?
“What but why would you do that? ”
“I wish I could tell you, but now is not the right time. ” yes he couldn’t, the real reason he did that was because was in love with her, and he hoped that she would stay with him for all eternity. The only one who knew the real reason was Akash who just took a sit smiling at the happenings.
In the back ground Bulbul and granny were whispering to each other. “But why would Abhi do that, not that I have a problem with it, but still why? ” Bulbul asked Deljeet.
“Isn’t it obvious. Abhi is in love. ” Deljeet whispered back.
“What? ”
“Yes, he came to confide in me himself and I am the one who gave him this idea. ”
“Oh my grandma you are a genius. YESSSSS!!!! ” Bulbul suddenly screamed loud enough gaining everyone’s attention.
“Yes to what Bulbul? ” Pragya was the first to ask.
“Um…. I-uh yes, yes, yes, to what Abhi had said, every good parent will think about his children’s future as well as his partner. ”
“What do you mean partner? He is not my partner. ”
“Not marriage partner, but parenting partner. ”
“Yes Pragya I think you should accept this. ” Deljeet stepped in, she knew that her granddaughter would spill the beans if she kept talking.
“Okay, give me some time to think about my decision. ” Pragya said, she didn’t know how to deal with all this.
“You can take all your time. ”
“Thank you. ”
“Why would you do that Abhi? ” Aliyah asked her brother in disbelief.
“It’s my money I can so whatever I want with it. ”
“You will regret this. ”
“I don’t think so. ”
“Whatever, can my friend stay here? ” she asked changing the subject.
“Don’t ask me, ask Pragya. ”
“Pragya, can Tanu stay here? ”
“If she doesn’t have a place to stay, then yes. ”
“Okay, let’s go Tanu. ”
“Aliyah, wait, aren’t you supposed to say thank you or something? ” Rachna asked with her arms folded.
“Why? ”
“Maybe you have forgotten, but she just gave your friend a place to stay, if it were up to me, I wouldn’t have. ” Abhi said.
“Thank you. Happy? ” she directed her question to Rachna.
“No, and you are supposed to apologize as well. ” Rachna replied.
“Why so? ”
“Because the very same person you insulted so much has given your ungrateful friend a place to lay her head on. ”
“You just want to insult me don’t you? ”
“No dear sister in law. ” Rachna replied with a smirk, she was clearly enjoying this.
“Okay then sorry….. Pragya. ”
“Not exactly what I wanted but coming from you I guess it’s good enough, now you can show your friend to her room. Pragya which room will she be using? ”
“Uh… Well. ”
“What do you think about the one at the far end the one next to the store room. ”
“Yes. ” she answered doubtfully.
“Okay you heard the one at the far end next to the store room. ”
“But that room is- ”
“Either that room or she finds another place. ” Abhi cut her off before she could finish.
“Do I have an option. ”
“Nope. ”
“Okay. ” once Aliyah and Tanu left, Pragya asked a question about the room at the far end.
“What is wrong with
that room? ” Pragya asked no one in particular.
“You don’t want to know. ” Bulbul answered.
“Yep Bulbul’s right. ”
“O…….kayyyyy come here you two, lets get you some food. ”
To be continued.
I seriously didn’t know how to finish this one.
If you want to read more parts of this story, you can find it on wattpad ?
Good day.
Tata.
Chichi ???