Episode 4
Pragya sat in the the balcony, waiting… hoping that Abhi would be home soon.
Abhi was sitting on the bonnet of his car staring out at the ocean, trying to make sense of all the mess he was in.
They both looked up at the full moon, remembering all the events that had occurred earlier today.
They thought of each other…and memories of their childhood came rushing back to them…
Abhi and Pragya became best friends since the first day they met.
Remember Rahul and Anjali of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai?
They were like that… always fighting, but couldn’t stay mad at each other for long.
Abhi remembered the first day he met Fuggi.
They were having their annual Mehra family picnic .
His parents, Dadi and the rest of the elders were seated at the picnic table while Raj Bhaiyya was teaching him, Akash and Purab to play football.
Aliya was playing with her dolls, trying to put them to sleep.
Fuggi had arrived with her mother. Well…actually… Renu Aunty wasn’t her real mom, but her foster mother.
According to Fuggi, Renu Aunty had adopted her when she was only three years old.
His mom and Renu Aunty were old college friends who had kept in touch.
He turned and saw Fuggi sitting with the elders.
She sat there fiddling with her glasses, looking really bored.
Raj Bhaiyya saw him looking at her and said, “Abhi, why don’t you ask her if she would like to play?” Abhi ran across to her and said, “Hi…I’m Abhi. Would you like to play football with us?”
“I don’t know how to play” she replied.
“That’s ok” he said. “We can’t play so well either. Raj Bhaiyya is teaching us. He will help you to learn the game also.” “Ok then” she said and went with him.
On the way, he asked. “What’s your name?”
“Pragya” she said with a smile.
When they reached the others, Abhi introduced her to Purab, Akash and Raj Bhaiyya and afterwards they started playing .
Pragya had a little difficulty at the onset.
She had trouble kicking the ball with enough force and had an even harder time trying to score a goal.
But under the guidance of Raj Bhaiyya and the rest of the gang, she finally learnt how to play.
Pragya remembered that day. It was one of her favourite memories.
That day, she had made her first set of friends since she left the orphanage….and she also learned to play football!
But her happiness was short-lived… as a few weeks later, her mom passed away after being shot by bandits, who were attempting to rob the bank where she worked. She remembered being at school and then summoned to the principal’s office, where she met Abhi’s parents who broke the awful news to her.
She had cried her heart out that day. The only mother she had known…was now gone. After leaving school, Abhi’s parents swung by her home to pick up her things and brought her to live with them.
She was warmly welcomed by the Mehra clan who treated her as their own.
Even though she had received so much love from Abhi’s family…she still missed her mom terribly.
One night, she sat on her bed remembering all those times she had spent with her mom.
She burst into tears at the thought of never seeing her again.
Abhi, who had come to call her for dinner came in and saw her like that.
“Are you alright?” he asked, worriedly.
But Pragya didn’t speak, she just continued sobbing.
“Should I call Maa or Dadi?”
Pragya shook her head.
Abhi went over to the bed and sat next to her.
“You’re missing your mom, aren’t you?” he asked softly.
Pragya nodded.
Abhi didn’t know what else to say.
He badly wanted to do or say something that would make her feel better, but he didn’t think now was the right time to make jokes.
So he just sat there next to her and waited…
Soon her tears subsided, but she still didn’t say a word…neither did Abhi.
Then finally, Abhi broke the silence and said, , “I’m sorry about your mom.”
Pragya nodded and wiped her tears.
Abhi said, “Maa has called us for dinner.”
Pragya nodded again and said, “Let’s go. Aunty must be waiting for us.”
They both left the room.
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Hi everyone!
To: Sally, Nannu, Riya, Rajesh, Anu, Yash, Saranya, Durga,
Aishu, Abhigya, Pinky, Riyashri, Reshma, Sugan and Nirmal….
Thank you so much for your lovely comments 🙂
So what did you guys think?