Episode 6
Three years later….the Mehra family were making preparations to surprise Abhi on his thirteenth birthday.
Raj Bhaiyya, Purab, Akash and Pragya were delegated to handle the decorations and music… the kitchen duties were assigned to the elders and the youngest Mehra, Aliya, had the most important task….she had to keep Abhi away till they were all ready.
They all made a plan for Aliya to take Abhi to the movies…to watch the latest Disney movie that had landed in theaters.
There was just one little problem…Abhi didn’t want to go! “Please Bhai!” she begged, in her cutest tone of voice. Any other day would have been fine, Abhi thought, but he didn’t want to be stuck watching some little girly movie on his birthday. “Pleeeaasseee Bhai…pretty pleeasee!” she continued to plead with him.
“Not today, Aliya.” he’d said. “I’ll take you another day. How about tomorrow?” “But today is the last showing, Bhai.” Aliya fibbed.
“But Aliya…” Abhi started to say, but Aliya interrupted.
She just had one other way to convince him now… She put on her most cutest and saddest expression.
She bent her head and said, “It’s okay if you don’t wanna go, Bhai. I will wait for it to come out on disc or television.” Abhi was silent.
She peeked up at him from the corner of her eye. Abhi looked at her and she immediately lowered back her gaze.
He didn’t look like he would agree.
This wasn’t working, she thought.
“Ok Bhai, I am going now.” she said.
As she turned to go, Abhi stopped her.
“Aliya wait!” he said.
“Yes Bhai?” she answered. “I will take you to see your princess movie.” he said.
“You will?” she asked innocently.
“Yes” replied Abhi.
“Yaayy!!!” Aliya cheered.
“Thank you so much, Bhai!” she said, and hugged him. “I will go and get ready.”
“Ok” replied Abhi. Abhi wondered if the guys would like to go with them.
Purab and Akash declined his offer, saying that they didn’t really wanna see it.
He went to check if Pragya would go.
He went to her room and knocked on the door.
Pragya, who was busy wrapping Abhi’s gift, asked “Who is it?”
“It’s me, Fuggi!” answered Abhi.
Omg….Abhi!
“One minute!” she yelled.
She quickly gathered her gift and wrapping apparatus and hid them under the bed.
Then she went to open the door.
“What took you so long?” he asked.
“I was finishing up some homework for school” she lied.
He looked around the room.
“Where are your books?” he asked.
“I– I just packed them away” she lied again.
“Ok…Listen, Aliya and I are going to see a movie. Do you wanna come with us?”
Oh no! she thought. How do I get out of this! She was supposed to be helping with the decorations. “Movie?” she asked.
“Yes, a movie” Abhi replied.
“Umm…well…actually….I can’t go.” she said, hoping a good excuse would just come to her. “Why not?” asked Abhi.
“Because I haven’t asked permission.” she said, out of nowhere. “Permission?” he asked. “I’m sure they won’t mind, Fuggi… but I will still let Maa know that you are coming with us.” He turned to leave.
“No!” Pragya shouted. “I will ask her myself.”
“Okay then” Abhi said, thinking that her behaviour was a little weird.
Pragya went to Abhi’s mum, who was chatting with Dadi in the living room.
“Aunty! Dadi!” she called.
“What is it, Beta?” asked Abhi’s mum.
“Abhi has asked me to go to the movies with him and Aliya. I told him I have you ask you first. You have to tell him I can’t go, Aunty.” “Why not, dear?” asked Abhi’s Mum.
“Because I have to stay and help Purab, Akash and Raj Bhaiyya with the decorations.”
“That’s okay, Beta. You can go to the movies with Abhi and Aliya. We will manage.”
“Okay, Aunty.” Pragya said and went off to get ready.
Then she, Abhi and Aliya left for the movies.
As soon as Abhi, Pragya and Aliya left home, Dadi, Abhi’s parents and the rest of the clan rushed to complete their preparation for Abhi’s party. Two hours later, Dadi checked on all the arrangements and said, “Perfect! Only the cake is left!”
Abhi’s Mum and Dad had gone to collect the cake.They had ordered a special football cake for their son. They were on their way back home, when suddenly, their car collided with a massive truck that was being driven by a man who was clearly intoxicated. Although the truck driver had managed to survive, Abhi’s parents were killed instantly…
Precap: The Mehra family are shattered by the tragic news.
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Thank you to my wonderful commenters:
Di, Sonika, Krish, Riyashri, Rajesh, Sugan, Abhigya, Aishwarya,
Somiya, Monesha, Durga, Saranya, Reshma, Riya, Anu & Nirmal.
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