Ola people. Me back with my second one shot.
Happy reading
“You need to talk to her. You have been stalking her for seven months, for seven freaking months and yet you fail to say a simple hi, its time for you to man up dude, you are not a boy anymore. ” Purab told his friend, he was sick and tired of watching him love a girl from a far.
“It’s easier said than done, how do I talk to her? ” Abhi asked his friend, he never believed that a day would come were he would ask his friend on how to talk to a girl, after all he was the ladies man.
“Use your mouth, speak, say something to her. ” Purab said feeling really frustrated with his best friend’s behavior.
“Like what? ” Abhi asked, whining like a little girl.
“Do you know that when we were in college I used to be so jealous of you? ” Purab asked his friend with a raised eyebrow.
“Why would you be jealous of me, we are best friends more like brothers? ” Abhi asked his friend clearly shocked by his confession.
“You always had it easy with the girls, while I could not even say a simple Hi to any girl. ” was Purab’s reply as he took a sip of his juice.
“Wow, that is a very good reason to be jealous. ” Abhi replied sarcastically.
“That’s not the point, the point here is that you my dear friend is wasting time sitting here just smiling because you saw her today, dude, you need to speak to her, let me warn you, the day that she meets someone and marries don’t come crying to me, you have been warned. ”
Abhi looked at Purab in disbelief, yes he has been stalking the girl for seven months, he would seem like some crazed man, but what could he do after all he had fallen in love with this strange girl who never entertained any males, in his four years of stalking her, he saw how she would ignore any man who would try to approach her living him wondering what she had against men and that brought fear in his heart, the fear of being rejected by the only woman he truly loved.
“She wouldn’t do that. ” Abhi said even though he wasn’t too confident about it.
“What makes you so sure, I have seen her and she is a beauty, what makes you think that she will stay single and wait for a man she doesn’t know exists? ”
“You are right, but what do I say to her when she despises men? Purab, I just can’t bear it, I can bear anything but rejection, most especially from her. ”
“So you don’t mind if she marries someone else right? ” Purab asked him with a raised eyebrow.
“Of course I mind. ”
“Then talk to her, let her get to know you, maybe she will give you a chance. ”
“I don’t think she will ever give me a chance or ever want to know me. ” Abhi said as he covered his head with his hands, he had seen her, he knew her enough to know that she had something against men, maybe a bad experience with her past love? It couldn’t be that because he did a background check on her and her love life was equal to zero, so what exactly caused her to have so much hatred against men.
“Then you get to know her, know why she is like this, maybe she will consider giving you a chance. ”
“Ahat do you mean? I know everything about her, I know her name is Pragya and that she loves children, she is very smart that is why she was able to find work in a day care, she lives with her mother and her little sister, her mother is paralyzed waist down so she is unable to do any type of work except make hand made bags, she is the bread winner in the family, working two jobs to sponsor her little sister who is in medical school, help with her mother’s medicals, pay for the bills at home and not forgetting pay the caretaker who watches her mother when she or her sister is not around and that is the reason she was unable to go to college. She works at the day car from 7am to 12pm and as a waitress in one of the famous restaurants from 1pm to 8pm. Oh and the restaurant happens to be owned by my sister. ” Purab was amazed by how much his friend knew about this girl, but what shocked him was how she found herself working in a high class restaurant that was owned by Aliyah.
“How did she find a job at Aliyah’s restaurant with no experience? We both know that Aliyah just doesn’t hire anyone, she only hires the best. ” Purab asked, even though he felt it in his gut that Abhi was behind everything.
“Maybe it’s because Aliyah did not hire her. ” Abhi said as a smile made it’s way across his face.
“You planned something didn’t you? ”
“Yes, ” Abhi said proudly and continued. “Remember that Aliyah is on maternal leave so she left her manager in charge who happens to be intimidated by me, so I asked him to hire Pragya. ”
“How? ” Purab asked his friend.
“There was an AD in the newspaper and I made sure Pragya saw it, after being forced by her sister she applied for the job. ” He said as he shrugged his shoulders.
“Lord, you seriously need to talk to her, you just can’t keep doing things for her, and like that wasn’t enough, you took full responsibilities for her young sisters studies. ” the things this man would do for love was all Purab could think of.
“How did you know? ” Abhi thought he was the only one who knew about how he was helping Bulbul out by being an anonymous sponsor to he education.
“Don’t forget I am head of the accounting department. ” Purab said with a slight smirk on his face. “On a serious note, ” Purab continued speaking. “Abhi you are doing so much for her, talk to her. ” he said in all seriousness.
“I will but not now. ” he hoped that Purab could drop the topic if he said that.
“Then when, when will you talk to her? ”
“I don’t know, maybe next week or next month it might even be a year or half a de- ”
“Abhi, be serious man. ” Purab yelled at his dumb friend.
Abhi thought for a while, then an idea popped up in his head, ‘Why didn’t I think of this before? ’ he thought with a huge smile on his face.
“Purab, tomorrow, I will talk to her tomorrow, bye I gotta go, and thanks for the encouragement. ” those were his last words to his best friend as he walked out the door, he left his office excited thinking about what tomorrow might be like, Purab on the other hand stood watching the door after his friend left smiling that he was finally going to get his love.
**********
Pragya had finished her duties for the day, she was excited to go home and see her mother who had been paralyzed for 13years, even though her mother and sister worried for her that she worked too much, she always happily did her job because she knew that she was doing it for the people who mattered the most in her life.
“Mother how have you been? ” Pragya knelt down, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek.
“You worry too much, I have been just fine, Janki here takes extra care of me, there is no need to worry. ” Sarla said as she lovingly caressed her daughter’s cheek.
“When I tell you that she never trusts me to care for you, you don’t believe me, see now how she questioning you. ” Janki complained, she was the woman hired as Sarla’s caretaker whenever Pragya or Bulbul were not around.
“Oh come on aunt, you know you are the only one I trust to care for mother. ”
“Awww I am flattered. ” Janki said as she wiped away an invisible tear.
“So melodramatic. ” Sarla said while shaking her head.
“Aunt it’s about to get dark outside, not that I am chasing you out, it’s just that it’s not safe to go out at night. ” Pragya told Janki.
“Dear there is no need to explain yourself, I was just about to leave before you came in. ”
“Before you leave, here is the money I owe you, thank you for looking after my mom, it means a lot to me. ” she said this as she got some money out of her purse.
“You don’t need to thank me, you pay me for this and there is nothing I am doing. ”
“I know, but thanks anyway. ” she said handing the money to Janki.
Pragya walked Janki to the door, she went back to check on her mother only to find her crying.
“Mother what’s wrong? Are you in pain? Mother say something, why are you crying mother. ” she asked in a panicked state.
“Every mother should be blessed with a daughter like you, ever since I got paralyzed 13years ago you single handedly managed everything. ” Sarla said as she wiped the tears flowing from her eye.
“Is that why you are crying mother? ”
“You don’t understand how I feel, I have deprived you of a normal life, I am the one who is supposed to take care of you and you sister, I am the one who is supposed to work two to three jobs not you Pragya, am such a bad mother. ” now Sarla was being hysterical.
“Mother enough, this is not your fault, besides, you also help by making lovely bags and purses, the money made after they are sold helps a lot, even in your state, you are still able to care for me and Bulbul, ” Pragya said holding her mother’s cheek giving her a small smile. “Speaking of Bulbul, where is she? ”
“She is in her room studying. ”
“Has she eaten anything. ”
“No she said she will only eat when you get back. ”
“This girl. ” Pragya rushed to her and her sisters room making her mother laugh, she was happy that she had gotten such a loving kind daughter and prayed to God to keep her safe.
“You wouldn’t want to die before your exams now would you? ” Pragya said as she stood by the door looking at her sister who had a pile of books on their bed.
“Pragya, you are back. ” Bulbul said excitedly jumping out of bed as she rushed to hug her sister.
“No I was just leaving. Have you eaten anything? ” she said embracing her sister, she loved her little sister very much.
“No but, I will eat after I finish writing my assignment. ”
“After you finish writing your assignment. Is that so, or maybe were you waiting for me to get back? ” Pragya asked her sister, she knew that Bulbul would never eat without her around, since they were little kids, she would never eat without her sister. Pragya knew that studying was just an excuse so when could not eat until she(Pragya) could go home.
“How did you know? ” Bulbul asked liie kid who had been caught stealing a cookie.
“I have known you since your diaper days, now come on, let’s fill up that stomach. ”
**********
“You guys are finally her, come let’s eat and Pragya I need to discuss something important with you. ” Sarla said as she wheeled herself to the dinning table.
“Sure mom, you know you can tell me anything. ” Pragya said. Sarla was not sure whether or not she should tell her daughter what she had in mind, taking in a deep breath, she began to speak.
Pragya, I know you are not comfortable with this but dear you are getting older and you can’t spend all your days taking care of us. ”
“Mother you know I don’t mind. ”
“I know but as your mother it is my duty to be concerned about your well being, Pragya you are 27 years old now and I think it’s time you thought about your future. ”
“What do you me by my future? ” Pragya asked having an idea of where the topic was going.
“Pragya you need someone to take care of you. ”
“Mother if this is about marriage you know I don’t want to marry and you know my reason, excuse me I have a long day tomorrow goodnight. ” Pragya stormed out leaving her food a untouched and, a sad Bulbul and a pained Sarla, Sarla knew that her daughter would never agree to marriage, but what could she do, she was tired of seeing her child struggling everyday, she just wanted her to be happy, she prayed that one day Pragya will find a man who will make her see that not all men are like her father.
**********
“Abhi are you sure about this daycare. ” Aliyah asked her brother for the fourth time.
“Yes Aliyah, now bring Sona to me I will take her to the daycare. ” Abhi said taking the little girl from his sisters’ hands.
“For someone who hates babies you are awfully acting strange today. ” Aliyah said looking at her brother weirdly, she knew that Abhi wanted nothing to do with children and he openly confessed to her about how much he hated Kids.
“I care about my niece. ”
“Here drive safely and in her bag there is a list of things she likes to do. ”
“Okay, I promise she will be in the safest hands. ” he said getting the list from her hands.
“I am trusting you. ” Aliyah said, even though in all honesty she did not trust her brother with her baby, she just hope that the people at the daycare know what they are doing.
Abhi took Sona to the daycare in hope of seeing Pragya there but to his disappointment she had not arrived yet, so he waited for her until she reached the daycare, when she got there he knew he would look creepy if he approached her with no reason so he waited until she knocked off, when Pragya’s work hours were over, he entered the daycare with the motive to speak to Pragya, but when he saw her all his words got stuck to his throat, he knew he was supposed to say something but he just couldn’t say anything.
“Good afternoon sir, how may I help you. ” Pragya asked Abhi with a smile.
“huh…umm ah. ” For some reason he couldn’t come up with words.
“Oh you are here for Sona? ” Saved by the bell, Urmi appeared at the right time, she worked with Pragya at the daycare.
“Yes, yes, yes Sona. ” Was all Abhi could say.
“Oh so you are Sona’s father, I am Pragya and you might have already met her in the morning she is Urmi we watch the children. ” she introduced herself, putting out her hand for a handshake.
“I know. ” Abhi said dreamily while he looked at her face still holding on to her hand.
“What? ” Pragya asked a little confused. Abhi quickly released her hand, somehow the what got him out of his daydream.
“I don’t know you are Pragya, no, no, no, no, don’t get me wrong, um… What I know is that she is the caregiver because we met in the morning. ” he said nervously.
“No need to explain yourself, here you go you really have a beautiful daughter. ” Pragya said as Urmi handed Song to Abhi.
Before he could tell her that she was not his daughter another baby cried diverting Pragya’s attention from Abhi and Sona, letting out a small curse Abhi walked with Sona to the car and drove to the restaurant knowing that was the place he will see her again.
**********
Pragya reached the restaurant, she quickly changed into her uniform, Abhi was bored out of his mind tired waiting for Pragya and it was not even easy with Sona wanting his attention every five seconds, tired of sitting in Aliyah’s office waiting, he carried Sona and went out to catch some air.
As he opened the door he bumped into Pragya who was running from the kitchen with a tray of food on it, seeing her mistake Pragya begun to panic mumbling a string of apologies, Abhi decided to take this to his own advantage.
“Oh my gosh I am so sorry, I wasn’t watching were on was going, so I. Oh my, sir it’s you from the daycare? ” somehow she felt relieved that it was him.
“Yes and it’s okay it’s just a shirt. ” Abhi said looking at his shirt.
“I am sorry I will even wash it if you want. ”
“Then what will I wear?” Abhi asked Pragya making her feel dumb by her suggestion.
“It’s okay there is no need for you to feel embarrassed, but there is a way you could pay back. ” When Pragya heard that, she went into defense mode.
“Listen mister, just because you are rich doesn’t mean you can get anything you want, I might not be as rich as you are, but I have self respect and morals. If you think I will give you what I think you want then you are highly mistaken. ” Abhi looked at her in bewilderment he hadn’t even told her what he was thinking and here she was already scolding him.
“Qnd what is it that I want. ” Abhi said still confused by her outburst.
“Now acting innocent, ” Pragya said while shaking her head. “What will your wife feel when she comes to know about you? ” she asked “I mean your daughter is not even two yet and already you are- My mother was wrong all men are the same, they make you love them and then when you are so dependant on them, they abandon you and live you to die, if not your wife, at least think of your daughter. ” Pragya finished speaking and left Abhi with shock written on his face, it was when Sona slapped him on his cheek he got out of his shocked state remembering what Pragya had said, he knew that he had to explain himself to her before she thought the worst of him, he also knew that there must have been a man who hurt her deeply.
*************
“Pragya!! ” Abhi tried calling out to her as she furiously cleaned the tables.
“Leave me alone you pervert. ” Pragya said feeling her blood pressure rising, how could men be so shameless, his wife probably thinks that he is the best husband and here he was trying to hit on her.
“Listen, I was only going to ask you have lunch with me. ” Abhi finally said, but looking at the eye she gave him and the way she looked between him and Sona he knew he had to clarify something to her. “Before you say anything, Sona is not my daughter, she is my niece, my sister’s daughter. ” he said under one breath.
“Oh please, I know that’s a lie. ” Pragya scoffed with her hands folded across her chest.
“If you want you can even ask Sahil. ”
“And what does Sahil sir know about this? ”
“My sister owns this restaurant and he is the manager. Sahil, come here. ”
“Is there a problem sir? ” Sahill asked Abhi.
“Sahil, who is this baby to you… I mean me. ” Abhi asked with a now sleeping Sona in his hands.
“Your niece Sona, Aliyah madames daughter. ” Sahill was clearly confused as to why Abhi would ask him something like that.
“You can go now. ” He said dismissing Sahill, he looked at Pragya and saw regret in her eyes.
“I am so sorry, I spoke without thinking. ” Pragya said playing with her fingers.
“You spoke like a hurt person. ” It was clear through her words that someone hurt her really bad and that’s is why she spoke like that. “But I will accept your apology if you agree to spend the whole week with me. ”
“But you only said lunch? ” Now what is he planning, he only said lunch and now a week, Pragya knew he had something up his sleeves and she didn’t like it.
“That was before you insulted me. ”
“Fine, but it’s only a week and don’t get any ideas. ” she gave him the pointing finger.
“Yes ma’am. ”
Abhi was happy about his achievement he knew that one week was not enough to make her fall in love with him, but it was enough to make her comfortable with him.
*********
It was the last day that Pragya had to spend with Abhi, even though Pragya wouldn’t admit it to Abhi, it was the best week she had ever had, even her mother and her sister had noticed that she seemed so much at ease, the Pragya who was always worried seemed more relaxed and happier.
Abhi came to know that Pragya lived with her mother and sister that she was the oldest daughter, even though he knew so much or almost everything he didn’t want to make it obvious because he learnt that Pragya had quite a temper, he had also noticed that she never said anything about her father, it was like he didn’t exist.
“So today is the last day. ” They had and awesome week together, and now it came to an end, he only feared that after this they will never talk again.
“That’s if you want it to be. ” Feeling shy, Pragya begun to play around with her fingers, it was s habit she developed since she was a little girl.
“What do you mean by that. ” he asked her hoping that she wanted the same thing he wanted.
“If you are up for it we can do this more often, I mean apart from my mother, sister and Urmi you have become like family to me. ” this time she gained enough courage to look him in the eye.
“Please don’t tell me you see me as your brother. ” he hoped that she wouldn’t see him like that, because that would ruin his chances of being with her.
“What’s the problem with that. ”
“It’s just that I don’t feel comfortable being your brother, mean I already have a sister, having another one… ” he stopped speaking unable to come up with something that will support his lie, of course he didn’t mind if he had another sister, but he did mind if Pragya so him as her brother, he didn’t want to be known as her brother, he wanted to be known as her lover.
“Oh I understand, then I can call you a friend right? ”
“Yes friends it is. ”
Abhi and Pragya kept meeting as friends, even though the word didn’t sit well with Abhi, he knew that it was only the beginning, Pragya on the other hand felt so comfortable with Abhi, she evn introduced him to her family, Sarla and Bulbul we’re supper excited to finally meet the person who brought a smile on Pragya’s face, they even grew more excited when they found out that it was a young unmarried man, they immediately knew that he was so special to Pragya because Pragya just didn’t give anyone a chance be it male or female.
Pragya grew more close to Abhi so did her feelings for him, she even felt so free with him that she told him the reason why she felt all men where the same, it was because her father always cheated on her mother with other women and he later became abusive towards her mother, he would come home drunk every night beat her mother and go to bed, whenever he would come home, Sarla would always lock her and Bulbul in a room so that they do not see or hear what happens, Bulbul might have been young but Pragya was old enough to understand. One day he just drank more than he could hand as usual Sarla gave Pragya the keys to her room to lock herself and her sister, but this time Pragya only locked her sister in, she rushed to the sitting room only to find her father pointing a gun towards her mother, as she was still thinking of how she could stop her father it was to late, the next thing she saw was her mother lying down in a pool of blood as her father ran out of the house. This all happened when she was 14years old and Bulbul was only 8years old, not wanting her little sister to see her mother lying lifeless she quickly called for an ambulance, asking the neighbor to look after her sister as she went with her mother.
After hours of waiting the doctors told Pragya that her mother was okay but she was never going to be able to walk again as the bullet hit her spinal cord, with the help of well wishers Pragya was able to complete her high school at the age of 16 she found a job so she could sponsor herself to college but the money was not enough so she dropped the idea of going to college and stuck to take good care of her mother’s health and Bulbul’s school.
When Abhi heard this he knew that it was going to take time for her to trust a man so he decided that he will take things slowly.
ⓉⓌⒺⓁⓋⒺ ⓂⓄⓃⓉⒽⓈ ⓁⒶⓉⒺⓇ
It’s been a year since Abhi and Pragya knew each other, okay five years for Abhi, Abhi and Pragya grew closer to each other the more they knew each other better, as for Abhi his love for Pragya even grew ten times more now that he knew her better, not only did he love Pragya but her family as well, her mother became like his mother and Bulbul well she was annoying sometimes but he considered her to be his baby sister.
Abhi spent the whole day watching movies and playing games with Pragya and her family, at dinner time, he thought of eating out with Pragya and her family at some restaurant down town, but Sarla kindly rejected the offer, saying that she was tired, Bulbul on the other hand gave an excuse of staying at home with Sarla, but still forced her sister to go, saying it would be rude if she turned down Abhi’s offer, with no other option Pragya agreed to go with Abhi.
************
Ⓐⓣ ⓣⓗⓔ Ⓡⓔⓢⓣⓐⓤⓡⓐⓝⓣ.
“Why waste so much money on food, I would have prepared for you something so much better. ” sometimes she wondered why he would waste so much money coming to restaurants and ordering tasteless food, when she was willing to make them both something which tastes better.
“I know you can prepare something better than this, but I have something important to tell you. ” he really didn’t know how to say this, he was feeling like a cat on hot bricks, and only she had the power to make him feel like this.
“Ummm okay, so what do you want to tell me? ”
Without wasting much time, Abhi just let the words flow out of his mouth, he knew that if he hesitated even for a second he would not be able to tell her what he wanted to.
“I love you. ”Before Pragya could process what he just said, he caught her off guard again by asking. “Will you marry me? ” Pragya didn’t know how to react by Abhi’s sudden confession and question, she had a roller coaster of emotions, feeling so many emotions at the same time, so she did what every other normal person could do when they are caught of guard, stare blankly at Abhi.
When Abhi saw that there was no reaction from Pragya he began to blame himself for his bad timing calling himself an idiot and all sort of names.
Pragya called Abhi’s name a few times but he was busy in his own world which caused Pragya to lose patience and spill the whole jug of water on his head gaining attention of people in the restaurant.
“This man here asked me to marry him. And I said no. ” she said loud enough for everyone to stop what they were doing and pay attention to what she was saying seeing that she has gained most of the people’s attention, she moved the plates of food to the side and stood on top of the table.
Abhi felt like a knife had been passed through his heart the rejection he feared is what he was getting, this was worse than being humiliated in front of people he didn’t know.
“Now tell me ladies would you say yes to a man if he asks you to marry him with no ring, would take him serious? ”
The women in the restaurant murmured no, while the men said they would never ask a girl to marry them with no ring.
“Well how do you expect me to say yes if you don’t give me a ring? How am I supposed to know if you are serious or not. ” this time she squatted on the table and faced Abhi.
That is when Abhi noticed that he was doing it the wrong way, without wasting much time he removed the ring from his pocket, knelt down in front of Pragya and asked her to marry him, Pragya sat on his lap and said yes confessing her love to him earning cheers from the audience.
**********
Months later Abhi and Pragya got married, it was a grand affair with so many important people we’re invited, Sarla was happy that finally her daughter had found someone to care for her and she didn’t have to worry any more, on Abhi’s insistence Bulbul and Sarla moved in with them after the wedding and they lived as one big happy family.
The end.
5000+ words. Now that’s a lot.
I love You all, but remember that Christ loves you more.
From Chichi..
Good morning.