"May I know where you both were. I haven't seen you after lunch, '' Sujata asked them casually.
"We had gone to meet a common friend." Abhi came near her.
"You have made friends here. That's great." Sujata chuckled
"No, mom, she has been our friend since junior college." Abhi plopped himself on the couch.
"Oh my, my so she is a girl. Care to explain your friendship. Is she someone special?" Sujata made herself comfortable next to him.
"Yes, mom, I want you to meet her. She is Sanjay uncle's niece. Her name is Pankhuri. I want to invite both of them tomorrow for dinner if you agree." Abhi made a puppy face.
"Ok, I will ask Simmi to invite them," her phone starts ringing," I have to accept this one, it is important". She got up and moved out.
They went to their rooms respectively thinking about what to do next.
The next day in the evening Pankhuri and Sanjay went to Abhi's house.
"Pankhuri met my mom."
"Mom Pankhuri" Abhi introduced them to each other.
Pankhuri bowed to touch Sujata's feet, she blessed her. Everyone sat and talked a little bit. Sanjay, Simmi and Sujata were feeling awkward in the presence of each other. Dinner went well.
"Abhi, why don't you take her and show her your room." Sujata got up from her seat and stood near Pankhuri.
"Oh yes, mom". Abhi got up while signalling Sanjay and Manav to join them. After a few minutes, Sanjay got up," Manav, can you please show me the washroom."
"Please come with me." Manav got up and gestured Sanjay to follow.
As soon as they were out of the living room, they went towards Sujata's room where Pankhuri and Abhi were waiting.
"Can anyone tell me what is happening?" Pankhuri was irked by Abhi's behaviour.
"Pankhuri, relax I will tell you everything when we will be back." Abhi joined Sanjay and Manav and helped them.
They quickly fixed everything they needed for their plan to be successful. One by one they went and joined everyone. Eventually, everyone except Manav and Abhi called a night off.
" Having second thoughts. If you want we can drop the whole idea. Tomorrow morning we can remove everything from Bua's room." Manav suggested upon seeing Abhi's reluctance.
"She is my mom and as her child, how can I do this to her?" Abhi was a hell of confused. Not knowing what is right and what is wrong.
"I can understand your problem. I'm even feeling guilty. For once think like Raj Uncle. You loved her so much and she shoved a dagger on your back. She betrayed you and broke the pillar of the family. Everyone suffered because of her. You have valid reasons so don't feel guilty." Manav tried to clear his confusion.
"I am doing the same thing as what she did then what is the difference?" Abhi sat on the chair, rubbing his face with his hands.
"You are right, you are giving her the same medicine she has given you 23 years back. The difference is that her betrayal is a part of her plan but you are doing this so she can be punished for the wrong she had done. "Manav realised it was time to put some sense in his friend's mind.
"Ok let's move". Abhi understood what he was trying to say. He got up and joined Manav.
It was around midnight when the sound of something falling was heard which awakened Sujata, at the same time she saw a silhouette passing through her balcony window. She is not someone who would frighten easily, so with all her might, she shouted, "who is there?". She didn't receive any answer so she supposed that it might be her nightmare. Hearing her shouts, everyone gathered in her room. Abhi had a worried look on her face," what happened mom, we heard you screaming."
"It was a nightmare, I suppose." Sujata dismissed it.
"Do you want me to stay with you?" Abhi gave her water to drink and sat beside her.
"No need I'm sorry I disturbed everyone's sleep. Please go and sleep, I'm fine." Sujata dismissed everyone.
When everyone left Abhi and Manav high five.
"Buddy, she is too strong to be frightened so easily." Manav was worried about seeing Sujata's willpower.
"After all she is great Abhimanyu's mother"
The next morning was normal as usual. Post lunch Abhi went to meet Sanjay and told him what had happened last night.
"You will have to put in more effort. She is a strong person." Sanjay agreed with Manav.
"I will try my level best ". Abhi got up to leave.
On his way back, he saw a familiar figure, his eyes lit upon seeing the person.
" Hey"
"Hey! Did you come to meet uncle?" She came near him.
"Yes, sort of and meeting you was a bonus."He went near Pankhuri and pecked on her lips.
"Would you like to have a cup of coffee with me?"
"I would love to but not before I change into something decent." Pankhuri was wearing a t-shirt and yoga pants.
"Go ahead I will wait for you but don't take too much time, else we will have dinner instead of coffee," Abhi said chuckling. Pankhuri slams on his arm playfully.
They strolled to the cafe relishing the cool refreshing evening breeze. The colour of the sky is changing into the hues of orange indicating that the sun is about to set in. They reached the cafe and ordered coffee and some cakes to accompany them. Abhi excused himself for a few minutes.
"Where did you go?" Pankhuri was astonished at his disappearance.
"I wanted to change the flavour of the cake ". Pankhuri just nodded. Their orders arrived after a few minutes. The cake was so tempting that Pankhuri immediately dug her spoon into it. To her utter surprise, a ring came out with the molten chocolate. She couldn't believe it so she looked at Abhi, he nodded in approval, picking the ring Abhi asked the passing waiter to get it clean.
Abhi went on his knees near her chair " I fell for you the first day I saw you in the classroom, but I thought it was a teenager crush and will pass through. When you had gone to Mumbai then I realised my love for you. Facetime with you has always been a special time for me. After disconnecting your call I used to feel miserable. The day I saw you at Sanjay uncle's house I realised my true feelings for you. I realised that you are the only one meant for me. I LOVE YOU and will do anything for your happiness. So Miss Pankhuri Khanna, will you marry me?" There was cheering and clapping by the people around them.
Pankhuri was speechless on hearing his confession. Tears of happiness were brimming from her eyes and she was grinning eye to eye
"Yes," finally she spoke and hugged him.
Everyone clapped for them.
"Abhi, when did you buy this ring?" The ring was not something outrageous but a simple platinum band with diamonds on it.
"I bought this ring from the money I got after the release of my first album. Did you like it.?" Abhi scratched his hair with his hand.
"You were so confident." Pankhuri was amazed. Her eyes were twinkling with happiness.
"Truth to be spoken at that time I was not so confident but bought it just like that. Did you like it.?"
"I adore it and it is more special because you bought it from your first earnings. The two hearts entwined with each other depict our love for each other." Pankhuri's happiness had no bounds. She was on cloud nine.
Spending some more time in each others company they strolled back.