Meant to be

Chapter 18: Home is you

Preeti rushed out of the kitchen as soon as she heard her phone ring, and as she looked at the screen was puzzled at the unknown number flashing across. She hesitated for a bit but went ahead and answered it thinking it could be vital
Info about Sidharth from the hospital. They were all on tenterhooks because he was not in front of them on television neither did they have access to him at the hospital. Truth be told till now she had always subconsciously assumed that most reality shows were not as real as they liked people to believe, but with Sidharth and his whole hospitalization the family had come to understand how strict and controlled and difficult access to Sidharth was! She quickly shook herself out of these thoughts and answered the phone "hello?" She said tentatively and was quite surprised at the calm but childlike voice of a young man answer her.

"Hello preetiji?" The voice said
"Haan preeti hee hoon. Aap kaun?" She enquired. "Jee mein Shehbaaz, sana ka....mera matlab hai Shehnaaz Gill ka chota bhai. Aapka number meko colors kay production sey mila. Hope aapko bura nahi lagga key meinay ek dum sey aap ka number liya aur phone kiya"

" hello Shehbaaz! Burah toh definitely nahi lag raha lekin ek ajeeb so excitement ho rahi hai ke jaisay mein Shehnaaz sey baat kar rahi hoon!''

All Shehbaaz could do was laugh awakwardly as response before he hesitantly continued "actually kya hai na, ghar pe mummy paapa sab ko poochna tha ki Sidharthji ki tabiyat ab Kaisi hai. Thoda voh pareshan ho gaye thay. Toh Isiliye phone kiya"

Preeti was so touched by the gesture, the warmth in this young boy's voice confirming everything about Shehnaaz that they had witnessed on the screen so far. "How sweet Shehbaaz, uncle aur aunty ko mera namastey zaroor bolna. Voh Sid abhi hospital mein hai aur sirf ek baar mummy ke saath usko baath hui hai, voh bhi production vaaley ke phone sey loudspeaker mein dal ke!" Preeti said in an exasperated show and then continued "usnay Kaha ki voh weak hai lekin game mein continue karna chahtha hai toh hum log ussay mil bhi nahi sakthay. Roz co-ordinator sey baath karti hoon aur bohot improvement hai usmey. Kal mere Jeeja ki baat bhi hui thi doctor ke saath, everything is on track!lagta hai ek do din mein chala jayega vapis bb ghar ke andar"she concluded.

"Chalo Shukhar hai ke better feel kar raha hai. Vaisay kuch to kar nahi sakta idhar lekin kuch help jaisay chahiye hi toh pls batadey na. Hazir hoon ji" he said with his usual mirth.

Preeti could not help grin widely at the absolute genuine nature  in the voice that spoke to her on the phone "vaisay agar Sid Nahi gaya andar toh Shehnaaz madam ka kya hoga, pata hai aapko hamaaray family
WhatsApp group mein Jab bhi koi Sid ki updates maamgta hain na uskay saath sana ki bhi maangta hai. Ha ha ha ha. Meri beti bolti hai ki maamu nay sana ka fuse ek dum sey off kar diya. Abhi on sirf unkay jaaney ke baad hoga." Saying this Preeti laughed out and continued " Shehbaaz sachi aapkay phone sey bohot khushi hui, if you don't mind mummy sey baath karogay? She will be very happy?" She asked a little uncertain if she was crossing a line or not.

"Haanji preetiji meko bhi bohot khushi hogee pls unsay bhi baath karvaoji pls." Shehbaaz was so happy and somehow content to know that they were such sweet uncomplicated people. Not that there was anything yet between his sister and preeti' brother but just the fact that they were such good friends and talking to Sidharth's sister he felt that What Sidharth portrayed in the show had to be genuine and for that he was grateful.

Preeti in the meanwhile rushed to her mum sitting in the room and hurriedly told
Her "mummy Dekho kis ka phone aaya hai! Aapke Shehnaaz ka bhai Shehbaaz ka..."

Before preeti could continue Shehbaaz could hear on the other side "kyun voh theek hai na abhi bachi ko bhi kuch ho gaya kya?"

Rita shukla who was already tensed about the son suddenly was on alert before her sighted Preeti quickly surmised " arre nahi mummy voh Sid ka haal puchnay ke liye bulaaya hai, aur mainay hee bola ke aapse bhi baat kar lay'