Jaise tum na... waise hum

Abhi gets injured

Roadside

"Suniye, khana khaya aapne?" Pragya asked the old man.

Abhi heard her and said "nahi".

"Ye leejiye, kha leejiye" she offered the packet to the old man and said "Pani bhi laati hoon". She looked towards Naresh and said "Naresh, ek bottle inhe dena." and walked towards the car, where Sushma was handing out the last packet to Naresh.

"Pragya?" Abhi thought aloud and looked at the source of the voice. 

He got up and sat as she passed him, stood up as she walked towards the car, and called her aloud "Pragya!!!"

"Haanji" she said and stopped. She was stunned, both by the voice and her reply.

She froze for a few moments. She knew who it was – the one she loved and the one who tried to kill her.

She turned around slowly and saw him. He looked different, trim cropped hair but the beard remained, and heftier than before, looking at her, surprised, happy, tearing up, and drunk.

This was not what she was expecting. She had thought he would be shocked, scared, or perhaps even angry that his plans of getting rid of her from his life failed. But she was looking at someone who seemed to have missed her for a long time.

"Pragya" Abhi said as he walked towards her, his smile growing with each step. He held his palms on his head and looked at her in amazement.

He let out a sigh of relief and said "Mujhe pata tha... pata tha ki mein mar jaavu na... to tum.. tum mujhe jaroor lene aavogi"

She felt confused and could only stare at him, not knowing what to say or do.

He looked at her from head to toe. She was reminded of his words at the temple 'Tum ek dhokka ho. Sar se lekar paanv tak ek khoobsurat dhokka'.

"Waise ek baat boloon?" he said as he looked at her in amazement "Suit boot me... bagair chashme ke ... ekdum tota lag rahi ho" and smiled at her. 

He came forward and hugged her but she didn't feel comfortable enough to return the hug.

"Dadi kahan par hein pata hai? Mujhe unse bhi milna hai." he said.

Noticing that she isn't hugging him he retreated and held her shoulders "Kya hua... yahan hug karna allowed nahi hai?" but she didn't answer.

He let out a sigh as he let go off her, wiped off his tears and said "Pata hai... kitna miss kiya tumhe. Ab bhi yahin tumhare baare mein..." but stopped as he got surprised looking at the place where he slept and continued "arrey!!! meri body kahan gayi? Yahin to mein soya tha!"

He looked at her in surprise, trying to figure out what's going on. "Ye corporation wale itne jaldi uthake le bhi gaye?" he asked, "Chalo koi baat nahi" and hugged her again and said, "No fear when Fuggi is here".

Pragya felt confused and didn't do or say anything, and heard Naresh shout "Oye" and his footsteps approaching them. But before she could react, he held Abhi by his shoulders, turned him around and punched him on the face, which made him fall down hitting his head on the concrete debris on the way.

"Ye kya kiya tumne?" Pragya shouted at Naresh "Ye mere pati hein."

"Sorry madam" Naresh said "mujhe laga ye aapko ... ", but she paid no heed to him as she knelt down and called Abhi "Suniye" stroking his face.

Sushma rushed towards them with a bottle of water and sprinkled some water on Abhi's face, which startled him and he looked at Pragya. "Fuggi?" he blabbered a couple of times.