Nice to Meet You Again

Ye Dil Chahta Hai Kya

Parmita had started chatting on a matrimonial app to a guy.

"Hab you don lunch?" She got a message from the guy.

"Yes," Parmita was surprised at the spelling mistakes because as per the guy's profile, he was a gold medalist in his Engineering college.

"Why are you not sending your pix yaar?"

"Pix?" The only Pix Parmita knew was the cable channel Sony Pix on which one of the movies from Mission Impossible franchise was aired each weekend.

"Pix? Your photos?" Parmita had uploaded her profile picture and was not sure why the guy was asking for more pictures.

Suddenly Parmita's cellphone rang.

"Hello?" Parmita said as it was an unknown number.

"Hello Paro. I've done a backgycheck on the guy you're talking to on the matrimonial site. He is a fraud!"

"Kitni baar tumse bola hai Brishti ki mujhe Paro mat bulaaya karo," Parmita gritted her teeth, "And how do you know I was talking to a guy on Matrimonial site? How do you even know I'm on a Matrimonial site?"

"Um, you left your cellphone outside once during that AI building session," Brishti said, "That's where I read your messages with that guy."

"What are you a stalker?" Parmita said, then she calmed herself as just a week ago Brishti told her about Drishti's death. She was a child who had lost both her sister and mother. So her acts, however nonsensical, were understandable. But why was she so interested in her marriage?

"Paro," Brishti said, then corrected herself, "I mean Parmita. Actually I was coming at your home but now it seems I've lost my way and the internet is not working here we'll so Maps are also not working. Can you please...?"

"Perfect!" Parmita taunted, "Wait, what do you see around? I'll come to fetch you."

"Are you mad Brishti? How can you come here alone when you have no idea about this locality? That too, without telling your dad. Have you got any idea he must be worrying about you and now you're not even letting me call him."

"Parmita please," Brishti pleaded, "I told Dad I was going to a friend's house for group study. If he gets to know I lied to him, he'll be very angry. I only came here to warn you about that guy."

"Whose bike is this?" Parmita was shocked seeing a Pulsar parked in front of her house. Then she remembered - she told that fishy guy her home address. Shit!

"He's here!" Parmita whispered, biting her nails.

"Who?" Brishti whispered back.

"That guy from matrimonial site!" Parmita said.

"What will we do now?" Brishti said.

"Not 'we'. You have nothing to do in this matter," Parmita said, knocking at the door.

The door opened and Parmita was prepared for the worst.

"Tum?" Parmita's mouth was open.

"Pehle muh to band kar lo apna," smiling Mahaswin softly closed her mouth shut, then hugged her, "Hi Paro! I was waiting only for you!"

Parmita was too shocked to even move and so was Brishti.

"Dad?" Brishti was clueless.

"My baccha!" Mahaswin pulled Brishti's cheeks, "Apni hone vali mummy se Milne ki ise itni jaldi thi ki mujhse ek ghante pehle hi yahaan aane ke liye cab book kar li."

"Dimaag kharaab ho gaya hai tumhara?" Parmita said, trying to lift Mahaswin by his arm but failing to move him even an inch, "Niklo yahaan se. Ab samajh me aaya Brishti ne ye sab kisse seekha hai?"

Mahaswin stretched himself and then stood up with a jerk.

"Paro! Paro! Paro!" He said giving him the sweetest of his smiles and patting on her arm, "Tussi bhi na bade mazaaki ho? Tumne khud hi to mujhe apna address, biodata sab diya tha." Then he whispered to Parmita, "Dearest Paro, Hab you don lunch?"

"To vo tum the?" Paro whispered with her eyes wide.

"Shukar manaao, main tha," Mahaswin said, "Varna tumne jaise saari online safety precautions trashcan me daal rakhe the, koi bhi fraud aasaani se tumhe bewakoof bana sakta tha."

"Accha, Ok," Parmita said loudly, "Mummy? Can I talk to Mahaswin in the balcony?"

"Yes," her mother said.

"Paisewala aur successful hai to kya hua," she said quietly to Parmita's father, "Eklauta beta hone ke baavjood ek ladki ke liye apne Maa baap tak ko chhor diya aur 17 ki umar me ek ladki ko...chii chii. Main apni beti ki shaadi ek gareeb se karwa doongi ya fir use saari zindagi kunwara hi rakhoongi par Mahi jaise swaarthi ladke se shaadi karne nahi doongi. Arrey Jo ladke apne sage maa baap ka na hua vo hamari beti ka kaise hoga. Maine dekha h Mrs. Goswami ki aankhon ko pathraate huye is aas me ki unka beta ek din vaapis zaroor aayega. Aur is swarthi ladke ko to dekho apni biwi ke saath itna bura karne ke baad doosri shaadi ke sapne sajaa raha h."

Brishti was listening to everything but she just wiped her tears silently.

"Theek hai," Parmita said, oblivious to everything her mother had said, "You made me realise that I should've been more careful at matrimonial site. Ab jaao."

"Main nahi jaunga," Mahaswin shook his head.

"Kyon nahi jaoge?" Parmita said.

"Pehle please bolo," Mahaswin pouted.

"Hain??" Parmita said, exhaling, theek hai, "Please."

"Arrey," Mahaswin said, "Apne fiance se aise bolte hain? Zara pyaar se bolo."

Parmita was sure Mahaswin was possessed. Still to get rid of this weird poltergeist, she said, "Please Mahaswin, chale jao yahaan se."
Mahaswin didn't move.

"Ab kya hai?" Parmita said.

"School me you never called me by this name."

Parmita batted her eyelashes and said, "Mahi please chale jao."

Mahaswin yawned and said, "Yaar tumne zyada hi time laga diya. Ab mood nahi h mera."

"This is cheating," Parmita whined.

"Hai to ye cheating," Mahaswin said, "Par kya hai na Paro, tumhe pareshan karne ka itna accha mauka main jaane nahi de sakta aur tum to jaanti ho ho ki pyaar aur Jung me sab jaayaz hai. Abhi ke liye jaa raha hoon par maha chipkoo bhoot hoon main Madam. Tumhara peecha to kabhi nahi chodunga main."

Later that night, Parmita remembered these words. "Everything is fair in love and war"—That's what Mahaswin said to her. There was never any conflict between them in high school so war is ruled out. That means...

But more than that that chipkoo bhoot line—

Once Parmita was very sick but Dev never left her side.

"Jaao tum," Parmita said, "Varna tumhe bhi infection lag jaayega."

Then nurse called Dev, "Leave. I've to tend to patient."

Dev kissed Parmita on her forehead and said, "Abhi ke liye jaa raha hoon par maha chipkoo bhoot hoon main Madam. Tumhara peecha to kabhi nahi chodunga main."