A Chance At Love - Prem Preeti

Chapter 6

Preeti saw her last patient for the afternoon rmbrin n still blushing at the thought of Prem.

She knew she d miss him terribly. This was the second time he was going away after their confessions of being in love.

He did msg her then bt the time difference made it difficult to have conversations. But this time there would be no barriers especially after the pressure their relationship went through.

Preeti thought back on her Rampur days. She would often hear Vivek bhaiyya asking about Prem from Anwar bhaijaan n would hear that he was still unsettled, avoiding meals occasionally n had distanced himself from everyone.

A couple of weeks hearing this n she decided he needed a friend who helped him out of this or he d loose himself. N taking a day off to mumbai she had msgd him.

Hi..... free ho?

Hi.... haan kaho...

Kaise ho...

Theek... tum kaisi ho....

Mil kar baat karein... lunch in half n hr?

She knew he would be surprised at her asking him out bt she needed to see him. His hesitancy in the delay to accept under the circumstances was also apparent.

Ok....

Jerry's Food Hut.. half n hour..:-)

She remebered him arriving in his office suit looking as handsome bt grim mood n his smiling eyes dull.

He had greeted her with a worried smile. He looked disturbed, maybe tensed.

"Hi..."

"Kya baat hai, aise achanak bulaya. Sab theek hai na. Tum... Sadhna bhabhi...."

Preeti nodded, "sab theek hai. Bas ek dost ko lunch par bulaya hai."

Prem stared at her n his gaze faltered. "Aise halaath mein. Agar kisine aise dekha tho, pata chala tho.. matlab...."

"Hamare beech jo huwa usse pehle hum dost the, aur rahenge. Hai na?"

"Preeti... baat yeh nahi hai."

"Hum dost hain na....?"

Prem looked down and closed his eyes.

"Sahi tho hai...."

They jumped at the voice of their fathers dining in the next booth.
They rose from their seats shocked.

"Papa, Pritam Uncle... woh...." Prem tried to explain.

"Papa woh main... woh hum" Preeti said at the same time.

"Darre huwe kyun ho. Hume tumhare milne se aitraz nahi hai. Achcha hai tum yahan aayi. Prem, pareshan sab hain par aise tho tum khud bemaar ho jaoge beta" Papa hugged him.

"Haan bete... Aur bohat bohat shukriya har mauka sambhalne ke liye. Aise halaath kabhi aayenge yeh...." Ram Kishen uncle teared.

"Nahi uncle.. sab theek ho jaayega.. bas thoda waqt di jiye.."

"Hamesha Khush Raho beta"

"Yeh bachche sambhal lenge, Samajdaar hain. Hum chalte hain beta, tum dono baitho.." papa said taking uncle along leaving us in silence.

"I am sorry maine aise hi.. bas... Tumhe aise aur nahi dekh sakti," she had said and he shook his head. "Main theek hoon... " he whispered as he looked down.

"Bohat baatien ho gayyi. Kuch order karein." She asked trying to bring in a smile.

"Haan..." he told her with a small but genuine smile that had come after a long time.