A Chance At Love - Prem Preeti

Chapter 20

Preeti stepped out of the hospital. It was 4pm on the 30th.

Dressed in a dark yellow t shirt with white pants and a black leather jacket, she saw him with his hands in his pockets as he waited for her.

Smiling widely, he looked up on her arriving. "Kaisi ho?"

"Theek... aur tum..."

"Ab bilkul theek hoon," he smiled as she came close.

Not seeing his black car in sight, Preeti asked him, "gaadi..."

He smiled as he pointed to to bike ahead. "Chalo..."

Preeti stared at the bike and then at him.

"Aajao..." he mounted the bike and smiled signalling her to get on. She smiled as she pulled her dupatta on a side and sat behind.

"Chalien.." he asked her softly and she tried to hold him. Placing her hands on his shoulders she hummed a soft "haan" and he looked down as he started the bike.

He smiled as he turned to look at her. "Haq se pakdo Preeti," and she pulled her hands firmly on his shoulders as they left the hospital premises.

*****

Stopping at a small chai waala for tea, it was a beautiful evening as they sped through the roads of Mumbai, sampling streetfood.

Her hands on his shoulders had dropped down to circle his waist as they came closer and Preeti overcame her hesitation of holding him.

The moment she did first and one hand snaked his waist, he felt a current race through him. He would have unbalanced the bike if it was any faster. The evening and the bike ride had been beautiful with her holding him and they had enjoyed garam Bhuttas in the cold winter of Mumbai and other street food.

"Bohat waqt huwa aise aaye huwe.." he smiled as she walked through the small shops. These were memories. They used to come here when he would pick Sangeeta and Preeti from college those days.

He was their driver in the all senses. He had been the closest to them, listening to them discussing everything girls do, accompanying them to some small shopping for stuff they were crazy of and binging on street food as he drove them everyday.

Preeti looked down as she walked ahead and he held her hand. "Tum meri dost se inhi raaston par kuch zaida hi bann gayi.. woh college ke din, tum dono ko pick and drop, tumhe kaise apna maan liya pata hi nahi chala.."

He held her hand as they sat on a bench. "Jab waapis Sangeeta ki Sagai par aaya aur tumhe dekhte hi laga, ke USA mein tumhe itna yaad karne ka matlab kuch aur hi tha... Sangeeta ka sab se bada saath tum hi thi.. Usse bhi shaadi ki himmat tumse mili. Tum dono ki baatien suni thi maine."

Preeti looked at him and he winked, "main kamre ke bahar tha, aur achcha hi tha ke kisi aur ne nahi suna.. warna jo Sangeeta aur Anand Babu ki meeting tumne karayi thi Sagai se pehle..."

Preeti stared and he smiled, "tumhare nazariye, samajdari aur himmat par dil aa gaya tha mera.. unka milna zaroori tha aur sab sahi ho gaya..."

"Bas, inn sab mein Sangeeta ka saath choot gaya aur humara milna kam ho gaya.. pyaar ka izhaar tho kya milne ka bahana mushkil ho gaya tha. Aur jab tumhari shaadi baat chali, maine socha tha ke agar tum khush ho tho beech mein nahi aaoonga. Par shayad meri mohabbat sachchi thi aur Papa ne mujhse jab poocha, dil ki dhadkan ruk si gayi uss din.."

"Maine hamesha chaha hai ke hamare rishta tumhari khushi se ho... aur aaj tumhare saath waapis inn galiyon mein aana, inn baaton ko, uss intezaar ki yaad dilata hai..."

She smiled as she had a tear in her eye and he wiped it. "Itna bolna nahi aata, aaj pata nahi kya ho gaya hai.." and she smiled as he took her hand.

Pulling her hand he took her to the nearest vendor and smiled as he bought a chandi ka bracelet.