The engagement was just a month away. Their boards were over, and everyone was looking up collages. There was a lot to do, shopping to start with! Phool and Vishal were too excited, not only because their best friends were engaged but also because of the mission they were assigned. They never knew Pratap had so many problems in his life. They had no idea how they ended up together, but they always knew these guys were in love. Phool excitedly made a shopping list for Roshni for the engagement. She paced up and down Roshni's room, reading what she wrote. A lehenga, some jewellery and a ring were to start with. They had to buy gifts for Pratap's family, too. Hansa had told Phool to help Roshni with the shopping, much to her dismay. Shopping with Phool meant two hours over a single thing and then coming home empty-handed. Roshni wished someone would save her. She sat in her bed, checking her phone again and again. Phool saw that and said,
" Are you waiting for his call? "
" What? No, No... Just...." Roshni got up to shut the door.
She whispered something to Phool. Phool was smiling, all excited, " Can we go too?"
"No." Came a stern reply.
Pratap was now determined to find out what was wrong between his parents. He used his key to sneak into his parents' empty apartment. Vishal kept a vigil outside. Dadi was in the plan too, as she kept Jaivanta busy teaching her to make a new dessert. The well-furnished apartment was a broken home. His parents stayed in separate rooms across the hall. He tried to recollect some of their first fights. He could hear his mother sobbing and his father drunk and shouting. Why? He couldn't tell.
He went into his father's room. As he opened the door, he stopped; his bedside table had a photo of a year-old Pratap smiling on his father's lap. He had never interacted directly with the man for as long as he could remember. Things were always given to him without asking, and talks were always done by Dadi and Jaivanta. He had admitted to Roshni that he hated the man. Yet the only photograph in his room was his son's. They love you. Roshni's voice echoed in his head.
He picked up his phone from his pocket and called. Roshni was startled at the first ring, and she picked up.
" Say." She whispered.
" Am in." He whispered back.
" Where?" She asked with a frown.
" Daa... Mr Singh's bedroom!" Pratap breathed in.
" You could tell your father!" Roshni snapped.
" Yeah, whatever." He shrugged.
" What did you find?" Roshni asked eagerly.
" A photo of me." His voice sounded guilty.
Roshni smiled. " And?"
"I'm still looking." He looked around the prim and proper room.
" Okay, keep the phone." Roshni shook her head.
" Hey..." Pratap stopped her.
" What?" She asked again.
" I love you."
" Umm... Yeah... Phool is here.... too..." Roshni nodded awkwardly as Phool smiled.
" Am I on speaker?" Pratap asked, a little aware.
" Hell, No!" She sounded louder than usual.
"Thank God." He chuckled.
He searched the drawers and the cupboard. Then he headed towards the drawer of the wardrobe. There were some files, business papers mostly. He searched through them. Then he found another file, PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL. He opened it, and it was medical reports. Of a woman named Dheer. There were court case files as well, with paper cuttings as evidence. One of them caught his attention. " Alleged affair and false promises of marriage." There was a fine paid to this woman. By his father. He checked the dates, and it was a little before his fifth birthday. That's when the fights started. He took photos of the file on his phone. Then he came out, his face was all flushed, and Vishal asked, " What's wrong?" He looked at his friend blankly.
" Call off the mission." He sounded hurt.
"What? Why?" Vishal frowned, confused.
" Coz I can't go through this!" He ran towards the lift.
" Where are you going?" He called after Pratap.
" To Roshni's place." He almost choked.
" Let me go too, I need to pick Phool up." He insisted.
Vishal, being a little older now, had a licence, and he drove Pratap's car to Roshni's. He promised to drop Phool off, and the trio could go out to lunch. Phool had a party in the evening and needed to visit the parlour. As they departed, Roshni waved from the balcony and came back to see Pratap sitting on her bed, his eyes cold as stone, lost in thought.
" Now tell me, did you find anything?" Roshni asked, sitting down beside him.
" No, I ... I think this is not right." he shook his head.
"Not right? Why?" Roshni frowned.
" Just not right." He looked away.
" You are hiding something, tell me. " Roshni held his hand and forced him to look at her.
" He had an affair... I saw papers... He wanted to marry her... he made false promises... she went to court for compensation for an abortion... and... and... I was five then... how could he do this to Maasa?" He was saying it all in a hurry, but the pain was no less.
" Calm down... Calm down..." Roshni patted him. " You know this woman?"
" Never heard of her." He shook his head.
" We need to find this woman!" Roshni said firmly.
" What? No, Roshni, we have come too far." Pratap got up and paced the room. "What will we ever achieve?"
" Yes, too far to look back, he cares for you, and Maasa... Remember when he met me? He was so happy." Roshni reminded him, "Can all of it be fake?"
" He pretends." Pratap was firm, "You don't know what men are capable of."
" No, how can you trust some woman you don't know and not your father?" Roshni retorted, "This just isn't right!"
" Yes, the court...." Pratap was stopped by Roshni's hand gesture.
" Tell me something, if a woman loves someone and wants to marry him, why will she seek compensation?" Her question made him look up.
" You mean... she... for money?" Pratap frowned as she nodded.
" Maybe. Your father never talked about divorce with your mom..." Pratap nodded. She was right. "Did he?" Pratap shook his head. Roshni was right; he had always wondered why his parents didn't separate. Maybe because of them being in the limelight or because his mother owned half the business, he assumed.
"So what do we do now?" He asked as Roshni got up to face him. "Find the woman."
He called an agent of his father's. " I need information on a person; this is confidential."
He finished the call and saw Roshni standing on the balcony.
" What's wrong?" He asked, observing her face.
" I was thinking.... how many years you wasted hating him... what if you are wrong?" Her question startled him a little. He shook off the heavy feeling and cleared his throat.
" Leave all that, you went shopping?" He asked with a slight smile.
" No, Phool had a party to go to, maybe tomorrow." Roshni shrugged, aware that he was avoiding the topic.
" Can I take you shopping, Ma'am?" He bowed like a prince, making her laugh.
" You and shopping?" She asked, surprised.
" Yes, So?" He looked at her, pretending to be offended.
" Nothing ... I was Just..." She fumbled. He laughed.
" I like the way I scare you."
" No, you never scare me!!"
" Liar."
Hansa interrupted. " Will you have lunch here, Beta?"
" No, Mausi. Vishal will be coming soon. Can we take Roshni with us?"
" Sure, if she wants to go..." Hansa smiled as Roshni nodded.
" Can I go shopping too?" She asked.
" Shopping? Wasn't Phool supposed to do that?" Hansa frowned.
" Yes... Umm... he wants to go...." Hansa nodded.
Vishal called to inform them that he is stuck with Phool and can't make it. Pratap was visibly happy. He had never gone out alone with her. Their friends always tagged along.
" What happened? Why are you smiling?"
" Vishu can't make it."
" Why?" Roshni asked.
" Phool." He chuckled. " God save him!"
" Then??"
" Then it's you and me, Madam! We will get an auto to the mall." Pratap smiled.
" You and auto?" She looked surprised.
" I can even walk if you want," he smiled.
"Let's get an auto. But first I want food, I am hungry." Roshni sighed.
" Chinese?" His question was followed by a happy nod from her.
" I am gonna get ready, you wait downstairs."
" Why?"
" Coz I will change of course."
" Why don't I sit here and pretend not to look?" His grin embarrassed her.
" Enough now, go!" She ordered. Shutting the door behind her, she smiled. Now what to wear??
Downstairs, an impatient Pratap waited. This was like the first date they never had... he had been thinking of asking her out, but he dreaded she would bring Phool into the plan again. This time, they were alone. He was excited as he paced the room, looking at the stairs and waiting.
Her footsteps made him turn. She wore a long Anarkali salwar, all white, and she looked nothing less than an angel. She had tied her hair with a clip and wore a very small earring, with the bangles his mother had given her. He looked at her wide-eyed, head to toe and back, making her blush.
"Let's go," she smiled.
" One minute." Pratap leaned in as Roshni skipped a heartbeat.
" What?" She looked embarrassed.
" Your hair," he said softly, looking into her eyes.
" What's wrong?" He leaned forward, making her heart skip a beat. What is he doing?
He untied her hair. " That's better. Let's go." He dragged her by the hand out of the house as she smiled. He was looking for an empty auto. She stood behind him with a smile... Roshni, stop thinking stuff!! At last, they found an auto, and they got in. As the auto started, her hair blew over his face.
" Ohh, I'm sorry!" She apologised, removing it from his face.
"It's okay." He smiled as her hands rubbed his face.
The song " Teri Ore" was playing in the auto. Roshni looked out from her side. With a little hesitation, Pratap placed his arm around her shoulder while he too looked away. A smile curved on her face as she moved a little closer to him, making sure he could hold her properly. Not a word was exchanged; both looked away, drowning in the lyrics of the song, as his hand rubbed her shoulder, giving her goosebumps. This was the magic she had read and heard about. She wondered. This is the girl fate made me bump into, he thought. Both looked at each other and smiled.
