As Arjun reached Caramel Spice, his eyes, his heart were racing.. he would finally see his little one!
As he went on the counter and asked for Aanchal, the person sitting on the counter asked him "Aap kon?"
And Arjun stared as if suddenly something crashed onto him..."Main kon?"
He turned his back at the man and thought
"Kya kahoon? Kaun hoon main?
Woh..milna chahegi bhi kya mujhse?
Kya kahoonga..kyun vapas nahi aaya?? Kya woh mujhe maaf karegi?
Kya woh meri shakal bhi dekhna chahegi?"
Lost in his thoughts he was bewildered!
"Ji woh humare Baba unke Father ke dost the, hum abhi Carbon Corporation se aaye hai,hume Mahonar uncle aur unki Family se milna tha..phir sab bataya Mr. Singh ne unke baare me aur yahaan ka pata diya tha"
Raghav eventually coming to Arjun's rescue.
"Singh Saab ne!.Oh achha, par abhi toh woh college gayi hai." The man replied
"Oh ok...phir kab mil sakti hai woh yahaan?"
"Kisse milna hai?" A woman in her late 40s came upto them.
"Arre Ye Kritika hai, meri wife aur mera naam Hemant hai"
The boys nodded at the woman, the Man spoke further
"Kaku ye dono Aanchal se milne aaye hai, inke Baba apne Mahonar ke dost the, ye unhi se milne aaye the"
"Oh" Kritika smiled at them
"Aapka naam?"
"Ji main Raghav hoon, aur ye Arjun "
Arjun was a tearing up but greeted them.
"Aanchal..kab tak aayegi?" Arjun asked in a shaky voice.
"Woh yahaan nahi hai abhi, aap shaam 5 baje aa jaiye"
Kaku spoke in a firm voice and as if she had some intuition regarding Arjun and gave him a stern look.
The boys left quietly.
"Kaku! Kya hua?"
"Woh toh shaam ko hi pata chalega"
Kritika and Hemant a couple in their late 40s and early 50s ran Caramel Spice, a Cafe cum bakery in the city.
They had one daughter named Pallavi, who was a couple of years elder to Aanchal.
They were friends with Aanchal's parents and neighbors as well. As Manohar's mother always despised Aanchal, it became a constant reason of friction between her and Kritika.
Kaku as she was fondly called, loved Aanchal like her own daughter and the couple tried supporting her as much as they could after her parents passed away.
Aanchal always poured her heart out to Kaku, she became her sole source for strength.
Kaku was completely aware of her past, her brother, her struggles, the constant abuse she was subjected to!
On the other hand Arjun was tearing up every minute, he just kept on looking at the clock, why was it taking so long today???Time as if had paused, he was pacing up and down in anticipation.
Sharp at 5 p.m. the boys went in the Cafe. They however were surprised seeing the Closed Sign.
Just as Arjun looked around, he saw Hemant come out.
"Aap hi ka intezaar tha, aaiye"
The boys went inside with Hemant, they saw Kaku waiting.
"Baithiye" Kaku spoke coldly
The boys seated themselves and looked around for Aanchal.
"Kon ho tum?" Kaku stared at Arjun
Arjun knew he couldn't lie to her anymore, he didn't even want to..
"Arjun "
"Naam pata hai tumhara"
"Main Pihu...Matlab Aanchal ka bada bhai hoon" Arjun said in a broken voice
"Hmm" Hemant and Kaku sighed together, Kaku had anticipated it
"Kyun aaye ho ab? Kya chahiye" the coldness in Kaku's voice resurfaced
"Meri Pihu...please...milna hai usse...dekhna hai use...maafi maangni hai...please"
"Aur kya karoge milkar, kya dekhna hai....aur kis kis baat ki maafi maangoge usse?? Tumhe andaaza bhi hai....kin haalaton ka saamna kiya hai us masoom ne?? Kya kya guzri hai us bachchi par?
Jaante kya ho tum? Us ke baare me?? Bolo??
Itne saalon tak toh kabhi yaad nahi aayi? Ab achanak kya hua?
Ek ladki ki zindagi waise bhi kam mushkil nahi hoti hai, lekin ek akeli ladki, jiske sar se maa baap ka saya uth gaya ho..jiska bada bhai us chodkar bhag gaya ho...ye duniya kha jaati hai usko...kaisi kaisi nazron ka saamna karna padta hai use....kuch maalom hai tumhe"
Kaku nearly screeched!
Arjun and Raghav were teary eyed.
It was true Arjun had no idea how she was or had been, he only prayed for her well being but was completely unversed with her reality.
"Padosi the humare, Mannu bhai aur Archana bhabhi, ghar me 4 log , Maaji, Aanchal aur woh dono...
Maaji ko Aanchal phooti aankh nahi bhaati thi, din bhar woh use gaaliyan deti rehti thi aur maarti thi
Bhabhi ko Cancer tha, unki aksar tabiyat bigdi rehti thi, dawa hospital treatment, Mannu bhai aur Bhabhi inhi sab me pareshan rehte the..
Us bachhi se baat karne wala koi nahi tha, us par Maaji...bahut bura suluk karti thi uske saath...Jab accident me un dono ki maut hui, Aanchal par jaise dukhon ka pahaad toot pada..Saari savings pehle hi beemari me khatam ho gayi thi, loan bhi bahut tha...Ghar bhi bik gaya..
Kaise karke us ladki ne sambhala...par Maaji ko kabhi taras nahi aaya us par...
Badsuluki ki har hadd paar kar deti thi woh, aaj woh is duniya me nahi rahi lekin Aanchal ab bhi uski takleefein kam nahi hui hai.."
"Main haath jodti hoon tumhare saamne, chale jao yahan se...jaante ho use humesha Manhoos kaha gaya, galat uske saath hota tha, lekin use hi gunehaar saabit kiya jaata tha...tum chhodkar gaye woh bhi use apni hi galti lagti hai.."
And Kaku broke down badly, she always had a soft corner for the little girl who was forever subjected to a cruel fate and life.
"Main...main...nahi jaanta tha kuch...par main Pihu..."
Arjun was completely at loss of words
"Please..mujhe milna hai Pihu se..please" Arjun was sobbing
Completely unaware that she stood at the door hearing the entire conversation.
"Aur ab kyun milna chahte hai aap mujhse??"
They all heard a feeble voice, as Arjun turned back, he saw the same girl he had saved that night!
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