CHAPTER-2

 

It had been a few days since Dev met Suhana in her class... From that day onwards, whenever he visited the school, he made it a point to meet his Pari, love pamper and spoil her in his own way, which meant talking to her during her lunch period, or waiting until Soha was sure that someone might pick her up, or getting her, her favourite flavour of ice cream, that happened only once in a while, Since this little girl was cautious about her health...

Dev was not able to understand why this girl was affecting him way too much, he felt he gets a new life whenever he meets her, she was like the first breath of fresh air after fighting with polluted air to breathe. The more he thought, the more he felt a pull to meet her each day. "Kya aisa nahi ho sakta ki aap har waqt mere saath raho, mere paas." He could remember words uttered by him some 8 years ago, to the one and only lady of his life. Though the emotions he felt for Sonakshi were different from what he felt for Pari, but he felt the similar pull he felt for her, trying to meet and see her each day...

If Dev felt the pull, Suhana wasn't good either... She too was confused because she never felt so attached to any stranger. She has always been a confined kid, and never had friends, her family was her only friend, but Buddy was different... He was a stranger, yet he wasn't strange at all... He was like familiar soul that bound her to him some way... She did not know how...

In these few days, Suhana had made sure to tell everyone about Golu's Bigcha, her Buddy, whom she adored incessantly, in her house. Right from Big Dida to Saurabh Maamu, Asha to Dadu, and of course her mumma, everyone knew about this new Big, handsome Buddy of this smallest member of the Bose house, but just like them promising to respect Suhana's decision like any human being, they did not try to meet him.

It had been a few days since Golu and Suhana have been good friends, and now a Team to compete in the Badminton Mixed Doubles in the Sports day function. Suhana was never an outdoor sports person. Though she took good height and an athletic body, thanks to her mother, and to her father for giving her an intriguing personality, yet her less exposure to outdoor games tensed her and the "never say never" attitude worried her of a failure. Try as she might, she was not having her eye-hand co-ordination due to her nervousness... Their sports teacher too took a break realising that they might have taken a wrong decision picking her up for the initial qualifiers wrongly judging her from her physique.

"Hey Junior, Hi Angel! What's up with you Champs?" Dev had come from his office to see the two kids practice. What he saw was a tired Golu and a defiant Pari, who was literally going to throttle choke the shuttlecock in her hands for not hitting her racquet at the right time... "Looks like aaj toh iss Shuttlecock ki maut tayy hai!" Dev sat by Suhana who was joined in by Golu.

"Arre Bigcha, isse shuttle serve hi nahi hoti... Kabhi iska racquet pehle chalta hai, aur kabhi shuttlecock hi gir jaati hai... Sir bhi chodh ke chale gaye... Shayad kisi aur girl ko choose karenge..." Golu told dejected.

"Arre, aise kaise? My Pari would play qualifiers, and will win the game with you as well... I will teach both of you..." Dev assured her he will make her and Golu practice in the time allotted and they will play well.

"But, Buddy, what if I fail?" Suhana was scared...

"Remember Pari, it's not always about winning or losing. At times trying is more important. You should just give it a try. If we lose, we will at least learn the game and if they win it's an additional benefit, No? A situation that benefits all?" Dev asked her. Suhana was ecstatic. She could never ask a better friend than Buddy. He could solve her problems with a bat of an eyelid.

From that day on, Dev as he had promised, came daily to help Golu and Suhana... It wasn't just practice that they did, it was lot more fun. Golu had this habit of spilling the water from his bottle over himself after the session because the water was too hot for his drinking. Suhana disliked this habit, and would make faces... It was another day, when they had their practice under the clouds, and got inside the shade when it began drizzling. Golu spilled the water over his head, and felt happy, while Suhana made a nasty face at him, and was out of the shade-"Mujhe baarish bohot pasand hai..." she giggled as the cold raindrops splattered on her face... Her happiness was infectious. It spread over Dev's lips and reached his eyes, as his legs took him out of the shade and joined his Pari in the rain... Both began twisting and dancing in happiness...

 

"Golu, tum humesha mujhe Boring Suhana kehte ho na? But look at you, you are so boring... The one who doesn't dance in a rain is the most boring person that I know..." Suhana teased him...

"Golu, Junior, ab toh baat self-respect ki aa gayi hai... Chal aaja..." Dev playfully pulled his nephew into the rain... Golu squealed in happiness as Dev pulled him up in happiness and the both moved in circles, with Golu half up in the air...

Soha kept looking at the duo, they all have so much fun that at times she wondered if she had a father, he too would have played and have fun with her. Sometimes she missed her father so much, but asking for him before Mumma was a risky stuff, it may hurt her... Soha shuddered, Dev pulled her back in his arms, holding both the kids in each arm, and moved in circles... She had no time to miss her father right now, buddy was enough to seek her attention now.

--xx--

"Buddy, you know me, right?" Suhana tied her shoe laces after the last practice session for the day... Under dev's constant motivation Golu and Suhana had won initial rounds and had qualified for finals which was to be held in the Sports Day Program which was next day.

"Yes, Pari... Why do you ask?" Dev was intrigued...

"Do you intend to meet my family tomorrow? They'd come for tomorrow..." Soha put forward a proposal...

"Of course, I'd love to meet the family of the sweetest baby girl I know..." Dev cupped the little girl's cheeks with his large hands... Dev was for a long time now meaning to talk to Pari's mother to for once consider making her meet her father, and get them introduced... She needs it. He thought it to be a better occasion to talk... Maybe, her mother in the happiness of her daughter winning the match, may take her to her father as a reward for her hard work.

Dev had decided earlier that he would not indulge himself into any details of Pari's personal life, but then seeing the inner turmoil the kid goes through is so painful for him to see that, he decided that whenever he meets Pari's mother, he will talk to her regarding Pari's father. Pari was nowhere related to him, he knew, but he still could feel her yearning eyes on him and Golu, trying to search her father in him, and kept wishing if she too had those moments... As much as he tried, but a friend's uncle cannot fill the void of the name of father does. Dev had decided, he will try convincing Pari's mother.

--xx--

"Mumma, Dadu, Asha, Mamu... Sab suno... Kal main aap sab ko apne Buddy se milwaaungi... He's my superman... Mumma, aapko pata hai, mujhe badminton Buddy ne sikhaaya hai, warna sports teacher toh mujhe selection se hi nikaal rahe they... But Buddy ne sab theek kar diya..." Suhana talked animatedly about her friend...

"Shoha, beta kya unhone tumhare liye recommendation diya sir ko? Main nahi chaahta ki meri naatin kisi ke recommendation se jeete..." Bijoy was worried...

"Ohho Dadu, aap bohot worry karte ho... Unhone sir ko sirf ye kaha tha ki wo teacher mujhe thodi si time-limit grant kar dein... Tab tak Buddy ne khud se apna office chodh chodh ke mujhe aur Golu ko sikhaane aate they..." Suhana told to everyone...

"Arre waah! Ab toh aapke iss Buddy se milna hi padega" Sonakshi cupped her baby's cheeks with her palm, assuring her that they'd all meet her Buddy...

--xx--

On Sports day Golu and Suhana won the match and it was the prize distribution ceremony going on... Under the sun all waited for the results to be announced... Families of the winners were all ecstatic, waiting for their kids' name announced, and they walking up the stage to their kids...

"And the mixed doubles badminton championship winners are Miss. Suhana Bose and Master Raunak Tripathi... I would like both the kids and the respective families to come up on stage..." the announcer informed.

The Bose family and dev came forward as they were the only families and stood on the stage while both the kids collected their award. After taking it, Golu and Suhana did not go to their respective families first, but the Guru for them, Golu's Bigcha and Suhana's Buddy... Both ran towards him and hugged his torso...

The Bose family kept looking at this Buddy, and Buddy, that is Dev looked at them cordially, and then noticed each other. Colour drained out of Sonakshi's face, beyond shocked to see Suhana hugging Dev. Her worst fears were coming true and alive.

Dev though was holding both the enthusiastic kids in his arms, but his eyes were fixed particularly on Sonakshi. He was waiting for the last straw left... The formal introduction between them... This incident has put down the living day lights out of Dev. What he was seeing, was it true?

"Buddy, idhar aaiye na..." Soha pulled Dev towards the Boses... She addressed her family first- "Ye mere Buddy hain... My superman! Lagte hain na ek dum hero jaise? Ye Golu ke Bigcha bhi hain..." Suhana screamed her enthusiasm...

Sonakshi kept looking totally shocked at Dev, the Boses were giving similar reactions...

"Aur Buddy, ye meri mumma hain, mere Dadu, meri Dida-Asha, mere Maamu... Aur meri big Dida aayi nahi yahan, warna unse bhi milwaati..." Soha spoke as fast as she could to provide her buddy with as much information as she could...

"Hello!" was all Dev could speak... He wasn't an idiot. It didn't take long for dev to realise he is Suhana's father, that her Pari missed so much and with this realisation he felt so many emotions in just a second, he did not know. He wanted to pick his daughter up in the air and throw her in the air and catch her in time, he wanted to kiss his baby to let her know, her Papa missed her existence even more than she knew... His happiness knew no bounds, he had his daughter just like he dreamt... "Tiny Little Sonakshi" isn't she that? Except for his complexion and eyes, she looked thoroughly like Sonakshi... But from the insides? The emotional persona? Well, now he had the answer to the pull he felt... She was thoroughly Miss. Aubhodro from insides, his reflexion... The same emotional fragileness... He felt he was beyond hurt that he never knew about the existence of his child until now, he felt anger, disappointment, and a tinge of hatred towards Sonakshi for hiding his daughter his only dream from him. "How could she?" he was wondering.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realise that kids were calling him. He sat on his knees and planted a kiss on Suhana's forehead and said- "Pari, you know na Fatso is very hungry... What I will do is, I will go to drop Golu at his home, with his parents and then I will come to your home... What say Champion?" Dev asked...

"Perfect!" Soha patted on her Buddy's palm...

"Just perfect!" he said, as he got up on his feet...

"Arre aisa toh meri mummy bhi kehti hain..." Soha told...

This time, Dev just ruffled her hair and walked towards Golu... While crossing Sonakshi, he whispered- "I am coming, you better be prepared with your answers. Miss Bose!" Dev held Golu's hand and walked off from a stunned Sonakshi...

 

~~THANKS FOR READING~~

 

PS: Guys, don't forget to forward your appreciations to Sona di sona_naksh. It is her idea and outlining...

GOOD NIGHT

Aazeen022017-02-18 14:00:37