Chapter 21

Madiha

@Dark Love

Part 20

     The driver stopped the car in front of an apartment building. Kripa got out of the car with a bouquet of flowers and looked at the time. It was 6:30. At this time, Prithvi would be at his part-time job. She looked around and spotted his car. She frowned; maybe he has a party going on. Or maybe he is sick, she thought. She sat back in the car and faced the driver.

Kripa- I want you to take this bouquet inside ring the second floor bell and give this to Prithvi Bose, and he does not need to know whom it is from. Don't mention my name no matter how much he asks."
Driver- "Yes, ma'am'
Kripa handed the bouquet to him as he got out of the car. He followed her directions as she made some quick phone calls. When he got back she asked, "Was he there?"
Driver- "yes ma'am"
Kripa- "did he read the card?"
Driver, "Yes, he did."
Kripa, "ok, thanks."
Driver, "you're welcome ma'am"
Kripa, "please call me Kripa, I don't like these formalities"
Driver, "as you wish ma'—Kripa."

     Kripa gave him some directions and they finally reached a destination. It was a huge boat dock. The view of the ocean was breathtaking. Kripa smiled as she got out of the car and looked at the familiar place for the hundredth time. She use to visit this place everyday, sometimes with Prithvi. They use to sit and talk and watch as the sun set. Sometimes they would go down to the nearby beach and play around in the sand. The good times, she thought. She walked around until she spotted a huge boat. A broad smile played upon her lips as she saw the beautiful boat. It was not huge, but it wasn't small either.

     The Sharmas' had bought it as a surprise for Kripa on her 16th birthday. She spent most of her time at the lake, and they thought it would be an ideal present. When Kripa's eyes had first fallen upon it on her birthday, her face was a sight that no one would forget. It was a Kodak moment. It was as if someone had told her she would be able to live forever or something. She had shrieked, "This is mine?!" The Beautiful boat had her name on it, or it actually said, Lady Kripa. Her parents could afford it, and she knew that. They could have afforded many more, but the idea had never come to her. Everyone was excited to see her face. She had jumped around in joy and hugged her parents as if she would never let go. That day, all her friends had gone for a huge camping party to a nearby island. It was a memorable day.

     Kripa smiled as she relived the day in her mind. She walked up to the decorated boat. It had taken her a couple of phone calls, and her crew 20 minutes to get the boat decorated. It was beautifully decorated with lights and balloons. There was soft music playing in the background. Kripa entered the boat and watched as the crew members came to her and welcomed her. She told them how grateful she was that they had done so much on such short notice and praised their work. She went in and examined everything. She changed her clothes and took out a wrapped box.

A crewmember approached her, "Ms. Sharma?"
Kripa turned around, "Yes?"
"Your guests have started to arrive"
"Excellent!" She put the gift away and went down to meet her friends. She thanked them all for coming on such short notice and they asked her about Chicago. Several minutes later, the same crewmember approached Kripa, "Ms. Sharma, Mr. Bose has arrived at the dock."

     Kripa- "okay," she opened her evening bag and took out an envelope. "Please give this to him" The man left and Kripa quickly told the guests to come with her. They were all ushered into a huge decorated room. Kripa closed the lights. A little while later, a door opened and footsteps were heard. The footsteps stopped, turned back, and the lights were opened. All of a sudden, there was chaos.

     Everyone screamed, "Surprise! Happy birthday!" confetti started falling, balloons were thrown in the air and a musical tune of happy birthday was playing. The camera zooms to the shocked, surprise, and happy face of Prithvi. (Played by amit tandon of course). He smiled, and his smile broadened even more when Kripa appeared from the middle of the crowd. She came in and gave him a huge hug, "Happy Birthday!!" she screamed.

Prithvi, "Kripa?!!! What are you doing here? When did you come? I just talked to you this morn—"

He was cut off as people pulled him away towards a cake. He turned back to see Kripa gone and in her place was the love of his life, RIA! This shocked him big time. They hadn't seen each other for months. He pushed away everyone and went up to her. She gave him a peck on the cheek and gave him a hug. She whispered in his ear, "Happy Birthday, jaan!" He was happy. This was the best thing that happened to him in months. Kripa and Mishti watched them from a distance and Kripa smiled. Even she had not known that Ria was there. She was shocked but also happy.

     Later, the cake was cut, a PowerPoint presentation was showed by Kripa of all their sweetest memories till date. She had spent the whole airplane ride making it. Prithvi had loved it, and her presents for him. She had given him a new Ferrari, a car he had wanted for a looong time now, and tickets to Chicago that he could use anytime. The day had passed on, and as the clock struck 12, Kripa took out her cell phone. She sent a text message to someone, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*******~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

     Angad was sleeping at 12, but he woke up when he got a text message on his cell. He looked at it and smiled. After that, he was so happy he could not sleep. He had gotten many calls after 12 from friends and family. However, none of those calls had equaled that text message that he had received precisely at 12 from <what he did not admit to himself yet>, the love of his life, Kripa.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~******~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~

     The next day, Angad woke up at 10 am. He went down to the kitchen and smiled as he saw his dadi making his favorite cake. She, without turning around, said, "Happy Birthday beta! Stop smiling like an idiot and give me a hug" He looked at the back of her head, half-shocked, whiny, "dadi, how do you always know, do you have eyes behind your head or something.' He went in and gave her a bear hug and a kiss on both cheeks.

She kissed him on his forehead and pulled his ear, 'I am no monster like you."
     He whined, "dadi!"
     She smiled, "You're pancakes are on the dining table, why don't you get yourself some juice and I'll join you shortly."
     He went to the dining room and started his breakfast. Later on, dadi joined him and they had a nice chat. After that, they had cleaned up talked. Angad told her all about Kripa and she listened to him, silently watching him in his dream world. When he finished, she was still watching him.

Angad- "what happened dadi, I know I am hot and all,"
Dadi pulled at his cheeks, "You have no shame!"
He laughed, "hmm, so what were you thinking?"
Dadi- "I was thinking about how you have grown up, and taking in the fact that my little dadi's boy is almost a full-grown man, deeply in love."
Angad digested all she was saying, "Love!! I don't believe in that crap!"
Dadi just stared at him continuously until he gave up. "Okay, okay, fine, I have feelings for her, but it's not love!"
Dadi- "Beta, I know its love, and it is clearly written in your eyes."
Angad sighed, "Dadi, you are talking like Aaliya!"
Dadi- I am talking the truth beta, and you have to admit it. Aaliya is right. You have stopped flirting with girls, you only talk about her, and I have noticed that you are always lost these days.
Angad thought these things over and slightly blushed, "you are right," he whispered. "but I don't know what love is, and I am still not sure if this is it."
Dadi sighed, "You will one day."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

     Kripa arrived at Khanna mansion and instantly recognized Angad's car. She smiled and went in. She opened the doors of the house and slowly entered. The place was fully decorated and full with people. She spotted Angad in a corner having an intense argument with someone. She frowned a little as she recognized DilipKhanna from photos she had seen in her first visit. He then moved away and went onto stage. He made an announcement that shocked Kripa. The rest of it all was a blur, as she saw Angad put a ring into someone's finger and everyone clap and congratulate them.