Chapter 11

Swayam held her shoulder taani? She relaxed in a second but before he could say more

than taani tum teek ho? She held her tummy again and swayam screamed REY...

'Bhai! Suno Main... Taani her hands still on the tummy tried to call him but swayam

turned to the kitchen entrance where rey came running his face scared and worried

followed by the rest of them

Rey, I think she had some pain

Rey came in front of taani , hand on her shoulder and kya hua? Pain? She struggled to get

a word inbetween as all of them started moving here and there worried rey saying

swayam lets go, koi gaadi nikaalo and vicky started moving out when taani screamed

BHAI, REY and they all stopped and looked at her questioningly.

She sighed took reys hands and placed them on her tummy and looked back at him for a

reaction, swayam and the others looked at her confused as rey bent over her

Rey s hand on taani s tummy felt a kick , he looked at taani for a second wondering how

she could be so calm when something was moving around her inside when it struck him -

that was the baby kicking!!! And she smiled a soft happy smile as he understood and

nodded ...he knelt down on the floor, hand still feeling the kicks and a sudden smile

appeared on his face in return...so it was true babies inside moved around and kicked !! and that was his!!!

Rey! He heard swayam call and turned to see all of them staring at them , he looked back

at taani his look asking if she was okay and she nodded again, he stood up hand still on

her tummy and said its okay swayam its just the

BABY NE KICK KIYA? The boys couldnt understand whether it was aashi, sharon or neha

who said it first or which of the girls pushed rey away and crowded near her

The guys looked at rey and realised that the girls were right

Inko kaise pata chala? Vicky to nil, nil shrugged

kuch problem tho nahin hua hoga na? She had pain? Rey asked swayam looking worried

inspite of his excitement

Yeh log dus minute pehle ladnahin rahe the? Bharat turned to the guys as they all

grouped over excitedly all hands on taanis stomach suddenly talking to blushing taani

and to the baby waiting for a kick complaining that the baby wasnt kicking again

Rey looked at her happily smiling with all the girls and said main doctor se baat karletha

hoon, nahin ...and moving to taani pushing the girls one by one making them all frown

at him, held her arm and said chalo ek baar doctor se baat karo and without letting her

reply made her get up, hands on her shoulder , walk away from the kitchen outside as

the girls looked at him smiling and taani tried saying its okay rey.

The guys however looked at each other and vicky said what they were all thinking...

maybe its just better for rey to stay back haina?

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Some time later

Everyone in the front room, eating sitting here and there...taani on a sofa, next to her

rey on the floor leaning against the sofa and making sure she was eating ...both of them

not really talking much, just smiling at each other

vicky came in from behind rey and cleared his throat, rey closed his eyes and opened

them, turned to him and said vicky ek aur baar tum mujhse wahin baat karogi tho...dont

confuse me

Vicky plopped next to him but rey and looked at taani once who smiled at him questioningly ,before he could talk ,

rey turned to him and giving him a warning look said vicky Vicky again looked at them

and walked off muttering paagal hain

Kaunsi baat? Kya hua? Taani asked

The boys want me to stay back rey looked at her and she understood , he added actually

mera bhi mann nahin hain jaane ka and again looked at her waiting for a reaction

Mera bhi mann nahin hain aapko jaane dene ka she replied and sighed but rey, bohot

problem hojaayegi na? He nodded and held out a spoon in front of her which she ate

Haan and anyway i look at it, it makes sense to go now bas he smiled mera dil nahin

maan rahaan hain

Theres no problem rey

Sirf Problem ki baat nahin hain taani, i ll miss so much...i ll miss you aur tum bhi mujhe

miss karoge? She ignored that

Aur agar nahin gaye tho ,aap ek branch ka plan miss kardoge he ignored that

kabhi bhi kuch bhi hosaktha haina? And Abhi abhi jab swayam ne scream kiya tab ek

minute keliye bohot ...especially i felt kal raat ke wajah se kuch hogaya ya something...

and then gave her a look, she blushed understanding what he meant ...images of previous

night came in both of their minds eye as their eyes met

Exactly, mujhe bhi wahin lagaswayams voice came from behind them waking them up

and he came and sat in front of them while taani coughed up and rey stood up, patted

her back ,gave her some water and as she relaxed both looked at each other wondering

how he knew what they meant... swaaym continued sab tumhaari galthi hain making

rey again look guiltily but wondering how swayam knew anything , taani looking

embarrassed and rey asked swayam tuje kaise..? Confused

Taani, Tumhe pata bhi nahin ki tum kya karthi rehthi ho. kal tumne aunty se baat kaise

ki ! And tumhaari aaj bhi fight hui girls ke saath...phir office ka kaam...itna sab stress

lene ki zaroorat kya hain taani? Rey, you should have stuck to original plan of staying

back here...Its not... and stopped as taani and rey held each others hands started

laughing in relief .the gang stopped doing watever they were doing and caught sight of

a confused worried swayam in front of rey and taani laughing their heads off

Chalo this is okay, ek minute ke liye mujhe laga ki bedroom mein camera hain...rey muttered to taani sitting next to her and both laughed again the tension of a

moment before forgotten

Yahaan mazak chal rahann hain? Swayam asked getting irritated at their private joke

Kuch nahin bhai...taani smiled at swayam s concern , looked around at the gang and then

met reys eyes bhai, its okay koi problem nahin hain. Main teek hoon, doctor also said

that na...Agar rey aapke saath nahin jaayenge tho unhe hamesha ek guilty conscience

rahega ki unka commitment wo poora nahin kiye...and turning to rey said, aur mom hain

dad next hafthe aajaayenge plus im busy office mein is month but rey next trip

No im not going he completed and getting up gave her a hug for all the understanding,

for solving his confusion and leaving her pointed to the plate done? She nodded .

He lifted her up , she blushed while trying to get down from his arms looking consciuosly

around , he walked towards their room saying now go to sleep. Its late , dont get up

in the morning to see us off blah blah ...and disappeared leaving the the guys grinning

and the girls into oh-so-sweet looks.

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Next morning

Taani got up groggily , looked at the clock , turned and seeing the empty bed next to her

felt her sleepiness leave...oh no she hadnt woken up to see rey off ...and got up suddenly

on the bed making her sides catch, ouch...and held her sides...how could she do that?

She frowned to herself and looked around for her mobile and then realised rey wouldnt

be reachable for some more time...she felt dizzy just as

Door knock and sunithi the maid walked in with a tray, smiled and said good morning didi

yeh lo aapke chai

Taani smiled surprised thanks but tum...

Sunithi grinned as she held the cup out and said rey sir ne hamaareliye mujhe aur kaka ke liye- list banake diye hain ki aapko kab kya dena hain , picked out a

small book from her pocket and waved it in front of her , taani sipped her tea felt better

and held out her hand for the book

sunithi shook her head and said nahin didi, yeh mereliye. Aapke liye yeh lo and grinning

still held out a thick envelope

Taani took it, placed the tea next to her and opened it just as sunithi left and found

sheets of paper all looking empty ...except dearest taani written on the first sheet...

she turned the sheets surprised and then on the last sheet found written

I dont know what to say except I love you...apna khayal rakhna

Rey

She felt a warmth behind her neck ,inside her chest and kissed the paper and felt her

eyes fill up.Her phone rang breaking her thoughts, it was DAD.Wiping her eyes,

she recieved it

Hello taani good morning all ok?

Ji dad good morning

Rey ka phone aaya ?

Not yet, abhi pahunche nahin honge

Ok, i know its early but then i had to inform you ki jab tum abhi office jaaogi Tab ...

blah blah blah...he gave some instructions , she listened and then he added

waise tumhe ek aur kaam karna hain, you know this person from XYZ place...hes coming

mere saath agale hafthe and uskeliye ek presentation sab ready rakhna ...i mean i ll brief

him but site tak blah blah blah ...he went on and on.

She was sure she wouldnt remember half of it, she sighed but then smiled, he was just

like rey, rather rey was just like him...perfect ...as a boss, as a friend ,as a husband and

looking at how dad was she was sure rey would be like that- a perfect dad as well

Taani? Are you there? She heard him call , her mind kept wandering everywhere, she

shook herself up, bit her lip and said yes dad...umm if you dont mind dad kya aap mereliye

ek help karsakthe ho? Kya aap yeh sab ...matlab ek line chalega mujhe msg ya mail karenge

..there was a surprised silence at the other end, she stopped and then getting worried

continued, sorry but wo kya haina, mujhe aajkal sab kuch yaad nahin rehtha tho...last

week bhi do kaam late hogaya tho i thought ...sorry...i know ki i sound stupid but main ..

i dont want ki mere wajah se koi bhi kaam...

Fine, main points mail kardoonga, i guess its better if you are stupid in front of me rather

than hum sab stupid lage baahar waalon ke saamne he replied.She didnt understand if

he was angry with her , her face fell...how she wished she could be of real use to him, he

was so nice to her,he continued his tone softer,

its okay taani . Sometimes there are too many things happening in life, it happens. You

take care and agar kabhi bhi kuch bhi difficult lage tho batadena. We ll find a way

around it.

She felt her eyes go moist and nodded chalo see you then. Khayal rakhna. Cut the call.

He was right, rey always did that, found a way around ...she shook herself again...she

had work to do , looked at the envelope hugged it close to herself smiling and felt

awake just as she felt a big kick from inside...she placed her hand with the envelope on

her tummy stroked it laughed wondering why she was so happy.

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Two- three days later taani s office, reys dads cabin

Some meeting happening, reys dad hasnt yet turned up. Taani sitting down briefing

reys mom with some others

Mobile rang- Rey- taani looked at it, msgd and it rang again, she frowned it was the Nth

time he was calling - she cut the call and put it on vibration...few minutes and the

mobile vibrated again and again...some others looked at the mobile , Taani ignored it.

the meeting over, everyone left

good job taani, everything s on time.see itna kuch karsakthe ho tum..Taani smiled at the

unusual compliment im glad you are here , somehow this project took off in all direction

and i know ki agar tum yahaan nahin sambhalthi tab dad ko bohot mushkil hojaatha aur

mujhe ismein bilkul interest nahin tha

Main dad ki instructions follow karrahin hoon bas aur kuch nahin

I guess for now thats what he needs. Someone to give shape to his instructions ,she

smiled , lunch?

Taani nodded and mobile vibrated again, she recieved it haan rey kya hain? And listened

quietlyto his scolding of why dont you have lunch at the proper time , she looked at his

mom who smiled at her understanding she was getting scolded and then said, ab jao?

Yes,lunch karne na?

Nahin meri bhook mitgayi aapki itne saare pyaar se she shot back and cut the call

reys mom burst out laughing taani looked at her embarrased and then laughed with her.

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Few days later evening

Taani s office cabin, she entered in with her mom in law and found the driver waiting ,

both the ladies raised their eyebrows at him surprised that he was there

Wo ...he began looking embarrassed, wo rey sir ne kahaan ki didi ko ghar leke jaana hain

aaj is time pe. Kal late hogaya na knowing he was going to get fired by rey s mom

Out she told him sharply, he looked at taani taani made a its okay you go face at him and as he left, turned to reys mom

Yeh ladka kya samajtha hain apne aapko? She grumbled ,dialing reys number

Aapka hi beta hain taani mumbled but didnt say it aloud, instead went and sat on her

chair stretched her legs a bit suddenly tired

Haan rey, reys mom took off, now i want to know ki tumhe kya sach mein lagtha hain ki

tumhaare parents tumhaare pyaare se wife ko torture karthe hain ? Nahin i mean last ek

week main you have changed everyones schedule , aaj driver ka...rey said something,

taani waited , his mom s frowned, opened her mouth, stopped and raised her eyebrows

then softened and she looked like she was going to laugh but she shook her head , gave

taani one look and said honestly you are acting like a fool. Stop it, wo teek hain and

then cut the call abruptly, looked at taani.

Taani looked embarrassed and said wo mom kal raat ko baat nahin karpaayi thi tired thi

tho sogayi

She laughed , patted taani s shoulder and said go home if you want

Nahin main yeh khatam karke jaaoongi mom smiled and walked out. Taani frowned at

the photo of rey in her mobile - hey krishnaji what was wrong with him! And then placed

a kiss on it smiling her eyes filling up she missed him so much

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btw all the best to those of u who had exams