Abhigya SS: Aditi's parents - Chapter 7 - Page 10 - Page 7

Nice chapter dear 😊

Originally posted by: LoveBatso

please update soon

Thank you for your interest 😊

I am sorry for 'almost' abandoning the fic. I will try to post the next update as soon as I could. And Thank you Guys for your reading, liking and commenting ❤️

Hi guys! I have been a bit busy with life that I haven't been able to update any of my fics or participate in any discussions related to the show * monkey hiding emoji * A big thanks to Harshu for patiently waiting (and anyone else waiting) and pushing me to not give up.

CHAPTER 7 - THE SURPRISAL

"Why are you looking at me like that?", Purab asked Aditi as he picked up from his school.

"You look like a bear", she said with a grim face. It took few seconds for Purab to realize that Aditi was talking about his thick beard. He hadn't had a shave in the past week, which even prompted Bulbul to tease him that he has become a Devdas. He smiled to himself.

"Why didn't mom come?", Aditi enquired.

"She should be getting ready for her train now. But... don't worry we'll see her before she leaves, Purab answering while driving to Pragya's home. Bulbul was there helping Pragya with packing and asked Purab to pick Aditi from school despite Pragya saying that she can go to get Aditi and Purab doesn't need to be troubled.

"There's nothing to trouble. He will be more than happy to get Aditi from school. He complains that he doesn't get much time with her whenever I show him my pictures with Aditi", Bulbul had told Pragya and picked her phone immediately. Purab was just getting out of the police station when he got Bulbul's call. He had withdrawn his complaint to find the person behind Bulbul's accident. From the way Bulbul described, it looked like a drunk and drive case. The police inspector was surprised that Purab wanted to withdraw the case and he wanted to know why he changed from being so angry and justice seeking to a guy who doesn't want anything to do with the accident case. He persisted him to not withdraw as they were getting close to finding the driver but Purab was stubborn in withdrawing the case.

"Mom told me about it the morning. That she has to leave today evening... But it's not time yet. Is it?"

Aditi's voice brought Purab to the present.

"Don't worry my little lady. It's just 3.45 now. We have enough time for the train."

"We'll drop her at the station? Can I come with you then?"

"Yes of course you can. Actually, your mom is waiting for you"

Aditi smiled widely and Purab noticed a tooth missing.

"What happened to your tooth?"

"It fell off"

Before Purab could engage in the conversation further, he was met by a sight of gridlock.

***

"What the hell is he thinking? What's running on his mind?, Abhi shouted after he ended the call. The inspector called him and informed about Purab withdrawing the case. Why was he being weird these days? His actions were mysterious. First he slapped Aliya, refused to give him an explanation, started avoiding him altogether and then he had withdrawn the complaint. He wouldn't leave Purab then.

He called Purab's office but he learnt that Purab hadn't come to office that day. He then went to his home but it was locked. He kicked the pot in front of the apartment in frustration and the noise made a neighbour open their door.

Before the old lady could ask him anything, Abhi said he came to meet Purab to which the lady replied that neither Purab nor Bulbul was at home. Thankfully the lady had seen Abhi often at Purab's home before so she thought she could give him a tip off. She told him that she had heard Bulbul talking about going to her sister's home.

The lady said Bulbul went there. Purab could be there or couldn't. All he wanted was to give a piece of his mind to Purab. But then Purab was avoiding him for some reason he couldn't know how much he tried. But if Purab isn't there, he could ask Bulbul. Surely, Purab would have shared the issue with his wife Bulbul.

The sight he met with at Pragya's home wasn't what he expected. As soon as he entered the home, Aditi came running to him and hugged one of his legs. Sarla and Abhi were surprised at her behaviour.

"You were right", she said in between her sobs. He bent down and knelt on one of his knees.

"What happened? Why is my champ crying?, he held her arms.

"Mom is irresponsible as you said", Aditi rubbed her tearfilled eyes with the back of her hands as her vision was getting blurry.

Abhi wasn't pleased to hear it even though she was just repeating what he said few days ago. A child thinking that their parent is irresponsible is not good at all. He realized he shouldn't have talked ill about her mom in front of her.

"Aditi! Go to your room", Sarla reprimanded Aditi.

"Sorry Beta. She is upset with her mom. That's why-", said Sarla embarrassed by her granddaughter's outburst.

"It's okay Aunty. Is Purab here?", Abhi scanned the room.

"He left just few minutes ago. What happened? Is everything fine?"

Abhi didn't answer the question. He had answers to know. He asked Sarla whether Bulbul was there.

"No Beta. Purab has gone to pick her from the railway station."

"Railway station? Did Bulbul go anywhere?"

"No, she just went with Pragya to see her off to Kerala"

"Kerala-", he started but felt it was irrelevant to him and stopped.

"Okay Aunty. I'll leave now."

Sarla was about to say something but Aditi's cries were disturbing her.

"Okay beta. Take Care", she said. Abhi looked in the direction of the room inside, his face suggesting concern.

"She will be alright. This is the first time she is away from her mom. Added to that, Pragya left without seeing her. So-"

"Why?"

"She waited for a long time. But it was getting late. Purab and Aditi were stuck in traffic. Pragya would have waited more. But I and Bulbul made her go as she needed to catch her train."

"Oh", said Abhi. He hadn't seen Aditi cry before. Not when she had lost her way in his house. Not when she was waiting for her mother in school alone. His mind told him that kids are sensitive and they cry for almost everything but somehow he couldn't bring himself to leave without making Aditi stop crying.

"May I?", he gestured towards the room.

"No beta. Why are you taking upon this yourself? I can manage.", Sarla refused politely.

"It's okay Aunty. I am Aliya's brother. I have seen her throw bigger tantrums than these during childhood. Trust me."

Abhi went inside and sat near Aditi on the bed. He rested his chin against his fists and pouted to give a dramatic annoyed expression.

"What are you doing?", Aditi asked in a low voice that her cries permitted.

"I am upset"

"Why?", she looked up sideways at him.

"Your mom went to Kerala na", he said without changing the expression on his face or turning around.

"She is my mom. Why are you upset?"

"But you are my friend, right? You are upset with your mom. So I am also upset with your mom."

Aditi released her hold on her legs, letting her legs dangle down the bed freely instead of resting her face on her knees while Sarla watched them from the door.

Abhi saw her loosening up and decided to use the opportunity. "Let's do one thing. Shall we? We'll tell her that we are upset with her."

The prospect of being able to talk with her mom made Aditi's eyes shine. "But how?"

Abhi took out his phone from his jeans pocket and shaked it lightly.

"Phone? You're going to call her?", Aditi jumped on the bed excitedly.

"Yes"

Pragya didn't pick the call. Aditi's happy face turned pale again in a jiffy.

"Don't worry. The train might have been too loud for her to hear the ringtone. Let's call again. We will make a video call this time, he said and pressed the call button."

Her phone was buzzing for the past one minute and she was trying to get it out without spilling other things from her handbag.

Pragya was surprised to see a video call from Abhi. Why would he call her and that being a video call? Then she remembered Bulbul saying that Purab had become aloof in the recent days. She picked up the call. "Hello", she said in a plain voice, expecting the Rockstar's face but she was greeted by Aditi's face. Pragya couldn't exactly explain how she felt at that moment. She was just about to call her mother and enquire about Aditi.

"Think of the angel and the angel...", Pragya began.

"appears", Aditi finished her sentence.

Aditi tried to touch Pragya's face on the screen and Pragya gave a flying kiss to Pragya. But then it dawned upon her that Abhi made that call. As if he had heard her mind, he appeared on the scene along with Aditi.

"Actually we called to inform that Aditi is up-", Abhi started complaining.

"No... Nothing mom. All the best for your con... confe", Aditi struggled to pronounce the word.

"Conference", Pragya helped her while smile decorated her face.

Abhi wondered how sly the little girl was. Few minutes ago, she was crying as if the world ended just because her mom had left without seeing her and then, she was talking as if she didn't have any qualms about her mom's departure.

"What happened to your tooth?", Pragya asked as she noticed Aditi missing an upper tooth.

Aditi got up and left to fetch something. Both Abhi and Pragya were puzzled as to what Aditi was doing. She brought her pencil box.

"Like this", she said and opened the pencil box using her mouth. But to her dismay, a tooth came off.

"Aditi what are you doing?", Pragya was horrified at the sight.

"Let me take care", Abhi said but Sarla came in and took Aditi to the washroom.

Abhi picked up his phone and said, "You have a cute daughter"

"Thank you, she said.

The phone call ended with the mother and daughter duo telling good night to each other and Aditi grinning, displaying her newly widened teeth gap.

"Thanks for the call", Abhi received a text from Pragya after he left her home.

"I am sorry I called you irresponsible the other day", replied Abhi. He didn't know why he was doing it, but he felt he needed to.

"It's okay. I sometimes am"

"No, you are not. Being a parent is not an easy job. Especially a single parent."

Him talking about being a 'single parent' made her sure about one thing.

"Did Maa talk to you?"

"Yes"

"She might have loaded you with complaints about me I guess"

"Haha yes sort of. She wants you to get married. But don't worry. I won't persuade you to. If you come to my home, my Daadi would have the same kind of complaints against me.", Abhi's lips curved upwards.

"Parents you see!"

"Yes they are child like at times"

"By the way, I forgot to ask. You were at my home?"

"Oh yeah, I had actually come to visit Purab. I heard he was there."

"Ohh"

He pondered whether he could ask Pragya about Purab but then he felt absurd even for thinking that. Purab was his friend. It would be stupid of him to ask his best friend's wife's sister about his best friend. He discarded the thought.

"Good Night", she texted.

"Good Night :)", he replied.

***

Pragya was dipping the tea bag in hot water while pondering why her mother wasn't picking up her calls. She checked the time on her watch. It was around 4-30 pm. She had tried almost 15 times since morning. Whenever she could get a little break in the conference, she picked up her phone to dial. She was worried about Aditi. From the video call last night, it was clear that Aditi had been crying till the minute before. Did she go to school? Did Bulbul or Purab go to pick her up from school? Was Aditi still upset about Pragya not being with her?

"Hi Pragya!", Dr. Shruthy took a seat opposite to Pragya in the lawn. She was staying in the guest house adjacent to Pragya's guest house.

"What happened? Missing home already?", Dr.Shruthy chuckled as she saw Pragya seeing her phone every now and then.

"Nothing like that", Pragya feigned a smile.

"Mom! Guess who it is?", Pragya felt a pair of small hands covering her eyes from behind.

"Ohh my darling daughter! You're not supposed to tell who you're if you want me to find it", Pragya chuckled and turned around. The next second, reality dawned upon her. "What are you doing here?", she got up slowly with a scrunched face.

The brooding expression in her dark brown eyes grew intense as she saw the person holding Aditi. What was he doing there? Shamelessly smiling. Was this her life or some nightmare? Nothing made sense.

"Why is my daughter here with YOU?"

Thanks for updating nive.