Part 1:
"Anu! kahan thi yaar, kab se tera wait kar rahi hoon " yelled Devika slyly stepping away from Anuj.
"sorry woh Baa ki appointment thi aur phone silent par tha aur traffic bhi bohot tha" reasoned Anu and though she tried she couldn't ignore the strange attraction she felt for the guy next to Devika.
"chal koi baat nahi, inhone mujhe bore nahi hone diya, kya naam bataya tha? "
"Anuj" he whispered
"haan Anuj, thanks for keeping me company... it was great meeting you!"
"likewise" he said and smiled courteously while Anu shot daggers at Devika for being her usual over friendly self.
"Anu tu mili hai inse? ye tere naye padosi hai...aaj hi move in kiya hai " announced Devika while Anu gestured a quick hello and dragged her crazy friend into the house.
"bye Anuj, tumhe kuch bhi chahiye hoga toh ye meri friend hai na usse maang lena"
"Devika ho gaya? “ yelled Anu and shut the door behind them.
"uff Anu ...kitna hot hai yaar!” exclaimed Devika while Anu tried to pretend she wasn't bothered when she was.
"but sadly single nahi hai" pouted Devika leaving Anu a little perturbed.
"tune itni der mein ye bhi pooch liya?" asked Anu while putting the grocery away.
"haan toh tera naya padosi hai, information toh rakhni chahiye na" quipped Devika making Anu wonder what else she could find about the intimidating stranger next door and she asked "acha kyu?"
"arey kya pata mai usse acchi lag jaati aur hamara koi scene ban jaata aagey jaakar?"
"matlab duniya ke saare singles par tu try karegi?"
"nahi, saare nahi, bas hot waale..."
"paagal chokri"
"accha chal wo sab chod, mere liye acchi si chai bana de na please"
"accha na, pehle kapde badal ke aati hoon phir chai ke sath gappe lagayenge”
"yes!!! accha sun Anuj ko bhi bula lein chai peene?"
"Devika!!!!" yelled Anu and slapped her on the head for saying what she was hoping she would say...
"arey aaj hi shift kiya hai, uske paas samaan bhi nahi hoga isliye keh rahi thi, kya Anu tu bhi"
"tune hi toh kaha tha uski wife hai, wo bana degi tu chinta mat kar"
"iska matlab tujhe bhi bura laga ki wo single nahi hai? oh my God, aaj ka din toh sunehre aksharo mein likha jayega ki kaise meri sant jaisi dost Anu ko Anuj ke single na hone ka dukh hua"
"by the way woh married nahi hai, par single bhi nahi hai"
"matlab?"
"arey itna interest aa raha hai hottie neighbour ke relationship status mein khud hi pooch le, main kyu batao?
********
Serving some freshly made dhokla with tea Anu sat opposite Devika who looked rather solemn at that point, Anu wondered what could have changed her mood in a short while.
“Kya hua? tu thik hai?” she asked
“haan yaar... bohot khush hoon”
“khush hai toh aise dukhi shakal kyu bana rahi hai”
“dukhi nahi yaar bas bohot proud feel kar rahi hoon tere liye”
“oh, matlab tu bhi in reporters ki baaton mein agayi, arey inka toh kaam hi hai sab badha chadha ke likhna, tuitna dhyan mat de” said Anu snatching the magazine from Devika that featured her on the entrepreneur of the year page.
“nahi Anu aisi baat nahi hai, maine tujhe dekha hai, tootke sambhalte hue, kaise tune tere divorce ke baad apni zindagi ko bikharne nahi diya aur kaise tune apne bal boothe par apna business shuru kiya aur aaj tu un saari single aurton ke liye inspiration hai... Arey tune toh Vanraj ke jail jaane ke baad uske maa baap ko bhi sambhala, kaise kar leti hai Anu?” in awe of Anu’s strength Devika felt emotionally moved by her friend who took every battle head on.
“bas kar Devika, woh mera bhi parivar hai aur unke liye kuch karna koi badi baat nahi hai” Anu was at her modest best.
“phir bhi yaar, ye wahi Baa hai jinhone tujhe taane maarne ka koi mauka nahi choda, par ab toh mujhe bhi bura lagta hai unke liye” said Devika thinking of how Baa had turned into a depressed soul since Vanraj was convicted of accidentally murdering his wife Kavya and was currently serving his sentence.
“accha chod na kya leke baith gayi hai tu, kuch aur baat karein?” said Anu trying to break the unplanned melancholy.
Devika thought of the perfect mood uplifter and said “toh phir tere hot padosi ki baat karein? and they burst into laughter thinking of how hung up they were on the new neighbour.
**********
After Devika left, Anu made herself another cup of tea and curled up on the couch to finish knitting the mittens for Kinjal’s baby that was due any day now.
She switched on the TV for background noise and there he was...
Mr. Anuj Kapadia, the big NRI business tycoon being interviewed about his life.
Interviewer: “Mr.Kapadia itne saal US mein rehne ke baad ab aapka India aane ka koi khaas maksad?”
Anu quickly grabbed her glasses to see clearly and listen to what the man had to say for her to her to join the dots.
Anuj: “special maksad hai woh special insaan jisne liye mai lauta hoon”
Interviewer: “kya aap share karna chahenge uss special someone ka naam, kya wo aapki?
Anuj: “abhi nahi, jis din woh meri ho jayegi, us din aapko sabse pehle bataunga”
Anu couldn't help think if this was a sign from the universe.
**************
ye lo ji part 1, bolna kaisa laga♥️
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