Note: Raman's convo with mom is flashback. I guess it is not very clear in the update 

Part 18 

 "Meri zindagi me
Ajnabi ka intezar hai
Mai kya karun
Ajnabi se mujhe pyar hai" 

Did she just say that!? 

Yes it was her!

Raman's POV
Love at first sight! Sounds so cliché

I, being a very practical person, was never excited by such ideas until I lay my eyes on her.

The moment I saw her, I knew she was the one.

People who knew me would never believe that a person with rough exterior like me could fall in love. Deeply, madly and irrevocably in love.

It might seem so unreal that I fell in love with someone who I do not know, but still know. Does that make any sense???? Let me explain!

Who is she? Where is she?

When I ask myself these questions, some weird answers come up.

Who is she? 

Where is she? 

And then some more questions with logical answers make way

Does she know me? 

Does she remember me? 

Does she love me? 

Wanna know why?

Simple logic: How could a person know, remember and love a person whom she has never seen!

Makes sense??? Yeah she has never seen me!

It would be plain stupid to expect her to know, remember and love me.

These were the thoughts I was going through when my chirpy, bubbly and full of life Mom Santoshi Bhalla AKA Toshijicame with my dry-cleaned clothes.

As against her usual smiling demeanor, she had a big frown on her face.

"Kya hua Maa? Sab theek hai?" I asked out of concern still sitting on my bed resting against the headrest.

"Kya khaah theek hai. Jis umar me bachhe maa-baap ki seva karte hain, us umar me mai apne bachoon ki seva kar rahi hun"

Drama Queen I rolled my eyes. She is definitely upto some emotional blackmailing.

"Kya kya socha tha maine ke mera beta bada hojayega to mujhe ghar ke sare kaam se aram milega aur Bhallaji ke sath apni jawani me miss kiye hue lamhe jee paungi. Kaam kar karke mera kamar toot raha hai. Tu meri kamar dabane ki jagah, khud ki kamar mujhse dabwa raha hai. Sharam nahi ati tujhe?"

"Maa maine kaha than a ke nurse rakh wa lete hain. Aap hi ne zidd karke mana kiya tha ke gharwalon ki tarah baharwale khayal nahi rakh sakte"

"Jhoot thodi na bola tha. Ab ek baharwali nurse tera khayal rakhegi? Wo kuch ghanton keliye, kuch paison keliye apne tareeqe se seva karegi. Seva to wo sahi kar payegi jo full-time isi duty pe lagi ho"

"To full-time nurse rakh lete"

"Chup kar khote de puttar. Is ghar me mera koi khayal nahi rakta. Mai hi mari jati hun sabki fikr me. Kisi ko meri fikr nahi hai"

"Maa point pe ajao. Kya chahiye?" I asked knowing she had some hidden motive.

The look on her face when she heard me ask this was like a kid who got his favourite candy. She rushed to my side on the bed and held my arm.

"Ouch...Maa...Dard ho raha hai"

"Abhi bhi dard ho raha hai? Doctor ne to bolyasi ke tu ab bilkul change hai"

"Doctor ka matlab tha ki sari haddiyaan jud chuki hain aur mai poori tarah recover ho chukka hun. Par dard to thoda thoda hoga na"

"Pakka na? Tu theek hai na?"

"Haan maa. Mai bilkul theek hun"

"Gudd Gudd. To ye mouqa bilkul sahi hai us baat keliye jo mai karna chahti thi"

"Kya baat hai maa. Batao?"

"Dekh Puttar. Tu choti si umr me inna vadda CEO bangaya. Ghar ki sari jimmevaari sambhal li. Ab na tujhe apni future keliye kuch sochna chahye"

"Kya matlab?"

"Badi aas hai ke mai apne pote, potinu apne god me khelaun. Meri ye aas poori kar de"

"Oh achha" I clearly knew what she meant full-time seva karnewali, pota poti ko god me khilana I was no fool to not realize her hidden motive.

"Maa ab mai us halat me nahi hun"

"Puttar mai tujhe abhi shadi karne keliye thodi na bol rahi hun. Dekh ab to tu poori tarah theek hogaya hai, phir se chal phirne laga hai. Doctor ne bhi keh diya kea b koi pareshani nahi hai. Ladki dekh le. Agar pasand agayi to sagayi kar lethe hain. Shadi chahe tu saal 2 saal baad kar lena"

"Agar shadi saal 2 saal bad karni hai to abhi rishte me jaldbazi kyun maa?"

"Aaj kal achhi ladkiyan milna bade naseeb ki baat hai puttar. Pichle 4 mahine se humne unhe taal kar rakha hai. Ab wo bhi kab tak intezar karenge? Aur der hogayi to ladki kahin hath se na nikal jaye. Bahut achhe log hain. Ladki ko bhi maine dekha hai, jaana hai. Bahut achhi hai. Hamare ghar keliye bilkul sahi hai. Bas tu haan kar de to..."

"4 mahine se taal ke rakha hai???? Iska matlab aapne mujhse pooche bina hi rishte ki baat chala di hai"

"Wo puttar tu na business trip pe gaya tha tab Pammi ye rishta lekar ayi thi. Wo Chaddaji ke dost ki beti hai. Dosti ke naate milne chale gaye, ladki ki photo dekhi to hamari jaan pehchan ki thi. Humne socha ke tere ate hi tujhe bata denge aur teri manzoori le lenge. Par is beech itna sab hogaya ke ye baat dimag se nikal gayi"

"To phir aaj achanak ye baat kaise nikli?"

"Wo Pammi ka phone aya tha ke wo log ab uske liye ladke dekhna shuru kar diye hain. To maine socha ke isse pehle koi aur ladka pasand ajaye mai teri baat chala dun"

"But maa mai ab in sab keliye tayyar nahi hun"

"Kyun puttar? Kya cheez tujhe rok rahi hai? Kya teri nazar me koi aur hai? Agar hai to bata de. Hum teri marzi ke khilaf teri shadi nahi karayenge tu jaan ta hai na"

I didn't answer.

"Koi hai kya puttar jo tujhe pasand hai? Naam pata bata de mai khud jaungi uske paas" she voiced her suspicion.

Hai maa jo mujhe pasand hai, bahut pasand. Par uske bare me kya bataun, jab mai khud nahi janta.

"Kya hua puttar? Tu kuch bol kyun nahi raha? Hai kya koi?"

"Nahi aisi koi baat nahi hai"

"To phir is rishte ko aage badhane me kya pareshani hai. Bas tu ek baar uski fotu dekh le. Agar pasand na ayi to phir mai tujhe pareshan nahi karungi"

"Pakka?"

"Pakka"

"Theek hai. Dikhao photo"

"Sach tu maan gaya?" she screamed with joy

"Maa mai sirf photo dekhne keliye maana hun. Rishte keliye haan nahi ki hai"

"Wo to tu kar hi dega. Inni soni kudi hai ke tu na kar hi nahi payega"

Itna confidence??? Confidence to mujhe apne plan par bhi hai ke mai ladki ki photo dekhunga aur mana kardunga, phir kuch time tak to is shadiwali topic se chutkara mil jayega. Tab tak shayd mai us ladki se phir se takra jaun, jisne meri neend aur chain churayi hai I smirked mentally.

Maa was right Inni soni kudi hai ke tu na kar hi nahi payega

Mai mana kar hi nahi paaya.

Why??

Kyunki ye wahi ladki thi jisne mera neend aur chain churaya hai.

I should have been the happiest person when I realized that the love of my lifewas going to be my partner for life

Was I not? I definitely was. But...a guilt was troubling me.

Guilt of being selfish.

Is it wrong to be selfish in love?

I was being selfish, when I chose to hide the truth from her.

This though still haunts me that what if she comes to know the truth?

Will she still choose to be with me or would she choose him 

Should I tell her the truth?

A soft knock on the door broke my reverie.

"Bhai" she peeped in.

Meet my sister Miss Simran Bhalla AKA Simmi, my partner in crime, closest to my heart (closer than her??? Hmmm...Tough to decide)

"Bhai mai andar aaun?"

"Aa na. wahan kyun khadi hai?"

"Bhai aapne kya faisla liya?"

"Abhi tak kuch thei nahi kar paya"

"Bhai mujhe pata hai ke mai tujhe sochne pe majboor kar rahi hun. Par tujhe ye faisla jald hi lena padega. Aisa na ho ke waqt hath se nikal jaye"

"Janta hun. Bas thoda waqt aur dede"

"Theek hai bhai. Par zyada der mat kar dena" she said as she left the room.

The glint in her eyes stirred something in me and I knew I had made a decision.

2 important calls to make

1 to the person who has a special place in and close to my heart

2 to the one who had occupied a special place in my close ones heart

After thinking and re-thinking I decided to call the 2nd person first.

"Hello"

"Hi Abhi"

"Raman? Aaj kal bahut yad kar rahe ho mujhe"

"Yaad karna pada. Tu meri zindagi ka atoot hissa jo ban gaya hai"

"Tune subah subah pee rakhi hai kya? Behki behki batein kyun kar raha hai? Hosh me to hai"

"Hosh me to abhi ayah un. Khair wo sab chod ye bata ke 14th Feb ko kya kar raha hai?"

"14th Feb? kyun?"

"Maine party rakhi hai jisme tujhe ana hai"

"Par 14th Feb ko meri ek commitment hai. Sorry boss can't miss it"

"you can't miss this one dude"

"Sorry boss. Kisi haal me 14th Feb ko ek jagah pahunchna hai mujhe. It is going to be a life-changing moment for me."

"And this one is going to be a life-defining moment for you. Valentines eve pe hai party. Thodi der keliye aaja. I am sure phir tu wapas nahi jaan chahega"

"Aisa kya hai boss jo life-defining hoga mere liye?"

"Hai kuch! You won't regret coming here. I promise"

"Ok! But it better be worth it"

"I am sure it is"

"Theek hai to phir thodi der keliye ajatha hun. Waise bhi mera kaam Delhi me hi hai"

"Great! To tere tickets book kar detha hun. Abhi bhi Bangalore me hi hai ya nikla wahan se"

"Bangalore me hi hun yaar. Kuch achhe palon ki yad mai guzaar raha hun"

"Ab yaadon me jeena chod de. Haqeeqat tera intezar kar rahi hai"

"Tu PK hai kya? Din me bhi drinks karne lag gaya"

"Nahi yaar. Aaj kal to bina drinks ke bhi chad jaati hai"

"Tu pakka Raman hi hai na? Itni philosophical batein ek CEO ko suit nahi karti?"

"FYI Mai CEO ke sath sath ek Writer bhi hun"

"Writer to mai bhi hun, par itni philosophical batein maine aaj tak nahi ki"

"Isiliye kehta hun ke I am better than you"

"Dekhte hain"

"Yahi dekhne keliye to tujhe bula raha hun party me" I mumbled inaudibly

"Kuch kaha tune?"

"Kuch nahi. Tu bas aaja. I will wait for you"

"Ab to ana hi padega. You know na Ek baar jo commitment kar di to mai khud ki bhi nahi sunta"

"Oye Salman Fan apne dialogues bachake rakh. Valentines party me kaam ayenge. Tere liye ek surprise hai. Ab mai rakta hun. Ek important call karni hai. See you soon"

"Sure..Bye"

"Bye"

One difficult task done. Now go for the other one.

"Hello"

"Hi Ishita"

"Mai aap hi ke bare me soch rahi thi"

"Wow! Ye kab hua? Meri is khushkismati ki wajah jaan sakta hun?"

"Mujhe aapse koi zaruri baat karni thi"

"Zaruri baat? Kahin tum I Love You to nahi bolnewali?"

"Wo mai..."

"No no...abhi kuch mat kehna. Sahi mouqe pe bolna. Valentines eve pe party rakhi hai. Jo bhi kehna hai tabhi kehna"

"Par Raman ye bat bahut zaroori hai"

"Jo bhi kehna hai bachake rakhna. Baat to tumhari mai sirf valentine party me hi sununga"

"Par Raman aap sun to lo mai kya kehna chahti hun"

"Kaha na ke nahi. By the way us party me tumhare liye ek surprise hai. Shayad us surprise ko paane ke baad tumhe wo baat kehne ki zaroorat hi na pade"

"Par Raman..."

"No par war. Tum surprise ka intezar karna aur mai tumhari zaruri baat ka intezar karunga. Bye"

Sorry Ishita! Mai janta hun ke tum kya kehna chahti ho. Par tumhara dil rakhne keliye abhi tumhara dil thodna zaroori tha. I hope ke tum mujhe maaf kardo

I walked into Simmi's room with a heavy heart.

"Simmi'

"Haan Bhai"

"Wo araha hai'

"Tune bulaya?"

"Haan"

She placed her hand on my shoulder"Bhai mujhe patha hai ke ye tere liye bahut mushkil hai. Par yaqeen maan tujhe age chalke khud ehsas hoga ke jo kuch bhi tu kar raha hai bilkul sahi hai"

"I hope so"

"Bhai tu theek hai na?"

"I will be fine"

"Bhai..." She was genuinely concerned.

"Its ok"

"Do dil ko jodne keliye ek dil ko ka tootna zaroori hai" 

Did I just say that!?