"How will tell Himesh?" "And my family..." Hemal thought.

"Don't worry Himesh will understand..."

came his message on her phone.

"I hope so..." She replied

"He is my fen...." He texted

"Means?" She replied

"I mean...He reads my novels" "So don't worry" He said

"Dhruv....I am...I am scared"

"Himesh, his family...my family..."

She said

"Hemal...If I can impress you and make you fall in love with me...then your family is no big deal for me" He replied.

"Oh! Is it...so much of over confidence" She laughed.

"Bet..." "I will do that within blink of eye..." He said

"This is not fiction Dhruv" "This is not a part of some book you write" She said

"Fiction is someone's imagination, Hemal" "Fiction is not just something imaginary"

"A fictional story can potray someone's life, emotions, experiences..." "Fiction likhne ki idea bhi toh kahi se aati hogi na..." He said

"Hmmm... true..." "Okay can't talk much..." "Need to go..." She typed

"Love you..." He typed

A bright smile appeared on her face.

"Love you 2...." She replied

"This girl..."

Dhruv laughed on seeing how she wrote '2' after love you.

How much she loves playing with numbers.

Next day.

"I don't know what is his plan now"

Hemal was thinking about Dhruv on remembering how confident he was while they were talking last night.

"What will he do?" "What about Himesh?" "How is he going to talk to him?"

"And my family, mummy,pappa...baa..." Hemal was in deep thoughts.

"Aayyyyy baby...." came Himesh there.

Hemal composed herself.

She forced a smile at him.

"Aayyy chal ne...Dhruv has invited us for lunch" Himesh told Hemal.

"What..." she replied in shock.

"Haan ne...chal...get ready..." Himesh said

"But..lunch...pan kem? She said

"Aare...emne invite kariyu che...chal ne" (He has invited us let's go)

"Aave na nahi padti..." (Don't say no) 

Himesh said

"God...what is on his mind?" Hemal thought.

Just then her cell buzzed with his message.

"Waiting for you at lunch..."

"Ana dimag ma kahi toh chali rahiyu che" (There is something cooking in his mind)

She thought.

Himesh and Hemal reached venue.

"Gujarati thali restaurant..." Hemal thought while entering inside.

Dhruv was already waiting for them.

"Heyyy...guys...welcome...and thanks for coming" Dhruv said

"Thenks for inviting us sir..." Himesh said

"Hi Hemal..." Dhruv said

"Hi..." She replied

"Sir pan iski koi zarurat nahi thi"  Himesh said

"Aare zarurat kaise nahi..." "You invited me to your engagement party...so this lunch is small treat from me for both of you" "Soon to be...Mr and Mrs...Himesh..." Dhruv teased Hemal

Hemal twitched her nose.

"Thenk you Sir..." Himesh smiled like an idiot.

"But Sir...Gujarati thali...I mean...tamne bhavse?" (But Sir, this is Gujarati thali restaurant...would you like it?" Himesh asked

"Aab toh Gujju khane ki aadat dalni padegi" Dhruv mumbled looking at Hemal.

Hemal smiled.

"Our gujarati food is very testy haan Sir" "You will not stop licking your fingers..."

"It's very delicious..." "Haan ne babbbbyyyy...." Himesh said in a very childish tone.

"Hmmm" Hemal noded.

Just then some people came there to meet Dhruv.

They clicked pictures and autographs with him.

As usual Dhruv loved the attention shower upon him.

Himesh also got some free ka attention.

"Aare Sir...I forgot to tell you..." "Main aapki latest novel Black Coffee puri padh li..."

"Woh bhi...ek night main..." Himesh told Dhruv.

'Black Coffee' grabbed Hemal's attention.

But Dhruv was not so shocked with Himesh's words.

"Ohh...that's great..." "Did you like it..?" Dhruv said

"Sir...it's fantastic..." "Kya story hai..."

"Aayyyyy baby...usme ne...heroine bhi gujju hai..." Himesh said

Hemal was getting nervous and confused.

"You know woh heroine kaun hai..." Dhruv smirked.

"Kaun sir?" He asked

Dhruv looked at Hemal.

"Hemal..." He said

Himesh was shocked to listen.

He looked at Hemal.

"Hemal...?" Himesh said

"Himesh...Black Coffee is...my and Hemal's story" Dhruv said

"Listen very carefully Himesh...and please don't misunderstand Hemal" "Hemal and I met at the coffee shop" "She was appointed my relationship manager" "I was able to complete my novel because I didn't find any female protagonist for it" "And then I met Hemal..."

"I found my protogonist, herione of the book in her"

"I wanted Hemal to complete my book"

"And that's how my plan started..."

"Hemal and I started meeting for work and that's how we came close" "We started feeling for each other...and came very close to each other" "Unknowingly, I fall in love with her...but couldn't understand because I thought...it's my plan"

"I don't genuinely feel for her...but I was already in love"

"I realised it later..." "When my book was on stage of completion..." Dhruv stopped in middle

"I broke her heart..." "She got to know that I was playing..." "And...it all stopped there..." Dhruv said

Himesh looked at Hemal.

Hemal was guilty.

"Sorry..." she mumbled.

"I came here...only to meet Hemal and confess my love to her" "And...she loves me too..." Dhruv said

"Himesh...sorry" "Main khabar che...what I did with you is wrong but..."

Hemal couldn't complete as Himesh left from there.

"Himesh...sambhal...sambhal please" (Himesh listen please)

Hemal tried to stop him.

"Dhruv...aave su karisu?" (Dhruv what will we do now?)

Hemal said

"Don't worry..." Dhruv said

Dhruv followed Himesh.

"Himesh listen..." "Listen..." Dhruv tried to stop him.

"Listen Himesh..." finally Dhruv was able to stop him

"Please...please try and understand" "It's no one's fault..." "And please don't misunderstand or blame Hemal..." "Muje karo par usse nahi..." Dhruv said

"Himesh...I know what you are feeling right now" "I understand..."

"But...LOVE CAN'T BE FORCED"

"Love cannot be forced. Love cannot be coaxed and teased. It comes out of heaven, unasked and unsought"

"Remember...I wrote this line in 'Hold my hand'"

"I think you understand what I write is true...."

"You believe in it Himesh"

"You ready my novels"

"Right..."

"Tum toh samajte ho...aur mante bhi jo baatien main likhta hu..."

"Hemal tumhe cheat nahi kar rahi thi..." "Tum jante ho woh aaisi ladki nahi hai..." Dhruv said

Just then Hemal came there.

"Himesh...mari vaat sambhal please" (Himesh listen to me please)

"I am sorry..."

"Main tane hurt natu karvu" (I never wanted to hurt you)

"I ..I love...Dhruv..." she said

"I know I am wrong" "Muje tumse chupana nahi chaiye tha..."

"Pan Himesh...hu daari gayi hati" (Himesh, I was scared)

"I don't know how you will react"

"I know ...tu hurt thayo che" (I know, you are hurt)

"I am sorry..." Hemal said

"That means...you never loved me Hemal" Himesh spoke

Hemal was feeling very guilty.

"You never loved me..." "You were never happy with me..."

"Every time...when I ask you...tu jhuthu bolti rahi" (Every time I ask you...you lied)

"Kem?" (Why?)

"You know...I always felt...ki uss relationship main sirf main tha..." "Tu kyare nati Hemal" (You were never there in that relationship)

"Mane humesha lagtu hatue...(I always felt)

"That you are not happy"

"I always felt..."

"Pan tu kai boli nahi..." (But you never said anything)

"And I assumed ki tum khush ho mere saath" "You love me..." Himesh said

Dhruv left the place to give them some space.

They need a proper conversation right now.

"I am sorry" Hemal said

"You know...since past few days...I saw some changes in you"

"You were not my Hemal...whom I loved" "You were changing..." Himesh said

Hemal looked down in guilt.

"May be you were realising that you have started loving Dhruv"

"Tu ek vaar maine kidhu kem nahi Hemal ki tum Dhruv ne love kare che" (Why didn't you tell me Hemal that you have started loving Dhruv?)

"Kem?" (Why)

"Aapdi enengement thai...still you didn't say anything?"

"Tane su lage che...ki tari vaat ne samajis nahi" (What did you thought..? I won't understand you)

He said

"Sorry..." she said

"Gandi chokri che tu...sache" (You are mad girl, Hemal) " Himesh laughed

"You love Dhruv Sir...so you should be with him..." Himesh added.

"Himesh tu..."

"I am not angry..." "In fact I am happy for you" "If we would have got married...toh hum dono main se koi khush nahi hota" Himesh said

"And you and Dhruv Sir...look good together" Himesh said

Hemal chuckled.

"Jaa...Have a very happy life ahead..." "Eat Dhokla...and stay happy" Himesh chuckled.

"Thenk you Himesh..." Hemal said

"Ek hug malse..." (One hug please) "Friendly hug..." Himesh said

Hemal nodded and they share a hug.

Dhruv came there.

"Thanks Himesh..." Dhruv said

"Sir..."

"Uhhmm no...not Sir...just Dhruv" Dhruv told Himesh

"Okay...Dhruv...keep her happy always" "Because she deserves all the happiness of the world" Himesh said

"I know...and I promise...I will give her all the happiness she deserves" Dhruv said

"And one more thing...a tip for you"

"Jab bhi yeh gussa hoti hai na..." "Toh woh malad wale saurashtra farsan house se dhokla khila dena tikkhi mirchi ke saath" "Iska mood thik hojayega..." Himesh said

The trio share a laughter.

At night.

At Sabarmati River Front, Ahmedabad

"Thank god Himesh mani gayo" Hemal said

"Aayyy please...don't talk in gujarati yaar" Dhruv said

"Why?" She cocked her brows

"I don't understand anything..." Dhruv said

She laughed.

"Then learn gujarati..." She said

"That I will...but at least muje aabhi samaj nahi aati" "Toh aabhi toh mat bolo" He said

"Aacha thik che..." "I mean hai..." She said

He purposely came close to her.

"Aayyy...su karo cho..." She said

"Kem..." He came close to her again.

"Dhruv...aahiya nahi please..." She said moved a little away from Dhruv

"Why Hemal?" He said

"Dhruv..." She pushed him little.

"Koi joi jase.." (Dhruv, someone will see us)" she said

"Yaar...let's get back to Mumbai" "There is no privacy here" Dhruv replied irritatedly

"What privacy?" "What do you mean..."

She said

"Yaar matlab...waha privacy milti hai" "Waha hum hangout kar sakte hai..." "There is nothing here to do except eating dhokla..." He said

"aaayyyy...don't say anything against my gujarat haan"

"Kai jj sambhali nahi lau" (I will not listen anything against Gujarat) 

She warned him.

"aacha kya hai tumhare Gujarat main" "Tell me what is there so special about Gujarat" He said

"What did you say?"

"You said what is so specially about Gujarat" "Ohh Mr....iss desh ko PM MODI diye hai gujarat ne"

"Samaj aavyu?" (Got it?)

"And....and...how can you forget Ambani?"

"Jio use kare che ne..." "Then say thenks to Mukesh Bhai Ambani"

"And... Mahatama Gandhi...e pan gujarat na hata" ( Mahatama Gandhi also belongs to Gujarat)

"And gujarati food" "Dhokla, fafda, thepla, patra, khandvi"

"Gujarat is land of festivals.."

"Staring from uttrayan (Kite festival) till Christmas"

" And navratri..." "Koi beat nahi kar sakta..." "Ras dandiya ne garba..." "Esa toh koi dance form hi nahi..."

"Jay jay garvi gujarat..."

She shouted on the last line.

Dhruv joined his hands.

"Bas bas..." "Tum jeeti main haara..." "Jay gujarat..." He said

She laughed at him.

"It's okay"

"hum gujjus bade dildaar hote hai..." "Jao maaf kiya..." She said

"Aacha listen..." He grabbed her hand.

"Main aapne parents ko humare baare main bata diya hai" He said

"Really..." She beamed in happiness.

"Haan..." He said

"But then why are you sounding low" She said

"Aren't they happy Dhruv?" She asked him

"They are happy but..." He stopped in middle

"but what..." She said

"They want to meet you so they are coming here tomorrow" He said

"Ohh..F..." "You scared me..."

She said

"They liked you..." He said

She blushed.

"But...what if your are family rejects me...?" He said.

Hemal looked at him.

TBC

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