Thank you all for the responses.I saw requests for posting pics of Nisha.I am not putting pictures now because I want all to freely imagine the Cutie pie she is.In later updates,as per the need I shall put a picture of her,the image that I have in my mind. :)

Author's note:The flashback is in italics.

Here is the update-

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"Kyunki ..Mera...wish kite to wahan hai.Mumma ke pass..pahuncha..hi .nahin..Ab wo ..kaise..aayegi..waapas?'' Nisha hiccupped and showed the kati patang' dangling from a distant tree branch.

"Nisha! Nahin rote nahin '' Sameer wiped the tears and pulled her into a hug. He knows how a simple hug can heal the grieved soul where even therapy fails.

She hugged him tighter clutching his blazer lapels and more tears flowed by.He tried comforting her,repeatedly reassuring that her mother would surely return back to her.

"Nisha! Hum dusra bhej denge tumhare Mummy ke paas. ''Sameer said and Nisha broke from the cocooning hug.

She looked into his eyes to fathom if he truly meant what he said few seconds ago.

"Hum sach mein dusra bhejenge?''She asked for further confirmation.Rishav had already given her enough false hopes.

"Yes! My cute champ.'' He smiled only to see her smiling brighter.

"Par Uncle! Agar wo bhi isi tarah nahin pahuncha to? ''Nisha asked calculating the future prospects.

"Isme address sayad galat tha isliye nahin pahuncha.Hum isbar sahi address likhenge.Samjhi na?'' Sameer tried to make her feel relaxed. At the end of the day,a child only needs love,immense love.

"Bhook nahin lagi hai tumhe?'' He asked as he held her hand and they descended down the stairs.

"Han thoda thoda.'' She replied showing the gesture of little with her fingers.

"Acha thoda laga hai,mujhe to jor se lagi hai.Khana khane chale?'' He asked as he picked her up and carried in his arms.

Nisha wrapped her arms round his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.He was surprised yet felt a sense of belonging to her. Loving gestures are not what he is used to.

"To kya khaogi?'' He asked her as he buttoned her sweater.

"Aloo paratha.'' She replied with a twinkle in eyes.

"Wow.Aloo paratha mera bhi favourite hai.'' He high-fived her and drove to restaurant.

At the restaurant

"Nisha! Kya hua? Kha kyun nahin rahi ho?'' Sameer asked seeing Nisha sitting quietly without touching the food.

"Parathe bahut hot hein.Meri haath jal jayegi.'' She said and fidgeted with the menu card.

"Plate do mujhe''. He asked and she looked shocked.

"Kyun? Aap meri plate se bhi kha loge? ''She definitely didn't want to share her plate.

"Arey nehin meri maa.Plate do main khila dunga ''He smiled seeing her innocence.

She was a beautiful snowflake.Unique and one of a kind.

"Oh'' She understood his good intentions and pushed the plate towards him.

As he fed her she remembered her mother feeding her hot aloo parathas with dollops of chutney and lots of love.

"Uncle! Aapko kiska aloo paratha pasand hai? ''Nisha asked as she put a spoonful of chutney in her mouth.

"Mujhe to Delhi ka purani market ke saare parathe ache lagte hein'' Sameer said reliving the memories of him,Pandit and Munna grabbing hot parathas from each other and feasting on them.

Nisha laughed.She never thought her 'Uncle'' could be a 'budhu''.

"Kya hua? Itni hasi kyun aarahi hai tumhe?'' Sameer asked seeing her trying to control her laughter.

"Main puch rahi thi ki aap ko ghar mein kiska aloo paratha acha lagta hai''. She clarified the question.''Aur apko bolna tha Mummy ka.Jaisi meri Mumma best paratha banati hai.'' She finished the answer even.

She saw his fallen face and that sweet smile wiped off.A pain set in his eyes which mirrored her pain.The absence of mother.

"Aap ko apni Mumma ki yaad aya?'' She asked seeing him quiet,very quiet.

"Hmm.Thoda sa. ''Sameer said as he concentrated on eating his piece.

"Aapki Mumma bhi aapko chod ke chali gayi? Aapne shaitani ki thi isliye? ''Nisha asked trying to draw parallels between his mother and her mother's behaviour of leaving them both alone and going never to return.

"Haan bahut shaitani ki thi.Chalo ab baatein band yeh lo milk shake pi lo''.He quietened her and made her drink.

"Uncle! Aap bhi ek kite kharid ke apne Mumma ke paas bhej do.Wo bhi aajayegi aur apke liye aloo paratha banayegi''. Nisha was already excited about a happy future.

"Shayad wo kabhi samajh pati mujhe''. Sameer sighed and stony past memories flashed by.

"Uncle! Hum kite bhi kharidenge na?'' She asked as they came out of the restaurant.

"Han zaroor kharidenge''. He said and drove.

At Rishav's House

Rishav,Nisha and Sameer had congregated for round-table discussion.The discussion was for what to be written on the kites to be sent to mothers.

Nisha had decided that Sameer would write on both kites since she believed that Rishav messed up with the writing in the severed kite,hence it didn't reach her mother.So no more chances for Rishav this time.

"Heheh..Uncle! aapka handwriting kitna bura hai.'' Rishav quipped in between.

"Rishav!Tu bhi na.Uncle ko aise bolte hein.Bade hain na wo''.Nisha scolded for Rishav's lack of manners.

"Par mein to sach bol raha tha''. Rishav cleared his stand.

"Oh!Jaisa tera to bilkul sundar hai.''Nisha teased.

"Bas!No more jhagda.Ab yeh batao aage kya likhna hai?'' Sameer asked diverting their minds to the kite.

"I LOVE YOU'' Rishav declared.

"Kya?'' Both Nisha and Sameer were thrown into shock with Rishav's words.

"Han.Yehi likh dijiye.Nisha! Aunty yeh padhegi to bahut khush ho jayegi aur jaldi wapas aajayengi.'' Rishav explained.

"Aur aap itne shocked kyun hain Uncle?Aap thodi na Nisha ki Mummy ko bol rahi hein.Yeh letter to Nisha ki hai na.'' Rishav could well understand Sameer's misunderstanding.

"Han Uncle!Aap I LOVE YOU' likhdijiye.Ab Mumma to zaroor aur jaldi wapas aajayegi.'' Nisha exclaimed and hugged Rishav out of happiness.

"Fine.Ho gaya.Ab mein chalta hoon.Yeh kites mein bhej dunga.Tum dono jhagda mat karna.Rishav !Tumhari Mumma ab pahunch rahi hai.Ghar se mat nikalna.Thik hai?'' Sameer said and kissed both of them before leaving.

"Bye Uncle.Aap meri Mumma aur apki Mumma ko bhej dena.Yaad karke.Bhulna mat. ''Nisha said as she waved him a good bye.

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"Niru! Nisha? '' Naina asked as Nirupama fed her the medicine.

"Aaj uski birthday hai na.Mandir gayi hai. ''Nirupama said as she stroked Naina's shoulders.

"Kitna gussa karti hogi mujh par.Mandir? Kiske saath gayi hai?'' She was suddenly worried for her only star of life.

"Arey chinta mat kar.Wo humare colony mein ek naye padoshi aaye hein.Unhi ke saath gayi hai.Bhale insaan hai aur bachon se achi friendship bhi bana li hai. ''Nirupama tried comforting Naina since any stress can take a toll on her body.

"Acha thik hai.Tumhara bharosa jeet liya hai to ache honge hi. ''Naina was relieved and was missing her daughter terribly.

"Kal Nisha ko le ana thoda.Badi yaad rahi hai uski.'' Naina requested with expectations in her eyes.

"Nahin laa sakti use.Doctor se pucha tha.Yeh sab equipments,tumhari aisi halat dekhegi to sambhal nahin payegi aur use sambhal na muskil ho jayega.Isliye doctor nahin chahte hain ki wo ab yahan par aaye.'' Nirupama sounded upset and Naina felt another jolt numb her senses.

The medicine did its job as she slipped into peaceful slumber.

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"Kya kar raha hai?'' Nanaji asked seeing Sameer seeing him trying to dial a certain number and then cutting the call.

"Wo..kuch nahin Nanu.Bas Namrata ko phone laga raha tha.Kal Delhi jaa raha hoon isliye arrangements ke bare mein pata karna tha. ''Sameer lied through teeth.

"Acha...Humein to yaad nahin tha ki Namrata aur Visakha ka number ek hai.Call lagate raho.All the best''. Nanaji teased back knowing Sameer inside, out and his predicaments.

"Aap bhi Nanu.Aap to sab jaante hein.Kya karun kuch samjh mein nahin ata.'' Sameer sat dejectedly throwing the phone on bed.

"Call kar aur baat karle.Maa hai tumhari.Baat karle acha feel hoga.'' Nanaji encouraged to go ahead with the call.

"Hello! Sameer! ''Visakha's surprised voiced boomed through the mobile and fell as melody in his ears.

"Thank god! Aapko yaad hai. ''Sameer replied back not knowing why suddenly he felt anger building in him.

"Kyun call kiya? Waise to tumhe humari yaad ati nahin.'' Visakha said thinking reasons of this sudden call.

"Puchne ke liye phone kiya tha ki aap ko meri zaroorat to nahin pad rahi hai? Rohan acha dekhval kar raha hai na? ''He spitted the words with sarcasm.

"Apne failure ke liye Rohan ko kosne ki zaroorat nahin hai.Ek bhi baat humari sunte nahin ho.Na career ke choice mein na personal life mein.Humesha apna man mani to karte aaye ho.'' Visakha was definitely angry by now with his rebelling attitude.

"Mere life ke decisions lene ke liye aap kab mere saath thi jo aapki baat sunta.Humesha aap ne apni dusra pati aur dusra bte ki khushiyan ke liye socha hai.Aap kabhi yaad kiye ho ki aap ka Sameer naam ka ek beta bhi hai. ''Sameer was frustrated by now even.

"Kitni baar keh chuki hun ki shaadi karlo.Kitna ache ache rishtey mein aur tumhare papa dekhe hein tumhare liye.Lekin tumhe to humari parwa hi nahin hai.Sirf tumhare liye kitna sharminda hone pada hai unhe apne circle mein.Iska zara sa andaaza hai bhi tumhe? ''Visakha stated remembering the innumerable times Sameer had messaged a NO' to her sent proposals.

"Nahin hai mujhe andaza.Na hi karni bhi hai koi.Mera hi galti thi ki mujhe mere Maa ki yaad aaya''. He uttered in anger and cut the call.

"Sameer! Shaant ho ja.Main Visakha se baat karta hoon.'' Nanaji tried calming him as he heard the ugly altercation between mother and son.

"Koi zaroorat nehin hai baat karne ki.Mujhe aap thodi der ke liye akela chod djiye.'' Sameer said and moved near the window panes.

"Apna waqt le aur shanti se kam kar.Main chalta hoon.'' Nanaji withdrew himself for the night.

Sameer knew the night was going to be long,very long and sleepless.

The moonlight fell into his room filtering the white curtains.The sun watched what he did but the moon knew his secrets.

The memories of past came rushing as he stood looking out of the window unto the silent roads.Such was a night when Nanaji had slapped him hard learning about his involvement in Naina's humiliation. Nanaji had declared that he didn't deserve any one's love and few weeks later his life took a turn.For better or for worst he still could not pinpoint the options.

Year 1994

Sameer walked into Indian Institute of Management,Bangalore to fulfil his dream of pursuing career in enterprise management.

Munna was on wait-list and was scheduled to join later.Pandit had enrolled himself for acting course in FTII.It was new beginning for all of them.They could not change the past but their future was yet in their power.

Sameer tried to kill the painful memories by creating better ones.Then one day...

She came into his life,so unexpectedly,took his heart by surprise,and changed his life forever.

The name he would never forget even in his death bed...Varsha Mehrotra.

(To be continued)

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