Dedicated to MeghatheBaaka

"Bhargu how about we help Dhruv with his shopping first, it is almost lunch time and I will have to grab something on the way home for lunch as I had asked Baba not to cook. The grocery shopping can be done later", Prabir said earnestly.

"Umm...okay!" Bhargavi replied instantly.

Prabir swiftly helped Dhruv pick up some clothes and they drove back home. Prabir had halted in between at a side way restaurant to pack up four meals.

"Bhargu, you go home and get some rest after having lunch and Dhruv you please come with me", Prabir said parking his car in front of his house.

He held the meals in his hands and two bags, while Dhruv carried the remaining four.

"Baba, this is my friend Dhruv Rathi", Prabir said softly as Mr. Banerjee quietly opened the door on hearing the doorbell.

Prabir walked swiftly and placed the meals on the tea- table after taking off his shoes and said, "come, I'll show you your room."

Dhruv slowly followed him to the guest room. " Please freshen up, I'll come back to call you for lunch", Prabir mumbled placing a hand on Dhruv's shoulders. Dhruv nodded mutely in reply.

Prabir hurriedly rushed to his room to take up a shower, wanting to get rid of the smell and the feeling of having visited a hospital.

Mr. Banerjee had already started to serve the meals on the table, when Prabir returned downstairs running straight to the kitchen.

"Baba where's Paru?" Prabir enquired.

"Up in her room", Mr. Banerjee replied calmly.

"Paru....Paru", Prabir screamed, " I'll call Dhruv" he added and disappeared from the kitchen, swiftly striding towards the guest room.

They quietly had their meal, and post lunch, Parul and Dhruv retired to their rooms, while Mr. Banerjee stayed back to lend Prabir a hand in the kitchen.

Prabir started with the preparation of the cake, gathering up all the ingredients, as Mr. Banerjee set up the oven to preheat.

Prabir handed Mr. Banerjee a cabbage, some carrots and capsicum after washing the vegetables for shredding, while he went on to making a smooth batter.

Mr. Banerjee was not used to working in the kitchen for a while now and struggled trying to do his best, till Prabir took over and pleaded, " I'll do it Baba, don't worry. You go and rest for a while."

Prabir chopped his fingers twice in a hurry, while making the preparations for some snacks like vegetable cutlets and spring rolls. He had invited a lot of people on Bhargavi's birthday party and indeed was in trouble he realized.

He called up Rakesh, who received the call immediately " Hello! Rakesh, I need all of my besties here as soon as possible. Please come fast and call up the others. I need your help for cooking and also for the decorations, so if you could bring some knives and choppers it will be of help.

Call up Ayush too, he makes the best masala tea and remember to park your bikes at the back door of my house, I don't want Bhargu to have any suspicions", Prabir said thoughtfully.

"Aye Aye! Captain", Rakesh said gladly.

Prabir had already asked them to drop by his house around 4 in the evening but now had to ask them to come earlier because of the urgency to have everything done within time.

Rakesh, Sachin, Sekhar, Vishwesh and Abhijeet were Prabir's childhood friends while Ayush had become a part of his life during the time he had been graduating from college.

All of his friends arrived, Abhijeet and Sachin were the first to arrive, followed by the rest.

They happily joined him, gossiping and making rude jokes on him, about him having forgotten them, after finding the love of his life.

Parul ran downstairs hearing so many voices coming from downstairs and pleaded to do something to help them.

"I have some work for you Paru. You need to call up Bhawu and inform her about our plans, tell her to inform her mother quietly and ask them to join us at sharp 6.30 p.m. She is extremely good at coming up with silly excuses", Prabir said grinning at her.

Parul made a sad face, not liking the idea that she could not help them with the work in the kitchen.

Ayush and Ananya's arrival uplifted Parul's spirits.

" Good! Now that Ananya is here, you two can start with the decorations. Sarvesh, Abhi...you two go to Baba's room, and bring down the plywood, Paru you help them.

It is extremely light, but I don't want my artwork to be ruined so please be careful", Prabir said with a smug face.

"An artwork? What is it?" enquired Vishwesh.

"You'll see yourself", Prabir replied smoothly.

Prabir had crafted lavender and turquoise ombre butterflies with paper and placed them forming the shape of a heart, on the light plywood after having painted it, to make it smooth and fixing white paper on it with adhesives.

"Paru, you can also search in Baba's cupboard for the paper garland I have hidden, but be careful don't tear it", Prabir screamed as they had already began to move up the stairs.

Prabir had hidden the paper cuttings as well as the plywood in his father's room, because it was the most unlikely room to be visited by Bhargavi.

The cascading paper floral garland was to be hung as a backdrop for display, which contained bold coloured paper flowers and was placed on the right wall, beside the tea- table and the plywood was kept leaning against the wall behind the tea- table which was placed at the centre of the living room.

Prabir himself had suggested the positioning of his decors. " wow! It's so amazing! Bhaiya you are so creative", Ananya exclaimed.

"All his creativity level gets enhanced and is only next to that of God's, when his one and only lady love is involved", snapped Sachin. "Where was all this creativity on my birthday Prabir?" He further added teasing him.

Everyone in the room roared into laughter and the noise made Dhruv sit up aghast who had been fast asleep.

Mr. Banerjee was wondering, how his wife would have reacted noticing her son so happy, strolling calmly in the living room, observing everything quietly.

The evening snacks had been prepared, masala tea was prepared by Ayush, the cake was ready. Preparations were started for the dinner, and it was around 6 in the evening.

Ayush, Ananya, Parul, Vishwesh and Dhruv were inflating the balloons and efficiently placing them, hanging on the ceiling with the help of threads.

"Paru where is Sarvesh, Ritvik uncle and Ayush uncle?" Prabir asked curious.

"They are on their way and will be reaching soon", Parul said blushing a little.

"Ask them to not park the car infront the front door, but the back door", Prabir suggested.

They heard the doorbell and Parul assumed that it was Sarvesh, she ran to open the door.

Bhawani and Ms. Nalini were behind the closed doors and Parul let them in with a wide smile. Mr. Ghosh slowly followed them. Parul had left the door wide open.

"Bhaiya, how will you call up Di here?" Bhawani quizzed.

"Leave that to me Bhawu, how did you manage to escape her?" He asked with a smirk.

" Maa told her that, Ghosh uncle had called up and asked her to meet him for a cup of tea and some chit chat and she didn't want to go alone to visit him and so she would be taking me with her", Bhawani revealed.

"Excellent! You are way too smart Bhawu", Prabir complemented her, knowing that it was her idea.

"So all done! All are here except Sarvesh and family. Let's wait until they get here", Prabir said softly.

Parul had called up Sarvesh and informed him that they should park their vehicle at the back gate.

They heard a soft knock on the back door and it was Prabir who rushed to open the door and let them in greeting them warmly.

Prabir asked everyone to stand in a semicircle, around the tea- table and then, called up Bhargavi.

"Bhargu, I was asleep in my room and Dhruv is missing when I came downstairs looking for him", Prabir said in a very panicked tone as Dhruv stared at him as if he had seen a ghost.

Everyone in the room struggled to not laugh at Prabir's dramatic narration, his voice broke as he spoke, he sounded tensed.

"I am coming don't worry, we'll find him. He cannot have gone far away", Bhargavi retorted angrily.

"Here comes hailstorm", Vishwesh said abruptly after Prabir had disconnected the call.

"Paru, switch off the lights and stay there", Prabir instructed as they patiently waited in silence for Bhargavi to enter the room .

*************

Bhargavi had ran out of her house, locking the doors, without even noticing that Mr. Ghosh's door was locked.

She was extremely worried finding the porch lights of Prabir's house off. It was very dark and eerie.

She had just stepped inside the living room, when she heard, "Happy Birthday Bhargavi", being said by a huge crowd suddenly and sprung back scared and frightened.

Parul turned the lights on, and Bhargavi was dumbstruck with so many people gazing at her.

She glanced at Prabir standing exactly at the centre, placing a hand on Dhruv's shoulders. He was grinning happily and had put on the same shirt that Bhargavi had picked up for him in the mall.

The people gathered there were all well dressed up and she was a complete mess, she realized in no time. Her hair was somehow tucked in an ugly messy bun, she had an ordinary black T-shirt and trousers on.

Parul approached Bhargavi and held her hand, pleading her to follow her upstairs to her room.

Parul showed Bhargavi a heavily embroidered, navy blue and pink velvet silk lehenga with a chiffon dupatta. "Di you like it?" Parul asked anxiously.

"Yes! It's beautiful", Bhargavi replied.

"Then please... please wear it Di, you will look astonishing tonight", Parul pleaded.

She held out matching earrings for the dress and placed it on the dresser.

"Di I won't be able to manage your long hair, should I call Bhaiya? He'll do it", Parul asked innocently.

Bhargavi coughed hard and almost choked at Parul's query.

"No, Paru that won't be necessary. There are many guests downstairs, I'll manage", Bhargavi replied politely.

Parul left closing the door behind her. Bhargavi walked up to lock the door and change her attire.

Bhargavi did not want to break Paru's heart, but did not want to put on this lehenga as well, because it made her feel uncomfortable. It was very heavy and the blouse was short. She tried to tug the dupatta at her waist covering it around her like a saree's pallu, as she did not want to exhibit her abdomen.

However, the dupatta was transparent and it didn't help much. The deep V- window cut out style on the back of the blouse made Bhargavi feel all the more creepy.

She stood staring at herself in the mirror, wanting to take that dress off and slide back into her own attire of the t-shirt and trousers.

She heard a soft knock on the door and opened it up.

"What's wrong Bhargu?" Prabir asked concerned with the look on her face.

"How am I supposed to go downstairs with this Prabu? " Bhargavi asked with a soft pout.

"Sit down here, let me fix your hair. Everyone is waiting for you downstairs", Prabir said softly making her sit on a small stool.

"Relax Bhargu, you look gorgeous in this dress. I know you are uncomfortable but just for tonight, please bear with this. Parul bored me for days, to purchase this dress as your birthday gift", Prabir pleaded.

"But Prabu..", Bhargavi started but then paused.

Prabir let her hair open using some hair accessories from the drawer in the dresser. He kissed her head on the back and whispered, " happy birthday Bhargu, may all your wishes come true."

She stood up and turned around, Prabir gently said, " Bhargu pull up your lehenga a bit higher and then adjust the dupatta, you might stumble and fall otherwise."

"Thank you Prabu", Bhargavi replied with a smile and pulled up her lehenga and somehow adjusted the dupatta carefully, then they walked downstairs together.

Bhargavi mumbled softly, " all I need to do is share my problems and you will chase them all away",glad that even though she hadn't clearly mentioned her problems, he had sorted them out. She was contented that now only a tiny portion of her abdomen was on display and even her back had been covered.

A/N : I am sorry for the typos if any, will rectify it tomorrow.

Thank you so much for sparing your precious time to read this☺️❤️