Prabir sat up slowly still holding Bhargavi in his arms and she grumpily spoke, " two minutes more please", and clinged onto him even tighter.

"Please wake up Bhargu, we have an ardous task at hand to complete today", Prabir whispered. 

"Gosh! Am I goat? Why did I have a dream about vast green pastures and cows grazing happily?" She blurted awake, but still feeling dizzy.

Prabir tickled her at her waist and she giggled out aloud. Prabir placed his palm on her mouth to suppress her voice, murmuring, "Baby, it's already 6. You need to be ready by 8.20 atleast. We will leave with Baba for the hospital.

I don't think I would enjoy a triple ride with Dhruv, you and me together on my bike."

Bhargavi's dizziness flew out of the window as she was knocked back into her senses. Her Maa would be gathering the entire neighborhood in an instant, if she found her missing and she jumped out of the bed and ran upstairs. Prabir followed her and saw her jump off to the other terrace. He stood blankly observing  her go in dismay, when she turned around to face him and made a big heart with her arms above her head, displaying 101% of her love for him, with a contagious wide smile before disappearing downstairs.

Prabir stood motionless reflecting what he had just seen. He expected that he would be having a wonderful day ahead as the start had been extremely fascinating.

He freshened up and started carrying on with his routine work of preparing the breakfast and tiffin.

Dhruv was already awake and approached Prabir offering to help. Prabir politely refused him and handed him his cup of tea and  mumbled, " Dhruv please be ready by 8.20 and... I know, they are not your own parents and there is absolutely no need to...but I am requesting you to please address Kavya Aunty and Bhairav Uncle as Maa and Baba, when you meet them today.

I am not asking you to replace your Maa or Baba with anyone else but I am only urging you to do this, so that you can easily become a part of their family."

Dhruv mutely nodded in reply. "How long do you know Bhargavi?" He asked curiously.

"Nearly about two months now", Prabir replied casually as a genuine smile covered his face.

With Parul leaving for School, Prabir informed his father that all three of them would be accompanying him to the hospital. " I get to drive", he further added.

Mr. Banerjee was wondering what made Prabir to be in such an unusually happy mood and knew it had something to do with Bhargavi for sure. She was the only person who could drive him crazy with happiness.

Bhargavi pressed the doorbell of Prabir's house at sharp 8.20 in the morning, without delay of even a minute.

They set out for the hospital at sharp 8.30, as was the usual timing of Mr. Banerjee.

When they reached the hospital, Bhargavi's phone beeped with a message,

Bhargu, I don't want Dhruv eavesdropping while I speak with Keya's parents. Please make sure that you keep him busy.

Okay! she texted back immediately.

Prabir strode quickly upto Keya's parents and greeted them with a genuine smile, then he mumbled, " Aunty, Uncle, the boy you see there next to Bhargu, is my friend Dhruv Rathi.

His father who was his only family, was killed in a road accident.

When he found out that a fifteen years old boy named Mayank Sinha, who was drunk, crashed his car into his father and killed him on the spot, he was furious and located the boy's house.

He went there and threatened him, beat him up and was about to kill him when Mayank's mother yelled and screamed, begging him to not kill her son. He was about to leave when he was arrested by the guards and handed over to police.

He had attempt to murder charges on him and was jailed for seven long years.

The most precious years of his life, have been wasted, as he was locked up in a jail.

He is in dire need of help.. in need of a family to enable him to start his life afresh from the scratch.

It will be almost impossible for him to find a good place to work, as he never completed his education.

Mayank Sinha is the son of an MLA and he was never punished for the sins he committed, a hapless driver was sentenced to jail instead of him for that accident.

Dhruv's entire life will be ruined if he takes course to get revenge for his father.

You can help him lead a good life. He can help you in your business Uncle.

I am not advocating on his behalf, only because he's a friend but because he has lost everything. He has no one in this world to call his own...his family. He has received grave injustice and now will be neglected and abused by the society for being a prisoner, if there is no one to support or protect him.

I am beseeching you to let him become a part of your family."

Both Mr. Bhairav and Mrs. Kavya felt sorry for Dhruv and agreed to help him become a part of their family.

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

Bhargavi held Dhruv's arm asking him to settle down on a chair far away from the place where they could see Prabir standing and speaking with Keya's parents, while she occupied a chair next to him.

Mr. Banerjee had already walked away to his cabin.

"I am sorry I couldn't get any gift for you yesterday", Dhruv apologised.

"There is nothing to apologise. I was happy to see you smile and have fun yesterday in the party", Bhargavi replied politely.

"Yeah! I was glad nobody asked me anything like where do I stay? Who are my parents? What do I do? How do I know Prabir? " He said earnestly.

"Nobody can point a finger at the work managed by Prabir. He never would let you feel low and be insulted by anyone in his presence, especially his closest friends and family", Bhargavi said proudly.

"You are  really lucky Bhargavi", he chuckled.

"Yes! I am", she replied smoothly. Then she suddenly got up and ran towards a patient being taken into the Intensive Care Unit.

Dhruv followed her at her heels. "Baba what happened to Raunak?" Bhargavi quizzed concerndly staring at an old man.

"Bhargavi, I ...I had purchased him a bike only the previous week and because of that now he has ended up here", he sobbed vehemently.

Raunak  was in a very bad shape, bleeding profusely. He had lacerations and abrasions. He had fallen off the bike and was dragged along the road.

The doctors informed that his tendons, ligaments and muscles were twisted and torn. His collar bone was broken as were his vulnerable wrists bones.

Bhargavi fixed her gaze on the old man walking away with wobbly legs, and mumbled, " I know what you are thinking Dhruv. Yes, I hated my father, but he has changed a lot and I have forgiven him.

He has an eighteen years old kid even after being in jail for twelve long years as he re-married a widow, who already had two sons."

Bhargavi slowly trailed her father, who  was trying to deposit the money with shaking and trembling hands. He did not have much left with him, having spent a lot on the bike he had purchased last week for his son. He was pleading with the hospital authorities to start the treatment, while he collected the money and deposited it by evening.

Bhargavi made the payment of the remaining amount using her debit card, inspite of her father's several requests for not making the payment.

"May God bless you my child. I'll pray for you", he said softly placing his hands on her head.

Bhargavi had just returned to the area where Prabir had been speaking to Keya's parents and was horror-stricken noticing Prabir in tears. His eyes were filled with agony and immense inexplicable pain.

She rushed towards him and he softly whispered, " Bhargu, Keya is no more."

Bhargavi stood impasse and looked around for Mrs. Kavya but she was nowhere to be found. Prabir followed her gaze and said, " Bhargu, she was fasting and praying for Keya's recovery. She couldn't bear to listen to the truth and the jolt led to an immediate cardiac arrest."

Dhruv had heard the entire conversation between Prabir and Bhargavi, as he was close behind Bhargavi.

Prabir wiped off his tears and pushed Dhruv in the direction of Mr. Bhairav and gently nodded, gesturing him to console Mr. Bhairav.

Dhruv was bewildered and had no clue as to how he could console a person, who had just lost his daughter and whose wife had received a cardiac arrest a few minutes ago.

He mustered up all his courage and bent low to touch Mr. Bhairav's feet, this grabbed Mr. Bhairav's attention and he pulled him up, embracing him tightly and started to cry his heart out.

"I guess I saw your Baba Bhargu, is something wrong with his health?" Prabir asked concerned. 

"No, his son Raunak, umm..I mean my brother Raunak has met an accident and is in the ICU", she informed him bluntly.

" Only yesterday, we had a little celebration, to be confronting up with so many shocking, unpleasant and ugly news today.

This day has become a museum of disappointments", he sighed heavily.

"Where are you going?" Bhargavi asked instantly, as he started to walk away.

"I'm going to inform about Keya and her Maa to Baba Bhargu, he will eventually find out everything and then I plan to head out to purchase a phone for Dhruv and I'll also have to arrange a SIM card for him", he uttered.

Bhargavi knew that he was broken-hearted and perhaps was trying to stay strong for her and Mr. Bhairav. The calmness he revealed on the outside was just a facade to hide the surging storm within him.

She held his palm and softly whispered, " no matter how hard things get, I am always with you Prabu.

Please don't leave me alone here, purchasing the phone is not more important than me.

I know you want an escape from this situation, to let out your emotions, but I need you Prabu."

Bhargavi knew anything could happen, if Prabir lost control over his emotions. He might get lost in his thoughts while driving, leading to an accident or he might cross the roads unmindful that, a bus or a car is moving in his way.

He was not his usual self, but was so devasted, as if placed in the abode of condemned souls, the hell on Earth.

But Bhargavi refused to speak her mind out and embraced him securely in her arms, as he snivelled and whimpered, with his head buried in her neck.

A/N: Hopefully you enjoyed reading this chapter.

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Thank you 😊