Chapter Six
Pintu found himself smiling and happy
--- his wounds seemed to have healed and he had forgotten his bitter past for
the moment and a new hope had filled in its place. He reached the TTS mansion.
It was pretty late at night. He parked the car and walked in. He saw his Ma
Ganga still there on the sofa waiting for her son. She was nearly falling
asleep but did not go to bed. She wanted to be reassured that Pintu was fine
after meeting Krishna.
Pintu walked up to her: Ma, you
haven't yet slept?
Ganga woke up from her half asleep
state.
Ganga: Pintu, you're back?
Saying this she looked at him and
stroked his hair with her hands. She wanted to see how he looked before she
could ask him how he felt. She could see Pintu relaxed and happy and so she knew
she could ask him her question without fear.
Ganga: How is Krishna? It has been so
long that we've seen or spoken to her.
Pintu: She is the same Ma.
Pintu now smiled a little and avoided
eye contact with his mother.
Ganga understood that he was just too
thrilled to have met the girl who was the one for him. She was feeling relieved
that Krishna still loved him as much as she had earlier. As a mother, Ganga's
happiness was boundless.
Ganga: Pintu, it is very late and you
need to rest now.
Pintu: Haan Ma, you too please sleep.
You have been with me the whole day through the proceedings and you must be
tired as well.
Pintu walked his Ma to her room and
made her rest. TTS was fast asleep. Pintu smiled at her and left the room.
*************
At Krishna's place
Krishna stepped into her house to see
her mother Saraswati there waiting for her daughter. She wasn't too happy with
Krishna's boldness in going out at that hour to meet "the person" as guessed by
Saraswati.
Saraswati: Krishna, do you think it
is right for anyone to go out at this hour?
Krishna: Ma, but I had gone to
console Pintuji. He has just had a ----
She stopped her from finishing the
sentence.
Saraswati: All the more reason
Krishna you should not have met him. You are well aware that he has divorced
none other than your cousin with whom you have already had enough problems. Her
parents will now use this against you if they get to know about it. You are now
in a senior position and your respect and honour can be at stake if you engage
in such activities.
Krishna did not agree to her mother's
views but she however kept silent only because she respected her and understood
that it was an anxious mother speaking for the welfare of her daughter. She
knew her mother did not have ill feelings for Pintuji.
She simply nodded and apologized and
both departed to go to their respective rooms.
Krishna kept thinking of Pintuji. She
had seen him after so many years. She was too glad that she made him feel
better but at the same time was worried if this new freedom that he had got
would lead her into an emotional captivity --- one that she had longed for in
the past.
She sat on her bed and thought of
those loving moments they had spent that evening or rather night. Every touch
of Pintuji was so comforting to her. There was never a feeling of remorse in
her for allowing him to hold her so close to him. She needed this security all
the time --- from HIM.
As she smiled at herself, her mobile
rang.
She quickly picked it up as she did
not want her mother to hear it and feel upset yet again.
There was silence at both ends. It
was Pintu's call to Krishna.
Finally Krishna spoke softly: Are you
alright Pintuji?
Pintu: Yes.
Silence again.
Krishna: What happened, you are not
speaking?
Pintu: Krishna, I need you in my life
--- always. Will you be there for me all the time?
Krishna felt a shiver run through her
as she heard these words.
Krishna: Hmm---
Pintu could sense that Krishna must
be feeling a little shy now. Actually he was also feeling somewhat hesitant in
opening his heart out to her. He felt he needed to understand her fully ---
though he was sure she did not mind the fact that he had been married once and he
had done so after going back on his word to her a few years back. After all, he
had broken the trust once. So this time, he wanted to go slow. Everything was
fresh and new. It wasn't even a day since he was divorced --- so to think of a
new life so soon was not fair. But he was glad at least that Krishna cared for
him even today and she would for years to come.
*****************
A new day saw a gleaming Pintu and
Krishna at their respective places. Pintu was looking quite normal and TTS was
happy for him.
TTS: Pintu Singh, remain like this
always --- happy and cheerful.
Pintu: Yes babuji. I am fine now. I
want to focus on the projects that I am handling of our business and want to
make it a success. Babuji, please don't feel responsible for what happened. It
was just a bad phase and it's over.
TTS: You are right Pintu. Ganga Devi,
can you see our Pintu has become so mature like his brother Babloo master!
All of them smile and Pintu leaves
for work.
Krishna at her place was ready too.
Her Dad came there and spoke to her: Krishna, Ma was telling that last night
you met Pintuji.
Krishna: Yes Babuji. Actually I
thought it was necessary for us to give him some kind of a support after what
happened in his life.
Vidyapati: You did the right thing
Krishna. Don't worry about what your Ma told you. I trust you fully.
Krishna smiled at her Dad and left
for the Collector's office.
At lunch time as Krishna opened her
lunchbox to eat there was a knock at the door. She looked up to see Pintuji
standing there.
She stood up leaving the lunch box
half open and smiled at Pintuji.
Pintu: May I come in Collector madam?
Krishna: Come on Pintuji, of course
you may and please don't call me that.
Pintu walks in admiring Krishna's
cabin and finally looked at her. She had an impeccable charisma even in her
simplicity.
Krishna: Please sit down Pintuji.
Will you have some lunch with me? It is just simple stuff that I can offer you.
Pintu: Okay, only if you accept
something from me after that.
Krishna: But what is it?
Pintu: I will treat to you to ice-cream
after lunch.
Krishna was silent.
Pintu: If you're busy no problems. We
can go in the evening after your work hours.
Krishna nods and they sit down to
share the simple lunch together.
The share glances at each other as
they ate and also smiled happily.
Pintu: I need to leave now. I'll come
back in the evening to give you a treat!
He comes near the door to leave when
he sees Pinky there.
Pinky first gives a look to him and
then to Krishna who did not expect her there. She feels a little uncomfortable.
Pinky: So, Pintuji, you haven't
wasted a single moment of your freedom and I can see that someone is more than
happy with it.
Pintu gets very angry. But he knew he
was at Krishna's work place and he could not create a scene there. So he
swallows his anger and walks away at a fast pace.
Pinky enters Krishna's room and looks
at the food on her table.
Pinky: The Collector having lunch
with a fresh divorcee!
How does that sound for the
headlines?
Krishna: Pinky, what have you come
here for?
Pinky: To just check if what I had
thought was actually true and now I know it is confirmed.
Krishna: Pinky, if you have any
official matter to discuss please tell me or else we can talk later.
Pinky: Oh really, what official
matter did Pintuji discuss with you some time back? Why the double standards?
Krishna: He was here at the lunch
hour and now it is past that.
And yes, he came here as a friend and
I think you have come here as a BDO!
Pinky: Friend or ---
Krishna: That's it Pinky. You may
leave now.
Pinky leaves as she had accomplished
the job of disturbing Krishna with her caustic comments.
That evening Krishna wound up and was
leaving from office when Pintu was there waiting for her. She went up to him to
say that she would prefer going home in her official jeep and they could
postpone the ice cream party for some other day.
Pintu: Krishna, it has to be today.
Please.
Krishna could not refuse so she
releases her driver and sits in Pintu's car.
Pintu starts and Krishna was still
thinking of Pinky and her remarks in the afternoon.
Pintu: You seem to be upset because
of Pinky.
Krishna: Pintuji, may I request something
from you?
Pintu: Yes Krishna.
Krishna: Please don't come to my
office to meet me in the future.
Pintu: Sorry Krishna. I'll not do
that again. Actually, after last night's meeting with you, I wasn't able to
hold myself from seeing you.
Pintu did not know what more to say.
Krishna looked at him and she could
see he was holding back his emotions for her.
Krishna: Pintuji, ----
Pintu: Hmm...
Krishna: Do you want to say something
more to me?
Pintu looks at her while driving and
then says: Yes I do. But not now.
Krishna remained silent after that.
They reached the parlour but Krishna
was reluctant to get down.
Pintu: Krishna, come on. Let's go in.
Krishna: No Pintuji. Let's have it in
the car.
Pintu agrees and gets two cones for
them.
He sits back on his seat and notices
Krishna quite tense.
Pintu: I'm really sorry Krishna about
coming to your office without your permission.
Krishna: No --- Pintuji that's fine.
Pintu: Then why are you looking so
worried?
Krishna: Nothing Pintuji.
By then the ice cream had started melting
and trickled into both their hands respectively.
Pintu: Okay let's first enjoy the ice
cream and then talk.
They have their ice cream and finally
Krishna speaks: Pintuji, my mother wasn't too happy with my meeting you last
night. I hope Pinky does not tell her that you came to meet me at office too.
Pintu listens to her and waits to see
if she had something more to say.
Krishna: Pintuji, But my Babuji was
fine with it. And me too --- I did not mind it at all.
Pintu could see Krishna trying to
reason out with him and herself that she was right.
Pintu now holds her hand. Krishna
tries to free herself from his hold. Pintu tightens his grip not allowing her
to get free. Krishna now looks at him and pleads silently asking him to let go
of her hand.
Pintu: I will not leave you now
Krishna. And that is my promise to you.
Krishna relaxed her hand now in his.
Pintu caressed her hand with his and watched Krishna blushing. He gently raised
her hand towards his lips causing Krishna to close her eyes. He brought it back
and placed it on his lap and gave it a tight hold. He then let go of her hand.
Krishna held both her hands tightly
and sat silently waiting for Pintuji to drop her back home.
Pintu dropped her a few yards away
from her house and as she got down and began to leave Pintu said: Krishna you
are so beautiful.
Krishna wasn't used to being called
like that.
She softly said: Thank you ----- (she
then looked at him and said) for the ice cream!
*******************
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
I'll try and update regularly...😃
only if I find more comments here...😊
Next Update -
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/3685298?pn=8
Edited by kmfan_2 - 10 years ago
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