"Maine kabhi tujhe kisi cheez ke liye force nhi kia. Na hi ab krungi. Lekin apne liye na sahi Divay ke liye ek baar shaadi ke baare mai soch."
"Main kabhi iss cheez ke against nhi thi maa. I also want someone like you have papa. Lekin sirf apne baare mai nhi soch skti na. Just like you said Divay ke baare mai sochna hai."
She said and then looked at him. She looked back at her mother and continued.
"Aur aisa nhi hai ki maine try nhi kia. But the moment people get to know about Divay they start forming assumptions and judgements. I want someone to accept him without any questions. Wo trust hi kaise mumma jiske liye pehle koi clarification deni pade. Mai chahti hu ki jo bhi ho Divay ko puri tarah accept kre. No matter what the truth is. Just like we did mumma. Just like we do."
She said and her mother nodded in understanding.
"Lekin usse ek father figure ki zarurat hai beta."
"Mai mana nhi kr rhi mumma. Lekin bade hokar trauma mai chala jaayega because of my one wrong decision isse achha toh mai iske hazar sawalo ka jawab dedu."
Her mother smiled and kissed Divay's hand. She looked at Diya and said.
"Mujhe na un par pura bharosa hai."
She said pointing towards the sky.
"Unhone agar isse hamari zindagi mai bheja hai toh iske liye bhi kisi aise ko zarur bheja hoga. Aur dekhna bhut jaldi mil jaayega wo. Jo Divay ko apne khud ke bache se jyada pyaar dega. Aur tujhe khudse jyada maan."
"I wish aap sahi ho mumma. Kyunki mera toh dheere dheere iss duniya ke mardo par se vishwaas uthta jaa rha hai."
"Hai beta! Aise log aaj bhi hai jo khudse pehle dusre ki chinta krte hai."
Her thoughts involuntarily went to Jagrav and how he took care of her in that lift.
She closed her eyes and the moment when his lips pressed to hers played in her mind making her sit with a jerk.
"What the hell Diya? Snap out of it! He was just helping you! Nothing else. Don't you dare develop any feelings for him."
She reprimanded herself and cuddled Divay to herself.
A few days later Jagrav had shifted to his new flat. The previous one he shared with a few other boys and they organised a house party every alternate day which Jagrav didn't like because he was a responsible man now.
So he shifted his place for better focus. And now finally his place was all set. He had missed his evening walk since a long time because of all this shifting so today he decided to go for one.
He was on his third lap when he sat on a bench and looked at the little boy who he had beeb observing since he got here.
The boy wasn't playing with the other kids but looking at them with a sad pout and then at the ground.
"Hi!"
Jagrav breathed out still trying to get his breath back. The boy didn't even look his way. Wow! Ignored royally.
"I am Jagrav! What's your name?"
Jagrav tried again and the boy looked at him. He gave Jagrav a look and then turned his face again and said.
"Mumma kehti hai strangers se baat nhi krte."
Jagrav raised an impressed eyebrow. The boy was being well raised.
"But mai stranger kaha hu? Aapko mera naam pata toh hai."
The boy still didn't give him any heed and looked at the kids in front of him.
"Aap kyu nhi khel rhe apne friends ke saath?"
"Wo mere friends nhi hai. Mera yaha koi friend nhi hai. Koi mujhe apne saath nhi khilata."
He said in an almost crying voice and Jagrav felt his heart ache at his voice. They sat in silence for two minutes and then he spoke.
"Mai aapka friend ban jaau? Mere saath kheloge?"
He looked at Jagrav with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Aap banoge mere friend? Aapko kaunse games khelne aate hai?"
"Haan bilkul banunga. Mujhe sab khelna aata hai. Cricket, football, basketball."
He pouted and said.
"Lekin mujhe inme se kuch nhi aata."
Jagrav thought for a moment and took the ball from his hand.
"Dodge ball khelte hai. Mai sikha dunga. Come on!"
He said and he and the boy played dodge ball for a long time. By the end the boy was all giggles and laughters. No one had ever played with him like this. His nanu didn't have much energy in him and his mumma didn't like sports.
"Ab toh apna naam bta do friend."
Jagrav said and the boy grinned.
"Divay!"
He said and ran to his nani while waving to Jagrav with a wide grin.
A week was up since that lift incident and Diya had joined the office back from today.
Although she was scared to use the lift but she knew Jagrav would be there with her if something like that was to happen again.
A smile formed on her lips remembering the event.
She sat in her car waiting for Jagrav's to arrive.
When she saw him parking his car she got out and smiled at him. But frowned when he gave her a polite, calculated smile back.
They reached the elevators and Diya frowned seeing him standing in front of the employee lift instead of her private one.
Why was he standing there? How should I call him here?
She bit her lip thinking about it. Her lift arrived earlier and she turned to Jagrav.
"Mr. Jagrav! Please come with me. We need to discuss something right now!"
Jagrav nodded and followed him in her elevator.
"Yes mam? What did you want to discuss?"
"Umm-wo actually - let's discuss once we reach my cabin."
She said and he nodded turning to face the front. A few minutes later she heard his laughter.
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