Anatomy of Love (Complete)

Chapter 28

Pritha sat with Khushi in her office at her home. They both had their mugs of coffee in their hands.
Pritha asked, "Will you now tell me, how are you?"
Khushi smiled, "I am.. good. Sab thik hai."
"Are you sleeping well now?"
"Hmm.. The medicines are helping. Where's Ryan and Pratistha?"

Pritha replied, "He has taken her to the park."
"Of course, he knew I was coming."
Pritha said, "Khushi, it's not.."
Khushi didn't let her complete her sentence, "Pritha, I know he is angry and he is right to stay angry on me. I have accepted my mistake."
Pritha gave a deep breath, "Ryan loves Rishab. He loves him more than his own family. He.. blames you for his disappearance."

Khushi had tears in her eyes, "I know and like I said, he is right. Galti meri thi. Pata nahi kya ho gaya tha. I did what Alina told me. I believed she was my mentor. She wanted me to focus on my career. She had done the same with her own life, putting her career before her own family. I was doing so good with her.. so.. But I should not blame her. No, I should not."

"Perhaps I wanted to prove to everyone that I was not just Rishab's girlfriend or Anil Chopra's daughter. I was always under Rishab's shadow. I wanted to get out of it. I wasn't thinking clearly. Didn't see what the consequences could be. Junoon tha kuch karungi aur uss junoon mein main bhul gai sahi aur galat kya hai. Jis pyar ko sab se upar rakha tha, ussi ko phek diya neeche."

Tears fell out of her eyes and Pritha held her hand.
"Rishab was already broken. I had promised myself never to hurt him. And my one mistake just tore him apart. I should have told him. I didn't and he left. He left.."
Pritha said, "Khushi, stop crying now and stop blaming yourself. You had gone through a lot as well."
"I just want him to return back. Bhale mujh se baat na kare bas laut aye."

Pritha said, "Ryan koshis kar raha hai. But.. nothing.."
"It has been 3 years. Papa, Ryan and even Raghuvir uncle had looked for him everywhere. But nothing.. It looks like he has vanished from the surface of earth."
Pritha consoled her, "We will find him. I know."

Khushi wiped her eyes, "I came to give you this. Trust ke papers. Read and sign them. Send it to Mr.Awasthi."
"Tum jaa rahi ho Kal?"
"Yes, jaa rahi hun. Subha nikalna hai. Chalo main nikalti hun. Give my love to Pratistha."
Both hugged each other and then she left.

A little later Ryan came in with their three year old daughter. He let her go inside and sat down on the couch.
"When did she leave?"
Pritha gave him his coffee, "You know it very well. You were waiting for her to leave before you could come in. I know you don't like her coming here."

"Yes. I don't like her coming to our house, talking to you about Rishab and getting your sympathy. I hate her. Okay." Ryan said.
Pritha sat down, "Ryan, I know you love Rishab more than anyone but.."
"There's no but here, Pri. It was me who tried to play cupid between the two. Maine usse uski taraf bheja tha. Main bola tha usse tu pyar mein uske. Shala akela tha par khush tha, mere samne tho tha. Meri wajah se.. he is broken, Pri. And she is the one who broke him. How can I forgive her? How can I forgive myself?"

"Ryan, you did nothing. Sooner or later he would have realised his feelings for her. And people do come together and they fall apart. Khushi did only one thing wrong, didn't tell him before the abortion. Rishab break up kar lete. He shouldn't have left like this."
Ryan shook his head, "Out of everyone, you are saying this. Pri, you are a psychiatrist. You treated him. Uske dimag ki halat tum se behtar kaun jaan sakta hai?"

"I know. He is emotional. But.."
Ryan cut her short again, "He couldn't take it this time, Pri. He loved her more than anything. He had imagined his life with her. The life he didn't have, he wanted that with her. She took that dream away from him. That's why.."
His voice choked up.
"I just want to find him. Bas ek baar pata chal jaye mujhe.. le aaunga wapas usko. I will."