AKSHNAV FF- Piya tose naina laage re

Chap 22- Akshara's past

Akshara was arranging the pillows in one of the suites. She had changed the bed covers and put the dirty linen in the laundry basket. While arranging the pillows, she came across a pair of beautiful silver anklets. Holding them in her hands she said," they are so pretty! I must put it safely in the room closet."

Putting them away, she tidied up the desk and then left. As she pushed her housekeeping trolley ahead of her, she arrived outside Abhimanyu's room. Luckily for her he had alreadyleft for the medical conference. Akshara quickly tidied up the room and was about to leave when her gaze fell on a picture placed on the desk. Abhimanyu and his parents were there in the picture along with a pregnant Arohi.

"I really wanted to be there for Aru in her tough times. But she always pushed me away. I hope motherhood has made her a more sensible person."

With a heavy heart, she left the room. She almost collided into Siddhi as she was walking towards the elevator.

"Akshara," said Siddhi in a worried voice," I am afraid we are going to be really busy today. There is a medical conference going on in the hall below and we need to take care of the tea and snacks."

"Medical conference?" thought Akshara,"that means Abhimanyu will be there too."

Abhinav was picking up some guests from the airport for the medical conference. He was extremely busy going to and from the airport. Before leaving for his ninth trip to the airport, he stopped at the staff cafetaria to have some tea and snacks.

Akshara and Siddhi too arrived there.

"Tea or coffee?" Siddhi asked her.

"Any will do," Akshara replied.

"Abhinav ji," she said as she saw Abhinav seated at one of the tables.

"He looks so tired," said Siddhi,"its a busy day for us all."

Akshara went to Abhinav's table. Sitting down, she said," aaj kam zyada hai kya?"

"The medical conference," he said sipping his tea," a lot of doctors are arriving for it. I am picking them up from the airport."

THE BIRLA MANSION

Manjiri was looking at Neil's childhood pictures. Tears filled her eyes as she opened a wooden box containing her son's last belongings.

"Arohi will move on one day and get remarried," she thought," Ruhi already addresses Abhimanyu as poppy. Par maa ka kya? Usko toh koi replacement nahi milta, wo move on kaise karegi?"

Harshvardhan came and stood at the door. He said," Neil jaa chuka hai Manjiri. Usko pyar se yaad karo, nafrat se nahi."

"Kaise naa karoon us Akshara se nafrat,"cried Manjiri," khaa gyi wo mere bete ko."

"It wasnt Akshara's fault," Harshvardhan said," stop bringing this up again and again."

"Abhimanyu ki life sudharne ke baare mein socho," he said," Akshara has moved on but our son is still stuck in the past. He deserves to move on too."

THE HOTEL

Arohi was wearing a beautiful green silk saree with a heavy border. She wore pure gold jewellery and a kundan necklace gifted to her by Manjiri.

"You are looking lovely Dr. Arohi,"one of the doctors complimented her. Arohi smiled in response.

Akshara was wearing a face mask while serving tea and snacks to the guests. She came upto Arohi's table and saw her sister for the first time in six years.

"Aru......." she looked at her in disbelief.

She poured warm tea and served Arohi and the other doctors snacks as well. No one recognised her. She pushed her trolley along and left.

She removed her mask once she was safely out of the hall.

"Whats wrong with you?" Siddhi asked her.

"Nothing," lied Akshara," I am just tired."

Dr. Abhimanyu Birla was addressing everyone present at the conference. Akshara could hear his muffled voice from outside the door.

Abhinav was waiting for some guests at the airport. He drank some water while waiting. He recalled his days as a young driver waiting for guests and lost in his solitude. He had lived a very lonely life. Muskaan was always in boarding school while Neelamma spent most of her time doing the household chores. His parents had abandoned him when he was a baby. His mother had conceived him out of wedlock and his father had refused to marry her. That was all he knew about his parents.

Neelamma was a midwife in her younger days and had helped Abhinav's mother in childbirth. So when Abhinav's mother abandoned him, Neelamma had readily accepted Abhinav. At that time, Muskaan's parents (Neelamma's children) were very much alive. They paased away in a railway accident when Muskaan was five and Abhinav was seven.

Abhinav waited for the guests to arrive. His mind wandered into all sorts of worries as he waited.