Tum Kaafi Ho ✓

t h i r t y e i g h t. worth fighting for

t h i r t y  e i g h t. worth fighting for

"thank you for doing this!" 

Pranati told Reyansh as the trio spent their Christmas morning in Bal Mandir Orphanage where Gattu resided. Thanks to the Khuranas', they had managed to make the kids smile that morning. The Khuranas' had sent in a truckload of consignment for Jugnu's friend and the rest of the kids and Baljeet Khurana had asked the trio to give them on their behalf. 

Vardhan, Anisha and Armaan and Riya had tagged along, wanting to celebrate Christmas with the newest Khurana and together they had made this Christmas happier for the orphan kids.

Each of the kid who had never been fortunate to experience a fruitful Christmas, were on their feet that morning with the school essentials, toys, new clothes and food that could last them a month. The Khuranas' had been more than generous and when Jugnu decided to give all of her Christmas gifts too, Pranati and Reyansh could not have been more prouder.

"But you loved that Tab, you had so many games on that." 

"That is okay Armaan chachu." Jugnu had given her tab to Gattu, she decided that he needed it more than she did. "I have my parents with me, I don't want anything else." 

The parents of the mature kid looked at each other with a soft smile, and then at their kid who was generous and kind and a brave kid. Anisha and Vardhan were quite ecstatic to see so many kids all at once and Pranati noticed how teary eyed Anisha got when a kid gave her a toothless grin for the gifts. 

Gattu and Jugnu stuck together, arm interlinked as they ate a lollipop while Reyansh and Armaan played with the kids out in the snow. Anisha surrounded with little girls whose hair she braided neatly and Vardhan helping a boy hold the cricket bat.

"I missed you so much Prabhi!" Riya side hugged Pranati who smiled, happy to see the goofy ball again. "It has been only a week, but I really missed you." 

The happy tone soon turned sad as Pranati felt the tug of Riya holding more significance than just happiness. She broke the hug and met Riya's teary gaze, her hands cupping the girl's tired face.

"Kya hua Riya?" She asked, siding away from the crowd. "Tell me."

Riya pulled Pranati away from the kids and the people and moved out to the open lawn, crying as she narrated her tale. 

"I am pregnant." 

She could not believe her words, Pranati held her hand at once. 

"What?"

"I am so scared, Prabhi, I am scared." Riya sobbed, covering her face with her palms, crying and Pranati felt a very familiar incident replay in her mind.

"I am scared, Rey, I am so scared right now."

Pranati took a deep breath, this was not about her. She immediately withdrew Riya's hands from her face and took them in hers. A soft smile countered Riya's worried frown, and instead of words, Riya found a hug engulf her.

That was what Pranati wanted. She wanted someone to hug her. Someone to hold her. Someone to sit with her and tell her that it was okay, and even if it wasn't, it will eventually be. 

"It is okay, Riya." Pranati rubbed Riya's back softly, helping her breathe and ease back. "It is okay, I am with you." 

Riya tightened her grip against Pranati's comforting aura, her raised heartbeats were falling back to the usual pace and she could breathe again. Pranati let her be for the next five minutes, holding her hand and letting her take her time. 

"Have you told Armaan?" 

Riya shook her head. "When we decided to get married, we decided on not having kids. He did not want kids and I wasn't keen either." She lowered her gaze, teary eyed as she played with her hands nervously. "What if I tell him and he leaves me?"