Throughout the day, naman kept giving mishti a little bit of nonsense, telling her stuff that weakened her knees, that made her question every possible decision she'd ever made. So by the end of the day, she was thoroughly frustrated and had messaged Abir to meet her at the tea stall. She wasn't ready to go home just yet. When she told kunal that she was meeting Abir at the tea stall and that she would meet him back at home, kunal was concerned because mishti looked lost so he suggested to at least drop her off, but she insisted on walking. They finally agreed on the point that mishti would message him once she reached.
While walking, every single memory that she had of her real parents flashed before her eyes. There were hardly any happy ones in it, and whichever moments were happy, were all because of Kartik, Naira and her taiji.
Then she remembered the time, bade papa and badi ma got her home. All the way from Udaipur to Rajkot. How her dadi, just got badi ma to take mishti off her hands. All her life she had very few people who loved her unconditionally, for who she was. And she couldn't fathom the feeling that now she actually had a loving family, that loved her with all their hearts. She had Abir, who was her best friend, lover, husband, guide, comedian everything rolled into one. She was sitting on the bench, thinking about how baseless everything that naman had said to her actually was.
"Mujhe laga tha, ki shadi ke baad romance kam ho jata hai, but of course meri angry chorni, sabse alag hai!" Came Abir's voice, from behind her.
And there he was, holding a cup of chai and the infamous chips. Mishti chuckled half heartedly and turned back again, waiting for him to come next to her.
He walked to her, put the tea cup on the bench in between them, and held mishti's hand and said, "hi angry chorni? Tumhara din kaisa tha? Mera day toh crazy tha, yeh Nishant na, bohot smart hai but utna crazy bhi hai. He doesn't get tired of talking only. Now I know ki woh tumhara itna accha dost kyun hai. Actually scratch that, woh humara itna accha dost kyun hai. Anyway tum toh kuch bolo?" He rambled. Mishti was still quiet and then she just put the tea cup aside and hugged him. An actual bone crushing hug. Abir smiled and pulled her to him and started rubbing her back for some comfort and warmth. But when after a while, mishti didn't pull away, Abir got a little worried. And asked, "kya hua mishti? Tum thik ho? What's wrong? Please talk to me?" He began. Mishti shook her head and said, "Maine tumhe bohot miss kiya, I'm not done hugging you, tum kahi nahi jaoge abir. I won't let you leave." She said with conviction. Abir kissed the crown of her head and said, "I missed you too! And I'm not going anywhere. You can hug me for as long as you want. I'm right here." And mishti nodded and grabbed fistfuls of his shirt. She needed to feel his presence, physically and emotionally.
After a while, when she felt okay, she pulled away, and Abir cupped her face and asked, "better now?" He knew something was bothering her and he also knew that she would tell him, he just had to wait and not hound her. She nodded and he got the tea cup, looked at mishti and held the cup to her lips and waited as she drank. Mishti followed his steps and made Abir drink from the same cup too. Both of them took turns till they'd finished the cup and then Abir's phone started ringing. He looked at mishti, as if asking if she could wait for 2 mins till he finished the call. Mishti smiled and nodded.
Abir got up and walked a little to the side, so that mishti could prepare herself to share whatever was bothering her.
"Hello? Haan nanko bol?" Said Abir.
"Bhai..bhai..aap apne woh tea stall per pohoch Gaye?" Kunal asked restlessly.
Abir said, "haan nanko, I just reached. Lekin tu itna anxious kyun hai? Kuhu thik hai na? Aur tu thik hai na?" Kunal said, "ji bhai..hum dono thik hai, lekin, bhai, woh.." he didn't know if mishti had told Abir the truth or even if she had reached the tea stall her phone was off and Kunal was worried. So Kunal further asked, "woh bhai..mishti pohoch gayi na?" Now abir was actually puzzled. "Nanko, yeh kya pooch raha hai? Tum saath mein nahi nikle? I thought tune mishti ko drop kiya yahan? What's going on nanko?" Kunal realised that mishti hadn't spoken to Abir yet, so he covered up for mishti and said, "haan bhai..I'm sorry mein bhool gaya!" And laughed nervously. "Nanko. Something is going on and I'm going to find out what it is." Abir vowed. "Bhai. Aap mishti ke saath hai abhi, toh us par concentrate kariye. Mein aapka ghar par wait karta hoon." Said Kunal and hung up.
With a determined mind, Abir turned and walked towards mishti and sat down on his haunches in front of her, cupped her cheek and asked, "will you please honestly tell me what's wrong? I'm extremely worried and Abhi nanko also covered up for you mishti. Please tell me?" Mishti looked into his eyes and smiled faintly and said, "Kunal sach mein bada ho gaya hain na?" Abir smiled and nodded and looked at her to continue ahead. And what a sight it was, Abir on his knees, looking at mishti, who was sitting on a small bench.
"Abir, woh..mere papa.. I mean Naman Aggarwal..he's back.." she whispered.
Abir was shocked to say the least, but the fact that the man would harm anyone for his personal gain including mishti, turned the blood is his veins to ice. No wonder kunal was worried.
"Where did he meet you mishti? Aur woh jail se kaise nikle?" Abir started firing questions. One after the other. And so mishti told him the entire story, what he said to her, how Kunal protected her and just about everything. Abir listened to her keenly and once she was done, he held her hand and said, "mishti. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult this must be for you. But mishti, tum strong ho. Sabse zyada strong. So don't pay heed to anything he says. People like him, are like insects, little little day by day things will start bothering you if you listen to him. We have to show and prove it to him, that we're better than this. Stronger. Much smarter. This is the way you can show him that you're nothing like him and everything like your bade papa and Badi ma. That this time around, your family won't leave you alone. This time I'll be fighting with you. I'm so glad and thankful that nanko is working with you mishti. Thank god. And thank you for telling me the truth. I'm going to hunt and find out, how could he possibly be out of jail? And who's responsible for it. Tum chinta mat karna mishti." He promised and kissed her hand.
Mishti chuckled softly, put her hand on Abir's cheek and said, "Abir, I'm not scared of him. I'm just tired. I'm tired of my past haunting me. All I wanted was a fresh start you know? But I'm not weak. Because I have you, bade papa and Kunal standing with me. And trust me, tum jitne khush ho ki Kunal mere saath tha, utna hi mein bhi khush hoon. Whatever it is that he's planning or thinking, I promise to fight Abir. And I won't let him win. Whatever be the plan, with you by my side, I've already won, my love. Main woh 12 saal wali mishti nahi hoon, main abir ki angry violent chorni hoon. And woh kabhi nahi haarti." She promised. Abir smiled and said, "I'm so proud of you, baby. Lekin, tum jab mere saath ho, tab you don't have to put on a strong front. I'm here to pick you up every time you falter. Okay?" Mishti nodded and said, "what do you think im doing right now? Tum meri himmat ho abir. Ab chalo, ghar chalte hain. Kunal faltu mein pareshan ho raha hoga." And she got up. Abir laughed and said, "you two are thick as thieves haan. But I must say, I'm loving this bond." Mishti stuck her tongue out at him and they walked towards the car.
