Abhigya Stories Collection

Engagement Trilogy 1 : Mohabbat Ho Na Jaye

Hello everyone... Engagement Trilogy consists of 3 individual stories with the common theme of engagement in it. Hope you all will like this series.

Mohabbat Ho Na Jaye

Praags wiped her tears as she looked out the car window as trees and buildings fled past her, seeing but not taking it in. She was still mourning her parents. They had passed away a year ago in a car accident and she was left with her uncle, Balraj. Her uncle was nice though he didn't know how to behave with her having seen her only a hand full of times before her parents passed away. So she was lonely, and then another blow came when her uncle was called away for a project in the US for a year and he had to leave immediately. He couldn't take her with him and she couldn't go anywhere else. That was when Mohan Mehra had unexpectedly called up telling them that his son was of marriageable age now and he was coming with his family to see Pragya. On further talking Balraj found out that Mohan and Raghuveer had promised that their children would get married once they grow up when they were of marriageable age. Praags was shocked to realize that all these years when her father had talked about his best friend's son who had gone abroad years ago with his family would come one day to marry her was not just a joke. When Balraj had informed Mohan about Raghuveer's death and that Balraj had to leave the country in two days and he had no idea what to do with Praags, Mohan had instantly asked him to send Praags home as his family has permanently shifted to India saying whether Praags came to her house before or after marriage was not going to make any difference. And here she was on her way to her supposed sasural to marry a man she had never met but was engaged to since she was born.

Praags feels a hand on her hair as if someone was caressing her and she turns to look at Radha Aunty who was smiling at her lovingly. Praags smiles back at her, seeing her had brought back memories of her mother and it was making her homesick. Radha Aunty had come to pick her up from the airport. Seeing the tears on her face Radha asks worried, "Why are crying, Praags? Are you missing your chachu?" Praags shakes her head in no. "Then?" "Seeing you reminded me of mama." Praags sadly tells her. Radha smiles at her "I am also your mother, right? You can call me Mom just like Rudr." "Rudr?" Praags asks confused. "Rudr is my younger son. Your fianc." Radha explains. "Oh! You have an elder son too?" Praags asks conversationally feeling comfortable with Radha. "Yes, Abhishek."Radha says happily, seeing the pride and joy in her Praags understood Abhishek was his mother's favorite son. "Who all are there at home?" Praags asks. "Just Mohan, Abhishek, Rudr and me." Radha tells her, then adds "Now you, also. I always wanted a daughter, being in a male dominated family can drive you crazy at times." Radha says laughing. Praags smiles seeing her laugh, "What about Abhishek's wife?" Praags asks and suddenly Radha's smile drop and she says sadly, "My Abhi is not married." Praags being Praags couldn't help but ask more, "Why? He is elder to Rudr right?" Radha sighs sadly, "If you don't want to tell me it is fine." Praags says quickly seeing her sad. "No. You are family, Praags. My Abhi had an accident when he was small and he has a..." Radha stops as she tries to control her tears and Praags patiently waited, "a limp. And he feels that he will be a burden on his wife and has refused to marry." A limp? With that built up she was thinking impotency. What does a limp has to do with marriage? Praags wondered but wisely decided to keep her opinion to herself.

"We are home." Radha tells her as she composed herself and smiled. Praags looks at the palatial house and decided that the Mehra-s were definitely into over indulgence seeing the huge house where just four of them lived, the number of cars and the huge garden. Radha and Praags walks into the house where Mohan and Rudr () were waiting to welcome her home. Mohan happily hugs her and welcomes her home while Rudr politely smiles at her and quickly leaves after the introductions are made. Radha shows Praags to her room. After settling down, Praags joins Radha and Patil in the kitchen as they cooked. Once all the cooking was done, Radha goes to take her afternoon nap asking Praags also to rest. Being alone at home as all the men have gone to office, Praags wanders around the house trying to get acquainted with all the turns and ways in the house. After wandering around the house for a while Praags decides to go out for fresh air and goes to the garden. She was sitting in the garden when she heard a manly voice say her name, "Praagsbla." Praags turns back and finds a young handsome man standing behind her with a gentle smile on his face. Seeing the cane in his hand, Praags knew instantly that this was Abhishek. With a face like that who bothers about a stupid limp? Praags wonders. "I am Abhishek Prem Mehra." Abhishek tells her. "I guessed." Praags says. "How?" Abhishek asks in a chilling tone as he evenly looked in her eyes, challenging her to tell him about his limp. Seeing his look Praags realized he was challenging her. "I met everyone else. Only you were left." Praags replies and he nods his head. And Praags being Praags couldn't help but open her big mouth and say "And you have a cane, sir." Abhishek looks at her in shock; no one had ever dared to talk to him about his handicap. If they saw the cane they ignored it and here this mere girl was looking him in the eye and reminding him that he has a cane! He wondered why he was not angry but impressed with this girl and her audacity. "That also helped in guessing your identity." Praags adds looking him in the eye. He liked her. Abhishek breaks out into a smile and says, "Welcome home, Pragya." "Praags." Praags corrects him, "What's wrong in Pragya?" Abhishek asks. "Nothing just that outdated name should have been outlawed centuries ago." Praags mutters. Abhishek bursts out laughing and once he calms down he says "Pragya, it is then." Abhishek says with a naughty glint in his eyes. "I don't like that name, sir." Praags tells him. "I like it. And please don't call me sir; you can call me Abhishek or Abhi." "Oh please don't think I was calling you sir out of respect. I was being sarcastic and defiant." Praags says. "Good thing you told me, otherwise I would have never realized it." Abhishek tells her laughing again. She frowns at him not liking he was making fun of her.