Part Time Lovers!

1. Tears And Hurt

Prerna had always loved the sight of the moon. Being a hopeless romantic at heart, she had spent nights talking to the moon, hoping her one true love too would be sharing the same sky as her, talking to this very moon, somewhere, and that thought had always made her giddy. For more than a year, this chain of her thoughts had imagined Anurag, but today, standing by the terrace as she watched her favourite moon, standing at the terrace, she was conflicted.

How could Anurag do what he did? How could he frame someone for a murder charge? Did he not know how serious an allegation that was?

Tears rolled down her eyes as she visited the conversation between Anurag and Anupam again and again. Anurag's words haunted her, as she cried to herself, silently. She loved him, clearly so, and it broke her every time when she saw him doing something completely out of his character. It made her feel guilt to the core, she hated herself for breaking him that way, but how was she supposed to explain that she didn't have a choice.

She could not let him rot in Jail, could she?

"Prerna?", Anurag's voice called her, and she turned, her eyes still filled with tears and his were no less.

Anurag came forward and tried to hold her shoulders, but Prerna flinched and took two steps behind, even after watching the hurt etch all over his face.

"Why are you doing this Prerna? You love me, You know that very well. I know that too. Then why are you hurting me? Hurting yourself? Why Prerna?", his voice broke, as he tried to not let his composure slip away, "You are crying alone here and that name sake husband of yours doesn't care either, and yet you want to stay with him?"

Prerna now turned to face him completely, roughly wiping her tears away.

"You know what the problem is Anurag? You claim to know me, but you don't in reality. I am not crying here because of Mr. Bajaj, I am crying because of you. I am crying because of the ways you are ruining the man I loved, maybe still Love. You wanted to hear it from me right? I am telling you, loud and clear. Yes, I love you. I do. And every thing you are doing now, is making me hate myself for it. And my confession doesn't change one thing, I am still staying with Mr. Bajaj", Prerna lashed out, her eyes dripping with fury and hurt, wanting to knock some sense in the head of this man she loved to bits.

Anurag recoiled back, her words acting as acid to his skin. Prerna hated herself for loving him? How had they both come to this? How had their destiny reduced them to this? He took a look at her, longing to hold her and afraid to touch her at the same time, and then took his steps back and left the place.

Prerna broke down, holding the parapet tightly, making her knuckles turn white. What was she doing? How was she hurting the same person she claimed to love that badly?

Rishabh stood afar, watching her. He had his fists tightened, but he knew she won't like him wiping her tears, or consoling her. He knew he was the reason she was at this Kasauti in her life, and as much as he wanted to make it all better for her, his selfish needs for Kuki would not let him. And maybe, there was a part of his heart that wanted Prerna to himself, but it was too soon to accept that.

He walked towards her when he saw she had held herself together, and that she wasn't sobbing anymore. Prerna turned back at the sound of his footsteps, but didn't say anything. She waa still feeling guilty about him staying in the prison because of her.

Draping the shawl in his hands around her, Rishabh met Prerna's astonished eyes with his cool eyes.

"You will get cold, come inside", he spoke without letting her know how hard his heart was beating, and rather added a few more words, "Kuki was looking for you".

Prerna nodded, managed a small smile, and left, leaving behind Rishabh who raised his eyes to the moon. He didn't know what people found so romantic about the moon, but he didn't deny the bits of peace it made him feel. Shaking his head, he too left to his room.

The moon continued to glow, confused at all these intertwined lives, at these Part Time Lovers.

---------------

The morning wasn't anything different than the usual at Basu Badi. While Mohini and Nivedita sat, discussing and bitching about Prerna, Maasi and Tanvi sat on the sofa, watching Prerna run around the house to feed Kuki.

" Kuki is actually improving Mom", Tanvi stated, a little lost, and her mothed agreed.

" I am seeing the same, and I can't help but say Prerna is actually good for Kuki", Maasi spoke, her eyes fixed on Prerna, and Tanvi sighed. Ever since her confrontation with Rishabh at the jail, she had been skeptical about her motives. Rishabh seemed to actually respect Prerna and that was a huge development given his relationship with his ex wife. If he was actually happy, would it be correct to ruin it for him again?

Prerna ran around Kuki and finally got a hold of her, laughing at her expressions. She then coddled her and pulled her to her lap, and began feeding her, while baby talking all the while.

Anurag who was standing near the stairs, wiped a tear that escaped his eyes, and held on to the railing.

Prerna was happy, without him. The knowledge only butchered his heart some more.

Anupam who was standing a little far, looked at both Anurag and Prerna one by one, and then walked upto Anurag.

"Anu, we need to go to office. There are important deals pending", he tried to push him for work but Anurag didn't even tear his gaze from Prerna. He shook his head and told something on the lines of how Nivedita will handle it.

Nivedita heard him, and exchanged a look with Anupam, before walking towards them.

"Anu, I already have a presentation to handle and we have important interviews lined up today that you will have to oversee. You need to come to office today", Niviedita pressed, and Anurag had to reluctantly agree. He couldn't take chances with work and let Bajaj take over their business too. So he nodded and left to get ready while Anupam and Niviedita sighed.

They needed to keep Anurag away form Prerna or they feared he would relapse to the broken, drunk and depressed Anurag they didn't want to see again.

Prerna was sitting in Kuki's room while she slept in her lap, ruffling her hairs. Rishabh walked in and sat near Kuki's feet, making Prerna look up and raise her eyebrows.

Rishabh cleared his throat and looked at Prerna.

" You are almost ending your first trimester. I thought we should have a gyanec checkup done, so I booked an appointment. We leave in half an hour", Rishabh mentioned, and stood up, fixing his lapels, walked out, leaving behind a perplexed Prerna behind, whose hand instinctively went to her womb. Mr. Bajaj remembered what she did not.

Maybe her life wasn't as bad as she was taking it to be.