Part Time Lovers!

8. Love Isn't Enough.

Prerna overslept the next day, and woke up quite late for her usual routine. She had been tossing and turning most of the night, thinking about where life had thrown her, about Anurag and Mr. Bajaj, about Mohini and Veena, and about Kuki and her unborn child. It were moments like these when she missed her father the most.

Now waking up, she stretched and realised it was past eleven. Her first instinct was Kuki had school, only to later realise it was Sunday. Mr. Bajaj wasn't in the room either. Lazily she walked into the wash room to freshen up, and it was while she was drying her hair that it hit her, it was Mr. Bajaj's birthday.

She hurriedly walked out of the room to KuKi's, but was left surprised to find it empty. Turning on her heels, she was about to walk down when she ran into Tanvi, who watched the frowns on her forehead and held her wrist.

"Rishabh has taken Kuki out, you were sleeping so he has asked you to take rest!", she informed, and Prerna found herself nodding at her, a little confused about how to react.

Last night's revelations about Maasi and Tanvi's intentions had still not settled well with her. Tanvi read the questions in her eyes, and guiltily smiled.

"I know you heard us last night, and I don't expect you to be normal with me, or Mom", Tanvi muttered, and Prerna gaped at her shocked and embarrassed. After all, she was eavesdropping, it wasn't like she was welcomed into the conversation.

Tanvi held her wrist and dragged Prerna to her bedroom, after calling for her breakfast. Prerna was still trying to wrap her head around what was happening.

"You know Prerna, when we grow up watching how much important is every single penny in our lives, we usually have two outcomes. One are people like you, who grow up to be courageous and right in their mind, holding their self respect as their most prized possession, and second are people like me, who would always look for the easy way out, which sometimes means letting go of our self respect for luxury and comfort", Tanvi began, and Prerna only listened. She had nothing to say, or rather she had no idea what to say.

"When Mom had received the invitation of Rishabh's marriage with Menka all those years ago, she was overjoyed to have connected to her late best friend's son. After Rishabh came to know of our poor financial conditions post my dad's death, he convinced Mom and me to stay with him, and took upon himself to look after my education. Through the years, Mom had seen him struggle through Menka's selfishness, and Kuki's illness and pain. She had watched him be the Business Shark he is, and learnt how to be practical in life. I am not defending Mom's actions, and neither mine, but the only reason Mom wanted me to be Mrs. Bajaj is to secure my future forever. She realised how wrong she was Yesterday, and I had realised it a few days back when Rishabh was in Jail", Tanvi smiled, while Prerna frowned, raising an eyebrow.

"The Rishabh Bajaj, stayed locked in Jail only because you asked him. I tried to convince him otherwise, tried to ruin your name and image, but God, he was so adamant about you and your selfless nature, and he went out of his ways to defend you to me. I knew there and then, that you mean something to him, and that's not only Kuki's mother", Tanvi chuckled, while Prerna grew uncomfortable listening about Rishabh's affection for her. Tanvi noticed her discomfort, and for the first time, tried to do something good for the man who had brought her entire messed up life on track, without any expectations.

"Prerna, I know you don't know Rishabh since long, and you will get to know him on your own with time. But if there is one thing you should know about him, it's the fact that getting in his good books is an extremely difficult task. He really is the mean businessman the world calls him, the business shark, he would see his profit and ruin whatever that comes in his way and the success, and he doesn't trust everyone. Very, very few people. Him trusting you isn't about him, it's about you. You should be proud of yourself, there must have been something about your personality, your actions or let's say you that Rishabh trusts you, and he trusts you with Kuki, it's a huge thing. Don't take this in a wrong way, he has hawk eyes Prerna, he must have recognised something about you to let you enter his private space", Tanvi ranted, and Prerna lowered her eyes, lost in her thoughts. Then without saying anything she left the room.