A Chance At Love - Prem Preeti

Chapter 31

Landing at the Mumbai Airport, they were finally on their way home. Prem looked at her as she leaned on the car seat, and asked for her hand.

She smiled as she watched him drive back. In a grey t shirt and white pant, he looked carefree as he smiled at her.

They were nearing home when Prem drove ahead and she turned, "Hum ghar jaa rahe hain na..."

"Hmmm..." he smiled as he turned to her home.

She looked at him as he turned to her Papa's home and he answered her. "Haan, hum ghar jaa rahe hain. Pehle Papa se milne jaayenge aur phir ghar.."

"Par..." she tried to say and he smiled. "Preeti, kuch galat tho nahi hai hum kuch der ke liye, pehle yahan aayen tho..."

He drove into the driveway and gestured her to step out. "Jao... main park kar ke aata hoon.."

Smiling as she looked down, he squeezed her hand as he left it as she got down.

*****

Prem smiled as he walked to Preeti, as she hugged her Papa who was in the garden having tea.

"Tum dono ko ghar jaana tha... main raat ko aa raha tha dinner par..." Pritam Uncle smiled as Prem came close.

"Ghar jaa rahe hain Papa.. Aapse milne ka mann tha.. tho socha pehle yahan aayen.."

"Prem..." he smiled and Prem touched his feet as he neared, and Pritam Uncle held him up. "Arre.. Khush raho beta..." and hugged him.

"Kaise ho aap.." Prem asked as they walked up to the wooden benches and Pritam Uncle put his arm around him. "Bilkul theek... ab tho shayad usse bhi ziada..."

Prem looked down smiling as was asked, "aur tum dono kaise ho.."

"Theek..." and Pritam Uncle smiled. "Baitho beta... chai..."

"Nahi Papa, koi formality nahi. Bas aapse milne aaye hain." Prem shook his head and Pritam Uncle put his arm around him. "Pehli baar ghar aaye ho... aur woh bhi aise..."

"Kisi rasmon se tho aana huwa nahi hai.. bas aise hi mann kiya aur aapse milne aa gaye.. aise tho bete aate hai.."

"Aur bete tho hamesha ki tarhaan haq se apni Coffee maangte hain.. bas Jamai Babu nahi karte yeh.." and Prem turned to find Tej Kaka with his coffee in his regular mug.

Pritam Uncle smiled as Prem stood up to greet him. "Namaste Kaka.." he smiled and Tej Kaka keeping his coffee said, "Jeete raho... ab Prem Baba kahoon ya Jamai Babu.."

"Thank you Kaka... Prem Baba pehle bhi theek tha aur ab bhi theek hai.." he smiled as he picked his coffee and Preeti greeted Kaka as Prem sat smiling.

*****

It was half an hour later and they were on their way home. Prem was glad they had made a stop to visit Papa and the shine Preeti had in her eyes was no match.

She had been surprised but truly happy to see him and this would not have been so informal at home with everyone around and her being the new bahu. She was comfortable with his family and had always been as she knew them forever, but relationships had changed and he knew it was too new.

They were welcomed home with smiled and Maa was overjoyed to see them.

"Bhabhi ji..." Vinod grinned as he put his arm around Preeti and she smiled as they all sat. The elders were in the hall with Prem and he pulled Preeti to the kitchen area where all the youngsters were.

"Prem bhaiyya apne naam ki izzat rakh rahe hain ya hum koi aur naam dhoonde inke liye..." he asked and the rest shook their heads as they laughed and Preeti looked down with a smile.