The winter nights were the worst in the place he was in. The thin blanket wasn't helping either and he was shivering badly. He had never been exposed to any cold climate as the city had moderate or sunny climate throughout the year. But the place he was in now, it was a completely different scenario. He pulled the blanket even more to himself, curling into himself trying to derive some warmth, but nothing could help him from the biting cold. The windows were shut yet the cold was as much as it was outside. But then the moment he visualised her face, everything else ceased to exist. Her eyes reflecting love and warmth, her smile making his lips curl up as well and her entire face reflecting innocence and purity made him forget the cold and his shivering as well. It was as if just the mere visualisation of her engulfed him with a warmth which could keep him going even in a much colder place than this!

"That was love, wasn't it?"

He smiled as he recalled their first meeting. The meeting which changed everything for him! Being a playboy, he had dated many women and even got intimate with a few but none had mesmerised him the way she did and that too in just one glance, one look. He dint know if it was her surreal beauty even in her simplicity or her innocence reflecting on her face or the redness of her cheeks everytime he looked at her, for which he fell! All that he knew was he was in love. Yes, he was in love. For the very first time, at the very first meeting! He couldn't believe it at first! He truly couldn't but when he could feel himself drown in her eyes; when just her presence around him made his heart beat fast and when all he could think of was her, he knew he was in love. And not just in love, madly and completely in love!

Due to his mother's inability to visit the orphanage due to her sprained foot, he had agreed to deliver the carrier containing Sooji ka halwa in the orphanage office, which would then be distributed among the children. He reached the orphanage and immediately delivered the carrier in the main office.
Due to being in a hurry to leave and his eyes being on the phone, he hadn't looked up and had bumped into her! He would never forget that moment! Due to the bump, she had lost balance and fallen on the floor, taking him as well as he had tried to catch her. It took a moment for them after they fell to open their eyes and once they did, they were lost! Yes, completely lost in each others eyes. Had it not been for the two kids who rushed by, they wouldn't have come into their sense at all! Coming out of the trance, he helped her stand up. She was shy as well as nervous. Her red cheeks, downcast eyes and fidgeting fingers said it all. None had spoken a word yet so many things had they said to each other!

The smile refused to leave his face as this moment flashed infront of his eyes again and again. His mind then took him to the last meeting of theirs, a few weeks back.

Flashback:

With tears flowing from her eyes she said

"Aap please mat jaiye. Aap yahi rehkar bhi toh Maa ki shart poori kar sakte hain. Itni door jaane ki kya zaroorat hain?"

He wiped her tears and cupping her face said

"Jaana zaroori hain Jaan! Hamare pyaar aur bhavishya ke liye jaana zaroori hain."

"J.. Jaan?" she said, a tinge of red creeping up her cheeks

He smiled at her shyness and innocence and said

"Haan Jaan! Mujhe toh yehi bulana hain!"

"Lekin.."

"Lekin vekin kuch nahi! Kyun tumhe accha nahi laga kya?"

"Ji, aisa nahi kaha na maine!" she said, her blush deepening.

He laughed and pulled her into his arms for a hug. She clung to him tightly, her tears wetting his shirt. He patted her head and wiping her tears, whispered in her ears making her shiver

"Main bahut jald lautunga Jaan, tumhe apna banane ke liye! Mera intezaar karna aur rona bilkul nahi. Theek hain?"

She blushed and slightly hummed

With a heavy heart, they parted and he kissed her forehead before leaving.

Flashback ends

"Just some months more Naina! Just some months more!" he murmured and fell asleep.

The next day

Taking bath in the lukewarm water, he immediately set out to the cafe. The only things he had ever learnt with passion were music and cooking, both of which now provided income for his livelihood and savings.

His shift was from 8 in the morning till 5 in the evening, post which he would sing on the streets and give music performances in the small- small hotels and restaurants. Though it looked simple, it was absolutely not! For a man who was used to a luxurious life, all these hardships were like huge boulders enroute climbing a steep hill. He had to conquer all of them else they would conquer him and he would go tumbling down the hill!

The only forces which kept him going and stopped him from giving up were his love, her belief and his determination! He sighed tiredly as he came home after yet another long day. Well he called it a home but in reality, it was nothing but a small quarter with a single bed, a table, one small bathroom and a kitchen. Washing his hands, he sat and opened the half-eaten sandwich from lunchtime, which he had saved for dinner and was about to take a bite when he heard a knock on the door. Frowning, he wondered who would come knocking at his door and that too at night and opened the door.

A small boy, dressed in barely rags was holding a begging bowl infront of him. He was shivering badly and his legs and hands had started turning blue. Sameer immediately pulled the boy in and closed the door. Wrapping him with his blanket, he immediately hugged the boy giving him warmth. The boy clung to him trying to get as much warmth as possible.

"U...unc...le....f..ood.... haven't eaten....in days .."

Sameer felt extremely bad for the boy. Now that he had started leading this life, he had starter learning the value and importance of money. Putting the boy on the bed, he immediately took his half eaten sandwich and fed the boy. He had two apples as well which he cut and fed the boy.

"Ab better lag raha hain baccha?"

"Haan uncle"

"Aapke mummy-papa kaha hain baccha?"

"Pata nahi uncle"

Hearing the boy's answer, he immediately understood that the boy was an orphan.

"Aapka naam kya hain beta?"

"Aniket"

Toh ab aap so jao yahan pe. Theek hain?"

Aniket nodded and slept on the bed. Sameer caressed his hair and kissed his forehead and then slept on the ground.

3 days later

Sameer and Aniket had bonded well and were now partners in their "business". Sameer had strictly told him not to beg but to work hard and earn money how much ever meagre. Though he dint want Aniket to work at all, he knew he couldn't leave him all alone at home. When he spoke with Aniket about it, he outright rejected it.

"Muft mein hum nahi rahega uncle! Abhi haath-pair sahi salamat hain. I will eat food and stay with you only if I earn money myself and give you some as well!" he had said

Sameer had been surprised by the child's words but knew, an independent soul despite his conditions would manage on his own but not depend on others and hence had got him a job as a cleaner boy at the restaurant he worked in.

Ahmedabad

Lying her head on Vishakha's lap she said

"Maa, aaj poora ek mahina ho gaya unhe gaye hue. Na jaane kaise honge, kis haal mein honge. Mujhe unki bahut fikar ho rahi hain Maa!"

Vishakha , who was caressing her hair, stopped and said rather curtly

"Tu chinta mat kar Naina. Kuch nahi hua hoga use. Pata nahi kaam bhi kar raha hain ya kahi peeke pada hain. Tu kyun uske intezaar mein baithi hain? Pata nahi woh aayega bhi ya nahi!"

"Woh aayenge Maa! Mujhe poora bharosa hain,unpar bhi aur humare pyaar par bhi. Aap dekh lena, woh aapki shart poori karke zaroor aayenge." Naina said and left the place

"Ummeed karti hoon aisa hi ho. Bhagwanji, please mere bacche par apni drishti aur aashirwaad banaye rakhna. Woh jahan bhi ho, theek ho. Main hi jaanti hoon main kaise itni kathor ban rahi hoon par yeh karna bahut zaroori tha." Vishakha thought and prayed to God to keep her son safe.

Hey guys!

So this is a TS. Hope you liked the first part. Do share your views.

Lovingly,
Pratyu