Purvi opened the box and became shocked after seeing the things in it; there was a diary, an album, a big photograph of Paritosh and a jewellery box in it. Purvi picked up the photograph and looked at Paritosh's face. Some old moments started flashing in front of her eyes, she kept the photograph back in the box and held her head while closing her eyes. She saw some flashes of Paritosh and hers...

XXX

"Bas papa...Ab main aur nahin kha paaungi"...Purvi said while turning her head to the other side.

"Bas bas beta ye last hai...Chalo chalo jaldi se finish karo"...Paritosh said while turning her head towards him and putting the spoon of food in her mouth.

Purvi chewed the food and gulped it down. Then, she looked at Paritosh.

"Papa...Aap bhi khaiye na"...She said while forwarding a spoon of food towards him.

Paritosh smiled and ate the food.

XXX

Purvi opened her eyes with a jerk. She again picked up Paritosh's photograph and looked at it, she trailed her fingers on Paritosh's face.

"Pa...Papa..."...She uttered in barely more than a whisper, her voice choked in her throat and her eyes welled up with tears.

XXX

"Papa...Kahan hain aap?"...Purvi shrieked in happiness from the hall.

Paritosh came out of the kitchen and looked at his daughter who was looking for him from one room to another. Suddenly her eyes found him, she threw her school bag and ran towards him and hugged him in sheer happiness.

"Kya baat hai...Aaj meri beti bahut khush hai?"...Paritosh asked with a smile while hugging her back.

"Papa har saal ki tarah main is saal bhi apni class mein first aayi"...Purvi said happily while coming out of the hug.

"Congratulations beta...Aise hi mehnat karte raho aur apne papa ka naam karte raho"...Paritosh said with a smile and kissed her forehead.

"Kya aap khush hain papa?"...Purvi asked while looking at him.

"Main khush nahin bahut khush hoon beta...Kyunki mujhe pata tha is baar bhi meri beti hi first aayegi, aur isliye maine apni beti ki favourite sweet dish banayi hai"...Paritosh replied while pulling her cheeks lovingly.

Then, he walked inside the kitchen. Purvi smiled and she too went inside the kitchen. She sat on the kitchen counter and started eating the sweet dish made by him.

"Papa aap gajar ka halwa kitna achchha banate hain...You are the best"...She said and kissed his right cheek.

Paritosh smiled at her.

"Aakhir papa kiska hoon"...He said with a proud smile while lifting his collars.

XXX

"Purvi ke..."...Purvi uttered in a teary voice, a drop of tear fell from her left eye on Paritosh's photograph.

She wiped it and then kept the photograph back in the box. Then, she took out the photo album from the box and opened it. She turned the pages and saw each and every photo while recalling the incidents behind them. Suddenly her gaze fell on a photo in which she was dressed up as a cook...

XXX

"Papa...Ye kitna spicy hai aur isme namak bhi kitna jyada hai, phir bhi aapko ye achchha laga?"...Purvi asked Paritosh in surprise after tasting the dish she made for him.

"Jab ek beti apne papa ke liye itne pyaar se khaana banaye, to khaana chahe kaisa bhi bana ho, uske papa ko wo achchha hi lagta hai"...Paritosh replied with a smile.

Purvi smiled, her eyes brimmed up with tears at his love for her.

"Agar aaj tumhari maa hoti to wo bhi aisa hi kehti"...Paritosh said while looking at Poonam's photograph with tears.

Purvi followed his gaze and looked at the photo, then she again looked at him. She hugged him and started weeping. Paritosh separated her from him and looked at her face.

"Meri beti rote hue bilkul achchhi nahin lagti"...He said while wiping her tears.

Purvi smiled lightly.

"Now that's like my daughter"...Paritosh said while caressing her head.

Purvi smiled, her smile faded when she noticed that his eyes were also teary.

"Mere papa ki aankhon mein bhi aansoo achchhe nahin lagte"...She said while wiping his tears.

Paritosh laughed slightly.

"Achchha papa chaliye kuchh doosra banate hain"...Purvi said with a smile.

"Haan haan chalo"...Paritosh said and stood up from his chair.

They both went into the kitchen and cooked something else for their dinner.

XXX

Purvi smiled with tears after recalling that day. Then, she opened the next page of the album and saw a photo in which Paritosh and Kishore were standing together while wrapping their arms around each others' shoulders.

"Papa...Kishore uncle..."...Purvi murmured while trailing her fingers over the photograph.

XXX

Kishore and Paritosh were talking in the hall; Kishore had come to Lucknow to meet him and Purvi. Purvi came out of her room after getting ready for her college, she went near them and placed her palms over Paritosh's eyes from behind.

"Hey dekho...Are subah subah mujhe apni sundar si beti ke darshan to kar lene do bhai"...Paritosh said with a smile while placing his palms over her plams.

"Main apne haath tab hataungi papa jab aap batayenge ki maine aaj kya pehna hai"...Purvi said and giggled like a kid.

Kishore looked at her and smiled.

"Bilkul chand ka tukda...Jisme na koi daag hai, na koi dhabba hai...Are meri beti ki surat to bilkul chand jaisi hai aur muskan bilkul suraj jaisi hai...Aur meri beti ne aaj kya pehna hai main bataun...Meri beti ne pehna hai red colour ka frock aur red colour ke boots"...Paritosh answered with a smile.

Purvi removed her palms from his eyes in surprise.

"Oh my god!...Papa you are really great"...Purvi exclaimed in surprise and came in front of him.

Paritosh smiled after hearing her. Kishore smiled too while looking at her.

"Par aapko kaise pata chala ki maine ye dress pehni hai?"...Purvi asked Paritosh with a smile.

Paritosh: Wo kya hai ki...

"Yaar Paritosh kyun Purvi beti ko buddhu bana rahe ho"...Kishore said while looking at him.

Purvi looked at Kishore and became surprised after seeing him as she hadn't noticed that he was also there.

"Namaste uncle"...She greeted him with a smile while joining her palms.

Kishore smiled and kept his hand on her head and blessed her.

"Achchha ab bataiye uncle papa mujhe kaise buddhu bana rahe hain?"...She asked him while looking at Paritosh.

"Wo kya hai na beti jab wo laundry wala tumhare kapde lekar aa raha tha tab tumhare papa ne pehle hi tumhare kapde dekh liye the"...Kishore replied while looking at Paritosh.

Purvi also looked at him and narrowed her eyebrows. Paritosh avoided her gaze and looked at Kishore.

"Kya Kishore thodi der ke liye chup nahin reh sakte the kya"...He said in annoyance.

Kishore laughed under his breathe while looking at him.

"Oh papa!...Aap bahut bure hain"...Purvi said sulkily and turned around to the other side.

Kishore and Paritosh laughed at her kid like attitude. After a while she turned around and looked at Paritosh.

"Achchha chaliye aaj college ka pehla din hai isliye maine aapko maaf kiya"...She said with a smile and then hugged him.

"Oh! Thank you Milord"...Paritosh said while laughing at her kid like attitude. Then, he hugged her back.

Kishore smiled while looking at both of them.

XXX

Purvi's eyes were full of tears after recalling her father. She composed herself and wiped her tears, she continued seeing the photos, her mind recalled each and every incident related to each and every photo. After seeing the photos she kept the album back in the box, then she picked up the diary and opened it. She became utterly shocked after seeing the name written on it.

"Purvi Kavin Kumar"...She murmured in shock.

She flipped the pages of the diary and found a pamphlet. She picked up the pamphlet and saw the sender's name and became surprised; it was none other than Kavin. She opened the pamphlet and found some letters. She took the letters and opened one of them and became surprised after noticing that it was written in Kavin's handwriting. She slid her fingers on the letters and once again her mind got lost in her old memories...

XXX

"Teacher teacher...Hum music kyun sunte hain?"...One of the students of Purvi's music class asked.

Purvi used to teach music to little kids; She called the little kid near her, he smiled and went near her.

"Mann ki khushi ke liye"...She answered with a sweet smile.

"Teacher ye mann kya hota hai?"...The kid asked innocently.

"Mann matlab hamari antaratma, jo hamare dil mein chhupi hoti hai...Jiske andar hum bahut saara pyaar chhupa ke rakhte hain...Apne papa ke liye, apni mammy ke liye"...She replied sweetly while holding his hands and placing them near his heart.

"Lekin aapki mammy to nahin hain"...The kid said innocently.

Purvi's eyes brimmed up with tears after hearing him. She didn't know what to speak further.

"Lekin papa to hain na, aur aapki teacher ke papa unhe bahut saara pyaar karte hain"...Paritosh said from behind.

Purvi turned back and looked at him. He wiped her tears and kissed her forehead, she smiled lightly and suddenly her gaze fell on a pamphlet in his hands.

"Ye kya hai papa?"...She asked.

"Tum khud hi dekh lo beta"...Paritosh replied and kept the pamphlet in her hands.

She looked at him and then at the pamphlet in confusion. A shy smile crept over her lips when she noticed the sender's name which was no other than Kavin. She lowered her gaze and smiled shyly, Paritosh smiled and caressed her hairs.

"Bachchon baaki ki class kal lagegi, ab aap sab apne ghar jaa sakte hain"...Paritosh said to the kids.

Then, he walked into his room before caressing Purvi's head. The kids bid bye to Purvi and went to their respective homes which were in her neighborhood only. One of the kids stopped in his way and looked at Purvi.

Purvi opened the first letter...

Purvi,

Mujhe samajh nahin aa raha hai main kahan se shuru karoon, pehli baar kisi ladki ko letter jo likh raha hoon. Main jaanta hoon tum soch rahi hogi ki maine tumhe call karne ke bajaaye ye letter kyun likha hai. Purvi kuchh baatein aisi hoti hain jo phone par nahin ho sakti.

Purvi closed the letter when her gaze fell on the kid. She smiled and called him near her, the kid walked near her with a sad face.

"Kya hua beta?"...She asked while caressing his head.

"Sorry teacher...Maine aapka dil dukhaya"...He uttered sadly while holding his ears.

Purvi held his hands and removed them from his ears.

"Nahin bete...Aapne sahi kaha tha, meri mammy nahin hain"...She said, her voice choked in her throat.

"Teacher aap mere saath mere ghar chaliye...Meri mammy hain na, wo aapko bahut saara pyaar karengi"...The kid said innocently.

Purvi couldn't help smiling at his innocence. She took him in her arms and kissed his cheeks.

XXX

Purvi looked at the letters and then at the pamphlet. She put the letters back in the pamphlet and the pamphlet back in the diary. Then, she kept the diary back in the box and took out the jewellery box. She opened it and saw every important jewellery of a bride, suddenly her gaze fell on a pendant necklace. She picked that up and noticed 'KP' written on the pendant. She recalled that it was sent to her along with the letter, in no time her mind recalled everything; her marriage with Kavin, her and her father's accident in the plane crash, her father's death. Her eyes welled up with tears and she started sobbing. She sobbed into her hands and the tears dripped between her fingers, raining down onto the cold tiles. Her breathing was ragged, gasping and the strength left her legs. She sank to her knees and continued sobbing. She cried until no more tears came, but still the emptiness and sorrow remained.

Meanwhile Suyash entered inside the room, he became surprised after seeing Purvi's state; her eyes were swollen and red due to continuous crying. He moved close to her and held her from her shoulders.

"Tumhari himmat kaise hui mujhe chhune ki"...Purvi yelled at the top of her voice in anger while jerking his hands and pushing him away.

"Purvi..."...Suyash uttered while looking at her in confusion.

"Khabardaar agar mera naam bhi liya to"...She yelled in the same tone.

Suyash stared at her for a while and then started laughing.

"Achchha to tumhe sab yaad aa hi gaya...Chalo achchha hi hai, ab mujhe baar baar khud ko Mr. Kumar nahin kehna padega"...He said while laughing.

"Achchha nahin bahut achchha hai kyunki mere pati ka surname ab tumhare naam ke peechhe lag kar tumhari soch ki tarah maila nahin hoga"...Purvi retorted in anger.

Suyash moved close to her, she looked at him with hatred and disgust.

"Aaj tak kisi ne mujhse unchi aawaz mein baat karne ki himmat nahin ki...Chalo tumhe iska haq diya, kyunki tum hamare dil mein bas gayi ho"...He said while bringing his hands to touch her face.

Purvi moved back and looked at him in anger.

"Purvi tum Kavin ko bhool jao aur mujhse shaadi kar lo"...Suyash continued while taking out another nuptial chain (Mangalsutra) from his shirt's pocket.

"Kya kaha tumne...Tumhara dimag kharab ho gaya hai, pagal ho gaye ho tum"...Purvi asked at the top of her voice.

Suyash: Main to tumhe pehli baar dekhte hi pagal ho gaya tha...Tumhari khoobsurati, tumhari adaa...

"Apni bakwas band karo Suyash"...Purvi interrupted him in anger.

She turned to the other side and touched her mangalsutra.

"Tum kya samajhte ho main Kavin ke naam ka mangalsutra utarkar tumhare naam ka phansi ka fanda apne gale mein daal loongi"...She continued in anger.

"Are usne sau rupaye ka mangalsutra kya daal diya tumhare gale mein tum hamesha ke liye uski ho gayi"...Suyash said while moving close to her.

Purvi turned around and looked at him in anger.

"Suyash Singhal tumhare liye mangalsutra ki keemat chahe kuchh bhi na ho magar ye ek shaadishuda ladki ke liye anmol hai"...She said while holding her mangalsutra.

"Meri baat maano Purvi...Bhool jao Kavin ko, aur mujhse shaadi karke meri ho jao"...Suyash said while forwarding the mangalsutra towards her.

Purvi took the mangalsutra and looked at him. He smiled at her but his smile faded when she broke the mangalsutra and threw that outside the window of the room.

"Ladki ki shaadi sirf ek baar hoti hai...Agni ke saath phere lene ke baad pati-patni jeevan bhar ke liye ek atoot bandhan mein bandh jaate hain...Jise koi nahin tod sakta...Koi nahin"...She said.

Suyash looked at her, he got angry after hearing her.

"Maine aaj tak tumhare jaisa neech aur gira hua aadmi apni poori zindagi mein nahin dekha"...Purvi said as her anger rose on him.

She turned to the other side.

"Tumne aaj jo neech baatein mujhse ki hain uske liye tumhe bhagwan bhi maaf nahin karenge...Ek shaadishuda ladki ke saath aisi baatein karte hue tumhe sharm nahin aayi"...She said in anger while touching her mangalsutra.

Suyash silently moved close to her and immediately injected something in her body by pricking an injection at her neck. Purvi fainted under the influence of the drug, she was about to fall down but he pulled her towards him by wrapping his arms around her waist.

To be continued...