“This is wonderful, Kabir! Aapko is jagah ka pata kaise chala.”

“Reporter hoon, thoda to credit do.”

She leaned on him, smiling, as they walked around through the greenery. He had brought her to a farmhouse owned by a middle-aged couple, who served lunch to a small number pre-booked customers, all made from the organic produce of the farm. The customers were then free to spend the rest of the day on the property.

“Kaafi dinon se socha tha ki tumhein yahan launga, lekin…”

“Lekin?”

“Kabhi meri hichkichahat, kabhi tumhari naaraazgi, kabhi kaam…”

“I know. Kabhi-kabhi mujhe lagta hai ki kitna achchha hota agar hum Jane Austen ke novels ke characters jaise hote. Gentlemen and ladies of leisure. Jinhein kaam karne ki zaroorat nahin hoti thi.”

Kabir laughed, “Agar hum us duniya mein rah rahe hote, Ananya, to mere aur tumahre jaise log aristocracy ka part nahin hote. Hum shayad un logon ke ghar mein 24/7 kaam kar rahe hote, ya unke farmer tenant hote.”

“Offo! Aap bhi na. Kabhi romantic dreams ka bhi mazaa lena chahiye. Ye kya communist manifesto le kar chalu ho gaye.”

“Achchha–”

Her phone ringing interrupted them.

“Sorry. Pick kar leti hoon. Kahin kuchh important na ho.”

“Go ahead.”

“Hello… Kaun? Oh, right. Haan. Ji… Maine pahchaan gayi… Nahin, nahin koi baat nahin… Aaj to main shahar se bahar hoon… Main aapko wapas aa kar phone karti hoon? Okay… Sure. Bye. No problem. See you!”

“Kaun tha?”

“Woh bataya tha na ek aurat kal raat mein akeli thi pub mein, jise hotel chhoda tha hum logon ne. Woh thanks bolne ke liye phone kar rahi thi aur milna chahti thi.”

“Kyon?”

“I don’t know. Shayad mil kar thanks bolna chah rahi ho.”

“Fans bahut hain tumhare, Ananya.”

“Look who is talking!”

He laughed and embraced her.

“It was really good of you to help her even though she was a stranger. I am proud of you, Ananya.”

—

“Ms. Bhagat??”

“Hi Ananya. Thank you so much for coming.”

“Not a problem.”

“And please call me Shreya.”

They were meeting in a coffee shop. So they placed their orders before continuing their conversation.

“Mujhe pata nahin tumhein thanks kaise bolun us din…”

“Uski koi zaroorat nahin hai. Kabhi na kabhi hum sab ko help ki zaroorat padti hai.”

“That’s so sweet of you. Agar duniya mein sab log itne sweet hote to…”

“Kya baat hai?”

“Rahne do. Main apni sob story se tumhein pareshaan nahin karna chahti.”

“Aap Delhi mein rahti nahin hain? Kissi kaam se aayi hain?”

“Main wapas aayi hoon kai saal baad. Abhi ghar ka decide nahin hua hai, isliye hotel mein rah rahi hoon. Ek-aadh hafte mein hopefully kahin shift kar jaungi.”

“That’s good. Aapki family yahan hai? Ya job ke liye aayi hain?”

“Neither! Bas khud ko khojte hue yahan aayi hoon.”

“Aapke koi friends nahin hain yahan?”

“Kabhi the bhi to ab nahin hai. Tumhein kya lagta hai ki main akeli baith kar drink kyon kar rahi thi?”

“I’m sorry. Lekin phir aap yahan aayi kyon hai?”

“Apni zindagi dhoondhne. I admit ki shuruat achchhi nahin rahi. Lekin you saved me. Will you be my friend?”

Ananya smiled despite her hesitation, “Why not?”

“Tum job karti ho?”

“Ji. Main ek reporter hoon.”

“How wonderful! Bahut hectic job hai na?”

“Hectic to hai. But I enjoy my job. To theek hai.”

“To phir tum hi apne schedule ke hisaab se bata do ki hum dinner karne kab ja sakte hain.”

“Ji?”

“Meri itni help karne ke liye main tumhein ek baar dinner par to le hi ja sakti hoon. Aur ab to dosti bhi pakki karni hai.”

“Well… Theek hai. Maine batati hoon aapko.”

—

“Woh bahut lonely hain,” Ananya told her friends about Shreya, her new friend, “She is a divorcee aur unka ek six-years old beta hai, jise woh US mein apni sister ke saath chhod kar aayi hain.”

“Aur tu Agony Aunt hai,” Ronnie teased her.

“Aur tu devil’s advocate!” she replied back.

“Tere bhale ke liye kah raha hoon. Ab kya Kabir ko chhod kar apni ye nayi dost ke saath dinners par jayegi.”

“Kabhi-kabhi mil loongi, kya farq padta hai? Tu chhod. Chal chai peene chalte hain.”

“Tu apni is friend ko hamare saath hi hang out karne ke liye kyon nahin invite karti?” Richa asked.

“Bola tha maine, yaar. But she is so self-conscious. Woh nahin aana chahti zyada logon ke beech.”

“Tere ghar to gayi thi na, lekin?”

“Haan. Ma se khoob baatein bhi ki. Ma ko kaafi impress bhi kar diya usne.”

“I think use kissi counsellor se milna chahiye.”

“Mujhe bhi aisa hi lagta hai. Lekin aisi advice delicately deni hoti hai. I will try to slip it in sometime.”

—

“Nahin. Iske liye to aapko aana hi hoga, Shreya. Main kuchh nahin jaanti. Agar aap sach mein mujhe apna dost maanti hain to aap mere saath aayengi. Maine aapko guest ki tarah include bhi karwa diya hai…. Right. That’s good. Aapko logon se milne-julne ki zaroorat hai aur mere office ke log sab bahut cool hain. Aapko achchha lagega.”

“Kisse baatein ho rahi hain?” Kabir came to her room.

“Wahi meri nayi, depressed, sociophobic friend. Main use office ki party mein bula rahi hoon.”

“Good. Usse milne to padega hi. Mujhe to jealousy hone lagi hai usse. Kitni care karti ho tum uski?”

“Ab aap bhi Ronnie aur Richa ki tarah meri taang kheechenge?”

“Kyon nahin? Mujhe to lagta hai ki mera zyada hi haq hai tum par.”

“Aapse baaton mein nahin jeet sakti. Achchha bataiye, maine party mein kya pahnoon?”

Kabir pretended to consider the dresses she had laid out, then made a face.

“Aapko koi pasand nahin aa rahi inmein se?”

“Kuchh naya khareedne ki zaroorat hai.”

“Ab main abhi nayi dress nahin khareedne waali. Office party hi hai koi–”

“Main gift karoon phir bhi nahin?” his voice suddenly changed, hoarse and intimate.

“Aap–” she blushed and moved away.

“Chalo.”

“Kahan?”

“Dress khareedne.”

“Really?”

“Tum itni surprised kyon ho? Main kya tumhein shopping karane nahin le ja sakta?”

“Kabir,” she grew emotional, “Papa ki jaane baad… Aisi pampering ki aadat nahin rahi.”

“Hey!” he cupped her face, “To ab aadat daal lo. Haan?”

She blinked back her tears and nodded, smiling.

—

To be continued