Congratulations Stranger friend!

I travel to work by company bus. I think I saw her a year an a half ago.

Thin..fair..short..long black hair..sparkling eyes..n innocent look. She wore a beautiful green n orange salwaar kameez..handful of red n white bangles..thick sindoor ..n bight shiny gold mangal-sutra...From her appearance anyone would easily guess that she was newly married.

She used to board the bus 3 stops later than mine..I used to observe her getting in..I knew that she was new to the company...she had a nervous yet very cute look when she used to search for place to sit.. I used to offer her one sometimes..she used to smile back n whisper thank u..I used to nod in welcome tone..this was all the relationship we had..

I used to see her at work...sometimes in the canteen..sometimes across the lobby...she had made new friends now..the initial nervous look had taken a place of confidence n happiness...dont know why but i felt happy for she being adjusted in new place..

whenever my girl pals used to discuss about good Indian dresses or jewellerys...dont know why but I started giving her examples.."U know that punjabi girl from B block..she has this dress in white..looks much better than red"..or something like.."U the girl who gets down in Ghansoli? She has a similar bangle"..Now I have started observing her without realizing it..

n then I went to US..for good three months..of course I had forgotten about this friend-not-so-friend. When I returned, I got busy with wedding plans..n then wedding..honeymoon..settling in new place...

n today after almost 8 months I saw her again in the bus...in totally different look...she was wearing black leggings n a long red tunic...had a tiny mangalsutra...no sindoor today..but trendy bindi...no bangles..only a delicate wrist watch...hair tied in pony-tail..I was observing her more to make sure if she's the same newly-wed-newly-joined girl...n then I saw her little bump as she sat uncomfortably ..she is pregnant..

And I'm very very happy for her..just like I would be if I hear that my best frnd or my sister is pregnant.. I'm very happy for you my stranger friend..I wish you and your baby all the happiness in the world!