Chapter 42

Mr bajaj was sitting with his hand around her head. Mr Mehra had just told him about the deal Mrs bajaj had done with Mr bose and he was shocked, surprised and scared he was finding it hard to find an adjective for it. He was beyond surprised for sure. His Prerna had actually bargained with Mr Bose and got Miss Sarkar released. But then the bargain scared him. Mr Bose is not the kind of person who would just change overnight and he knew him he knew what he was capable of. He had no intention of just spending time with Kukki but this was all a trick of his to get into the house and maybe manipulate Kukki as he knew that after his accident Kukki will not let him in her life in any way even if by any chance he did win the custody case. But this was a huge risk. 

“Kya soch rahin hain Sir?” Mr Mehra

“Pata nahi Mehra.” Mr bajaj and caressed his own head.

“I shouldn’t have told you all this. Aapki tabiyat theek nahi hain, Mrs Bajaj pata nahin” Mr Mehra

“Mehra agar Prerna Mrs Mehra ko bol bhi degi na ki tum office main kya kar rahin hoon she will still not believe it. Tumne apni image aise bana ke rakhi hain” Mr bajaj said and that brought a smile on Mr Mehra's face.

“It's a good deal sir and you give Kukki way less credit.” Mr mehra

“Isi ka mujhe dar hain. Kukki doesn’t forgive so easily Mehra uska aur mr bose ka ek saath ek hi ghar main hona. Prerna should have waited for me to wake up.” Mr bajaj

“Sir now it is all done and we cannot do anything about it. I mean Miss Sarkar is released and Tushar must be with her now. Mr Bose ne apni deal puri kar di hain hume we will have to maintain our side of bargain.” Mr Mehra said and Mr bajaj nodded.

“Any progress on the case? Koi evidence mila Mr Bose ke against. Vaibhav ka kuch pata chala” Mr bajaj

“Yes I have found Vaibhav. He is in Goa. Loan sharks se bachta phir raha hain. Apni identity sab kuch change kar li hain. Agar hume woh mil bhi gaya to woh to yeh manne ko taiyaar nahin hain ki woh Vaibhav hain. Mr Bose se bhi cheep raha hain considering what happened with Mena… We cannot prove anything we are wasting our resources ” Mr mehra

“How is finding him so easy and if that is the case how come Mr bose couldn’t find him? This could be a trap Mehra be careful.” Mr bajaj

“I know sir” Mr Mehra

“I understand he is of no use but main usse bas aise koi aise information chahta hoon jisse.. Just get his proper address and all his background checks in Goa and his complete history and then let me know '' Mr bajaj said and as much as Mr Mehra wanted to ask more questions he refrained as he knew that he would not answer. He will just have to play along. He just nodded. 

Bajaj Mansion

Prerna woke up around afternoon in Kukki’s bed after having a very good sleep and encased in Kukki’s arms. She moved around and kissed the girl on her forehead. Then she turned around to find Sneha sleeping peacefully on her bed, she kissed her forehead as well and she quietly got up and went to her room. Mr Mehra had called to say that custody papers were all fine and he will send someone to get her signatures. She freshened up and was taking out clothes to wear when she found Mr bajaj’s shirt hanging next to hers. She went and smelled them and hugged them and sat like that for sometime.

“Main aapko kaise samjhao rishab kaise samjhao ki maine Mr Bose ki baat kyun nahin mani. Kaise samjhao ki aapko aur Kukki ko is family ko chod kar jane ke bare main soch kar meri ruh kaap uthi hain. Main jaanti hoon aap mujhpe doubt nahin kar rahin hain par kahi na kahi Anurag ki baatein khal rahin hain aapko main samajh rahin hoon mehsoos kar sakti hoon main aapke touch main aapke ehsaas main. Main nahin jaanti maine Anurag ke liye kya feel kiya tha par main sirf yeh jaanti hoon ki main aapke liye kye feel kar rhain hoon aur hamare is rishte ke liye apne is family ke liye main kissi se bhi lad jaongi Rishab chahe mere saamne aap hi kyun na ho.” Prerna thought while sitting there 

She went downstairs and sent lunch for Mr Bajaj at the hospital with Mr Mehra staff who had come to take her signatures. She wanted to go but first she wanted to drop Tushar at Miss Sarkar house as she knew that she would be waiting for him and as soon as the papers reached Mr bose he would arrive here and she didn’t want them to meet. Kukki and Sneha both bid an emotional bye to Tushar.  Mother and son were ecstatic to meet each other and Miss Sarkar thanked Prerna for taking so good care of him. She let them be and left from there quietly while Miss Sarkar pampered her son with his fav food and Tushar kept telling her nonstop about Kukki and Sneha.  Prerna was for some time relieved that she might have made the right decision. But all thoughts left her when she came home to find Mr Bose in the hall playing with Kukki and his luggage was placed beside him. 

“Hello Prerna!!” Mr Bose

“Hello uncle. That was fast.” Prerna said the last part with a whisper and moved towards Mr bose to touch his feet. “Chandu shab ka saman lekar guest room main rakh do and make sure it is ok” Prerna said and Chandu looked at her hesitatingly. Prerna sort of understood but nodded towards him and then he took the luggage without asking anything. She was about to sit when she noticed the large pile of toys that Kukki was looking at.

“Yeh sab kya hai Mr Bose?” Prerna

“Oh just some gifts for Kukki that I know she will love. Do you like them Kukki? “ Mr Bose

“Oh yes I love them. Wow, new IPAD but I already have one.” Kukki

“Yes but this is the latest version. And it also has a stand so we can keep them erect and you will love it.” Mr Bose

“Oh thank you that is amazing.” Kukki 

“Mumma can I open this one please it has a bigger screen” Kukki

“Kukki you already have one and you know that your father and I don’t approve of this so please keep it back in the box” Prerna

“Come on Prerna let's move on and start over. Mere wajah se Bachi ka dil kyun dukha rahin hoon. Let her open it” Mr Bose

“Mr Bose mujhe koi problem nahin hain. Aap Ki poti hai aapko jo dena hain dijiye lekin there is something that me and Rishab set as rules in this house and I will not change them. Kukki jo cheez hain aur it is working fine usse chod kar nayi cheez nahi use karni hain. Agar tumhe chahiye open some of the other toys but not all of them at once I don't mind but your IPAD is working great and it has all your reading stuff as will” Prerna

“Mom!!!” Kukki

“Now this conversation is over and go finish your project. Phir main hospital jaongi tab aap papa se milne chalna ok” Prerna said and went into the kitchen to check on the food. 

“Kukki !! Are you ok?” Mr Bose

“I should get on with the project. Nino you know how to colour right. Come one let's go” Kukki said forwarding her hand. Kukki had literally chewed on Mr Bose's head with how she wanted the solar system to look and made him do and redo the stuff at least 3 times. Prerna was pretty sure it was not needed. She would have stopped her but by the time she found out the deed was done. So right now they were sitting in the car moving towards the hospital to meet Mr bajaj while Kukki had given strict instructions to Mr Bose on how to do the planets and how to color them and the poor man was about to have a very long sleepless night. But Kukki was also very silent and Prerna was a bit scared about how things had gone down when Mr Bose had first entered the house with the toys and IPAD. She knew Kukki was ok with it but she didn't want to leave a single loose end.

“Kukki You are ok?” Prerna

“Yes Why? I wont get scared watching papa and I won't cry dont worry.” Kukki

“I know aap handle kar sakti hoon aapne to mujhse bhi acha handle kiya in fact but I am worried about the Mr Bose thing and the whole toys and all” Prerna

“Come on mumma I understand I understand very well If Papa brings a toy for Sneha and no matter if she is still playing with it or not you let her but when its about me you do this and you do this all the time because you and papa love Sneha more than me. I can see it very well very very well. ” Kukki blurted and Prerna shocked and stopped the car around the side of the road abruptly. 

“Kukki?” Prerna said and Kukki started laughing hysterically “Look at your face.” Kukki said and Prerna was again shocked.

“Kukki this is not a joke.” Prerna

“I am sorry but I couldn’t help myself. Mrs bajaj Mr Bose mujhe utha ke England ke queen ke throne pe betha denge na ya mujhe queen ka crown lade it doesn’t matter to me. My father is in the hospital because of him. He is hurt and all this because of one man. Aap papa agar Sneha ke sath partial ho bhi doesn't matter main aapki priority na bhi raho doesn’t matter aap mujhe boarding school main ship kar dijiye aur khud yahan beth ke happy family kheliye I dont care. Rishab Bajaj stays my father and you don't hurt him as simply as that whether it is you or Mr Bose or anybody else in the whole wide world. Now start the car he must be waiting for us.” Kukki and for the first time Prerna saw the glint of the person that had once turned her life upside down.

“Aisa kabhi nahin hoga aap Sneha aur Karan tino you all three matter the most to us. There is no more or less. Ok” and Prerna kissed her on the forehead and hugged her and the little girl hugged her tightly after which Prerna started to drive towards the hospital. They both reached the hospital while the doctor was doing a regular check up. 

KUkki entered the room but didn't enter the room and just stood at the door and not moved an inch. Prerna didn't push her and let her take her time. She went near the doctor and had a light conversation with the doctor who left after sometime. 

“So Mr Mehra mujhe Mrs mehra se milne ki zaroorat hai?” Prerna and Mr Mehra smiled. They were talking but Mr Bajaj was not listening to anything and his eyes were fixed on Kukki and then he slowly moved his hand and asked her to come towards him with his hands. The little girl shook her head and stood with arms folded in front of him. Mr Bajaj mouthed Please without making sound like he used to do when she was small and Kukki ran and hugged him tightly and kissed her forehead and then Mr Bajaj did the same. Prerna and Mr Mehra let them both be for sometime and  showed that they were discussing something important.

“Aap theek hoon?” Both father and daughter said at the sametime and then both smiled and both nodded. Kukki sat on Mr Bajaj’s bed.

“I am sorry for whatever is happening” Kukki

“Aap kuch jyada hi Mrs bajaj ki tarah nahin ho gayi hain” Mr Bajaj

“No I am not. Main aapke jaise hoon” Kukki

“I know” Mr Bajaj

“Woh bas I know ki what Mr Bose did and then this accident kahi na kahin it is all because of me” Kukki said and Mr Bajaj shifted her to his lap.

“To galti Mr Bose ki hain na aapne thodi ne kuch kiya. You are a kid itni badi badi baatein mat kijiye aur nahin bade logo ki tarah cheezon ko handle karne ki koshi kijiye” Mr bajaj said and Kukki made a glance towards Mr Mehra scared that he had spilled something.

“It's nothing like that” Kukki 

“I know and I just had a doubt about it” Mr Bajaj said and Kukki smiled in relief “ but you just confirmed the doubt.” said Mr bajaj and the smile left her face. 

“Whatever you are doing, stop. Main aur aapki mumma hain we will handle it. We are there. You don't need to worry” Mr Bajaj

“Sneha has not been able to sleep properly since this happened. Kukki di dada kaha hain chilati rehti hain” Kukki said trying to change the topic.

“Kudi dada kaha hain” Mr bajaj said smiling

“Kukki di” Kukki said and Mr bajaj smiled. 

“Don’t try to change the topic. Main aapki baat kar raha hoon. I am asking about you not Sneha ” Mr Bajaj

Kukki looked at him with almost teary eyes and then in a whisper she said “You are my papa. How can he think to take me away from you?  And what If he wins and actually takes me away from all of you?” and moved her head sideways and hid her tears.

“Look at me Kukki. Aap meri beti hain koi mujhe aapse meri marzi ke bagair ek second ke liye dur leja kar dekhaye. Aisa kabhi nahin hoga kabhi bhi nahin. DId you hear me?” Mr Bajaj turned her face towards him and hugged her more tightly. “Now stop crying stop crying” Mr bajaj said wiping her tears.

“Mujhe pata hain aap sab theek kar denge main bas aapki thodi help kar rahi hoon. You are my papa and nobody hurts you and if somebody does well he will spend a sleepless night making the solar system. ” Kukki said and Mr Bajaj started to laugh but in an instant held his head.

“I am sorry I am sorry and I am not crying .Ok I Promise.” Kukki said again, hugging Mr Bajaj and wiping her face in Mr Bajaj's chest. “See!!! Sorry!!!” and then tried to clean it with her handkerchief. 

“It's ok. Aur pochna hain” Mr Bajaj said forwarding his hospital apron and father daughter started laughing. 

“Ho gaya ho gaya Mrs bajaj I think both of you have already found a solution for global warming by now” Mr Bajaj called them both.

“Main chalta hoon sir kal shubh aaonga. Kukki should I drop you home?” Mr Mehra said and Kukki nodded. She gave a last hug to Mr bajaj and then ran towards the door. 

Prerna started setting up the dinner. It was just some light food and Mr Bajaj finished it and then lied down for some rest. Kukki’s words had hit him hard. He shifted a bit and made a movement towards Prerna asking her to come beside him. At first she made a face but then she could see that he really needed this so she very carefully snuggled beside him. They just slept like that thinking about nothing while he made circles on her arms with one hand while the other hand was entangled in her other one. 

“Aapne bahut bada risk liya hain Prerna. You realise that right. Aaj se aapka har step will be analysed and every mistake will be magnified in front of Kukki by Mr Bose. Aapne agar kabhi frustration main ya just because you were not feeling like something you said something to her or if something small was given to Sneha and not to her he will put a very different picture to Kukki. Aise choti choti cheezein agar normal siblings main bhi hoon to issues ho jate hain this will, he will make it worse. You know that right.” Mr Bajaj said and Prerna looked directly at his face. 

“I know and that is why we have to finish this scam anyhow. Kuch bhi karke we have to prove him guilty as soon as possible. Aap mujhe keh rahe hain ki I realise this or not main reality show dekh ke aa rahin hoon ghar pe. Rishab I never had the intention of keeping Mr Bose in Bajaj mansion mujhe bas thoda time chahiye tha taki aap ki halta theek ho sake, Miss Bose aur Tushar thode normal ho jaye and maybe we all can together make a plan to catch Mr Bose.” Prerna and Mr bajaj looked at her surprised.

“Kya hua aise kyun dekh rahin hain?” Prerna

“Soch raha hoon ki aap kaun hain?” Mr Bajaj

“Main aaj bhi wahin hoon Rishab aapki prerna aapki Mrs Bajaj. Rishab main jaanti hoon Anurag ne aapse jo kaha main Mr Bose” Prerna but Mr bajaj stopped her by putting a finger on her lips. “Aaj nahin please aaj nahin. I don't doubt for a second about you or our relationship but it's just ...” Mr Bajaj said

"Ok. Lets get some sleep okay" Prerna said and Mr Bajaj just nodded and they slept like that without saying anything. 

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