Chapter 43

Kukki returned home to find Mr Bose with a completed solar system and was surprised. She was even more surprised to find Mr Basu and Nitya both in the house. Nitya - she didn't care as she was chatting with Mr Bose. But she didn't like Mr Basu in the house and that too playing with Sneha. He was also chatting with her nani who had come to spend the night with them in the absence of their parents and she could see that even her nani didn't like this but she must not have said anything because of Mr Bose but that wasn't the case with her. She said cordial hello to both of them. 

"Saba maasi Sneha ko upar lekar jaiye." kukki said 

"Are kyun?" Mr Basu said

"mumma papa ne sikhaya hai strangers se baat nahi karni chahiye" kukki said

"Par mein stranger nahin hoon aap mujhe janti hain. " Anurag said smiling

"Sneha nahin janti hain aap ko. Maasi take her to her room." kukki said sternly and the smile left Anurag’s face. Saba was about to take Sneha to her room when  Mr Bose said “Kukki let her play, she is happy.”

“Sneha ke sone ka time ho gaya hain. Hain na naani.” nodding towards her nani and putting her arms around her, trying to control the situation and relaxing her. In return her naani smiled. 

“Waise I wanted to thank you Mr basu aapne us din papa ki help ki you took him to the hospital so …Thank you” Kukki said and Anurag just nodded. She then went near the  project and checked it from all ends. 

 "Wow this looks really nice Mr bose” and then it suddenly hit her. 

"This is not my project Mr Bose kya kiya aapne" Kukki

"Kafi smart ho tum. Menaka bhi thi.” Mr Bose said and Kukki rolled her eyes behind Mr Bose. “Oh come on how does it matter what matters is that you get highest marks and this will get you exactly that" Mr Bose said

"You got this made from someone else?" Kukki said turning around but then next instant controlled herself and replied "I must say intelligent trick Mr bose and it does look nice doesn't it. Waise kisne kiya yeh'' kukki knew that her plan for giving Mr Bose a long night with the project had failed. Score 2-0.

"Nitya ne arrange kiya" Mr bose

"Oh!!!! Thank you." kukki

“It's nothing. I hope you will like it.” Nitya

“It's really good” Kukki 

“Waise Rishi ab kaisa hai?” Nitya said. Kukki and Veena Sharma were both surprised to see someone call him by his name. As far as they can remember no one usually did. It was Veena Sharma’s turn to relax Kukki. 

"Haan Kukki aapke papa kaise hain?" Veena Sharma asked, smiling towards Kukki. 

"Ache hain nani. Mere strong papa hain" Kukki 

"Achi baat hain. Chalo chal ke khana khalo aur phir so jao late ho raha hain." Veena Sharma

"Well yes we all should eat. It's late" nodding towards Mr basu and Nitya and they both got up to move towards the dinner table which kukki didn't want.  

"Yes it is late. Good night Mr Basu.” Kukki said sternly and all three were shocked.  

“Haan waise bhi ghar pe bhaisaab aur sab tumhara wait kar rahe honge." Veena Sharma said, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Are kyun? Have dinner with us. Please, I insist." Mr Bose said

"Come on Mr Bose, his family must be waiting for him. Bye Mr Basu" Kukki said and Veena made a face to Kukki to not do this but Kukki just made an expression as “I don’t care.” Anurag however got the signal and left from there after some time as he didnt want to create a scene. 

"Kukki this is not the way to behave. He was a guest.” Mr Bose 

“I was being cordial and No Mr bose he is not a guest in the house he will never be. Yes he saved my father's life that day but I know very well why and how he came here tonight. Don’t bring Sneha between us and don't you dare involve Mr Basu. Else all bets will be off. Chandu bhaiya main nani aur Sneha room main khana khayenge." Kukki said and moved towards the room leaving a very startled Mr Bose and Nitya. She went into the room and she had dinner with her naani. Sneha kept fussing but Prerna’s mother handled somehow and then went downstairs to check on everything else. Once she left Kukki went about her things brushing her teeth and taking care of her books. Just then Sneha came from behind and Kukki bumped into her. 

“Sneha kya kar rahin hoon? Chalo jao ja kar so jao. Go Quickly.” Kukki said 

“Kudi Dada??” Sneha said

“Kukki di aur Dada ko kaam hain Sneha. Woh aaj nahin aayenge tumse milne. Now be a good girl and Go to Sleep.” Kukki said and she moved towards the cupboard to get her other books. 

“Kudi dada phone??” Sneha said and she was in no mood for a no.

“Sneha aaj nahin ho sakta please jao kar so jao. Now” Kukki and this went on for sometime where Sneha kept following her asking for the same thing while Kukki kept getting irritated. 

“Kudi dada phone abhi??” Sneha shouted, throwing a tantrum.

“CHUP BILKUL CHUP'' Kukki Shouted and Sneha got startled by the voice. “kya kudi dada kudi dada kudi dada dada laga ke rakha hain. Ek baar bolu toh samajh nahin aata aapko. Nahin kara sakti main aapki dada se baat. Nahin aaenge woh aaj ghar. Samajh mein nahin aata hain aapko. Ab chup chap jake so warna maar khaogi mere haath se Go Now” Kukki said looking at a teary eyed Sneha who was also very angry. She pushed Kukki, getting angry at her “ Kudi bad Kudi bad.” and then started throwing the toys from her room on her.

“Sneha stop it. I said stop it” Kukki 

“Snehu dada phone kudi bad” and then puffed up her cheeks as if saying that she will tell dad that Kukki shouted at me. 

“Haan bol dena sabko bol dena ki main bad hoon main bahut bad hoon” Kukki shouted while saving herself from the toys sneha was throwing at her. 

“Kudi bad Kudi bad” Sneha shouted when Veena Sharma ran to the room hearing the noise and tried to stop her. She took her out for some time so that she could divert her mind. Kukki stayed where she was and then she couldn’t handle anymore and started crying. She threw all her books and bags on the floor and then started creating a mess of her bed. 

“Why is everything going wrong? Why? Sab kuch aisa kyun ho gaya hain sab theek tha. Lekin pehle woh Mr Bose aur ab yeh Mr Basu yeh sare pagal logo ki problem kya hain chain se rehne kyun nahin dete hum logo ko.” Kukki said and frustratedly sat on the bed crying. “Papa mumma Sneha sab sab sad hain sab sab us Mr Bose ki wajah se. Sirf unki wajah se. I hate him. I hate him so much. par Mr Bose kyun meri wajah se sirf meri wajah se. Sirf meri wajah se.” Kukki saw her nani coming back in the room and wiped her tears and composed herself. She came near her and hugged the little girl.

“Kukki beta kya hua? Papa theek ho gaye hain na. Aapne hi to bola tha. Phir?? haan aap to apne papa ki strong beti hoon. Aise kyun kar rahin hoon.” Veena Sharma said

“I know I know main theek hoon. Sneha theek hain?” Kukki said 

“Haan. Don’t worry. Chalo ab utho utho jake Muh dholo aur jake so jao. Okay??” Veena Sharma said and Kukki nodded. After sometime she came in with a sleeping Sneha in her arms, tucked her in the bed and kissing kukki on the head left the room wishing her good night. Kukki went and kissed Sneha on the forehead and caressed her “Sorry Snehu so so sorry” Kukki thought and as if Sneha knew it was her she said “ Kudi bad Kudi ba…” and Kukki smiled and again kissed her forehead.

“Yes Kudi very bad very very bad” Kukki said

It was around 3 o'clock when Kukki got up from sleep for water and found that Sneha was missing. She was surprised but then she thought maybe her naani had taken her into her room so she went and checked in her nani’s room. She usually slept with the door open in case the girls needed them so she went straight into the room but Sneha was not there as well.  

“Naani Naani “ trying to wake her up. First she didn't respond but then she replied with drowsy eyes

“Kukki kya hua? Kuch chahiye aapko?” Veena Sharma

“Sneha kaha hain?” Kukki

“Tum logo ko room main hogi. Aur kaha?” Veena Sharma was completely awake.

“Nahin hain. Mujhe laga aap use lekar aa gayi yahan pe. Kaha hain woh?” Kukki said and Veena Sharma went with her towards the room and they tried to search her in the room everywhere but they couldn’t find her anywhere. 

“Chandu Bhaiya !!!! Chandu Bhaiya !!!!!” Kukki shouted and he came running from sleep. 

“Kya hua Kukki?” Chandu 

“Sneha nahin mil rahin hain. Khojiye use aur guards ko bolaiye” kukki shouted. They were all searching for her frantically in the house. Just then the guards came running.

“Itna time lagta hain gate se yahan aane main. Haan karte kya hoon aap log. Sneha nahin mil rahin hain jakar dhundhiye use har jagah aur ho sake to camera main check kijiye. Jao Go” Kukki. 

“Kukki!!! Kukki!!! Relax karo yahi kahin hogi. Kaha jaegi” Veena Sharma said but Kukki was in no mood to listen. They were all searching for her and then she went and literally banged on Mr Bose's room door.

“Kukki itni raat ko kya kar rahi hoon. Are you okay?” Mr Bose

“Sneha nahin mil rahin hain.” Kukki said and pushing him went in search of this room. 

“kUkki kya kar rahin hoon. Woh yahan kyun aayegi aur waise bhi mera room locked tha.”Mr Bose

“Mr Bose, did you do something?” Kukki

“Oh come on Kukki” Mr Bose and they both went out in search of her.The whole staff was searching for her and it was almost an hour. They had checked the camera and no one came or went out. Even the guards said they had not seen anything. The whole house was searched but they didn't find her. They were all shouting his name hoping that she would respond but there was the chance that she might have slept somewhere or passed out. She might be scared she might be hurt and with every second Kukki was getting more and more scared. 

“I think we need to inform Prerna and Rishi and call the police. Isse pehle ki der ho jaiye.” Mr Bose

“Woh ghar se bahar nahin gayi hain sab kuch locked hain kaha jayegi woh. She is in the house.” Kukki said

“Agar ghar main hoti to woh respond karti hum kabse use naam lekar chila rahin hain” Mr Bose

“No she is in the house. I know her. I know her and she is my sister. She is my sister and she is like me. Gussa hain woh because maine uspe chilaya agar main hoti to ek hi insaan ke paas jati but papa to...” Kukki said and then she ran towards her parents room and searched each one of the cupboards in the room and then under the bed.

“Is room ko ache se check kiya tha aap logo ne. Phir se kijiye. Har jagah.” Kukki shouted and the staff nodded.

“Kukki they have already checked,” Mr Bose said, getting irritated but she still went into the wardrobe again. She checked all the cupboards and was about to leave when she saw the last one and it was closed. 

“Yeh yeh, isme check kiya aapne” Kukki

“Iska access sirf sir aur madam ke paas hai sirf wahin kholte hain.” Chandu

“Kholo ise kissi bhi tarah abhi” Kukki

“Kukki agar woh locked hain to Sneha kaise jaigi uske andar” Mr Bose

“Woh yahi hai I know I just know” and she tried to open the knob and it clicked and opened and she suddenly found Sneha sleeping there between her fathers most favorite clothes and their wedding clothes  and Kukki’s fav some of dresses almost like memories of them. She was looking tired and there were signs of tears as if she had cried a lot. 

“Snehu” Kukki shouted and the little girl suddenly woke up and clung to her. 

“Kudi kudi door baao aaya” pointing towards the door.

“Koi nahin hain Snehu koi nahin hain. Main aa gayi hoon na. Main aa gayi hoon. Ish Chup.“ Kukki said. 

“Kudi door baao baao aaya” Sneha said crying and trying to say the door got closed. 

“Mujhe pata hain chup chup kuch nahin hua hain. Lekin aap yaha aai kyun. Aap to soi thina apne room main. Aap aai kyun yahan pe haan” Kukki said

“Dada!!!” Sneha said, touching Mr. Bajaj's clothes.

“Snehu!!! Had hoti hain zid ki. Maine bola thana ki aaj nahin papa se baat kar payenge. Aao bahar aao. Abhi aao. Aise kaun kar karta haan. Sabko dara diya aapne. Kuch ho jata aapko.” Kukki said but Sneha turned her face away from her seeing that she was shouting again.

“Snehu” Kukki said “ok Theek hain betho yahi raho baao aayega na le jayenge tumhe” Kukki said and Sneha took her tongue out of the mouth and turned around and Kukki started to laugh.

“Aap log sab jaiye” Kukki said and everybody left.

“Free main sabki neend kharab ki. Kukki tumhe sona chahiye Veenaji rakh lengi iska khayal. Tumhe ….”  Mr Bose

“Good night Mr Bose” Kukki said and Mr Bose got the signal just left from there. “Naani aap bhi jaiye main ise le jaongi.” Kukki said and Veena Sharma left from there. 

“Snehu sorry chalo aao aao aao? kudi papa se baat karwaegi.” Kukki said and showed her hand towards her and Sneha looked at her. Kukki nodded and Sneha turned around towards her. She was about to take Sneha when an idea came to her mind.

“Sneha, Aap yahin betho Kukki di abhi aayi.” Kukki said and went to her room to get the IPAD. She came in 2 mins alongwith Sneha’s bottle. Kukki made Sneha have her feed and then snuggled in the cupboard beside her. It did smell like his parents there and Kukki was relaxed for the first time. 

“Come on give me some space properly. Good place feels like mumma papa” Kukki said, getting a little sad.

“Kudi sad” Sneha said 

“Yes.  aapko yaad hain hum logo ne doctor doctor khela tha and aapki doll ko chot lag gayi thi.”Kukki said and Sneha nodded.“Waise hi papa ko bhi chot lagi hain so he has a bandage on his head and he is in the hospital.” Kukki said

“Dada Ouch!!!!” Sneha asked which kukki nodded. “So papa hospital main hain aur woh ghar nahin aa sakte hain” Kukki said.

“Dada Ouch!!!!” Sneha again said and was about to move out of the wardrobe

“Kahan ja rahin hoon ab?” Kukki stopping her

“Sneha doctor” Sneha said and Kukki laughed. “Haan aap to world ki best doctor hoon na to world ki best doctor kal shubh hum dada ke liye achi se medicine aur lekar dada ke milne jayenge ok. Abhi dada so rahe honge na. Unko fir ouch hoga. Kal jayenge ok Lekin papa ke upar chadna nahin unse gussa nahin karna ok.” Kukki said and Sneha nodded furiously.

“Kudi dada” and then flexed her arms as if showing muscles and Kukki laughed again. “And kudi good” and the little girl hugged her. 

“Thank you Snehu and I know papa strong hain mumma bhi strong hain. Lekin sare baao mil ke unke upar chad jayenge to mumma papa kaise karenge.” Kukki said, moving her face away. 

“Kudi Kudi” Sneha said, trying to make Kukki look at her. “Kudi baaoo” and then showed punching her hands. “Kudi Sneha dada mumma baao” showing her hands again and Kukki started to laugh again.

“Yes” Kukki said “Pura ka pura maar denge baao ko” hugging Sneha tightly. “Aur ek baat batao abhi hum log dada se baat nahin kar sakte hain lekin unko dekh sakte hain. Isme papa mumma ke videos hain dekhe” and both the girls snuggled inside the wardrobe. But just as they were about to start the IPAD rang with a video call. 

“Papa!!!” Kukki

“Dada!!!” Snehu said, touching Mr Bajaj from the screen.

“Sneha Kaise hain mera bacha aur Kukki aap kaise hoon?? Theek hai aap dono. Sneha theek hain ya main aur mumma ghar aaye” Mr Bajaj and Prerna sitting next to her were almost angry and terrified at the same time. 

“Aapko kaise pata chala???” Kukki asked and realised there was no way that the staff already hadn’t informed him.

“Papa main aur sneha bilkul theek hain” Kukki said

“Aap log ho kaha pe?” Mr Bajaj asked. 

“Aapke wardrobe main” Kukki said 

“What??? Yeh to woh last wala wardrobe hain. Locked rehta hain maine aaj khula chod diya kya” Prerna said

“Yes aapne khula chod diya aur yeh maharani dada dada karti yahan aa kar so gayi” Kukki said

“Theek hain lekin Aap log abh bhi yahan kya kar rahin hoon. Room main jao.” mr bajaj

“Nahin yahan acha lagata hain lagta hain aap log yahin par hain” Kukki said hugging Sneha

“Kukki ???” Prerna 

“Agar aapko itna hi lag raha hain you can sleep in our room for some days. Go. Get up now.” Mr bajaj

“Ok” Kukki said and took Sneha out from there but they went and slept on Rishab and Prerna's bed. Kukki and Sneha engulfed themselves in a blanket and put the IPAD on the pillow near them. They talked like that for some time. 

“Papa Sneha ko lori sunne ki aadat hain.” Kukki said

“Acha mujhe sirf accounting ke calculations aate hain. Sunao” Mr bajaj said 

“Eewww no!!!!!” Kukki said and they all started to laugh.

"Are par use ache lagte hain maine kitni baar use sunaya hain and she sleeps right away" Mr bajaj said.

"Haan papa that is called sleeping when you are bored." Kukki said and started to laugh.

“Kudi” sneha said showing a finger on her mouth “dada soi soi ouch” Sneha said, touching his head on screen.

“Yes Kudi soi soi” Mr Bajaj said 

“Kukki di” Kukki said.

“Main suna deti hoon. Lekin aap dono chup chap sooege and no badmashi.” Prerna said and she sang a simple lullaby for them as Kukki and Sneha slept next to each other while Rishab and Prerna looked on from the IPAD. After a few minutes Prerna also went to sleep next to Mr Bajaj who stayed awake and watched his whole family wishing that it would always stay this way. After about 5 mins his phone rang and it was Mr Mehra on the other side.

"Sir I have all details of Vaibhav and he is now in Mumbai." Mr Mehra

"Good let him be and enjoy free food. Jab puri tarah se careless state may aa jaye sab kuch bhul jaye , we will meet him" Mr Bajaj and cut the call.