The next morning, when Vitthal went to check in on her, Kalpana refused to get up. "I'm not feeling well.." she said turning over in her sleep, without evening realizing what she was saying. "Beta.." Vitthal said, but when she didn't respond, he began to get worried. He shook her gently to wake her up. "Beta, I know it's hard on you, but you gotta go to work na.." When he still got no response from her, he put his hand on her forehead. Oh darn. Fever.
"Oh gosh.." Vittal said looking at his innocent daughter. She had already suffered so much, and now this fever. "Pakhya.." he called out. "Haan Baba.." Pakhya said rushing up to him. "Kalpana's got a fever." Vitthal informed him.
Pakhya started to go berserk. "Meri behna..meri behna.." he cried.
"Stop fretting!" Vitthal snapped at him. "Do you know what to do when someone's sick?" he asked Pakhya. "How would I know..you're the dad here!" Pakhya replied back defensively. "But I never really.." Vitthal trailed off, sounding silly. "I have an idea!" Pakhya said. "You get cloth and put it in warm water, and then put it on her head!"
Vitthal nodded immediately and went to work. "Oh my rajkumaari.." he sniffed. "Oh my rajukumaari.." "Oh my rajukumaari.."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Baba, please shut up!!" Pakhya finally screamed out. "For the past half an hour, you have been constantly muttering all this!" "I-I-" Vitthal said in surprise. "She's not a baby ki you sing her a lullaby, and that too a
stupid one!" Pakhya told him frustratedly.
"ok fine! then you sing her one if you're so clever!" Vitthal said getting up to take a break on the small couch they had.
"I might as well!" Pakhya scoffed. "Ek hazaaron mein meri behna hai.." he began, as he stroked her forehead. "Saari umar humein sang rehna hai..la la la la la la la.." Pakhya ended proudly.
When he turned, he found his father glaring back at him. "Very bad" Vitthal mouthed, showing him a thumbs down sign. Pakhya bowed his head in shame, feeling dejected. "First off, your voice was terrible!" "And secondly, your lyrics were bad...you said a few of the lyrics and then focused the rest of your attention on those stupid 'la la la's' of yours!" Vitthal told him.
"At least, I said more than Rajukumaari!" Pakhya cried. Vitthal returned Pakhya a glare, which clearly told Pakhya to focus on the job at hand.
"Ok... Baba.." Pakhya said frowning. "I
also care for my baby sister, you know!"
"Then prove it!" Vitthal snapped. "For me, you've been acting like a dumbo all day long!"
"Haan?!" Pakhya yelled. "I'm
not a dumbo Baba!!" Vitthal laughed and said, "yeah right."
"Baba.." Kalpana mumbled a few minutes later. "Beta.." Vitthal said, immediately brightening as he heard his rajkumari's voice. "Beta! You hear me??"
"Papa, I'm blind not deaf ok.." Kalpana replied back with a weak voice.
Vitthal stayed quiet a few moments, thinking about Kalpana's hurtful reply.
"Kalpi..did you hear our music?" Pakhya asked her smilingly, as he sat down right besides her on the bed.
Kalpana nodded her head a bit. "Haan Bhai.."
"But I was better, right Kalpi beta?" Vitthal asked her brightly.
Kalpana chuckled. "Sorry Baba, but I have to side with my bhaiya on this one.." she said. "His song was soo sweet.."
"Why didn't you say anything when we were singing?" Pakhya asked his sister. "I was feeling so very weak" Kalpana explained, her voice low. Pakhya nodded and placed his hand on her forehead. "You seem to be getting better" he observed.
Kalpi nodded and gave him a small smile. "I
am getting better" she told him. "You know bro..you should sing me another song.." "Really?" Pakhya asked her, his face cheering up. "Of course Bhaiya" Kalpana replied back sweetly. Pakhya took his sister's hand and took a deep breath. "Ok, you asked for it Kalpi, so here I go.."
Vitthal stood back and grinned at his two children. Tears of happiness had found their way into his eyes. 'This was what I wanted'. he thought to himself. 'For my two children to always stay happy.. true that their mother hadn't turned out too good, but their father was still alive, he wouldn't let them stay dejected for too long!😊
As he began to see Kalpana laughing as Pakhya sang, he felt relieved. At least, her mother's going didn't stop her from living life,
that was what he wanted. 'I promise rajkumari' he told her inside his head. 'I won't let even Kamla's
shadow affect you, it's my promise."
-*-
A week later, though Kalpana was not very happy with her mother not being there with her, at least she wasn't crying over her either. She knew that everyone had one life, and they had to enjoy it to their fullest. This was what Kalpana wanted to do. When Kalpana had resumed work at the office, the girls had felt a little worried for Kalpi at first, but later relaxed as they realized that Kalpi was O.K.
"Not a bad entry made by that Akdu Singhania" Tani remarked one day as the girls were having lunch at canteen.
"I had never thought that Akdoo would save me" Kalpi added.
"I know..but he has really insulted you a lot" Maya said. "And that certainly cannot be ignored."
"I know..he lied to me that I burned the building down" Kalpi said a small frown appearing on her face.
"He's a self absorbed brat" Tani told them all.
"Tani!!" Kalpi exclaimed. 😲😲
"Ok ok sorry Kalpi" Tani told her. No matter what anyone did to Kalpi, she never liked to call them a name behind their back. Face to face, it was no problem!😛
"Paakhi..you seem quiet, everything okay?" Maya asked Paakhi who was sitting their quietly.
"I know how you must feel" Kalpi told Paakhi knowingly. "Even though you never really liked your parents, their disappearance must still have had a big affect on you."
"Hm.." Paakhi said twirling a strand of hair around her finger absentmindedly. "But it's all good, Kalpi" she told her. "What they did wasn't right, and I'm glad that I was able to save you."
"What?!" Maya asked Paakhi. "What do you mean?" Tani asked her quickly.
"um, I mean look I'm glad I was able to save you some of this brownie" Paakhi said immediately to cover up her blunder. Some good things you do just have to be a secret.
"Here" she told Kalpana, as she handed her the piece.
Maya rolled her eyes, and Tani laughed. "Paakhi, we never realize it when you change the topic!"
"Sorry..!" Paakhi said laughing as she brought her hands up to her ears.
"That Akdu is having a meeting with us once more in a few days" Tani told Kalpi apologetically.
Kalpi shrugged it off. "It's fine I guess. He saved me after all."
"That's true..but we still won't let him off that easy, right Tanu?" Maya chirped up.
"Correct Maya," Tanu said. "You may have a huge heart Kalpi, but we certainly don't." "He will have to pay for it."
As Kalpana remembered how Raghav had thrown water at her the other day, she felt a surge of anger towards him. He had certainly insulted her. And even she agreed. He must pay for it.
"I'm in girls" Kalpi told them. The girls were surprised but happy at the same time.
"Great."
..Coming up.. Tani and the girls take a trip to Raghav's company for a meeting.
Hope you all enjoyed it. I tried my best to make this update a bit longer..😊 I hope I didn't bore you all.😆
Also, I am sorry for the delay in updating, guys. I have been a little busy the past few days.
If you enjoyed it, then please don't forget to like/comment. Criticism welcomed.😆😳
Looking forward to hear what you guys thought.
Thanks for reading😛,
Pookhi
Real Estate
