"Bhao"
"Tai..what are you doing here now?"
"I need to talk to you"
"Abhi?"
"Yes"
"Theek hai, sit down"
"No!"
"Ok, then talk" Dutta says, confused
"Bhao this girl this girl" Kala points at Naku
"What about her?" Dutta is getting frustrated.
"Bhao she is PREGNANT!"
"Ye..."
Kala cuts Dutta off and starts yelling, "Manhoos, this girl is out to spoil your life"
"Tai!"
"Listen! This is the truth..look I even have the papers"
Dutta is trying to talk to Kala patiently but in vain.
"Bhao, first she hides the truth about her face and now she goes and becomes pregnant with someone else's kid. She has no shame"
"Bas!"
"Don't you believe me? Look at the papers, she knew about the pregnancy and it happened only a while before the shaadi. What a besharam girl" Kala turns to Naku and lets out a string of insults. Naku cringes and starts crying, shaking her head, "No tai, its not like that"
"Oh really?"
Dutta, who has had enough, comes up to Kala and turns her to face him.
"Tai Bas Karo!!!"
"Why are you yelling at me because of this dhokebaaz and her illegitimate child?"
"Tai! Don't you dare say anything more"
"But.."
"Shut up! She is my wife and you aren't allowed to say anything about her. Tai, I didn't expect this from you. This kid is mine and don't you dare call it illegitimate"
"What?"
"You may go now Tai, I dont wish to talk to you ever again"
"Bhao I didnt know...I thought"
"Go! I don't want to talk to you!"
Kala fakes a few tears, but seeing she can't melt Dutta, leaves.
Dutta goes to comfort a sobbing Naku. "Naku, everything will be fine" He is gently rubbing her back, "It's not your fault"
"I am not dhokeaaz am I?"
"No ofcourse you aren't"
Naku buries her face in his chest and he tucks her into the bed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dutta is going to get smedicine for Naku when there is another knock on the door. "Abhi kaun hai, I hope it isn't Kala tai again" He thinks. He goes to open the door and in comes AS followed by Kala.
"Is it true, Dutta?" AS asks in a stern voice
Dutta looks confused, but then looks at Kala and understands, "Yes AS, Nakusha is pregnant"
"Why didn't you tell me?" AS still looks a bit angry.
"AS,woh"
"I shouldn't have allowed you to stay in the same bedroom"
"AS.."
"I trusted you too, you aren't silly kids, don't you know that you have to wait till marriage to have kids? Are you like those crazy foreigners?"
Dutta is getting more and more confused, he glances at Naku who is sleeping soundly despite all of the noise, "AS, sorry, but we were already married"
AS is about to say something, but she can't control her laughter, and bursts out laughing. Kala and Dutta look at her, stunned.
Nakku wakes up, rubbing her eyes sleepily, "What's all this noise?" she mumbles, dragging herself out of the bed, "AS? How come you are here at the middle of the night?"
"Nakusha, I said that you were my beti, but you didn't tell me such a huge thing?"
"Er..woh..AS..we were going to tell you..sorry"
AS smiles and hugs Naku, "Don't worry Naku, you are forgiven, after all you have given me so much happiness, you made my son's life happy and now you are going to give me my pota/poti"
Nakku blushes and looks down.
"OK, now go to sleep, you have to take rest", AS turns to Dutta and says, "Tomorrow I will organise puja for your child, get up early, okay?"
"Yes, AS"
"Goodnight"
"Goodnight, AS"
AS and Kala leave the room and Dutta goes to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Naku goes downstairs, wearing a pink sari, her hair tied up in a bun with a few loose strands of hair falling on her face. Servants are walking around with food, decorations, diyas and other puja things in big plates. She sees AS and Dutta directing the servants, telling them to put this her, that there etc.
Baji comes behind her and taps her on the shoulder.
"Ahh.." Naku's shocked because she didn't expect anyone to be behind her.
"Vahini, its me"
"Baji tu? You scared me"
"Vahini, what is going on?"
"I don't know, that's what I was going to ask you"
"Lets ask Bhao"
"Okay"
"Bhaooo" Baji yells. Dutta looks at him questioningly and steps over some plates of stuff(how am I supposed to know what is in it lol)
"What?"
"What's going on?"
"Preparations for the puja"
"I know that..but what is the puja for?"
"You'll find out later" Dutta smiles and goes away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope you'll like it
Suvi
CID
