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CHAPTER-31: WRATH AND WRANGLE
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Reaching the place as quickly as possible, Ranveer took his phone out from his pocket to call her (The kidnapper). As the kidnapper, according to Ranveer picked up the phone, he asked "So I've reached the place. What do you want me to do now?"
"Not bad. You've reached the place pretty fast, I must say. Okay, so my work is done already. Your wife will be inside your car by another five minutes if you tell the name of your car."
"What? Are you crazy?" he said in surprise, "Anyway, it's a metallic silver City."
"Good. She'll reach the car by five minutes, as I told you. Bye!" was the kidnapper as Ranveer thought "I've never met such a stupid kidnapper in my entire life! Was it a prank call? If it was, I wouldn't have heard Ishani's voice! God, this is crazy. I'll just call Ishani to confirm" he dialed her number as she picked up.
"Ishani! Ishani, are you there?"
"Ranveer! I'm...I'm beside the car. Can you come back? It's already 11 45 and everyone would be waiting for us" he heard her cry as Ranveer said-
"Don't worry...I'm almost there. I'll be there, trust me" he said and hung up the call as he thought "So she was kidnapped! But why did the kidnapper sound weird to me? I should stop overthinking now and get back" as he rushed towards the car.
"Sunny?" he said as she hugged him as tightly as possible. Letting out a few crystal droplets from their eyes, Ranveer spoke, breaking from the hug "Ishani, are...are you okay?" tucking her clumsy hair in place, his hands now, cupping her cheeks lovingly.
"I am Ranveer" he heard her say, in a cool fashion. Bewildered, he asked "Weren't you scared, Sunny?"
"I mean...Yeah, I ...I was scared, indeed. Really scared" she said in a laidback tone which made Ranveer suspect.
"Ishani, are you okay?" he asked as she answered, rolling her eyes "I am. How many times are you going to ask me?" she chuckled which made him think "Did this girl just forget about her kidnapping? She's acting weird."
"Ranveer! Shall we stay here for some time? The weather is pleasant." She said which made Ranveer go crazy.
"Yeah...Okay" he answered with confusion as they took a seat.
"So, where are the sandwiches? I'm damn hungry!" she said with a wail as Ranveer still sat confused and gave her the parcels.
"Are you not having them?" she asked her mouth full with lettuces and cheese.
"Huh?" he asked her, not paying attention. "I asked you something, remember?" she reacted as Ranveer saw her totally in a clutter now.
"What did you ask me?" he asked her, looking at her in disbelief.
"Do you want to have some? C'mon, have them" she fed some to him as Ranveer spoke, "Ishani, are..." as he found his mouth covered now, with her hands.
"Finish eating them. You look tired. Look at me!" she showed her muscles as Ranveer looked at her, weirdly.
Finishing the sandwich as quick as possible, Ranveer cupped Ishani's face as he asked her, "Baby, are you okay? I mean, your behavior is weird, actually. I find it really weird" as Ishani continued "What's the time now?"
"It's 11 59. But I guess, I asked you something now."
"How many seconds more to twelve?" she asked paying no heed to his questions. Losing his patience, he heaved a sigh as he said "Twenty"
"Okay...How many more?" she asked the same question again as Ranveer lost his patience, completely.
"Ishani! What's your prob-" as the clock struck twelve. Looking at the watch, Ishani quickly hugged him, tightly and whispered "Ranveer, I have two things to wish you"
"What?" he asked, his tone disturbed now.
"I want to wish you a Happy Fools' Day' in a first and..." she broke herself from the hug, her eyes moist now, "and a Happy Birthday!" she cupped his face now, tilting his face towards a side as she pressed her lips against his. The whole world dissolved in front of them as they kissed. As time passed by, their kiss grew even more passionate that they even forgot the place they were surrounded with.
Breaking from the kiss after a few minutes, they exhaled breathes, unevenly as Ishani, hugged him once again and said "I love you, Ranveer" as Ranveer hugged her back, though he was angry. Breaking from the hug, Ranveer asked her "So, why did you lie to me?" his voice went annoyed as Ishani's face fell.
"I'm sorry, Ranveer. But I had no choice either."
"No choice? What does that mean? Did you imagine my condition before acting upon?" he asked her, quaking her shoulders.
"I didn't know that it will create such an effect on you. I just thought that it wouldn't create any effect." She answered, her face, facing the ground and her fingers, twitching.
"Look at me" he gave her a glare as Ishani looked on, scared. "Who gave you this idea? I'm sure my wife is not so intelligent to take such steps. She is in fact, stupid!" he cried as Ishani gave him a stare saying, "So I am stupid, is that all are you trying to tell?"
"Yeah. To be honest, yes! You are stupid and everyone in this world knows that. You don't possess any common sense, do you?" he asked, his eyes, fuming out, "Okay. So I don't want to spoil my mood talking to you, Ishani. I don't want to do away with my birthday too."
"What?" she asked, bewildered as she got up in anger. As she found herself to be stopped by his hands, she said "I have got legs, eyes, hands and they are perfect in condition. So I can walk on my own. I don't need your help."
"Are you? I mean, you just said you're perfectly fine." He threw his hands up and said mockingly "Nah. I just stopped you to take your wallet back. You may have important things in them. You may go away, after taking them."
"Thank you for that. Good Bye" she said as she walked away, fumingly.
"Ishani, do you think that I'll not scold you even if you make a stupid plan and make a fool out of me? You never understand my pain. Actually, you should have seen me while I was searching for you, like a fool. " he said this to himself as he got up, taking his car back to home.
***
Reaching the house by another half an hour, without forgetting to buy the chocolates, he stepped in to the house as everyone invited him, wishing him a happy birthday with candles and a huge Choco Truffle cake with beautiful words done on them A Son, Brother, Husband and now a Papa' Looking at them lovingly, Ranveer entered the hall, as they burst the balloons, and thus, chocolates falling all over him.
Alakya came running to him as she screamed "Happy Birthday Papa!" as Ranveer carried her over his shoulders whispering a thank you, giving her a chocolate. Excited, she squeaked "Thank you Papa" as Isha came forward towards him, smiling and said "Happy Birthday" and ran back to her room.
"Isha!" he called her, running towards her room. Entering it, he saw her, lying on the bed, enclosing herself like a cocoon. He came forward as he gave her a chocolate saying "This is for you" as she took it from him, smiling and said a bare "Thank you". Confused, he stroked her hair as he waved her a Good Night. Looking at Gauri, he said "I want to talk to you regarding her. Will tomorrow be fine?"
"Yes" she gave a plain answer as Alakya looked on.
"Papa!" she called him as he bent. Whispering, she said "Where is Mama? Did she fool you or not?" she winked as Ranveer stood, in shock.
"Yeah, she did fool me. B...But she said that she'll get some gift for me and left for a shop."
"Papa! Don't lie. She has already got a gift for you. It's there inside your room. Tell me, where is she?" she smirked as Ranveer looked at her, stunned.
"She'll be here, sweetie. Where is my princess?"
"Rashu slept long back. But she has got a gift too."
"Oh! By the way, was it your plan to fool me?" he asked her, honestly as she answered,
"Ha! So now I get the question which I actually wanted! Actually, Mama was very sad and started to cry because you were angry on her. So I consoled her telling that we'll fool you tonight as it was fools' day the next day, which is, today and it was your birthday too. So I gave her the plan of fooling you while we prepared for the party too, simultaneously. Finally, when I told her about the plan, she was really afraid but I asked her to give it a shot and I told her that you were never fooled by anyone. But then, she refrained from taking such a step. After two hours, I finally made her accept the deal as she went out to fool you! That's the story!"
Ashamed of himself, he said "Alakya, did your Mama take the medicines?"
"She did have in the noon after the lunch. It's inside our room. Do you want them?" she asked as he answered "Which means she did not have the medicines inside her purse, right?"
"Of course! Why would she have it in her purse? Anyway, it's getting late. Let's cut the cake" she dragged him to the center stage as Ranveer refrained to "N...No. I've got some office work. I'll come back" he tried to escape but then,
"Papa, stop lying!" she dragged him as he was now in the middle of the hall, along with the cake in front of him. As he cut the cake in tension, everyone sang a happy birthday to him. Finishing the task, he went up the stairs quickly as everyone saw him, confused.
"What happened to Papa?" Alakya thought as she followed him.
She entered the room as she found Ranveer looking at Rashni, in awe as she was sleeping with a crown over her head with words "Happy Birthday Papa". Caressing her, he went to his room, looking out for Ishani's gift for him. Though Ranveer didn't see Alakya, she managed to find out that something was fishy.
Entering the room, he rushed to find a gift box, along with a letter above it. Opening it, he read-
Dear Ranveer,
Happiest Birthday to you! So, by now, you should've come to know about my plan, so that it not my problem now. My only fear is that you shouldn't scold me and I know that you wouldn't, though I'm scared.
So firstly a big sorry! The mistake wasn't mine and it was Alakya's. She gave me the idea, but trust me, I did not want to fool you. But since she asked me to do it once, I accepted because she said that her happiness laid in seeing me smiling and not crying. Yes, I was crying today and you would have definitely guessed it. Sorry for that. In return, I would do anything for you, as a punishment. Anything! It means like I'll even die now, if me ask me to do so, which I know, you wouldn't ask me to. So I'm not scared about it.
Actually I have a gift inside the box and trust me, this time, I'm not fooling you. And I hope that you liked my gift in the Marine Drive because it had our childhood attached with it.
Okay, before I bore you, let me say this: I love you!
Ishani
Having tears, Ranveer kept the letter aside as he now opened the gift, impatiently to see a wind chime and a diamond ring. It had a note saying This wind chime was the beginning in our life, Ranveer and I did not forget that unlike my medicines. And this diamond ring, I had bought it especially for you and trust me, I earned the money and it wasn't from your pocket. You may wonder how I managed to buy such an expensive gift. I'll tell you later, but first, please wear this. Love you!'
As Ranveer wore them, Alakya noticed "Did they have a fight?" As she entered the room, Ranveer wiped his tears off as he saw her entering. Smiling plainly, he heard her ask "Papa, can you call Mama?"
Bewildered he tried to manage "B...But"
"Shh Papa. Call her, now!" her voice was angry, according to him as he tried calling her, but in vain.
"Why is she not picking up Papa?"
"I...I don't know" he said as Alakya screamed "Lie! A lie again!" as Ranveer shook her saying,
"Yes! I am!"
"May I ask why?" she asked as both of them sat down with Ranveer beginning the story "I called her a senseless and a stupid woman. So, she got livid and left the place. I thought that she'd be here at home, but then!"
"Mama didn't even come here. But what made you call her like that?"
"Alakya, I was really fumed when I came to know that she wasn't kidnapped. Can't you imagine my condition? You always support your Mama and not me."
"Excuse me? It's me who always support you. For the first time, I'm supporting Mama and you say this to me. But, leaving all that, do you know something Papa? You still need to learn of how to control yourself...control your anger." She said as Ranveer's face fell, in embarrassment.
"Who was the guy, then? And whose phone was it?"
"It was Prateek Mamu and it was his phone. Papa, to be frank, you sometimes go overboard when you're angry and I'm not happy with you. You have teased and played a prank on Mama for so many times. But did she ever tell you anything? And, do you remember? Rashu must be around nine months old that time when you fooled Mama by saying she was severely ill. She was petrified and when you explained her about it being a prank, did she scold you?"
"No" his eyes, facing the ground.
"But then, did you know that she was angry at you?"
"Was she?" he asked, which made Alakya tell "Ha! So you didn't even know that she was angry at you! But that was the truth. She was really angry at you."
"Oh" was his answer.
"Oh? Oh? Is that all you can answer?" she asked as she lifted his face. Looking at him, she said "Papa, stop being an idiot and search for Mama."
"Huh? Oh yeah, I'll make a move. Don't tell this to anyone. Okay? I gotta rush!"
"I can manage things better than you. Now run!"
Ranveer slowly got out from the house teary eyed as he rushed out in search of her, in his car.
***
Done! Constructive Criticism will be more than welcome and sorry for typos :)
