Chapter 22
4 years later
London
8.15 am
"Papa...how do I look?" Sonu squealed flaunting her new school uniform before her father.
NK laughed and lifted his daughter. Swirling her in air, NK gave her a kiss and said, "My princess looks sooo pretty!"
Sonu giggled and Lavanya came there with a comb, "Sonu...come here...mamma will make your hair!" Sonu slipped from NK's arms and ran towards her mother who combed her long hair and placed a hair band over it.
"My Shona...be a good girl at school. Don't fight with your new friends. And yes, make a lot of friends! If you have any problem, go to your Roo bhaiyya or Ruhi di or Adi bhaiyya." Lavanya instructed her daughter while getting her ready for her first day at school.
"Ok mamma" Sonu nodded like an obedient girl.
It was then Adi came there calling NK.
"NK mamu...wo papa is calling you!" He told and then saw Sonu. "Arrey wah, my Sonu darling is looking like snow white!" He lifted Sonu in air and gave her a kiss who giggled.
"Adi..." Lavanya said tensely, "Take care of her."
"Don't worry mami...I'm there na! I'll look after my sister! And Ruhaan and Ruhi are also there!" Adi assured the tensed mother.
"But Sonu...you know her...she doesn't obey anyone!" La said and Sonu squealed, "Mamma...Sonu is a good girl!"
"Yeah right..." NK said, "And the good' girl slapped a boy of her class...when was it? Yeah, you were in UKG!"
Sonu looked down with a pout and Adi laughed and said, "Don't worry mamu...we'll look after the good' girl!"
"Khushi ma..." Sonu ran to Khushi who said, "Haww...my Sonu darling is looking so pretty!" She gave the little girl a kiss and said, "Come, have your breakfast!"
Sonu climbed on the chair near Ruhaan and Ruhi who looked at her as if she is an alien.
"What happened Roo bhaiyya? Ruhi di...why are you both looking at me like this?" Sonu asked confused.
"Who are you?" Ruhaan asked.
"What?" Sonu asked shocked.
"Who are you, pretty princess?" Ruhi asked, "Where is our little Sonu? Why are you sitting in her place?"
"I'm Sonu..." Sonu squealed and Ruhaan said, "No...Our Sonu is ugly...not pretty like you!"
"Khushi Maaa" Sonu started crying and Khushi smacked Ruhaan, "Rula diya mere bache ko!" And Khushi lifted the girl, wiping her tears said, "Arrey, they were teasing you Sonu! You look very pretty and they indirectly said that!"
Sonu frowned at Ruhaan and squealed, "I won't talk to you"
"Thank god! I'll have some peace!" Ruhaan said with a relieved expression and Sonu started crying again while Ruhi chuckled and Adi hid his laughter.
"Have a nice day kids...study well and don't get into fights!" Aman said to the kids as he and NK dropped the four pranksters to their school.
"Ok Papa/Aman uncle" The kids said in unison and NK said kissing Sonu's forehead, "Good luck for your first day Sonu baby!" "Thank you Papa" Sonu said sweetly and Aman said to Adi, "Adi, you should drop her to her class."
Adi nodded and NK said, "And Adi...make sure she completes her lunch!"
Adi nodded and Ruhaan said, "NK mamu, we all eat together from canteen! We'll pick Sonu from her class!"
"And don't worry, I'll pick her in the evening, after class!" Adi said and the four kids walked to the school.
"Bye Sonu..." Ruhi and Ruhaan waved bye to her as they walked to their classes and Sonu waved bye to them.
Adi smiled and holding his sister's hand led her to the first standard and the teacher there welcomed them with a smile.
India
1.00 pm
The door of the operation theatre opened and a middle aged man wearing his doctor coat came out.
He watched Devyani Raizada and Manorama Raizada running to him and asking, "How is he doctor?"
Sighing he said, "He is stable but not conscious. His limbs are broken and might take months for recovery!"
"Can we meet him?" Mami asked and doctor said, "Not now."
It was then many police men came.
"We got information about an accident case here!" Police said and doctor said, "The man was drunk. It is his fault. Because of his mistake, a small boy who was cycling through that route is also injured." Turning to mami and Nani, doctor said, "When your alcoholic son comes to conscious, please ask him to stop this drinking habit otherwise more and more people will be on death bed like that small boy lying in the ventilator!"
London
10.00 pm
"So, you are telling me that our financial base is growing weak?" Arnav asked to NK who nodded and said, "Ha ASR (he calls him ASR in office), for the past one year, we were handling average deals with not much profit. We're still the number 1 in the rankings but financially, we're growing weak. We really need a blast!"
"We could have a branch change!" Lavanya said, "Why don't we got to our Hawaii branch or Paris branch. I think concentrating on various branches of ours will bring us more deals!"
Aman hummed and said, "I think we should opt for a change. Like, for the past four years, we're handling western wears. Why don't we try for something ethnical? Something traditional!"
Arnav nodded and said, "We could do something with Hawaii traditions or any other country but the problem is that we don't have much time to learn their traditional and ethnic wears and try on that. As NK said, we should really have a blast!" He rubbed the bridge of his nose looking at the data sheets.
"So the only option now left is..." NK said.
Everyone looked at him.
"India!" NK said and everyone looked at him shocked.
"India doesn't mean that we should go to Delhi!" NK said, "There are 29 states in India and we'll go to Mumbai branch of ours!"
"I think NK is right! Payal and Khushi can help us in the traditional wear!" La said and Arnav sighed and nodded.
India
2.30 pm
"Saasuma, I cannot see my Akash bitwa like this! I wish Arnav bitwa was here. Only he can control him!" Mami said to Nani.
Nani nodded and said, "How long will Akash go on like this? He does nothing but drink and drink and drink! What will happen to him?"
Mami cried and said, "Please call Arnav bitwa...only he can control my Akash bitwa..."
Nani looked at her daughter in law in tears.
London
1.00 pm
"Hello everyone!"
Aman, Arnav, NK and Lavanya were in serious discussion when the door of ASR's cabin flew open and Khushi and Payal walked in with 2 heavy dabba in each hand of theirs.
Placing the dabba over the table and switching off the projectors and laptops, Khushi said, "Time for lunch!"
"La, here is your favourite lemon rice!" Payal said.
"Here is your favourite Tomato rice Nanhe ji!" Khushi said.
"And this is for you my dear husband" Payal said showing a plate full of delicious malai kofta and aaloo paratha and Khushi said showing badam kheer to Arnav, "Here is your favourite, laad governor!"
They all sat in the couch and began their lunch when Arnav's intercom began to ring. He switched on the loudspeaker and the receptionist Stella greeted him.
"ASR, an Indian lady has called. She said she wants to talk to you!" Stella said in her pure British accent.
"Indian lady? But who? Is it Mrs. Malhotra, our business client?" Arnav asked and everyone resumed in the eating.
"Actually it's really strange ASR. She said she is your nanny!"
"Nanny?" Everyone asked with a wild grin.
"Yes...strange! I mean, why would ASR require a nanny? Err...I think the lady might be your child's nanny!" Stella said confused.
"No, my child don't have any nanny" Arnav said.
"Nanny...OMG...Nani!!!!!" Aman said, "Stella might have got confused with Hindi word Nani and English word Nanny!"
Arnav suddenly asked, "Stella what is her name?"
"Err...she said something like...De...Devnya..."
"Devyani?" Arnav asked.
"Oh yes...the same...Hindi names uh..."
"Connect her!" ASR ordered.
Arnav cut the call and looked at others who by now had lost their appetite.
"What's your decision ASR?" Lavanya asked.
Arnav looked down and said, "Akash is unwell. He is drinking for the past four years and got into an accident! He is really unwell!"
"We're not going!" Payal said firmly.
Khushi also said, "He is no one to us! We're not going!"
"They are right!" NK said, "There is no need to go there for that idiot!"
"But NK...he is unwell!" Aman said.
"So what?" Lavanya said, "Did he look at all of us when we suffered? He is no one to us!"
Arnav looked at everyone and said, "We're not going, FINAL!"
Everyone nodded while Aman sat thinking.
The intercom rang again and Nani's voice reached everyone's ears.
"Arnav bitwa...please come..."
"Me and others are n..." Arnav was about to say not coming' when Aman butted in and said aloud, "We all are coming Nani ji! We'll reach there by tomorrow!" and the call was hung.
Everyone looked at him and Aman stood up saying, "We all are going to Delhi, to see Akash!"
"Aman...what..." NK began when Aman called for his PA who came running.
"Arrange AKR's private jet for tonight 7 pm!" He ordered and PA nodded.
As the PA left, Aman turned to others.
"I won't come!" Payal said angrily.
"Neither I!" Others also yelled.
"The jet will be ready by tonight 7. I'm going! And I'm going to take kids too...even if you guys come or not...I am going to India!"
Edited by ArchanaSuresh17 - 9 years ago
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