Raman was determined to find ruhi's mother and said -achcha rooh, let's sleep. Tomorrow I have to do many work, many important work.
Ruhi nodded like an obedient kid and settled next to him. He too closed the light and lay down behind her. She was sucking her thumb peacefully and within sometime she slept. Raman look at her and smiled. He caressed her face and said kissing her hair -ek ajeeb saa sukoon hai tumhe apne paas paa kar. I just love when u sleep cuddled in me. He said and hold her protectively in his arms and soon he too slept.
Later in night, Raman was sleeping peacefully when he kept his hand on Ruhi and felt the place empty. He got up at once and look around only to see Ruhi nowhere.
Raman -rooh rooh, where r u bachcha, he shouted only to get no response. He got off his bed and start searching her. He went out of the room shouting her name but didn't get any answer.
Now he start getting worry finding Ruhi nowhere.
Raman -rooh, where r u bachcha, please come back babu, rooh rooh. He was shouting almost crying.
Finding her nowhere, he was going out when he saw the fridge open and light coming out of it. He ran to the fridge and saw ruhi standing there keeping her mouth on the bottle and trying to suck the water.
Raman sighed in relief and hugged her tight.
Raman -what r u doing here bachcha, u know I was so scared seeing u nowhere. He was saying kissing her little face again and again when she said -looh paani pyaach.
Raman look at her and said -babu ko pyaas lagi hai?? He asked to which she nodded in yes.
Raman-sorry bachcha,i forgot to keep water today, but from tomorrow I will surely keep it beside u. He was saying and took out a bottle. He opened the cap and went to bring glass giving the bottle to Ruhi. He picked the glass and turned to Ruhi only to see her all drenched in water as she has poured all the water over her trying to drink water. She was shivering due to the cold water .
Raman ran to her and said -what u did bachchu??
Ruhi -ohh thandu thandu paani, thandu. She was saying making a cute face when he picked her in his arms, took another bottle with glass and went to their room. He switched off the AC and removed ruhi's clothes. He went to bring another set of clothes while she hide under the blanket feeling cold. After sometime,he bring the cloth and make her wear. Then he poured the water and made her drink. Ruhi had the water and settled on the bed. Raman make her sleep on himself and start patting her. Soon she slept while Raman was caressing her hair and thinking -she is with me for just a fortnight and I got so scared not seeing her, iski maa ki kya haalat ho rahi hogi. Yeh itne din se gaayab hai. Mujhe kuch karna hoga jisse Isse iski maa mil jaaye. But I have to let her go, rooh chali jayegi mere paas se, how I will live without her.nahi raman, u can't be selfish. Kisi aur ki bachchi hai yeh, tujhe uss aurat ke baare mein sochna chahiye. Think about the pain she must be going through without her daughter. I have to start myself searching for her, kaash rooh meri kuch help karti. But even if she didn't help me, I will search for her mother. He thought and finally slept hugging Ruhi tight.
On the other hand, in Mumbai, ishita was sitting on the floor in ruhi's room in between her toys and crying looking at her picture.
Ishita -kahan chali gayi beta apni mumma ko chod kar,tumhe ehsaas bhi hai how I am living without u. Ek Ek pal mar rahi hoon tumhare bina, please wapas aa jao. Murugan mujhe kuch nahi chahiye aapse, bas meri bachchi ko safe rakhna. It's more then fifteen days since I lost my rooh. Please usse safe rakhiyega, Murugan. I don't have anyone other then her. She prayed and hugged ruhi's photo kissing it.
Next day, Raman got up and saw ruhi was already gone.
Raman smiled and said -lagta maa le gayi ,usse ready karne ke liye. Chal raman tu bhi ready ho jaa, u have to do something to find her mother today. Meri rooh apni mumma ke paas pahunch jaaye,bas I don't want anything. Saying so he went to freshen up.
After forty five minutes, he went downstairs and saw ruhi sitting with Mr bhalla and eating Aloo ke paranthe with him. He was making small bites of the parantha and keeping it after dipping it in the curd and Ruhi was eating it picking one morsel after the another. She was wearing a pink tee and blue shorts while a fountain was tied on her head. Raman went to them smiling and said -good morning maa, good morning papa and good morning mera bachcha. He said kissing her fountain while she just smiled and continued eating.
Toshiji -isse Aloo ka parantha bahut pasand hai, dekh kitne mann se khaati hai. Mann karta hai bas dekhti rahun dekhte rahun. But I can't even do that, meri bachchi ko nazar lag jayegi.
Mr bhalla -bahut pyaari hai hamari gudiya, naa babu. He said to which Ruhi just nodded and continued eating.
Raman smiled and said -maa papa, maine kuch socha hai. Soch raha hoon Ek detective kar loon, police toh dhoondhne se rahi iski maa ko. He said making his parent stop eating.
Toshiji -yeh chali jayegi, haaye rabba main kaise rahungi, meri jaan ke bina. Meri jaan ka tota.
Mr bhalla -jaana toh padega hi toshiji, hamari bachchi nahi hai, kisi aur ki hai.
Toshiji -but humne Isse bachaya hai, how can we just let her go. Mera khilona hai yeh. She said caressing ruhi's hair.
Raman -but maa kisi ki bachchi hai. Aur woh bhi single mother hai, kya pata divorcee ho yaa widow. Aur yeh unke jeene ka kaaran ho.
Toshiji -u r right puttar, but main kya karun. Mujhe bahut pyaar ho gaya hai isse. But tu sahi kehta hai, her mother need her ,she too need her mother. Tujhe joh karna hai kar, par jab tak yeh mere saath hai, main toh pyaar lutaungi iss par. She said and start making Ruhi drink water.
Raman was just looking at their bond and had his breakfast.
After half an hour, Raman was going out when he heard her voice and turned only to see her coming running to him saying, papa, papa.
Raman smiled and she gave his phone to him. He picked her in his arms and kissed her little face. She too kissed his cheek back and then went to play. Raman went smiling remembering when she called him papa for the first time.
Flashback
One day raman came from office a little early and saw ruhi busy in playing with her doll. She saw him and start running to reach him asap but fell down on the stairs and start crying saying mumma, mumma.
Raman was busy in his call and didnt gave her attention and to seek his attention, she called him papa, just the way raman call Mr bhalla as papa.
She called him papa and he turned to her. She was laying on the floor crying and opening her arms for him. He ran to her and picked her in his arms. She had few bruises ,he applied ointment to her and from that day she start calling Raman as papa. Toshiji teach her to call them as dadu dadi and now Ruhi calls Mr and Mrs bhalla is dadu -dadi and raman as papa.
Flashback end
Raman went to his office, did some basic work and then left seeking number of a detective. He contacted the detective and told him everything about Ruhi, how he got her and till now searching for her mother.
Raman -so Aap samajh gaya honge apna kaam, u have to search for her mother.
Dec -ji sir, aapke paas photo hai.
Raman -photo?? I don't even know her name. Aap Samjhe nahi, the baby is lost and I want to find her mother so that rooh can go back to her mother. He said while his eyes get moist.
Detective-lagta hai bahut pyaar ho gaya hai bachchi se. But kya kar sakte hai sir,dusre ki hai.
Raman -that's why I am saying so. Chalo tuk apna kaam shuru karo, I want result asap.
Detective-i will do my best, photo hai bachchi ki. He asked to which Raman nodded and gave one pic of her with him from his mobile.
Detective saw his gallery and said-aapki gallery bhari hui hai bachchi ki pics se.
Raman smiled and said -yes, she is darling. I love taking her pics. Aap please jaldi karna. He was saying when his phone rang. He picked it knowing well who called him and said -hi baby, what u want bachchu??
Ruhi -iche cleam, bahut shaali.
Raman -papa is bringing for his bachcha. Wait for me. Love u rooh.
Ruhi gave flying kiss and said -la la lab yu, papa.
Raman smiled and hung the call. He went out of the place with a heavy heart and a smile on the face. Heavy heart as he knows well that ruhi will be away from him and happy coz he knows that he is doing right for Ruhi.
That's all for now, enjoy and do comment and hit like. Will wait for it.
Writers Corner: Books, Stories & Poems
Anupamaa
Kumkum Bhagya
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