Chapter 11
"Aai," she repeated.
She looked at Sampada who gave her a wicked smile. Her eyes wandered back to Malhar and then to Moksh. Had Malhar gotten over her so quick? Did Moksh consider Sampada his mother? She did give him birth but she had never loved him.
She didn't realize that tears had started to roll down her cheeks until Moksh called out to her.
"Aunty, kya hua? Aap ro kyu rahi ho?"
Kalyani flinched and instantly wiped her cheeks.
"K-kuch nahi. Woh aakh me kuch chala gaya tha," she lied.
She looked towards Malhar who tried to avoid eye contact.
"Chalo Ayushi, mujhe rickshaw mil gayi hai. Hum chalte hai. Apne da... mera matlab hai dost ko bye boldo."
"Aunty, aap humare saath chaliye na. Warna aap dono ko der hojayegi," Moksh requested.
Giving in to both Moksh and Ayushi's request, she stepped in the jeep. Sampada was passing a confused look towards Ayushi when something clicked in her mind and she looked almost scared.
Kalyani was trying her best to ignore Sampada but the fact that Moksh considered Sampada his Aai pricked in her heart.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally arrived at school and parted their ways to the respective classrooms. Malhar had left right away.
"Aai, tumne dekha na, meri teacher ne meri kitni tareef ki," Ayushi said with a proud look on her face.
"Hmm, woh toh theek hai lekin jo complaints aayi uska kya. School ke jhoole sab kiliye hote hai. Tum akeli unki haqdaar nahi ho," Kalyani explained on which Ayushi frowned.
"Aai, kabhi to meri tareef kardiya karo."
She was walking away from Kalyani when somebody bumped into her.
"Ayushi, dhyaan se," Kalyani warned her.
Ayushi looked up and it was none other than Malhar. Her face instantly lit up.
"Hero dekho na, Sir ne meri itni tareef ki lekin Aai ko to sirf complaints dikhti hai," she told him and pouted.
Malhar knelt down to reach her height.
"Acha ji? Yeh toh galat baat hai. Tumhe toh shabashi milne chahiye, haina? Chalo hum ice cream khaane chalte hai," he suggested.
Ayushi excitingly clapped her hands.
"Dekhiye Mr Rane, iski koyi zaroorat nahi hai aur waise bhi aapki patni aur aapka beta done aate hi hoge," Kalyani opposed.
"Moksh ko abhi thora waqt lagega. Tab tak hum ice cream kha ke wapas bhi aajayege. Chalo Ayushi. Tum bhi saath a sakti ho Kalyani," he said.
Kalyani was left with no choice, but to follow them.
They went to a nearby ice cream shop and placed their orders.
"Aai tum bhi lo na."
"Nahi, tum dono khao."
"Aai tumhe ice cream khaani hi hogi. Mereliye khaalo, pleeeeease."
Kalyani agreed and got her ice cream. They sat down around a table and enjoyed their little treat. Kalyani couldn't get enough of the cute father-daughter banter and felt guilty of not telling Ayushi the truth.
"Hero, kaash aap mere Baba hote. Hum dono saathe me kitne maze karte," Ayushi said.
Kalyani and Malhar passed each other guilty looks. Their eye lock was broken when he let out a sneeze.
"Malharji! Agar aapse thanda nahi khaaya jaata to kyu khaate hai?," she blurted out.
Malhar looked at her with his lips slightly curved. Kalyani looked at her daughter and quickly covered up: "Mera matlab hai ki bohot logo se thaanda nahi khaaya jaata aur unhe zukaam hojata hai toh unhe ye ice cream wagera avoid karni chahiye."
Ayushi bought it of and gave Malhar a pack of tissue from Kalyani's handbag.
There was an awkward silence for the next couple of minutes and Kalyani was more than relieved when they could go.
"Sampada Aai, dekha na aapne meri report kitni acchi aayi hai. Sab Nani aur Baba ka kamaal hai," Moksh said.
"Yeh kya Sampada Aai Sampada Aai laga rakha hai? Mai hi tumhari ek lauti Aai hu!," she said angrily.
"Lekin Baba kehte hai ki-"
"Chup, jhoot bolte hai tumhare Baba."
Moksh was about to say something when suddenly Malhar arrived there glaring at Sampada. He took Moksh's hand and before leaving, he said: "Mujhe tumse kuch zaroori baat karni hai. Mere kamre me aajana."
He then left leaving a shocked Sampada behind.
The next day Malhar had to leave early to investigate a suspicious death case in the nearby hospital.
He was searching for the person's medical file in the medical record unit while Pawar and a few other policemen were questioning some of the hospital staff. He was going through a file when suddenly someone switched on the lights and let out a scream. He flinched and instantly turned around. It was Kalyani.
Kalyani's eyes widend when she saw him.
"Aap? Yaha?"
Malhar needed a minute to process what was happening.
"Ha, woh mai yaha ek file check karne aaya tha," he replied.
"Woh sab toh theek lekin aap light on nahi kar sakte the, huh? Mujhe toh heart attack aane wala tha."
"Ha woh maine socha ki agar kisine dekhliya toh woh andar aake dekhe ga aur pooch tach karega aur ye investigation ek private aur secret matter hai toh mai nahi chaata tha ki kisiko pata chale."
They suddenly heard footsteps.
"Malharji koyi aaraha hai. Aap chhup jaayiye," Kalyani said.
"Kyun?"
"Malharji agar kisine humko yaha aise dekha liya toh woh kya sochega?"
Malhar was about to oppose but Kalyani had already pushed him behind one of the shelves.
"Doctor Deshmukh, aap hai yaha?," the unknown person asked. It was a nurse.
"Ha, mai hu. Aur kon hoga?"
"Nahi woh, maine male voice suni toh mujhe laga ki yaha koyi hai."
Kalyani tried to cover up.
"Nahi, woh mera gala kharaab hai, to tume laga hoga ki koyi aur hai."
She started fake coughing.
The sharp edge of the shelve hit Malhar on which he screeched and instantly covered his mouth with his hand.
"Doctor, aapne suni koyi awaaz?"
"Nahi toh. Woh chuha hoga. Ha wohi hoga. Bohot saare he yaha," Kalyani lied.
The nurse wasn't yet satisfied with the answer but she still gave in to Kalyani and left.
Malhar came out of his hiding place glaring at Kalyani.
"Chuha lagta hu mai tumhe?," he asked on which they both couldn't control their laughter.
After a little while they heard a noise which sounded like a key moving in the key hole. They both went towards the door and found out it had actually been locked.
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Hope you all liked this chapter. The next one is going to be a fun one 😉
Mujhe ek gaana yaad aaraha hai: "Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mai Band Ho Aur Chabhi Kho Jaaye" 😆
Edited by arsh_7 - 3 years ago
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