Chapter 4
After spending the longest time with her son since he was born, Kalyani was on cloud nine. She was in a great mood, so she thought it would be good time to read Nikita's thesis.
The Sun was now shining like a big red bindi on the forehead of sky. Kalyani and Malhar were sitting at the shore of river. Kalyani was absent-mindedly trying to build a stone castle but it collapsed again and again.
"You're doing it wrong?" Malhar pointed.
"What?" Kalyani looked into Malhar's eyes.
"I mean you are building the castle on an uneven surface," Malhar said looking away from Kalyani's innocent gaze, "Obviously it'll fall. What will people say that the daughter of great architect Maanchand doesn't know even the basic things?"
"Don't annoy me," Kalyani said frowning, "I'm nothing like Pitaji."
"I know you are not," Malhar muttered to himself.
"Did you say anything?"
"No," Malhar added hastily and then dreamily looking at the pink and orange blush of dusk reflecting on the Sindhu river, he said, "Your mother must have been so beautiful!"
"No, she wasn't beautiful," Kalyani said, "She is the most beautiful woman. Even though no one can see her now, whenever I sleep, I feel her hands patting my hair, singing a Lori."
"Kalyani," Malhar called softly.
"Hmm..."
"Do you think if it were a one month old child, who passed to the other world," Malhar said, hesitating, "Do you think he could find his way back to his parents like your mother found her way back to you even though he was so little?"
"I think when you love someone," Kalyani said, this time bringing the stone castle down herself, "They find a way back to you in one form or other."
.....
Present Day
"My Moksh will play with ball," Malhar said, "Look. Such a big, yellow ball." Moksh looked at Malhar, then fearfully, touched the ball with his pinkie finger as if he were touching something hot, and when he had made sure the ball wouldn't burn or bite him, he picked up the ball and threw it on Malhar.
"Ah!" Malhar said, falling down, "Moksh, have some mercy. Baba is not a strong boy like Moksh." Seeing this, Moksh started clapping with his plump hands.
"Baba and beta having fun, haan," Saarthak entered the room, "Malhar! It feels like you've been practicing being a good Baba since centuries. Tell me truthfully, do you have a secret son hidden anywhere with a secret girlfriend of yours? Come on Malhar, don't be shy. You can tell me. I won't judge you."
"Where do you get such ridiculous ideas from Kaka?" Malhar said laughing, "I've never even looked into a girl's eyes for more than one second except for criminal interrogations."
"But you were flirting so smoothly with Moksh's mother," Saarthak chuckled.
"And whom did you learn this from?"
"Come on, A good lawyer never discloses his sources."
"But a good police officer needs no one to learn what's the truth. I swear I won't spare Pawar. Let him come to the Narcotics Bureau tomorrow," Malhar said, folding his sleeves.
"Calm down, Malhar," Saarthak kept a hand on his shoulder, "Moksh's Baba flirting with Moksh's Aai... what's so scandalous in that?"
"Enough!" Malhar's voice boomed. Seeing his father in that mood, Moksh came to the verge of crying.
"Dar gaya mera Baccha," Malhar lifted Moksh in his arms, "Bad baba! Dhat!" Malhar said lifting Moksh's tiny hand to hit his face but Moksh shook his head and instead kissed Malhar on his cheeks.
Rocking Moksh in his arms, Malhar said to Saarthak, "She has a husband, Kaka whom she loves even after he cheated on her with another woman. I can never disrespect her feelings."
"But are you not hurting her by flirting with her, pretending to be a person who's completely opposite to you? What if she finds out?"
"Nothing is more important than my duty Kaka. It's about thousands of students lives whose life is getting ruined to the point of being worse than death by this drug cartel. When my hands didn't even shake to let the bank robbers kill my father in front of my own eyes when they blackmailed me to exchange the lives all other bank employees with his life. Why would I hesitate now to play this game to catch the culprits?"
"I just want you to not get hurt. This lying, pretending, I know it's not who you are and it drains you. Just remember even though, Dada and Vahini are not here, it doesn't mean there's no one to stop you from hurting yourself. You've always got me."
"I know Kaka," Malhar sighed, "And now I have one more person for whom I couldn't afford to get hurt. Hai Na, Moksh?"
And without missing a beat, Moksh nodded.
https://youtu.be/KWCLOpaZeLc
I'm so sorry for posting the chapters at such odd hours. I hope I'm not bothering you all? So behenon kaisa laga ye chapter? And which timeline you like more: Past or present?
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
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