Inside Pawar's house
"Anjali Vahini, Kahaan ho aap? Pawar...Kya hua hai Pawar ko?" Malhar was panting when he entered Pawar's house through an already open door. Inside it was pitch black.
"Vah...Vahini? Pawar?" Malhar was feeling a strange restlessness today. Was he going to lose Paw...No.
Then suddenly the room got bright with a choir like singsong- "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Malhar Sir! Happy Birthday to you!" Pawar's son and daughter were jumping with joy holding a cake together.
"Kya badtameezi hai ye Pawar?" Malhar's anger knew no bounds, "Isliye tumne Anjali Vahini se phone karwaya tha? Aur mujhe laga ki tumhe...Dimaag kharaab ho gaya hai tumhara. Tumhe pata hai aaj mujhe naye DM ko bhi receive karne jaana h. Ye time h ye naya naatak karne ka?"
Malhar was going to storm out when Pawar's daughter started crying, "Baba kya Malhar Kaka mujhse bhi gussa ho gaye?"
Pawar had no words to console her. Then he told Malhar, "Theek hai Sir. Mat khaiye aap cake par agar apne aaj ye cake nahi khaya to main, Anjali aur ye bacche aaj poore din bhookhe rahenge."
"Pawar!" Malhar gnashed his teeth.
"Nahi Sir. Main aage kucch nahi sunoonga."
"Theek hai," Malhar said bitterly, "Ab to tumhara junior hoon main. Tum bhala meri baat kyon maanne lage?"
Pawar got emotional on hearing this, "Ye kya keh rahe hain Sir aap? Vaqt ke saath bahut kucch badalta hai, magar har cheez nahi. Kucch cheezein hamesha ek samaan rehti hain. Aap mere bahadur Sir the, Sir hain aur hamesha mere sherdil Sir rahenge."
Malhar had to cut cake. If anything, in these five years, Malhar had learnt, not every relation is grand, sentimental and expressive and has that raabta, but it is these subtle, earthy, often ignored relationships like him and Pawar, which become the only reason for a lost soul like his to be alive. He had received the letter of his Babdi today, along with her lock of hair and her hate for him. But can he blame his sister? He too wanted to beat the person in front of him lifeless when he looks at the mirror. If it were not for Pawar, he would've killed himself a million times in these five years. Even when everyone including himself thought him to be a wife's murderer, Pawar refused to believe his Malhar Sir could do any wrong.
Anupriya humming a song very quietly. She didn't know how could she hide her happiness. She thought to herself, "Aaj itne din baad vo lautegi. In 5 saalon mein apni har chitthi aur phone call me maine use bhanak tak nahi lagne di ki yahaan kya ho raha h. Bas, Malhar naam ke bure sapne ko uske aas paas bhi nahi bhatakne Dena kyonki agar is baar meri bacchi ko Malhar ne zara bhi dard diya to Aai shapath, main use..."And with anger, Anupriya broke the coconut by smashing it against kitchen walls.
Malhar was driving the car with the ACP sitting on backseat when he suddenly stopped the police Jeep.
"Are ye Jeep kyon roki tumne? Tumhe pata hai na DM..." Malhar crossed the road running. A group of hooligans were teasing a girl.
"Aap dariye mat madam, main dekhta hoon inhe," Malhar said without even looking at the girl, "Kya chal raha hai ye? Ek jhaapad parega saari jawaani utar jayegi tum logon ki."
A boy tried to hit Malhar but Malhar blocked his fist. All boys attacked Malhar together, and Malhar was efficiently fighting them when he saw the face of the girl. "Kalyani!" He whispered.
Meanwhile the ACP was growing impatient, "Are yahaan DM mam aane wali Hain aur is sub-inspector ko hero banna hai."
All memories before five years flooded before Malhar's eyes after seeing that face and he lost his balance and the hooligans took the advantage and attacked Malhar. One was going to attack Malhar with a knife when he was attacked on his throat by a hairpin. He cried in pain when suddenly the pepper spray caused them all temporary blindness. Kalyani supported Malhar to get up.
"SI Rane," the ACP got out of the car, but when he saw Kalyani, he saluted her and said, "Ma'am aap yahaan? Ham aapko lene hi aa rahe the ki yahaan ye sub inspector..."
"Aapke department ka ek police officer ek ladki ko eve teasers tak se protect nahi kar sakta," Kalyani said sharply, "Poore sheher ki security ke kya haalaat honge ye to isi se pata chal jaata hai."
"Kya karein madam. Ye sub-inspector...bina kucch kiye dhare inhe bas free ki salary chahiye hoti hai. Kisi kaam ke nahi hote aise nakaabil officer."
"Sahi kaha aapne," Kalyani said, "Naakaabil hi sahi, magar at least itna moral compass to hai Officer Rane ke paas ki unhe pata hai ki agar koi ladki beech raaste museebat me ho to uski madad ki jaati hai na ki police Jeep me baithe baithe tamaasha dekhna hota hai."
The ACP laughed nervously, "Madam, ye to aapka badappan hai jo itni Kam age me IAS exam top karne ke baad bhi is mamooli sub-inspector ko aap appreciate kar rahi hain varna..."
"ACP, kya breakfast me thoda butter Bach Gaya tha jo aap yahaan makkhan laga rahe hain?" Kalyani smirked.
Kalyani went towards her car when Malhar stopped her. He held her arms"Tum Zinda ho Kalyani? Itne saal kahaan thi tum? Tumhe pata hai..."
Kalyani said bitterly, "Kyon shock laga aapko ki apni jis patni ko aapne apne haathon se goli maari thi vo zinda kaise Bach gayi? Revolver to abhi bhi h aapke paas. Fir se try kar lijiye. Kya pata is baar main mar jaaon." Kalyani pried Malhar's hands away from her.
"Kalyani..."
"In 5 saalon me apni boss ko address karne ke manners bhi aap bhool gaye, Officer Rane?"
"S...s...sorry, mam," Malhar said and saluted Kalyani. Kalyani shut the car door with force and her car went leaving Malhar in dust.
Meanwhile in Ahalya Niwaas
Aau Saheb thinks watching the news of new DM of Aurangabad on TV, "Main jaanti hoon ki tum yahi manaa rahi ho Anupriya ki tumhari beti Malhar se door rahe. Par agar Kalyani Malhar se door rahi, to Mera badla aur Malhar ki barbaadi kaise hogi?"
Swara thinks to herself, "Ab Malhar Dada ko is nark se tumhi chhutkaara dila sakti ho Vahini "
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
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