The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 7

[Present]

[India, 2 days later]

It was 3 am in the morning and Maahir was sleeping like a dog when his peaceful sleep and the deep dark night was broken into pieces when his phone suddenly started ringing. Maahir was in such a deep sleep that at first he didn't even listen to the ringing. After a long time, he opened his eyes and made a moaning sound out of disturbance and without opening his eyes, started searching for his phone and when he got it, without looking at the number, received the call.

M : (in an annoyed sleepy tone) "Who the hell's calling?"

B : (almost in a crying tone) "Daddy main bol rahi hu."

The dizziness of sleep completely washed away as if someone poured a bucket of water over him and he almost jumped on his bed.

M : (was very scared on hearing Bulbul crying at that time) "Bulbul??? Aap...Kya hua beta? Aapne itni raat gaye phone kiya koi problem hai? Kuch hua hai batao daddy ko bataao sab kuch, kya hua? Kya hua mera bachcha?"

B : "Daddy main kal itne bare bare na ande dene waali hu, mujhe kuch nehi aata."

M : "Hai?? Kya?"

B : "Kal mera maths ka test hai na daddy aur main apne saare sums bhool gayi hu. Aap mere saare sums kara do na daddy. Mamma ke paas to time hi nehi hai."

Maahir was in such a mental condition that he was neither in a position to get angry at her nor he was in the condition to reply anything as he was too shocked on hearing the reason behind her call. He was not able to figure out what he should say or do with her.

M : "Beta is time par sums solve karu? Abhi raat ke 3 baj rahe hai..."

B : "Par yaha to shaam ke 5.30 baj rahe hai na daddy aur mamma ke aane se pehle kara do na baad mein to aapko phone bhi nehi kar paaungi."

M : (almost in a pleading tone) "Beta yaha aadhi raat ho rahi hai aur daddy ko subhe office bhi to jaana hai na."

B : (made a sad voice) "Daddy aap mujhe daat rahe ho? Aap mere sums solve nehi kara ke doge? Aap bhi mamma ki tarah karoge? Aapko achcha lagega agar main ande leke aaungi to? Pata hai mamma hamesha mere marks ko lekar mujhpar chillati rehti hai."

Maahir felt very sad thinking when Bela doesn't have time for her, if he too does the same thing to her, it will not be good for her, so he decided to help her out.

M : "Na beta daddy aapko kabhi daat sakte hai kya? Daddy to aapse sabse zyaada pyar karte hai. Abhi Bulbul ne kaha hai to daddy to unki help zarur karenge. Ok to aap apni copy nikaalo, main help karta hu."

Maahir at first splashed some water on his face in the washroom and then he himself took out some sheets of papers and then started solving Bulbul's sums and simultaneously explaining them to her. In Kingston's office, at around 9.30 am when Kuhu came to Maahir's cabin, she remained open mouthed due to the scene which unfolded in front of her. The man whom she knew for not wasting a single minute just the moment, he entered the office, that day, was sleeping almost snoring in his sleep, by putting his head on the table. Kuhu cleared her throat to wake him up but Maahir was sleeping in such a way as if he had turned into a full fledged dead body and at last Kuhu had to shook him to wake him up and he raised his head up a bit and without even opening his eyes, blabbered,"Ha isko add karne se total aa jaayega..." Kuhu was confused a bit on hearing Maahir's words and so she slapped him lightly on his face 2-3 times to bring him out of the dizziness of his sleep. Maahir now opened his eyes and looked upwards and found Kuhu standing in front of him and she said,"O Sleeping beauty abhi good morning bhi kar lo!!" Maahir gave a baby smile to Kuhu and said,"Good Morning!!" Just then Rohit entered their cabin with a file on his hand and was about to say something but on seeing Maahir in that condition with Kuhu standing beside him, he chuckled and asked,"Kya baat hai bhaai soya nehi kya kal raat ko?" Kuhu replied,"Dekho na Rohit, cabin mein aake dekha janaab ghore bech kar so rahe hai. Abhi to ye agar nehi uthta to main paani maar kar uthaane waali thi." She took out a tiffin box from her bag and said,"Main tumhaare liye aaj paraathe bana kar laayi thi..." On hearing about that, Maahir snatched the box from her hand and Kuhu completed her last sentence,"Paneer ke... tumhaare favourate..." with surprise and amazement in her eyes. Maahir opened the box and smelled the content inside and then held Kuhu's hand and kissed it and said,"I love you Kuhu!! Ek tumhi ho jo mujhe sabse achche se jaanta ho." He ordered a cup of coffee over phone and started eating the food in such a way as if he had not eaten for days and while doing that his eyes fall on Kuhu and Rohit who were staring at him with a mocking smile in their eyes and he asked,"Kya hua aise ghur kyu rahe ho, khaate huye aadmi ko kabhi dekha nehi hai kya?" Rohit replied,"Nehi khaate huye aadmi ko dekha hai lekin is tarah se khaate huye aamtaur par dekhne ko nehi milte hai na. Aisa lag raha hai kitne hafto se nehi khaaya hai." Maahir continued eating without paying heed that he was being stared and replied,"Bhukh lagi thi yaar subhe khaana banaane tak ka time nehi mila, kha kar kya aata." Kuhu asked,"Aisa kaunsa mahaan kaam kar rahe the?" Maahir swallowed the food and then replied,"Sums solve karwa raha tha Bulbul ke, aaj uska test hai na. Bichaari raat ke 3 baje phone kiya mujhko aur boli daddy mere sums solve karwa do varna ande lekar aaungi. Ab batao, Maahir Sehgal jisko aajtak maths mein hamesha full marks aaye hai, uski ek lauti beti maths mein ande lekar aayegi, kaisa lagega yaar? To bas kab subhe ke 5 baj gaye pata hi nehi chala upar se maharaniji ka bhi to office se aane ka time ho raha tha. Ab batao kaisi ma hai, bachchi tak ke liye time nehi hai uske paas. Hadh hoti hai yaar har cheez ki!! Vo to tum logo ne rok kar rakkha hai, varna main kabka le aata apni bachchi ko apne paas. Beti ko agar sambhaal nehi sakte ho to rakhte kyu ho apne paas? Uska baap abhi bhi zinda hai, agar paalna nehi aata to mujhe de dete main raazi khushi rakh leta apne paas aur is tarah se baap ke hote huye bin baap ke to nehi rehna parta usko. Bichaari meri bachchi!!" Rohit was amused to hear the reason and so he asked,"Tum raat ko 3 baje beth kar Bulbul ko parha rahe the?" Kuhu added, "No dude seriously uswaqt to har koi laash ban jaata hai apni neend mein aur tum apni beti ko para rahe the. That's really very sweet of you Maahir!! Mujhe nehi pata tha tumhaare is new found talent ke baare mein." By that time, coffee was arrived and Maahir gave a sip to his cup and hit on his head so that he didn't fall asleep again and said,"Ha ha uraalo mazaak mera, jisdin main mama banunga na usdin main bhi bilkul aise hi kahunga." He finished eating the food and then suddenly with a sad smile said,"Uske liye raat bhar jaagne ka, usey chup karaane ka, uske diapers change karne ka mauka to Bela ne mujhe diya hi nehi, chalo isi bahaane hi sahi mujhe sab kuch karne ka mauka to mil raha hai." Rohit and Kuhu exchanged their looks embarrassingly while Maahir in order to light up the situation got up, tucked his suit and said,"Bulbul ko dekhna full marks aayenge, bari smart beti hai meri, ek baar samjhaaya fataak se samajh gayi, after all apne baap par gayi hai. Abhi chalo meeting ke liye nehi jaana, 10 baj chuke hai." Kuhu and Rohit accompanied Maahir outside as he walked towards the meeting room. On the way, Rohit muttered to Kuhu,"Tumne ek baat notice ki hai baby, do din nehi huye usko Bulbul se baat kiye huye and I could easily see the change in him. Abhi vo khush rehne laga hai to zara socho Bulbul agar uske paas hoti to uski to life hi badal jaati usko to Bela ke vajah se dukhi hone ka time hi nehi milta." Kuhu agreed and replied,"Ya you're right and you know what main seriously nehi chahti hu ke Maahir aur Anu ki shaadi ho. Maahir is janam mein to kamsekam naahi Bela ko bhul paayega aur naahi uski jagah kisiko de paayega to aisi shaadi ka kya matlab hai? Main to chahti hu ke Bulbul na iski zindagi mein aaye taaki shaayad Bela aur Maahir phir se ek dusre ki zindagi mein aa sakey aur agar na bhi aana chahe tab bhi at least dono ke life mein ek closure to aaye." Rohit replied,"No yaar agar 8 saal baad bhagwaan ne Bulbul ko Maahir ke zindagi mein bheja hai na I'm sure uske zariye vo Maahir aur Bela ko ek zarur karenge. I believe in destiny." Kuhu shook his shoulder and said,"I don't know main bas itna chahti hu ke Maahir aur Bela dono khush rahe." Rohit agreed and Kuhu opened the door to the meeting room and they both took their respective seats on both sides of Maahir.