The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 12

[The imagination ends]

"Daddy!! Daddy!!" Bulbul knocked on Maahir's shoulder which brought him back from the world of his imagination and he looked at her with a jerk. He was so lost in his world that he stared at Bulbul for sometime and then asked, "Beta aap uth gaye?" Bulbul replied, "Ha vo bhukh lagi thi to neend toot gayi. Mujhe khila do na daddy bohot bhukh lagi hai." Maahir smiled and put the the TV off and replied, "Chalo maine bhi dinner bana liya hai." Bulbul made a face and replied, "Par na main chole kulche nehi khaaungi mujhe achcha nehi lag raha hai. Pata nehi ajeeb sa kar raha hai." Maahir looked at her and then asked, "Kyu kya khaaya waha?" Bulbul replied, "2 kulfi khaayi thi tabse aisa ho raha hai." Maahir gave her a fed up look and said, "To beta aapne khaaya kyu? Mamma ne kaha tha na ke aisa vaisa kuch nehi khaana. Ye climate aapke liye naya hai beta, ek do din ruk jaate phir main aapko khud khilaata. Aapko thand lag gayi hai tabhi kuch bhi achcha nehi lag raha hai. Isiliye aaj maine chole kulche banaaye bhi nehi hai. Sirf dal chaawal banaya hai aaj aap yehi kha kar so jaana, dekhna achchi neend aayegi." He served food for them and as Bulbul was feeling really very sick, she didn't want to eat by her own and so Maahir had to feed her and after having dinner Bulbul went to sleep. Maahir lied beside her and patted on her back and Bulbul asked, "Daddy headache ho raha hai, koi medicine de do na?" Maahir replied, "Beta ye thand ke vajah se hai main sar dabaa deta hu aap sone ki koshish karo. Iske liye medicine ki koi zarurat nehi hai." Bulbul replied, "Par mamma to de deti thi." Maahir said, "Par har choti moti cheez ke liye medicine lena achchi baat nehi hoti. Aap sone ki koshish karo, main aapke pero par oil massage kar deta hu dekhna kal subhe sab choo mantar ho jaayega." Maahir heated some mustard oil and then massaged Bulbul's feet and after sometime she fall asleep.

Next morning, Bulbul woke up earlier than her time and found Maahir was sleeping on the couch beside her bed and she was surprised seeing that as Bela never did that for her. She called Maahir and he woke up hearing her voice and he rushed to her thinking she might be needing her help. Maahir cupped her face and checked her forehead and asked, "Aap thik ho beta?" Bulbul replied, "Main perfectly fine hu daddy par aap couch par kyu so rahe hai?" Maahir replied, "Baba aapki tabiyat thik nehi thi kal to main aapko akele kaise chor sakta hu? Aapko kabhi bhi zarurat par sakti thi to main aapke room mein hi so gaya. Aaj main pura din aaphike saath rahunga." Bulbul was surprised and asked, "Par aapko office nehi jaana?" Maahir replied, "Beta aap 8 saal baad apne daddy ke paas aaye ho aur upar se aap bimaar ho main aapko chor kar kaise ja sakta hu? Main aaj office bilkul bhi nehi ja raha hu." Bulbul was surprised and was happy thinking that the time which she never got from Bela might now get from Maahir and so she said, "Par mamma to kabhi bhi nehi rehti hai, ek baar mujhe bohot fever hua tha par tab bhi mamma office chali gayi thi." Maahir felt that there was a vacuum in Bulbul's life which was created due to Bela not giving her time and so in order to cheer her up, he said, "Kyuki mamma ke office mein unke papa boss hai, QUEENS aapke naanu ki hai par KINGSTON aapke daddy ki hai. Aapke daddy ke office mein wahi boss hai. Main jab chahu chutti le sakta hu aur mujhe bolne waala koi nehi hai." Saying he winked at her and Bulbul was very excited on hearing that and said, "Really?? That's cool!" Maahir said, "Ok aap rest karo main breakfast banaata hu aur saath mein lunch ki bhi tayyari kar leta hu." Bulbul made a face and said, "Main sote sote bore ho gayi hu, main aapki madat karu kitchen mein?" Maahir patted on Bulbul's cheeks and replied, "Beta ye aapka ghar hai aap jo chahe karo aapko kisise permission lene ki koi zarurat nehi hai bas don't do anything dangerous." Bulbul nodded her head and accompanied her father in the kitchen. Bulbul sat on the cooking area where vegetables were kept and while Maahir was arranging the things, she was washing the vegetables as shown by her father. Bulbul asked, "Daddy main aapse ek baat kahu?" While Maahir was cooking the breakfast replied, "Ek nehi 10 bolo beta." Bulbul replied, "Daddy mujhe Canada waapas nehi jaana hai par ye baat maine abhi tak mamma ko bataayi nehi hai varna vo to aane nehi deti. Please mujhe yaha se nehi jaana hai, please kuch karo na taaki mamma mujhe yaha se lekar na jaaye. Mujhe waha achcha nehi lagta hai. Ye baat jab maine naani ko bataayi to unhone kaha ke isse legal complications hogi na, aap mujhe yaha apne paas nehi rakh sakte hai kyuki main Canadian citizen hu na. Bolo na daddy aap mujhe apne paas nehi rakkhoge?" Maahir knew that no matter how much he wanted to keep Bulbul with her, there will really be legal complications to that since Bulbul was too small to be kept away from her mother and he will never win any legal battle against Bela to keep Bulbul with him. He put off the gas and said to Bulbul, "Bulbul beta... aap mera bachcha ho, meri jaan ho, main aapko kyu nehi rakkhunga apne paas? Main to chahta hi yehi hu ke aap mere paas hi raho yahatak ke jabse mujhe aapke baare mein pata chala hai I always wanted to bring you back to me but... naani sahi kehti hai legal complications hai par vo isliye nehi ke aap Canadian citizen ho kyuki main Indian citizen hu usme koi problem nehi hai par aap bohot chote ho aur aapko kisi bhi country ka koi bhi law aapki mamma se dur nehi karega." Bulbul said, "But daddy mujhe us ghar mein achcha nehi lagta hai. Mamma aur naani mujhe pyar karti hai par Dracula na hamesha mere saath bohot cold hai. Saare grandparents kitne achche hote hai, sab apne grand kids ke saath kitne pyar se rehte hai lekin Dracula na mujhe kabhi pasand nehi karte the jab bhi main kuch karti thi na to hamesha yehi kehte the ke main aapki beti hu aur phir aapko bura bhala kehte the, har baat par 'mera ghar mera ghar' kehte the. Maine mamma ko kitni baar bola par mamma kabhi meri baato ko seriously nehi leti hai, main badmaashi karti hu isliye Dracula aisa kehte hai. Vo hamesha mamma ko mujhse dur rakhte hai, tabhi mamma mujhe time nehi deti hai. Main sab samajhti hu daddy lekin koi bhi meri baat nehi sunta hai. Main jaanti hu vo mamma ki shaadi isiliye karwaana chahte hai taaki main mamma se dur ho jaau. Kabhi kabhi pata hai mujhe lagta hai ke agar mamma nehi hoti na to vo mujhe kabka ghar se nikaal dete. Aap to mujhe ghar se nehi nikaaloge na?" Maahir was deeply hurt on hearing how much Bulbul was feeling insecured to stay in Canada and also understood that her naughty nature was created due to that insecurity of her. Maahir hugged Bulbul tight in such a manner as if he was trying to protect her from all her sorrows and he said, "Aapko Canada nehi jaana hai na to aapko Canada koi nehi bhejega, aapko nehi jaana parega waha aur ye aapke daddy ka waada hai aapse. Chahe mujhe kitni bari legal war larni pare aapke mamma aur unke papa ke saath main larunga. Meri bachchi apne ghar mein rahegi apne daddy ke saath." He broke the hug and looked at her and said, "Aapke Dracula naanu ne meri life bhi jhand banaayi hai aur main aisa unko aapke saath kabhi nehi karne dunga. Aapke Dracula ko abhi ye samjhaane ka time aa gaya hai ke unki beti pati shaayad thora sa weak tha lekin Bulbul ke daddy bohot strong hai and no one can take you away from me. It's a promise!!" He kissed on her forehead and then said, "Don't worry! Chalo abhi breakfast karlo!" Bulbul came down and then asked, "Daddy aap mujhe Kuhu bua, Rohit uncle se kab milwaaoge?" Maahir replied, "Kal!! Promise!!" She said, "Aur chipkali se? Vo kya hai na war par jaane se pehle dushman ke baare mein jaan lena chahiye." Maahir was happy that Bulbul had returned to her old self and he said, "Bulbul baro ke baare mein aisa nehi bolte hai beta, main mana kiya tha na aapko? Very bad!!" Bulbul replied, "Achcha?? Jab main Reyhaan uncle ko chimpanjee bulaati thi tab to aap kabhi manaa nehi karte the? Vaise bhi main kaunsa kisiki baat sunti hu, main to hamesha apni hi karti hu." Maahir understood that it was useless to argue with her and so he decided not to explain anything to her and took her to feed her breakfast.