The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 14

[ 1 Week Later ]

Maahir always had that emptiness in his heart for the fact that he could never see his daughter grow up like other parents and so just like Bela, as Madhu explained him, sometimes he also couldn't figure out how exactly a child of Bulbul's age should be taken care of. He was so overwhelmed to find his daughter after so many years that he could not help but succumb to all her wishes and demands no matter how absurd they were. As Maahir never had the opportunity to do anything for her or running away from the office in the middle of a meeting or solving her fights in the school or saving her from her mother's anger so granting that wish of his, Bulbul never left any scope of fulfilling Maahir's dream and making him realize that he had become a father now and being a father is not at all an easy task. During the past one week, always something used to happen due to which Maahir, who was so punctual in his office held the taboo of being the late comer and obviously the courtesy goes to Bulbul. Either she had fights with the other kids in the colony and when the parents went to sort that out, if anyone says anything bad to Maahir, she had fights with the parents too. Bulbul literally made every passing day a nightmare for Maahir but of course she also used to listen to him unlike she did with Bela as Maahir has his own way of persuading Bulbul. On one fine Sunday morning, as Maahir didn't have to go to office, so he didn't send Bulbul to Madhu and as usual, Bulbul to went downstairs to play with other kids. While Maahir was making preparations for lunch, Kuhu and Rohit gave him a surprise by visiting him in his apartment. Maahir was very happy seeing them and asked, "Kya baat hai subhe subhe?" Rohit replied, "Vo Kuhu ko check up ke liye lekar gaya tha to waapsi mein boli ke usko tere yaha aana hai aur tere haath ka khaana khaana hai to bas lekar aa gaya ab pregnant woman ki baat ko kabhi inkaar nehi karna chahiye." Maahir agreed and said, "Bilkul nehi karna chahiye aur phir hum ye Kuhu ke liye thore hi kar rahe hai hum to baby Pihu ke liye kar rahe hai." Kuhu made a face and replied, "Ya very funny!!" The three of them were talking and Maahir was cutting the vegies and Kuhu asked, "Parso Anu ka birthday tha tum aaye kyu nehi?" Maahir stopped cutting the vegies and replied, "Ye sawaal tum mujhse kaise kar sakti ho? You know na agar main waha par gaya to Bulbul kya tamasha karegi? Agar jhut bolkar gaya to yaha taandav ho jaayega aur agar sach bolkar jaane ke baare mein sochunga bhi to mere saath jaakar Anu ke ghar mein usiki baja kar aayegi. I don't want any of that. Abhi to phir bhi meri baate sunti hai lekin agar main aisa karta to vo bhi bandh ho jaata. Iam trying hard to control my daughter's temper here." Rohit asked, "Arey Bulbul se yaad aaya, hai kaha vo? Aur aaj kya naya siyappa kiya hai usne?" Maahir chuckled and replied, "Vo neeche khelne gayi hai aur abhi tak kuch hua to nehi hai lekin aagey nehi hoga iski guarantee main nehi de sakta." Kuhu said, "Mujhe bohot bhukh lagi hai Maahir kya hai khaane mein?" Maahir replied, "Fridge mein ice cream aur brownies rakkhe huye hai kal Bulbul ke liye banaaye the kyuki madamji ka isse dimaag thanda hota hai. Tumko jo pasand hai le lena filhaal main tere liye... uh clear soup banata hu that'll be healthy for you and Rohit kal ek bottle wine lekar aaya tha mere gym ke cabinet mein hai, please help yourself." Rohit asked, "Gym ke cabinet mein kyu?" Kuhu became very angry on hearing that question from Rohit and replied, "Tum na duffer ke duffer hi rahoge Rohit, khud baap banne waale ho aur itni bhi akal nehi hai ke bachche waale ghar mein wine vagera kisi bhi jagah par nehi rakhna chahiye aur sahi mein Maahir na tumse bohot zyaada responsible hai dekho usko sab aata hai aur tumko to ye bhi nehi pata hai ke pregnancy ke time par kaunsi cheez sehat ke liye achchi hoti hai." Saying Kuhu went to take her ice cream and Rohit gave a deep sigh. After Kuhu went out of sight, Rohit asked Maahir, "Ek baat batao Maahir ye meri biwi tumhaari itni bari fan kyu hai?" Maahir put his hand on Rohit's shoulder and replied, "Because I'm The Great Maahir Sehgal aur har koi mera bohot bara fan hai. Vaise bhi vo kya hai jab tere bachche honge to tere do bachche honge lekin Kuhu ke liye teen bacchche honge because tum na Rohit sach mein kabhi kabhi bachcho ke tarah hi harkate karte ho. Even Bulbul is smarter than you." Rohit was about to say something when there was a ring in the bell and Rohit said, "Bulbul aa gayi hogi." Maahir, while walking towards the door replied, "Bulbul nehi hai, vo hoti to ya to khud khol leti ya phir itni zor se darwaaza peetti ke mere saath saath is floor mein sabko sunaai deta." Just the moment, he opened the door, Maahir was taken back with surprise as Anu was standing right in front of him. He was happy as well as scared, happy as Anu was his friend and scared due to Bulbul. He asked, "Anu tum yaha?" Anu gave a faint smile and asked, "Mujhe andar nehi bulaaoge?" Maahir came back to his senses and replied, "Of course please come in!" Kuhu had just arrived to the dining table with the bowl of ice cream and was surprised to see Anu and both she and Rohit looked at each other and then at Anu. Both Kuhu and Rohit greeted Anu and then Anu said, "Vo main aaj isliye aayi thi ke bohot dino se tumhaare saath thik se baat nehi ho pa rahi hai. Usdin birthday pe invite isiliye kiya tha kyuki mujhe tumse akele mein baat karni thi jo na to office mein possible hai aur naahi abhi tumhaare ghar mein possible hai. Par phir bhi main aaj aayi kyuki Kuhu ne kaha tha ke tum office aane se pehle Bulbul ko uski naani ke paas chor kar aate ho." Maahir replied, "Vo aaj nehi gayi aaj to Sunday hai aur main bhi ghar par hu, vo bas neeche khelne gayi hai. Please tum betho na." Anu smiled faintly with a tint of mock in her voice and replied, "Abhi to yaha par bethne se bhi koi faayda nehi hai kyuki Bulbul aayegi to pata nehi ab kya kar degi. Main samajh sakti hu ke shaayad usike vajah se tum meri birthday par nehi aaye." Maahir lowered his head for a second and then asked, "Ha bolo tum kya baat karna chahti thi?" Anu looked at Maahir for sometime and said, "Kamaal ki baat hai na Maahir, pehle hum kitne close the aur abhi Bulbul ke aane se hamaari dosti bhi kitni formal ho gayi hai." Maahir tried to lighten up the situation and replied, "Aisa kuch nehi hai Anu, you'll always be my friend bas thora sab kuch complicated ho gaya hai mere liye bhi aur jitna main in sab ke baare mein sochta hu mere liye sab kuch aur difficult ho jaata hai isliye main abhi sirf ek cheez par concentrate kar raha hu and that is Bulbul, mere life mein abhi uske alava aur koi priority nehi hai." Anu nodded her head sadly and replied, "I can understand tum bilkul mere papa jaise ho, unke liye bhi meri khushi se badhkar aur kuch bhi nehi hai." At that moment, startling everyone, the door opened and Bulbul came in with her cricket bat and completely drenched in mud. All of them were so surprised to see her that Maahir did not have the time to react and she was so excited with her new achievement that she did not even notice Anu and others and almost ran directly to Maahir and then dashed on his lap and said, "Pata hai daddy aaj na main match jeet kar aayi hu aur vo motu Sunny hai na vo match haar gaya to usne mujhe dhakka diya aur aap to mujhe jaante hi hai mujhe bhi gussa aaya aur maine us mote ki bat na keechad mein phek di." Maahir asked, "Beta phir aise keechadh kaise laga aapko?" Bulbul replied, "Vo ek old auntie ka puppy na mud mein gid gaya par kisine unki help nehi ki pata nehi yaha par saare log aise kyu hai? Isse achcha to hamaara Toronto hai sab help karte hai ek dusre ki phir na maine puppy ko bachaaya usko dhulaaya aur usko waapas kar diya. Maine thik kiya na daddy?" Maahir hugged Bulbul tightly and replied, "Of course mele bete ne bilkul hi thik kaam kiya hai bas aapko na bat keechad mein nehi phekna chahiye tha." Bulbul immediately replied, "To usko bhi to mujhe dhakka nehi dena chahiye tha na." Just at that moment, her eyes fall on Kuhu and Rohit and she said, "Hi Kuhu bua hullo Rohit uncle maine to aap dono ko dekha hi nehi. Kab aaye aap log?" Kuhu smiled and replied, "Hum to abhi abhi aaye hai beta by the way maine aapka thora ice cream kha liya, aapko bura to nehi laga?" Bulbul nodded her head and replied, "Bilkul bhi nehi, aapko jo achcha lage aap vo khaiye." At the next moment, her eyes fall on Anu and her happiness and excitement turned into anger and asked, "Tum mere ghar mein kya kar rahi ho?" Maahir replied, "Beta vo daddy ki friend hai na to vo to aa sakti hai mere ghar mein." Bulbul replied, "Aapki friend aa sakti hai lekin chipkali ko is ghar mein entry nehi mil sakti hai aur agar isne meri mamma ke baare mein kuch bhi kaha na to..." Anu smiled and replied, "Main aapse kuch bhi nehi kahungi Bulbul beta but aapko nehi lagta ke aap yu keechar mein khel kar aayi ho to aapko naha lena chahiye? Aur aap aakar aise beth gayi papa ki goadi mein aur unko ganda bhi kar diya? Phir dekho yaha aapne to ghar bhi ganda kar diya." Bulbul looked at her and then at Maahir and then she asked him, "Daddy aap mujhpar gussa ho jo maine aapko ganda kar diya?" She blinked her eyes like a cute little puppy and Maahir hugged her again and rubbed his cheek against her cheek and replied, "Na mela baby mujhe to bilkul gussa nehi aaya aur chote baby to mamma papa ko aise thora thora ganda kar hi dete hai. Mujhe to aisa mauka aapke saath kabhi mila hi nehi so actually I'm very happy." Bulbul looked at Anu and replied, "Dekha mere daddy bilkul gussa nehi huye. Bye the way..." She came down of Maahir's lap and replied, "Ye ghar mera hai, daddy mere hai, main chahe unko ganda karu ya ghar ganda karu, tumko isse kya? Main thore hi aakar tumhaara ghar ganda kar rahi hu?" Maahir stopped Bulbul and said, "Bulbul main manta hu ke usdin Anu auntie ne aapko galat baat boli hai lekin aaj to aap unke saath jaan bujh kar badtameezi kar rahe ho. Now that is not good Bulbul. Aap to bad girl nehi ho, aap daddy ke achche bachche ho na. C'mon say sorry!!" Bulbul pouted and asked, "Daddy aap mujhe daat rahe ho?" Maahir replied, "Main achchi tarah se aapke is pout ka meaning samajhta hu aap hamesha aise mujhe blackmail nehi kar sakti ho. Say sorry to Anu auntie baba please!" Bulbul made a face and looked at Anu and said, "Sorry!!" Anu got up and said, "Aaj to yaha baat hogi nehi tumse aur phir ab to lagta hai ke tumse baat karne se pehle mujhe hi permission lena parega so kabhi ek convenient time dekh kar agar ho sakey to mujhe ek call karna. Bye!" Saying Anu left from there. After Anu left, Bulbul said, "Daddy aapne mujhe kapro ki shopping karwa di ab matching joote bhi to chahiye na." Maahir thought and agreed to her and then she said, "To mujhe kal shoes ki shopping par le jaana varna har clothes ke saath same joote pehnungi to mere reputation ki to band hi baj jaayegi." Maahir nodded his head in agreement and replied, "Ha bilkul ye to seriously bohot hi bura hoga. Aap na ek list bana lena kya kya chahiye kal daddy aapko sab dila denge." Bulbul nodded her head and then left to take bath and Kuhu asked, "Tumhe na bolna aata hai Maahir?" Maahir shook his shoulder and replied, "Iski ma ko na kabhi bol nehi paaya aur isey to na bolne ka dil hi nehi karta. Apni bachchi ko bigaadne tak ka mauka nehi mila yaar, I just so want to spoil her badly aur vaise bhi Bulbul Sehgal paida hi bigadne ke liye hui hai." He winked at her and too left to take bath.