The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 20

[Present]

Maahir was given Bulbul's room to sleep and Bela forcefully made Bulbul sleep in her room. But Maahir took that as an insult as if, according to Bela, he was going to devour is own daughter and so was in no mood to abide by her and so after midnight when everyone in the house fall asleep, he sneaked into Bela's bedroom and found that both the mother-daughter were sleeping facing in opposite direction. He then looked at the sleeping Bulbul and he realized how much he was missing that view as it also pulled his former favourate view which was a sleeping Bela, down from his 1st to 2nd position in his personalized favourate views list. He gave Bulbul a flying kiss and then said, "Haaye mera bachcha! Mujhe to aapki surat dekhe bina neend bhi nehi aati hai. Meri to aadat bigad gayi hai puri." He then very carefully picked Bulbul up in his arms and as he rested Bulbul's head on his shoulder, Bela changed her position which made Maahir hold his breath for a few seconds out of fear but to his relief, she didn't open her eyes and he almost ran away from there with Bulbul and her toy. In the morning, when Bela put her hand on the other side, on not finding Bulbul, she woke up and was scared thinking where she might have gone. It was 5 am and at first, she looked into Madhu's room and on not getting her there, she understood Bulbul's next possible destination and so she immediately rushed that way and as expected she found Bulbul sound asleep on the bed but was surprised as well as not surprised on not finding Maahir on the bed as she knew that Maahir was quite an early riser. On seeing Bulbul, she was however relieved and so she returned to her bedroom. She was feeling very thirsty and wanted to drink water but found her jug empty and so she took the jug and walked towards the kitchen to fill it up and also to drink water. As she was about to step inside the kitchen, her feet didn't touch the floor of the kitchen as the scene which unfolded in front of her eyes jammed her feet. She saw that Maahir was working in the kitchen, cutting fruits and putting it inside the mixer and pouring a glass full of milk and two spoons of sugar. After blending the things, he poured them back into the glass and was about to leave with the glass when he found Bela standing in his way. In a stern face, he asked, "What???" Bela looked at him and made a face and said, "Really Maahir tum itne chatore kabse ban gaye? Tum itni subhe apne liye dudh bana kar lekar ja rahe ho? By the way tumne dudh peena kabse shuru kar diya, tumhe to ye pasand nehi hai." Maahir stared at Bela for some time and said, "Ho gaya hai tumhaara ya phir aur bakwaas karni baaki hai? Pehli baat to ye jo tumhaare so called gharwaale hai na inko sense hi nehi hai, ke ghar mein ek badhti umar ki bachchi rehti hai, jisko kamsekam do time dudh peena zaruri hai aur aaj main kitchen mein aakar dekhta hu ke dudh khatam ho gaya hai. Main abhi jaakar dudh lekar aa raha hu aur ye dudh na mere liye nehi, hamaari sahaabzaadi ke liye hai." Bela was shocked on hearing that Maahir took so much pains to make Bulbul drink her milk which was almost equivalent to a war as she knew. She chuckled and replied, "Bulbul aur dudh??? Tab to kamsekam tumhe do ghante uske peeche cheek cheek karna parega." Maahir too taunted her back and replied, "Ha bilkul apni tarah nakchari bana kar rakkha hua hai usko. Fruits nehi khaati dudh nehi peeti, you know solid fruits kitni zaruri hoti hai? Par fruits vo sirf juice bana kar do tabhi peeti hai, isiliye maine ye tareeka apnaaya hai. I know how to handle her. Vo bina cheek cheek kiye dudh pee legi, just wait and watch." Bela folded her arms in front of her chest and said, "Ok let's see!!" Maahir and Bela went to his room and found Bulbul sound asleep. He put the glass of milk on the side table and then sat beside Bulbul and said, "Baby!! Mera bachcha, mera chotu uth jaao! Dekho main tumhaare liye kya laaya hu." Bulbul didn't reply and seeing that Maahir shook her up and in a sleeping tone, she asked, "Kyu tang kar rahe ho daddy?" Maahir replied, "Tang kaha kar raha hu baba, main aapke liye fruit waali milk lekar aaya hu. Aap uth kar bas isko pee lo, phir so jaana araam se." Bulbul in the same tone replied, "Daddy aap meri neend kharaab kar rahe ho. Abhi vo Lady Dracula bhi mujhe jaldi utha deti hai abhi aap bhi aisa kar rahe ho." She pouted in her sleep and seeing that Maahir replied, "Haww!! Meri jaan! Aap na bas ye milk pee lo, phir Lady Dracula kya agar uska baap bhi aa jaaye na to bhi main kisiko bhi aapko uthaane nehi dunga. Aap bas ye milk finish kar lo phir jitni der chahe so lena, koi pareshaan nehi karega mere baby ko." Bulbul asked, "Promise??" Maahir replied, "Bulbul promise!!" Bulbul, still closing her eyes, got up slowly and forwarded her hand and Maahir handed her the glass although also holding it from the edge so that it does not get tripped. On the other side, Bela, who was confident that Bulbul could not be persuaded, remained open mouthed as Bulbul, without any debate, emptied the glass of milk and then fall on the bed back again. Maahir kissed Bulbul on her head and then with a smile of victory on his face, looked at Bela. With an emptied glass he walked towards her and said, "Learn it from a pro Mrs. Sehgal!!" Bela looked angrily at Maahir and seeing that anger, he said, "Aww!! Someone is jealous! But I'm lovin' it!" He gave a devilish smile which faded away very quickly and in an angry grin he said, "8 saal dur rakkha tha na tumne usko mujhse, ye to bas shuruwaat hai, aagey aagey dekho kya hota hai. You'll pay for everything! Tumko bhi agar maine tarsaaya nehi na Bulbul ke liye to main apna naam badla dunga." Saying he left from there to put the glass back into the kitchen.