The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 20

"Ittu sa butter diya, itne se mera kya hoga?" Bulbul angrily slammed the waiter inside the restaurant when he served breakfast to both Maahir and Bulbul. Maahir signalled the waiter not to bring any more bowl of butter and when he left from there, Maahir tore a piece from the paraatha and fed Bulbul and said, "Bulbul beta I can understand aapko bohot gussa aaya hai lekin aapne jo ye kiya isse problem to sabko hui hai na? Us ghar mein sirf aapki mamma aur aapki auntynaani mujhe pasand nehi karti hai, baaki sab pasand karte hai to auntynaani ne jo kiya uske liye aapne sabka khaana kharaab kar diya yahatak ke apni naani ka bhi. Aapko kya lagta hai ke aapne ye sahi kiya?" Bulbul replied, "Par kisine kuch nehi bola na isliye sabko punishment milni zaruri thi." Seeing that stubborn nature of Bulbul, this time, Maahir too got annoyed and replied, "Beta now you're being very rude!! Maine aajtak aapko kabhi nehi data, kabhi aapse uchi awaaz mein baat nehi ki hai lekin abhi jo aap kar rahe ho na its very bad. Aapne kahaka gussa kaha par nikaal diya? Aap sirf 8 years ki ho, itna gussa karna, its not good for you. You know aapke is harkat ke vajah se mamma, naani aur mujhe aaj kitni embarrassment hui hai? Kya vo waale naanu aapse pyar nehi karte? Kya Suhaani maasi aur Daksh maamu aapse pyar nehi karte to phir aapne unka breakfast kyu barbaad kiya? Auntynaani ne nehi bulaya to thik hai main baad mein kha leta, kya ho jaata?""No!! Aap sabke saath kyu nehi kha sakte hai? Aapke saath jab aise behave hota hai to mujhe achcha nehi lagta, hum apne ghar mein hi achche the vaha aise hamaare saath koi behave nehi karta. Agar mere saath aisa kisine behave kiya hota to aap kuch nehi karte daddy?", Bulbul again protested and Maahir understood that Bulbul might have reacted spontaneously and also in a rude way but her intentions were good and it was all because she loved him very much. Maahir took a deep breath and replied, "To protest karne ke aur bhi to tareeke hote hai na? Thik hai aapko bura lagta hai na to kal se hum dono alag breakfast karenge to na aapko gussa aayega aur naahi kisi aur ko koi problem hogi. Done?" Bulbul agreed and replied, "Done!! Thora aur butter laga kar do na daddy paraatho mein bara dry sa lag raha hai." Maahir chuckled and put some more butter on her paraatha and then said to her, "Abhi breakfast finish karke jab hum ghar jaayenge to aap sabse sorry bologi aur is baat par koi argument nehi hogi Bulbul, main aapki har baat manta hu to aapko bhi meri baat sunni paregi and above all you really have to work out on your anger issues." Bulbul pouted and asked, "Main gussa karti kaha hu mujhe gussa dila dete hai sab, isme meri kya fault hai?" Maahir replied, "Par itna gussa normal nehi hai beta, aapne aajtak apne kisi bhi friends ko itna gussa karte huye dekha hai? Koi bhi cheez, koi bhi baat aapke man mutaabik na ho to aapko gussa aa jaata hai, gusse mein aapko khud par control nehi hota hai, kuch bhi kar lete ho, kuch bhi tod dete ho, ye kya baat hui? Sab kuch to aapki marzi ke mutaabik nehi chalega na beta. Thik hai gussa sabko aata hai par kabhi mujhe ya mamma ko ya naani ko dekha hai aise react karte huye? Aap abhi bohot choti ho and you need to behave yourself Bulbul." Bulbul looked at him and pouted and seeing that face of her, he said, "No!! No way!! Don't you give me that look Bulbul, mujhe pata hai iske baad aap vo 'Daddy aap mujhe daat rahe ho' waala dialogue bologi aur ye keh keh kar bohot blackmail kar chuki ho aap mujhe, main is baar is jhaase mein nehi aane waala. Ab aap ghar waapas chalogi aur achche bachcho ki tarah sabse maafi maangogi, auntynaani se bhi. Am I clear?" Bulbul made an angry face as she didn't expect Maahir to saying all those things to her in that manner and Maahir, too could read her exact thinkings and said, "Main jaanta hu ke aap kya soch rahe ho, agar main pyar kar sakta hu to daat bhi sakta hu aur main aapko daat nehi raha samjha raha hu. You know jab aap bare ho jaaoge na to aapko samajhme aayega ke hamesha koi bhi war gusse se nehi jeeti jaati hai, kabhi kabhi thande dimaag se kaam karne se result aur bhi achcha aata hai." Bulbul made a face and said, "Aap mamma ki tarah lag rahe ho mujhe aaj. Khadoos type!" Maahir laughed and replied, "Meri jagah par mamma hoti na to 3-4 bitha chuki hoti gaalo par, main aapki mamma ki tarah impatient nehi hu isiliye pyar se samjha raha hu. But I can be very strict jo main aapke saath karna nehi chahta." Maahir and Bulbul finished their breakfast and he paid the bill after which they returned home. After returning home, Bulbul and Maahir found that all were sitting in the hall and having their food in the hall itself as everything were cooked again. Maahir and Bulbul looked at each other and Maahir pushed Bulbul a bit towards them and whispered to her to apologize. Bulbul walked towards them and said, "I'm sorry mere vajah se aap sabka breakfast barbaad ho gaya, mujhe uswaqt gussa aa gaya tha isliye maine..." She lowered her head and seeing that Suhaani came to her and hugged her tight and said, "Nehi hamaari Bulbul na aisi rotlu si shakal banaaye huye bilkul bhi achchi nehi lagti hai, vo to sharaarti hi hume pasand hai vaise bhi Bulbul ka gussa hona to jaayaz hai, usne jo kuch bhi kiya jiju ke liye kiya, hai na? To its ok!" Mrs. Sareen looked at Bulbul with the corner of her eyes and said, "Ha galti karke maafi maangna to bohot asaan hota hai, isme kaunsi bari baat hai." Madhu cleared her throat and replied, "Ek baar maafi maangli ye kaafi nehi hai aapke liye bhabhi? Mujhe to yehi soch kar chakkar aa raha hai ke isne maafi maang kaise li, aaj tak to aisi harkat par kabhi nehi maangi? I'm sure mere Maahir ne samjhaaya hoga." Hearing Maahir's name, Bela again became angry as she was already angry and surprised with the fact how easily Maahir could persuade Bulbul do something like that which she could never made her do and out of that anger she said, "Aur subhe se jo keh rahi hu ke kapre badlo par nehi yehi kapre pehen kar ghum rahi hai, bahaar nbhi isi haalat mein gayi. Daddy bole to sab ek hi baar mein maan leti hai lekin main kahu to zabaan laraana aur baat na sunna to iski aadat hai." Bulbul then angrily looked at Maahir and he gave her a 'now you can return to Bulbul version 1 mode' look and then she said to Bela, "Daddy mere hai, kapre mere daddy ke hai agar unko koi problem nehi hai to aapko kya load hai? Aapko agar itni problem hai to aap bhi apne papa ke clothes pehen lo main kuch nehi kahungi aur mujhe pata hai ke jab aap aur daddy saath mein rehte the tab aap bhi daddy ke kapre pehen kar hi ghumti thi. Saari problem to mere time par ho jaati hai na?" Hearing that from Bulbul, Bela's cheeks became red with embarrassment and he glared at Maahir who looked somewhere else but not into her eyes. She angrily held Bulbul's ears and said, "Badtameez hamesha hi thi, papa ke sangat mein rehkar aur bhi zyaada hoti ja rahi hai ye larki." As Bela pulled Bulbul's ears, she cried and called Maahir who immediately intervened and pulled Bulbul away and said, "Kya kar rahi ho ye? Nehi kar kya rahi ho mujhe batao? Ma ho lekin harkate sauteli ma ke tarah kar rahi ho, allergy kis baat par ho rahi hai tumhe? Kaan kheech rahi ho meri bachchi ke, tumhe pata hai bachcho ke kaan kitne sensitive hote hai? Agar kuch ulta seedha ho gaya to? Nehi tumhaare aur tumhaare papa ka to kuch nehi jaayega, nuksaan to mera hoga after all beti meri hai, mere khaandaan ka chiraag hai, mere jaaydaat ki waaris hai, khoon to mera hai.""Oh don't be so drama queen Maahir! Itni bhi zor se nehi kheecha.", Bela tried to pull a break on Maahir's verbal drive and Maahir replied, "Main drama queen ban raha hu? Ye jo tum har baat par mujhe taana maarti ho ke mere vajah se ye bigad rahi hai, paala to tumne hai, nehi aata tha to bol dena tha, bataya bhi nehi meri beti ke baare mein. Mujhe ek baar kehti main le aata usko apne paas, princess ki tarah rehti mere ghar mein aur main usko spoil kabhi nehi hone deta." Bela folded her arms towards her chest and replied, "Achcha??? Ye jo har baat par iski najaayaz maangey kaun puri karta hai? Jaise bolti hai vaise muh uthaakar kar dete ho aur mujhe yaha seekhaane aaye ho ke mujhe meri beti ko kaise paalna hai? Wow!! Sirf 7 din apne paas rakh kar tum agar ye samajh rahe ho ke tumne babysitting mein PhD kar li hai to tum galat soch rahe ho." Maahir clapped and replied, "Wow!! Look who's talking!! Apna time bhul gayi? Tum kya thi shaadi se pehle... actually Canada jaane se pehle, kamsekam meri bachchi tumse zyaada samajhdaar hai jaise main uski baat manta hu vaise vo bhi maanti hai aur mujhe na uske peeche tumhaari tarah cheek cheek nehi karni parti hai, ek baar mein samajhti hai. Tum to emotional blackmail karke apni baate manwaati thi aur tumhaare papa ne to tumhe bigaadne mein koi kasar nehi chodi thi, kamsekam ye mujhe bolti hai tumhaari to baat khatam hone se pehle tumhaari wish puri ho jaati thi aur tumhaare papa ka tumhe yu bigaadne ki keemat kisko chukaani pari mujhe. Yaad hai shaadi ke baad kya karti thi, tumhe to neend se uthakar jabtak muh ke andar brush with paste ghusa na du tum to bed se hi nehi nikalti thi. Tumhe to apna uniform tak press karna nehi aata tha. Tumhaare papa aur mujhme ek hi fark tha, vo birth certificate waale papa hai aur main marriage certificate waala baaki Bulbul aur tumhaare time pe mera ek hi kaam tha dono ko babysit karna. Tumhaare papa tumhaari shaadi bohot uche gharaane mein karna chahte the na, ganimat samjho ke maine shaadi ki varna tumhaari ye harkate koi nehi jhelta." Maahir took a deep breath after speaking for such a long time and found that Bela was looking at him in such a way as she would just devour him without any single burp and said, "Itni bari insult??? Tumne jhela hai mujhe? Maine shaadi nehi ki hoti to us Anu se shaadi ho jaati, chipkali, chudail kahiki hamesha mujhe aise psycho ke tarah look deti thi jaise maine uske oxygen ke cylinder se pata nehi kitna oxygen chura liya. Shukar manao ke maine shaadi ki varna use shaadi hoti to zindagi bhar aatma ke tarah chipki hi rehti. Mujhe khaana nehi banana aata ye yaad hai lekin do baar haath jalaakar maine tumhaare liye jo chaai aur omelette banaya tha vo yaad nehi hai.""Ho ho ho!!", Maahir laughed out loud when Bela said about cooking and he continued, "Kisiko batana nehi please ke tumne chai aur omelette banaane mein haath jala diye aur chaai, hey bhagwaan vo chaai to main apne zindagi mein nehi bhul sakta aur naahi vo omelette. Pata hai aap sabko us chaai mein itni zyaada chai patti milaayi thi ke karela bhi uske saamne meetha lage aur omelette mein to itna namak daala tha ke pura hafta mujhe khaane mein namak daalne ki zarurat nehi pari thi aur ha ek baar roti banaane gayi to aate mein itna pani daala ke vo aate ka swimming pool ban gaya. Aur ginwaau??" Bela looked at him and then towards others who were staring at Bela with wide opened eyes as if they were making sarcastic grin on Bela's cooking skills. Bela too felt so insulted that she asked, "Uswaqt to bare chaao se khaaya tha?" Maahir replied, "To marna tha kya mujhe? Kuch bolta to apne ghar se ghar nikaala na ho jaata mera. Duniya jaanti hai aadmi na jitna bhi sher bane bahaar par ghar mein to ministry biwi ke haatho mein hi hoti hai." Bela was feeling like the old drama queen Bela again who was so sentimental and hearing to Maahir's allegations and so she said, "Papa sahi kehte the tumhaare baare mein, main hi paagal thi... Main kaisa khaana banaati thi ye yaad hai lekin khud ke wardrobe choices ke baare mein dhela bhi yaad nehi hai. Tumhaari taste to itni kharaab thi ke shukar manaao ke tumhaari shaadi mujhse hui, tumhaari saari shopping main karti thi, sab kitni taareef karte the meri choice ki aur to aur-""Hey bhagwaan chup karoge tum dono!!", Before Bela could finish off, Madhu intervened as she could not tolerate more their constant bantering not because she was not liking as at least with that fighting both were talking to each other and even remembered each and everything but because they were fighting and disclosing their private life in front of others and even their daughter. The moment Madhu stopped them, Bulbul angrily protested and said, "Naani kyu roka? Kitna achcha film chal raha tha? Maine itni achchi fight sequence kabhi bhi nehi dekhi, aapne pura maza kharaab kar diya." Madhu looked at Bulbul and said, "Bulbul baro ke beech mein nehi bolte hai aur mamma papa ki ye saari baate nehi sunni chahiye." She then tossed her eyes between both Bela and Maahir and said, "Hadh hoti hai yaar matlab na jagah dekhte ho na waqt bas shuru ho jaate ho. Apni private life koi aise bahaar discuss karta hai kya aur vo bhi bachchi ke saamne?" Maahir asked, "Aisa kaunsa censored topic lekar baat kar rahe the hum log? Aur Bulbul ko na apni asli mummy ke baare mein janna chahiye ke vo kaisi thi taaki vo bilkul bhi apni ma ki tarah na bane." Bela held Bulbul's hand and said, "Bulbul andar chalo kapre badalne hai aur khabardaar agar papa ke kapre dusri baar pehne to taangey tod dungi tumhaari and you..." She raised her finger on Maahir's face and replied, "Khabardaar agar mere peeche peeche aaye to!" Saying, without waiting for anyones' permission, Bela dragged Bulbul away from there.

"Tu bilkul bhi ghur mat mujhe aise, mujhe bohot gussa aata hai!", Maahir said to Kuhu as she was staring at him in his cabin in the office in the evening. Rohit said to Kuhu, "Kuhu baby aisa nehi karte hai na, dekho ye bichaara biwi aur beti ke atyachaaro ka maara hai, abhi tum bhi aisa karogi to..." Without saying anything, Kuhu just gave a look to Rohit and he clearly understood the meaning of that look and became mum and Kuhu yet again looked at Maahir and asked, "Maahir how old are you exactly?" Maahir gave a 'what the hell are you talking look' and Kuhu continued, "Nehi tumhaare harkato se to pata nehi chal raha hai ke ghar mein bachcha kaun hai tum ya Bulbul vaise biwi bhi tumhaari kam nehi hai but still on a second note I'm happy ke at least jhagre ke bahaane ek dusre se baat to karte ho." Maahir asked, "Tum mere side pe ho ke Bela ke?" Kuhu replied, "Main bachcho ka side nehi leti hu, I just don't understand bina kisi issue ke aise jhagarte ho jaise ke bachche school mein jhagarte hai ball ko lekar. Seriously Maahir aajkal to tumhaare jhagre bhi na ekdam uninteresting hote ja rahe hai sach mein main to bari bore hoti hu. Aise bina sar per ke jhagre Bulbul par suit karte hai yaar tujhpe nehi, Tum dono bas ek hi topic ko kheechte rehte ho." Maahir nodded his head and said, "Ha ab to saari galtiya meri hi hai, main to ab..." Just at that moment, his phone started ringing and without looking at the number, he picked up the call angrily.

M : "Hello kaun bol raha hai?"

B : "Daddy main bol rahi hu, aap mujhpar shout kar rahe ho?"

On hearing Bulbul's angry voice from the other side, Maahir immediately changed the tuning.

M : "Baby mera bachcha! Main na aapki Kuhu bua se lad raha tha so... Aap bolo."

B : "Daddy sab kaam choro aur jaldi ghar waapas aao, pata hai yaha na bara waala siyappa ho gaya hai."

M : "Kya ho gaya hai?"

B : "Siyappa!! Aapko Punjabi nehi aati?"

M : "Nehi nehi aisa nehi hai, maine pucha ke hua kya hai? Mamma phir aap par chillayi?"

B : "Vo to mamma ka routine hai uske liye main aapko phone thore hi karungi? Yaha to aur bara waala panga ho gaya hai. Aap jaldi ghar waapas aao."

Before Maahir could say anything, Bulbul disconnected the call leaving Maahir worried. Kuhu asked, "Kya hua?" Maahir replied, "Pata nehi kya hua hai, tu sahi kehti hai bachcho ko paalna bohot mushkil hai aur vaise bhi jaha Bela ho waha siyappa na ho aisa kabhi ho sakta hai? Vo aurat chalta firta toofaan hai mere liye. Pehle bhi chain se nehi jeene diya aur abhi bhi nehi de rahi hai. Main chalta hu pata nehi kya hua hai." Saying he picked up his belongings and immediately left from there. When he reached the house, he found Bulbul was anxiously waiting for him at the door step and on seeing her, he asked, "Kya hua? Kya ho gaya jo aise phone kiya? Kahi chot vot lagi beta aapko ya phir se ghar mein kisi ne kuch kaha?" Bulbul covered Maahir's mouth and said, "Daddy yaar break lagalo thora aur mere saath chalo. Aapki aur meri dono ki life abse jhand hone waali hai." Before Maahir could understand a bit, Bulbul pulled him by his hand inside and stopped after reaching the hall and then she pointed forward and Maahir was shocked to find that it was Ranjit Sareen who had arrived and showing him Bulbul said, "Daddy siyappa!!" Ranjit didn't see Maahir and then Maahir's eyes fall on Reyhaan who had also accompanied Ranjit to India and he asked, "Ye kaun hai?" Bulbul replied, "Double siyappa!" Maahir asked, "Hai??" Bulbul replied, "Maine aapko bataya tha na chimpanjee ke baare mein jiske saath Dracula meri mamma ki shaadi karaana chahte hai, ye wahi hai Reyhaan Khurana!" He slapped on his head and asked, "Sasurji?? Yaha bhi?? Oh God! Bhagwaan bhi nehi chahte hai ke main do ghari chain ki saas lu." Bulbul replied, "Don't worry daddy kyu fikar karte ho main hu na. I know ye naani ka 'satyanaash' type situation hai par mai Dracula ko handle kar lungi, mujhe 8 years ka experience hai." Maahir swallowed the lump formed in his throat thinking about how his life had changed within past few days and how his life was going to change in the coming days with the entry of his not so dear Father in Law.