The Binding String

S I X

Her observation wasn't wrong much, the place was indeed well equipped and arranged Ishita kept the water to boil while roaming her eyes everywhere. She already checked shelves where the ingredients were placed according to there requirements. The freezer of their fridge was stuffed with the ready to eat breakfast mixes for saving them from emergency crisis. There was a time when she used to fight with him on his habits and now today he amazed her with his arrangements.

'Raman kya hai yeh? Phir se geela towel bed par. Kyon nahi sunte ho aap baat meri.'

'Sab baat maan lena zaroori hai kya madrasan?'

'Agar kabhi humara divorce hua na toh yeh ek reason toh hoga hi hoga.'

Lost in her thoughts she never realised when her fingers went near the burner of the stove making her wince. She lowered down the flame and started to search the milk for coffee. "Are baap re doodh toh hai hi nahi, ab kya karoon?" She wondered while resting her hands on hips, it was their first day in the new apartment and they yet to arrange so many things. Suddenly she remembered that the society watchman told her about the departmental store run in there building where they can find necessary things. Ishita who was about to take a short walk towards room stopped abruptly after finding the two packets of milk on dining table. The packets seemed cold like someone received them maybe an hour or two hours ago. She hurriedly emptied the milk in a vessel and poured little in her coffee.
(Oh god there is no milk here.)

Pata nahi kiske packets the yeh. Ishita wondered later coming out from kitchen taking her mug along. She was about to go in TV lounge but the light coming through main door caught her attention. The unlocked door left her horrified, Raman was sleeping inside the room then who can unlock this door?

Roohi?

The mere idea of mishap scared her and she strode towards her daughter bedroom which was empty making her sweat with fear. "Raman...Raman....."

"What? Kya ho gaya hai subah subah? Why are you yelling?" Raman sit back with a jerk trying to open his sleep filled eyes.
(What happened? Why you started yelling early morning?)

"Roohi is missing. The door was open." The two lines from her stopped everything around Raman Bhalla. He hurriedly wore his pants and tee-shirt and strode out followed by Ishita.

***************

Right across the floor, Apartment 20-B was not silent as the opposite flat. Aurbindo and Shobhna Mukharjee shifted in Gulmohar Heights some two years back. Aurbindo Mukharjee was a retired bureaucrat from Minister Of External Affairs, his wife Shobhna Mukharjee recently retired from JNU Delhi as a professor of English literature, the couple had two children, a son and daughter who were settled in abroad. The Mukharjee couple known for there jolly nature, Aurbindo Mukharjee is typical sophisticated person infront of world but he is complete chatterbox infront of his wife, Shobhna Mukharjee is a loving bengali lady who got married to Aurbindo some thirty two years back and the couple relocated to Delhi from Kolkata to puruse there careers.

Shobhna Mukharjee just finished giving tea to her husband when she spotted a little girl at the doorway of her apartment, her big black eyes immediately made her remind about her granddaughter who was living in USA, she elbowed her newspaper lover husband who left his newspaper clearly surprised with the arrival of the new guest.

"Aye Aurbindo do you know who's daughter is she?"

"Tumko hum kya lagta hai Shobhna? Mann padhne wala baba jo aankh bandh karke sab jaan lega?" Shobhna passed irriated looks to her husband and kneeled infront of little girl who was looking at her continously.
(What do you think I'm? A mind reader? How would I know who's this little girl is.)