The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 26

When Maahir saw Bela made so many things alone and that too so nicely, he was surprised and thought how much Bela had improved in her culiniary skills by seeing her work but still he was not sure as he didn't taste the food. When they sat down to have their dinner, Kuhu praised Bela seeing the items and then asked, "By the way tumhe to khaana banana aata bhi nehi tha aur tumne itna sab kuch bana liya?" Bela smiled and replied, "Arey vo, Canada mein mamma ne zabardasti seekhaya ke meri beti hokar tujhe khaana banana kaise nehi aa sakta hai? Seekhna tujhe parega hi varna Bulbul kahegi ke uski ma ne usko kabhi kuch bana kar khilaya hi nehi." Maahir muttered, "Chalo kuch mahine hi sahi, lekin subhe subhe uthkar mujhe abhi ye khaana banaane ki tension to nehi hogi." Bela made a face and asked, "Tumne kuch kaha?" Maahir nodded his head and then looked at the food in his plate and then at others and seeing his hesitation, Kuhu asked, "Khaane ke taraf aise kyu dekh rahe ho Maahir jaise kisine tumhe karele ka soup laakar diya hai dinner mein?" Maahir replied, "Nehi mujhe experience hai Kuhu, karele ka soup bhi dinner ke baad tumko tasty lagega." Bela made an angry face hearing that comment from Maahir and Bulbul replied, "Daddy aap aise kaise bol sakte ho meri mamma ko? Aap to Canada mein the nehi the na, aapko pata nehi hai, mamma bohot achcha khaana banaati hai. You can't insult her like that!" Maahir didn't argue with Bulbul about her mother after that and tasted the food and found it to be actually very amazing and then replied, "Khaana actually mein bohot achcha bana hai! Chalo abse Mrs. Sehgal kitchen tumhaare zimme!" Bela, on listening to the comment made by Maahir, asked, "What do you mean?" Maahir replied, "Its so simple! Main ghar ke baaki saare kaam kar lunga, tum bas khaana bana lena." Bela asked, "Main tumhaari cook hu?" Maahir asked, "Kyu? Agar main apne ghar ki kaam waali baai ban sakta hu to tum apni beti ke ghar ki cook nehi ban sakti? Isme kya ukhar jaayega tumhaara?" Bela asked, "Tum ghar mein servant kyu nehi lekar aate?" Maahir replied, "Arey! Itne saalo tak main akela tha isliye main apne kaam khud kar liya karta tha abhi main akela nehi hu. Mere paas meri bachchi hai aur vo bari ho rahi hai, main usko kisi bhi servant ke bharose ghar par chod kar nehi jaaunga. Dimaag kharaab hai kya mera? Aajkal kaisi kaisi news aa rahi hai dekha hai? Maine to soch liya hai school ke saath saath self defence ki classes bhi legi ye." At that moment, Kuhu protested and asked, "Maahir what do you mean by beti ka ghar? Kya ye Bela ka bhi ghar nehi hai? Don't forget she is still your legally wedded wife!" Maahir mocked and replied, "Ha legally wedded wife hai but sirf kaagaz mein! Ye khud nehi maanti hai ke main iska husband hu aur main bhi nehi manta aur ye meri beti ka ghar hai kyuki maine ye apartment Bulbul ke naam par kar diya hai so sach bolne mein kya harj hai." Bela was surprised and asked, "When did you do that?" Maahir replied, "Kuch dino pehle hi kiya hai! Tumhaara nehi pata hai mujhe, apne papa ki beti bante bante apni beti ki ma banna tum bhul gayi ho par main irresponsible nehi hu, mujhe apni beti ke future ki chinta hai, mujhe to uska future secure karna parega na aur yahatak ke mere saare insurance ki nominee bhi vo hai." Now that was a news for both Bela and Kuhu and Bulbul, who was listening to them asked, "Mamma nominee kya hota hai?" Bela replied, "Kuch nehi baby jab tum bari ho jaaogi to tum samajh jaaogi." Bulbul replied, "Tabse aap dono fight kar rahe ho, aap logo ko bhukh nehi lagi hai, mujhe bohot lagi hai." She looked angrily at both her parents and then Maahir and Bela looked at each other and started eating and seeing that Kuhu replied, "Chalo is ghar mein koi to samajhdaar hai and I'm glad, Bulbul is not completely like you both." Bela then started feeding Bulbul and while doing so, she remembered whatever Kuhu said to her about Bulbul and her psychology and so in order to confirm things, she asked Bulbul, "Achcha Bulbul tum mere saath Canada kyu nehi jaana chahti ho? I mean... look at Canada, its so clean and beautiful aur sab kuch kitna achcha hai waha par, waha log rules follow karte hai, achche se rehte hai aur yaha dekho koi rules hi nehi manta, kahi par bhi kuch bhi phek dete hai, raste bhi to bilkul saaf sutre nehi hai." At this question Maahir was about to reply but as Kuhu understood the reason behind that question of Bela, she stopped Maahir from saying anything by grabbing her hand and giving a meaningful look to him and he became silent. Bulbul swallowed the food in her mouth and replied, "Delhi Canada se bohot achcha hai aur main kyu jaau Canada waapas? Main nehi jaaungi, mujhe Dracula ke ghar mein nehi rehna hai, vo bohot bure hai, vo us monkey se aapki shaadi kara dena chahte hai. Aap bhi waha mat raho, aap mere saath yahi par raho." Bela smiled and replied, "Oho Bulbul maine tumhe kitni baar samjhaaya hai beta mamma chota baby nehi hai, koi bhi mujhe kisi se bhi shaadi karne ko kahega to main shaadi kar lungi kya? Aur phir main aur daddy to abhi bhi married hai to koi bhi mujhe legally force nehi kar sakta hai, papa bhi nehi varna unhe police pakar kar le jaayegi." Bulbul didn't agree to Bela and replied, "Nehi nehi nehi! Aap Dracula ko jaanti nehi ho, unki to police ke saath bhi friendship hai, vo bohot manipulative hai, vo aapko manaa lenge shaadi ke liye aur aapki shaadi karate hi vo aapko mujhse alag kar denge aur phir mujhe ghar se nikaal denge, tab main kaha jaaungi? Mujhe bhi poor people ke tarah streets par rehna hoga aur begging karni paregi. Nehi nehi mujhe waapas nehi jaana!" Bela was shocked and asked, "Ye saari baate kaun batata hai tumko?" Bulbul replied, "Mujhe pata hai jinke parents nehi hote, unko bad people kidnap kar lete hai aur phir unse begging karate hai." She came down of her chair and then sat on Maahir's lap. Both Maahir and Bela were surprised at the way Bulbul behaved and talked and Bela could easily see the fear in her eyes and she was shell shocked on getting to realize that each and every word spoken by Kuhu was so correct and she blamed herself for not understanding her own daughter being the mother. Tears were forcing themselves to roll down from Bela's eyes but she stopped them with twice the force and seeing the scared Bulbul, Maahir tried to calm her down and hugged her by her side and replied, "Ole baba! Mela bachcha! Mela chota sha bachcha! Koi nehi lekar jaayega Bulbul ko daddy se dur, Bulbul apne daddy ke paas hi rahegi." He asked Bela, "Kya ho raha hai ye sab?" Bela, still in order to dig more, asked, "Par Bulbul agar aisi baat hai to daddy bhi to Anu se shaadi kar lenge phir? Tab agar usne tumhe is ghar se nikaal diya to?" Bulbul, with confidence nodded her head and replied, "Nehi mere daddy aisa kabhi nehi karenge aur unko koi manipulate nehi kar sakta hai aur daddy kehte hai na ye mera ghar hai, to mujhe koi kaise mere ghar se nikaalega aur mere daddy us chipkali se shaadi kabhi karenge hi nehi." Bela looked at Kuhu and she shook her shoulder in response understanding why she exactly did this and then Bela lovingly called Bulbul to her and said, "Achcha thik hai, Bulbul jaisa chahegi vaisa hi hoga. Now come to mamma and finish your dinner!" Bulbul returned to her seat and then while feeding Bulbul, Bela said, "Tum apne books lekar aayi ho Bulbul lekin tumne bilkul bhi paraai nehi ki hai, maasi ke reception ke baad, phir se paraai shuru karni paregi varna admission ke time agar test hua to Bulbul ande laayegi." On hearing this, Bulbul happily asked, "Main Delhi ke school mein parungi mamma?" Bela replied, "Ab main tumhaara saal to barbaad nehi hone de sakti hu na. Is ek baat mein I agree with your daddy!" Bulbul was so happy on hearing this, that she finished her dinner quickly and her happiness and smiling face made others happy.