"Good morning, Chief." Bittuji greeted Rk when he walked down to the cafe.
"Morning, bittuji" Rk said.
"You didn't sleep? You look tired chief?" Bittuji asked seeing Rk's red eyes caused due to sleeplessness.
"I slept late."
"But you went to bed earlier, late night right?"
"Yeah, but then my daughter nad I were playing till wee hours and now madam is sleeping." Rk said with a chuckle.
"I should have known that by seeing you walking without baby Ruhi in your arms."
"Where is Sofia? I couldn't see her" Rk said scanning the busy coffee shop. He couldn't point Sofia among the other waitress.
"She was here only..." Bittuji trailed off when he couldn't find her near the coffee machine.
"There she is!" Rk muttered when he found her coming out the washroom. He quickly rushed to her and stopped seeing her look so pale and sick.
"Hey? Are you okay?" Rk asked Sofia.
"Oui (yes), I'm fine." she faintly smiled at him.
"No. You don't look fine. What's wrong?" he asked in concern. Before she could reply a wave of nausea hit her and she raced back to the washroom and just on time made to the toilet and threw up her guts out. Rk followed her and helped her by holding her head and then rubbed her back gently to ease her. Once she was done puking, he let her clean her mouth before walking her out of the washroom and made her sit on the chair.
"Merci! (Thanks), I feel much better now. I will get back to work."
"No! You are not. I am taking you to the hospital."
"Non! Non! Non! (No), S'il vous plait (Please)... It's just um... morning sickness."
"Oh! But then... Hmm... when is your next check up?"
"Demain (Tomorrow)"
"Hmm... if you don't mind may I ask you something?"
"Oui bein sur! (Yes, of course)" Sofia said with a smile.
"Did you sort out things with your boyfriend?"
She looked down at her knotted fingers and went silent.
"Hey!" Rk lifted her chin up with his finger and saw tears in her eyes. "Stop crying." he felt uncomfortable now. He was never good at handling crying women.
"He washed his hands of me" she cried covering her face with her hands.
"I'm sorry but Sofia, please don't cry. It's not good for the baby." Rk said patting her head.
"Je suis desole. (I'm sorry)" she said amist her hiccups and wiped off her tears and gave him a small smile.
"Vous voulez de cafe? (you want coffee?)" Rk asked with a smile.
"Non" she shook her head not in the mood to drink coffee.
"Anything to eat?" he asked. She nodded her head excitedly rubbing her flat belly.
"What?"
"Chocolate sandwich?" she asked him with a grin.
"My daughter's favorite." Rk said with a grin.
"Guess my baby likes it too." Sofia said feeling happy.
"I will get it for you." Rk said ruffling Sofia's head affectionately and walked to the cafe kitchen to get her chocolate sandwich.
"Here" he came back with her breakfast and placed it in front of her on the table and sat opposite to her.
"Merci" she smiled at Rk and took a bite of her sandwich.
"Rish..." Sofia used to call Rk 'Chief' like Bittuji but rk asked her to call him by his name so she decided to call him 'Rish'.
"Yeah tell me?" Rk asked sipping his coffee.
"Will you come with me..." she hesitated to ask. Rk frowned. "... to the hospital? Tomorrow I am gonna take the first scan and see my baby... I wish to have someone by my side... I don't have anyone to call as mine..."
"Sofia, you don't have to hesitate to ask this. I would love to accompany you to see my niece or nephew." Rk said with a smile and placed his hand on hers and gave her a gentle assuring squeeze.
"Merci, frere" (Thanks, Brother) Sofia said with a smile as happy tears ran down her cheeks. When she gets emotional she talks in her mother tongue French otherwise she talks in English though she wasn't good at English.
"No more tears, mom cher soeur (my dear sister)" he said and twitched her nose making her laugh.
Madhu watched them from a distance and hot tears formed in her eyes. She wasn't in love with him. She wasn't jealous of Rk-Sofia's bond but still it hurt her to see them together happy and laughing.
"I did good thing by not trusting him in my life. He just wanted to be with Ruhi so he lied that he loves me but the truth is he doesn't love me. He never loved me and he will never love me. If he ever does also it will be one of his smart act only and I am not going to trust him and fall for him." she vowed to herself.
"Hey!" Rk walked to her with a smile and frowned seeing her eyes red. "What's wrong?" he asked. Madhu turned her head away from him and blinked her eyes to hold back her tears.
"Madhu, look at me" he touched her cheek to turn her but she swat his hand away.
"Don't you dare touch me."
"Madhu, what did I do now? Why are you mad at me? Where is Ruhi? Are you mad that I left her and came to the cafe?"
"She is sleeping and I am not mad at you" she said and tried to walk away but he held her wrist.
"Look at me!" he insisted her. She turned and looked straight at his eyes.
"Don't hurt yet another pregnant girl, Rk... please." She said softly but her voice held hatred for him.
"Madhu, it's not what you think... trust me... Sofia is..."
"I don't want to know what she is to you or what you are to her... just don't hurt her. You have done enough of sins. Don't add more sins to your shoulder then you will only rot in the seventh circle of hell." she spat at him and ran back to the house. Rk stood there root and shell shocked looking at her retreating form.
--0--
He quickly walked to the restroom and shut the door and screamed "Ahhh!!" puling his hair. "I'm not going to hurt anyone! I'm not that bloody cruel. I'm not a monster." he shouted in frustration. Then he looked up at his face on the mirror in front of him. "I hate myself for hurting you Madhu. I hate to see this heinous face of mine!" he said through gritted teeth and smashed his fist on the mirror breaking it to pieces and his hand started bleeding. He slowly slumped down on the floor holding the sink and held his head in defeat as he shed tears in pain. "I deserve to rot in hell, Madhu and I know I will one day for what I did to you but trust me I am not going to hurt you or Sofia or anyone of that matter. Trust me! Trust me, please" he cried.
"Chief! Chief, are you alright? Open the door, Chief!" Bittuji knocked at the door.
Bittuji had noticed Rk and Madhu's talking though he didn't hear anything he was sure something she said had hurt his chief badly. He saw hurt in his eyes and a second later he stomped off to the washroom and locked himself in so he followed him worriedly.
"I'm... I'm alright, Bittuji. You leave. I will be there in minutes."
"No, Chief. I am not leaving. You please open the door."
"Bittuji, I said leave!" Rk shouted from the other side of the door. He didn't want anyone to see him in this state.
"Okay, Chief." Bittuji whisper.
--0--
After five minutes, Rk stood up and washed his bleeding hand and his teary face and stepped out of the washroom. "You didn't leave yet?" Rk asked angrily at bittuji.
"I brought the first aid kit. Show your hand. I will dress up your wound." Bittuji had been with Rk for years and he knew his chief's anger so well. Whenever he was highly mad or hurt he will hurt himself. He will inflict physical pain to himself so that his mental pain will lessen. Well, that was his theory to cope up with his pain.
"No need for all that. I am okay."
"Chief, please. Get dressed and go see Ruhi. She is up and looking for you."
"Where is she?"
"With Roma. In the bouquet shop."
"Okay, I will go."
"Wait. She will panic seeing you like this." Bittuji pointed to his swollen and cut right hand.
"Make it fast, Bittuji." Rk showed it hand for him to dress up. Once he was done he raced down to the bouquet shop to see his baby girl. As ever she was sitting on top of the counter and her eyes were searching for dad. She wasn't fully up from her sleep. Her eyes still had sleep in it and she was scratching her head messing her already messed up hair.
"Hey baby girl" Rk smiled and hugged his daughter tightly as if his life depends on her. "I love you." he whispered to her.
"Rk, here is her milk bottle. Madhu gave it to me. She tried to make her drink but she was asking for you and she refused to drink her milk."
"Give it to me, Roma. I will give her." Rk asked.
"OMG! What happened to your hand?" Roma asked noticing a huge bangade over his fingers and knuckles.
"Papa..." Ruhi panicked "Boo... boo..." she started crying.
"Hey, darling, its nothing. Papa is fine." he reassured her. Ruhi looked up at his dad and then at his hand and she slowly took her fingers to hand and gently touched it.
"Iss.." Rk winced. Ruhi withdrew her hand and cried hardly hugging her Papa.
"It's okay. It's okay, sweetie." Rk rocked Ruhi in his arms but she cried unconsolably. Not wanting to draw attention from the customers in the flower shop, he took Ruhi to the house taking her milk bottle with him.
He tried to set her down on the water bed but she clung to him so tightly not wanting to let him go. Rk gently removed her hands around his neck and gentle made her lie on the bed and he too laid beside her. Ruhi took her Papa's hand and kissed it better. Rk smiled lovingly.
"Sleep, darling." he gently rubbed Ruhi's chest. Everytime he does that she calms down and goes to sleep and this time wasn't an exception. Once Ruhi went back to sleep, Rk wiped the tears off her face and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "You are my life line, Ruhi. I love you so much and please don't hate me ever like your mother. Then I will die, Ruhi." Rk whispered to a sleeping Ruhi as tears stung his eyes.
--0--
Whole day Madhu had avoided him and locked hersef in her room. Only when Ruhi needed her she stepped out of her room. When Madhu was with Ruhi, Rk let them be and he went down to the shops to be with either Bittuji or with Roma helping them. He asked sofia to take the day off and go to her room which was at the back side of the bouquet shop where Roma, sofia and few lady staffs stayed as they didn't have any family or place to stay.
Rk walked to the dining table to have his dinner and finding Madhu feeding Ruhi, he decided to go back to his room and come later as she will not like to have him around.
"Papa" Ruhi called when he turned to leave.
"Yes, Ruhi." Rk walked to her with a smile.
"Papa, boo boo?" she asked. Rk wondered whether she was asking about his injury or asking him to eat because Ruhi use "Boo boo" for both food and wound.
"You eat darling. Papa will eat later." He said caressing her head.
"What happened to your hand?" Madhu asked finally noticing his injury.
"It's nothing. Just a small cut." he shrugged.
"Mama, boo boo Papa" Ruhi asked her momma to feed him.
"Ruhi, baby, you sit and eat. Papa will also sit with you and eat on my own." Rk said and sat down on the chair and placed Ruhi on his lap.
"Papa, boo..." she pointed to his hand and gave him a look clearly saying "Are you mad papa? How will you eat when your hand is bandaged?" and Rk gave back her a "I know baby girl but I can't eat your baby food besides your mother will never feed me" look.
"Ruhi eat." Madhu ordered bringing her hand closer to her mouth to feed her rice.
"Papa eat." Ruhi ordered. RK looked at the bowl in front of him. Dal and chawl was his favorite but definintely not to have it mashed completed and added with lots of ghee.
"Mama!!!" she screamed at her momma for just staring at her Papa but not feeding him.
"Okay! Okay! Don't shout." Madhu sighed and took her hand closer to his mouth. He lookedd up at Madhu and then looking at Ruhi he opened his mouth a little. She fed him and her fingers brushed his lips which made her flinch and take back her hand quickly.
"Ruhi now you eat." Rk said and left the dining hall in a hurry without listening to Ruhi's scream. He cant digest her attitude.
--0--
"Chief, you here?" Bittuji asked.
"Move, Bittuji." Rk pushed bittuji aside and walked into his room. Every night Rk goes to sleep only after playing with ruhi and putting her to sleep but tonight he had come to Bittuji's room.
"I want some drink." he said and headed straight to the bar in Bittuji's room. Rk had decided to keep the bar in his room as he felt Madhu and Ruhi won't be coming in here more often. Though Bittuji's room was next to Ruhi's play room she won't step in here as this room will always be locked in day times and at night bittuji will be in taking rest and Ruhi won't disturb him. She either plays with her Papa in her room or his or her play room or in the front hall on the water bed and no where else.
"But Chief..."
"Shut up, Bittuji... I am not in the mood to hear your preach." Rk said and poured a glass of scotch in a crystal glass. "You want one?" Rk offered. Bittuji nodded in yes.
"What brings you here?" Bittuji asked. "Are you alright, Chief?"
"Damn with your "are you alrgiht, Chief?" question. I'm not alright, okay!" Rk shouted and gulped his drink in a go.
"Sorry, Chief." Bittuji whispered. When they were drinking they hear someone opening Bittuji's room door.
"You didn't lock the door?" Rk asked bittuji angrily. Then his eyes soften seeing Ruhi peeping her head in and her body hidden behind the door.
"Papa..." she called looking everywhere at the room.
"Come here, Ruhi" Rk called from the bar area and Ruhi ran following the direction from where her papa's voice came.
Rk was sitting on the bar stool and Ruhi went to him and hugged his legs.
"What you are doing here? You didn't go to bed?" Rk asked lifting Ruhi in his arms and placed her on his lap.
"Papa... wo..." she pointed to the glass of drink in front of her and gestured "what is it?"
"Med.." before Rk could say it was medicine Bittuji rushed and said "Juice" thinking that he had come up with a brilliant answer. Rk glared at him pissed because he knew what was coming up next.
"Papa, me want ju... juice." Ruhi demanded for it.
"It won't taste good, baby" Rk tried but Ruhi shook her head to take any of his excuses.
"Me want juice" she slid down of his lap and sat down on the floor Indian style and crossed her arms over her chest. She held her head down as if she was upset.
"Baby, my darling... look at me, please." Rk sat down on the floor beside her.
"Me want juice" she insisted without looking at Rk.
"Give her the juice." Rk ordered. Bittuji's eyes popped out but then he understood what juice it was. He poured her a glass of orange juice and produce it to Ruhi.
Ruhi smiled and looked at her juice glass and then at her Papa glass.
Ruhi stoop up, her legs swayed so Rk steadied her to stand straight and then Ruhi securely held her juice glass in her hand and moved close to Bittuji.
"What, baby?" Bittuji asked sweetly. He adored Ruhi so much.
Ruhi leaned closer to him and kissed his cheek and then poured her glass of juice on his shirt pocket and dropped the glass on him. Rk burst out laughing.
"You can't fool my daughter. Bittuji!" Rk said laughing hard. "You just can't. She is my smart baby." Rk pulled Ruhi and soundly kissed her cheek. "You think you could give her orange juice when our drinks are in amber color?"
"Papa..." she looked up at him hopefully that at least he won't cheat her. I can't give her my drink so I have to trick her. God! I should better stop drinking. Rk thoughts.
"Okay, baby, you sit here, I will get your drink." Rk went and bought her a glass of apple cider which almost matched with the color of his scotch so Ruhi trusted him and took a sip of it.
"Yuck!" Ruhi made a puking face and placed her glass down and pushed it away. She didn't like the taste at all.
"I told you right it won't taste good?" Rk asked her.
"Papa, wo... yuck... you nah nah" she shook her head frantically asking him not to drink. She pushed his glass away from him too.
Rk looked at his glass of scotch and then looked at Ruhi. "I quit dinking, Bittuji." Rk said and stood up picking Ruhi in his arms. Ruhi smiled and kissed her papa. For her angelic smile he will do anything and quitting drinks was just nothing to him.
"She is the best thing ever happened to you, Chief." Bittuji said with a happy smile.
"I can't agree more with you, Bittuji." he said and kissed Ruhi cheek.
"Now, baby say good night to Bittu uncle and we will go to bed."
"Night, Ittu uncie" she said in her baby voice.
"Good night, princess." he waved his hand at her.
"You too try and avoid taking alcohol, Bittuji." Rk said and walked out of his room with Ruhi.
Rk found Madhu sleeping on the water bed. Ruhi must have sneaked out of the bed when her mother dozed off and came to Bittuji's room. Rk thoughts and places Ruhi beside and slid next to Ruhi on the bed and covered them three with the duvet.
... To be continued!!!
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