NARRATOR'S P.O.V
October is an autumn month, however this year it seem like it's a rainy month. Rains just don't want to stop in India. Looks like 'Indra Dev' is quiet offended with the people as he is not being glorified as earlier. People of Mumbai chiefly prayed for Lord Krishna to come and lift Govardhan hill once again and save them from the wrath of Lord Indra. Irony is that, only few states were submerged in water rest of the states didn't even got the delight to behold the black clouds. Navaratri is a festival which is celebrated all across the globe by Hindus. People of the city can be seen joining their hands inside the temple, praying to Goddess Durga. The whole metropolis was saffronised as it was the month of Dussehra and Diwali as well. Hindus all across the world were happily celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Small kids can be seen dressed up as Lord Rama and Ravana as they walked towards their schools for performing 'Ram-Leela'. Young girls and boys can be seen performing 'Garba' laughing and giggling in the process. Everything around the city looked normal except for the Hunchback and Co. They still cannot find the rationale behind the Mafia King's abnormal comportment. Hunchback and Co are endeavouring to perceive, what Mafia Lord is concealing from them.
Nandini sat on her bed, reading a novel. Her brother was in his room, working on his laptop while Martha was in the Kitchen preparing Lunch for them. She was engrossed in the book when she heard the sound of doorbell ringing. She kept the book aside and sauntered towards the door. She opened the door to find her neighbour Kabir standing with a simper. She showed him her usual courteous smile.
"Hello Kabir. " she greeted him merrily. Kabir kept gazing at her with his eyes filled with passion and desperation.
"Hello Na.......Na.....Nandini. " he stumbled over his words. She giggled making him coo at her innocence.
"Kabir why can't you take my name properly. " she chortled. He kept gazing at her as if she was an angel. The whole neighbourhood knew that Kabir was obsessed with Nandini since they were kids. He was crazy for her. He may look like unimpeachable and irreprocable but he was plumb opposite to what he appeared like. He was unhinged and atrocious.
"Sorry I just......get nervous around you. " he confessed. She giggled.
"Please come inside Kabir. " she offered. He nodded his head in acceptance. He proceeded inside her house with her. She ushered him to her drawing room. He took a seat on the sofa, his eyes never leaving her face.
"Umm Na......Nandini. This is for you. Happy Navaratri. " he said as he proffered her a gift box. She smiled and accepted the gift.
"Thank you Kabir and Happy Navaratri. " she said with a smile. He grinned.
"Please open it.......for me. " Kabir said fixing his glasses. She giggled and started to shred the gift wrapping. She unwrapped the gift box to find it was her favourite Britannia Rollyo box.
"Kabir you are so sweet. I don't know how should I thank you. " she said adorably.
"Marry me. " he muttered to himself.
"Huh. " she said confused. He was about to respond when he heard the sound of footsteps nearing the room. He turned back to find her brother standing there with an obnoxious frown on his face. If you ask Kabir than her brother was literally 'Akbar' who was intercepting 'Salim' to have his 'Anarkali'.
"Hello Kabir. " naksh said with a spurious smile on his face.
"Hello big brother. " he replied with a simper, vexing Naksh.
"Princess your favourite movie is about to start, c'mon go to your room before it starts. " naksh said with a smile.
"Ok. Bye kabir and thank you. " she said as she ambled towards her room leaving two nemesis in the same room.
Inside the Ahlawat Mansion, all the gang members including the Mafia King sat inside the meeting room. Hunchback and his partners were still trying to figure out what is wrong with the Mafia Lord. Hunchback and Co gazed at the Mafia King who was busy observing himself in the mirror which was quite odd for the gang members. It was quiet perturbing for the gang members and hunchback to see Mafia King like this. Previously the gang members weren't brooding about his behaviour much but from past few days Mafia King was showing eccentric behaviour. He would just sit in his garden and would keep beaming like a plonker. Not only that, the mighty Mafia Lord had started to read novels which was gravely agitating for the gang members. He would even play with the Dogs sporadically.
"I think I need a haircut. " the Mafia King said to himself. All the gang members looked at him shocked. They couldn't recollect as when was the last time when he had talked about having a haircut.
"And I guess a trim of the beard too. " he said again, observing himself in the mirror. The gang members couldn't take it any more, they had to know any how that why their Mafia King is behaving like this.
"Boss are you alright. " Chirag asked nervously.
"Of course I am. " Mafia King replied still gazing at the mirror. Chirag was about to ask when he heard Hunchback's pesky voice.
"Dholi Taro Dhol Baaje
Dhol Baaje Dhol Baaje Dhol
Ki Dham Dham Baaje Dhol
Ki Dholi Taro Dhol Baaje Dhol
Baaje Dhol Baaje Dhol
To Dham Dham Baaje Dhol" hunchback danced around the meeting hall like a lunatic. Chirag smacked his head on his forehead, so did the Mafia King.
"Hunchback are you mad. " Mafia King asked exasperated. Hunchback guffawed showing his half broken teeth.
"Brother it's Navaratri, don't you know Gujarati's do 'Garba' in navaratri. " he said dancing around. Mafia King smiled, thinking about his love. He genuinely wanted to see his little princess dance, in his bedroom of course. The maid entered inside the meeting hall abruptly, receiving a glare from the Mafia King as a consequence of it.
"Rana Ji, lunch is ready. " the maid said terrified.
"I am coming. " the Mafia King said impertinently. The maid bowed down again, she was about to leave when hunchback stood in front of him.
"Champa, are you free tonight. " he asked grinning like a fool. She glared at him and stormed outside.
"Hunchback she insulted you again. " Chirag said and everyone burst into laughter including the Mafia King. Hunchback rolled his eyes. Meanwhile a man came inside, he bowed in front of the Mafia King.
"Neil, what are you doing here. I gave you some work, how dare you leave that. "Mafia King said infuriated.
"I am sorry my Lord, actually my wife has given birth to a baby boy. I had to meet her. Can I go.?? " he asked scared. Mafia King's face promptly lightened up.
"Congratulations Neil and I am sorry for shouting on you. You should go and meet your kid and yes I also want to meet the baby. " he said with a smile as he sauntered towards the dining room. Everyone looked startled. Did Mafia King really said that.????
"Neil what has happened to him. " hunchback asked befuddled.
"He has fallen in love hunchback. This is the magic of love. " Neil said with a smile.
"Love. " hunchback said to himself shocked.
Nandini was standing on the stairs of her house when she heard the sound of horn of a taxi.
She looked down to see her grandma coming out of the taxi. She ran down the stairs happily to meet her granny.
"Nanna....." she yelled as she sprinted towards her granny. Her granny looked at her in awe. She was looking even more gorgeous than she was when she met her last month.
"Oh my sweet princess, come here. " her granny said stretching her arms. She came running into her arms, hugging her tightly.
"I missed you so much Nanna. " she said adorably. Her granny kissed her forehead.
"Hmm and no kisses for grandson. " a voice came from the door. They both turned back to see Naksh standing there.
"Shut up and come here. " her granny said and Naksh hugged her tightly and kissed her cheeks.
"Nanna you know you are looking so hot as always. " Naksh teased her.
"Oh shut up, I am not. " her granny said slapping his shoulder playfully. Nandini laughed. Three of them sauntered inside the house. Martha greeted granny and went inside the kitchen to make some snacks for her.
"Nanu won't you show granny your new dress which I bought for you. " Naksh said with a smile.
"Oh yes I will. " she said innocently and sprinted towards her room. Naksh turned towards granny.
"Granny I am sorry I had to call you here urgently. Actually someone is stalking Nanu, she is really scared. I was hoping if you could stay here for some days with her, she will feel better. Moreover I am usually in the office and Martha also has to go out for shopping, I don't want to leave her alone for a single minute. " naksh said disquieted.
"What someone is stalking my princess. I swear I will chop off his balls. How dare he.??? " his granny said angrily. Naksh laughed.
"Nanna see my dress. " nandini said showing off her new dress.
"It's so pretty, just like you. " her granny said with awe. She giggled.
Sounds of yelling can be heard all around the Ahlawat Mansion. Gang members clamoured for Hunchback to come down. Hunchback was right now standing on a stool with a noose around his neck.
"Hunchback you moron. Just remove this noose and come down. " Chirag yelled. Mafia King entered looking furious.
"What's all this noise for. " he questioned. His eyes fell in the front to find hunchback all set to commit suicide.
"Hunchback what the hell is this. " Mafia King asked shocked. Hunchback wheeped.
"I am going to commit suicide. " he yelled as he started to push the stool, the men gathered around and stopped the stool from slipping away from his feet.
"Hunchback......." Mafia King was interrupted by his cousin brother.
"No brother, you cannot stop me. I will commit suicide. I am coming God. Don't miss me too much my friends. " hunchback whined like a kid.
"Hunchback, I was saying if you want to commit suicide than you can search for other ways. There are plenty of ways to kill yourself. Don't break my fan. " Mafia King said.
"You are not my Brother. You are no longer my brother who used to run around the house in underwear with me. You don't love me anymore. " hunchback bawled out at him.
"Hunchback are you nuts. You tried to kill boss and now you are saying he doesn't love you. Have you just lost your brain in a gambling. " Chirag said annoyed. Hunchback glared at him.
"I try to kill the people I love. Any problem. " hunchback argued back. Mafia King smacked his hand on his head.
"Hunchback why are you committed suicide. At least tell me the reason. " Mafia King asked piqued.
"Brother you fell in love and you didn't tell me. How could you do this with me. You hurted me brother. " hunchback said weeping. Mafia King smiled as his thoughts went to his little princess.
"See brother you are smiling. I know something is wrong with you. Tell me who is that girl. " hunchback yelled.
"Hunchback I didn't tell anyone because she doesn't loves me right now. I thought first I will propose her and then I will tell everyone. " Mafia King said smiling. Hunchback removed the noose and came down. He looked at the Mafia King with pity.
"Brother I cannot see you sad. You know History tells that no man has ever been happy after marrying. " Hunchback said closing his eyes.
"Hunchback, shut up. " Mafia King said.
Nandini sat inside her room wearing her 'lehenga' and blouse and a 'dupatta' draped over her arm. She was getting ready for the 'Garba' night, which was organised every year in her neighbourhood during the Navaratri. She wore her bangles and earrings and ran towards her brother's room.
"Brother I am ready. " she said adorably. Her brother looked at her with a smile.
"You look so pretty in this dress. Now come on let's hurry or else we will get late. " he said kissing her forehead. She giggled. He gently took her hand in his and walked outside the house. The dance programme was not very far away from the house, it was just 5 minutes away. Nandini reached their with her brother. Her eyes went around and she saw kabir standing there, without his glasses.
"Hiii.....Nan.......Nandini. " he said shyly. She giggled.
"Hii kabir. C'mon let's start dancing. " she said exuberant. She grabbed his hand and ran with him in the middle of the group dancing. He couldn't be more happier than this. She started dancing with him, laughing and giggling in the process. She was so consumed in her dance that she clearly didn't realise that there was a certain someone who was watching her with his mad eyes. Samrat was furious as hell when he saw the girl of his dreams dancing and laughing with that hamster kind of guy. He wanted to rip his flesh with his bare hands for even talking to her. Only he knew how he was controlling himself from not grabbing his baby girl and kiss her infront of all so as to show everyone that she is his. Just his. He was so madly in love with her that he was unable to see her happy with anyone else. He wanted her to laugh only with him. He knew that if he will kill that boy than she will hate him and that's the last thing he wants to see. The programme ended and nandini was really tired. Her eyes were now starting to close on her own. She yawned and approached her brother.
"Brother let's go. " she said yawning.
"Yes let's go. " he said with a smile. They both started to walk towards their home clearly unaware that the most powerful Mafia Lord was following them. Her brother moved in front of the door and started to unlock the door. Nandini was standing in her garden waiting for the door to open, suddenly she realised someone is behind her. She turned back to find no one. The sound of the clicking of the front door caught her attention and she ran inside as fast as she could. Mafia King smiled watching her running inside her house scared. She looked so beautiful when she is frightening, it made him want to scare her even more. He was about to go back to his Mansion when he saw something shiny on the ground. He sat on his knees and looked clearly to find it was an anklet. He knew it was his baby's anklet as she was the only one who ran inside from her garden. He picked it up and touched it with his fingers. He kissed her anklet and kept it inside his pocket.
Nandini was sleeping peacefully in the morning when she heard the annoying sound of her land-line phone ringing. She tossed on her bed and waited for the person who is calling to get tired and stop calling but this unfortunately didn't happen as the person just didn't stop calling. She sat up on her bed, still half sleeping. She made her way to the land-line phone in her half sleeping state. She picked up the receiver.
"Hello. " she said yawning.
"My baby girl has woke up. " a husky and a dangerous voice said. The voice was kind of familiar to her but she was half sleeping so she couldn't recognise who it was.
"My brother is in office, Martha has gone to the market and I am sleeping. Bye. " she said, her eyes closing on her own.
"Baby doll. I want to talk to you. " the voice demanded. She stomped her foot like a kid. This man was just not letting her sleep.
"Please I want to sleep. " she said whining like a baby. The man chuckled.
"Baby it's no time to sleep. " the voice said.
"I am disconnected the call, bye. " she said yawning.
"Ok fine. You want to sleep then go and sleep, I won't disturb you. Love you baby. " the voice said, she kept the receiver on the phone and ran towards her room. She laid on her bed and dozed off. Nandini woke up again at 10 am in the morning. She stretched her arms and yawned. Her eyes were still closed when she smelt a pleasant fragrance around her. She opened her eyes to find out she was sleeping on rose petals. She looked around to find rose bouquets all around her room. Tears started to form in her eyes when she saw it. Her eyes suddenly fell in the front to see something written on it. She looked closely to find 'YOU ARE MINE' written on the wall. She screamed. Martha came running inside. Her eyes were wide in shock when she saw the condition of her room. She hugged nandini.
"I think we need to inform the police. " Martha said enclosing a scared nandini in her arms.
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