The Present - Chapter 1

             So am back... Back? Actually i never went! Can't stop troubling you guys with my stupid stories... Sorrryyyy! But you gotta read this one... Go ahead and read...

                               Chapter 1

             A girl was hurriedly running down a staircase in a huge bungalow... Bungalow? Better say a palace! It seemed no less than a residence of a queen... Huge walls painted in white... White flooring with a bluish white carpet on the ground... Paintings made by famous and great artists hung around on the walls... A huge chandelier hanging in between the drawing room... Precious artefacts kept around for decoration... A combination of white and blue curtains covering the huge windows... Numerous trophies, kept in one showcase which reflected the brilliance of the owner of this house... Number of helpers and workers were moving around in the mansion... Some cleaning the huge vases... While some busy in arranging the cushions on the sofa... A chef was busy working in the kitchen with some other helpers.
            As soon as the girl came down she went near a wall... The wall that was covered by a majestic photo... She pulled aside the curtain that was present in front of the photo...  The yellow lights enhancing the beauty of the picture... It depicted a handsome man dressed up in a suit, standing holding a small girl of about 4 years old in his arms... The photo seemed to be taken in a garden with small plants bearing beautiful and delicate flowers in the background... The young girl was wearing a bright yellow coloured frock and was smiling big... Her smile brighter than sunshine and this was seen by the way the man was looking at her... Lovingly and with care as if holding his most precious possession in his hands
             The girl was staring at the man in the photo... After a few moments she said...

Girl - Papa... Ajj ek bohot important case ka verdict hai... Please wish me the best!

               And after a while she gave the same beautiful smile as in the picture and then walked to the dining room to have her breakfast... As soon as she settled helpers started serving her when one helper came there to inform her that some reporter had came to meet her...

Girl - Send him here!

           And soon a man walked inside holding a tablet in his hand...

Girl - Please have a seat...

Reporter - Thank you ma'am (settling down)... Ma'am am Ray... I am here to take your interview ma'am... As you had promised our editor one...

Girl - Yeah i remember... Breakfast?

Reporter - No ma'am... Am already done... Thank you

Girl - Then lets begin... I have only half an hour as i have a hearing in the court and i need to leave for my office...

Reporter - Ok Miss ARYA PRAYDUMAN... So i would like to being with it! Ma'am you are rightfully regarded as one of the best defense lawyers in The New York City infact in the whole of the USA... Not a single case lost in your whole carrier... How did you do it ma'am?

Arya - As i always say... If you are innocent you shouldn't be punished! Thats the only principle i follow... Taking the right case for the right man is important... And obviously proving what is true is easier than proving what is wrong... Every criminal does some or the other mistake... So catching the right one helps me proving my clients innocent

Reporter - Ma'am you are already living the life people dream of... Being only 24... Any secrets?

Arya - First of all if i look like 24 then thank you... But sadly am not 24 but 27... About secrets! There's none... You better ask this question to the department of internal revenue service! (With a laugh)

Reporter - Nice sense of humor ma'am... Ma'am something about your family... It has always been a mystery to us!

Arya - (her expressions changing to grave hearing the word family) Next question please!

Reporter - Sorry if it hurt you in anyway... Ma'am there are rumors all around that you are going to shift to India after few days! Is anything true in this?

Arya - Am worried the rumors are true... I am going to shift to India in a weeks time... This case is my last case in US

Reporter - May i know the reason behind this sudden decision if not personal?

Arya - Its just that am missing my birth place... The country i belong to...

              Her cellphone rang disturbing their talks...

Arya - Yes Joe? (her assistant)

Joe - Ma'am... There's some important business that you will personally have to look after... When can i expect you in your office ma'am?

Arya - I will be there in an hour...

            Cutting the call she excused the reporter and went in her room to get ready... She came back and found DA MAA waiting for her in the hall... DA MAA was a old lady in her mid 60s... Her hair white and skin tone fair... One of the very few sari wearing ladies in the USA... And the only person close to Arya...

Arya - Da maa mai office jaa rahi hu...

Da maa - Beta nashta kar liya na?

Arya - Haa kar liya...

Da maa - Sham ko jaldi ghar aa jana beta... Sahab ka phone aane wala hai na...

Arya - Haa mai aath baje tak aa jaugi... Aur mai papa se baat nahi karne wali... Woh phir se wahi bolege ki India mat aao... Aur aise bolte hai ki mujhe manna hi padta hai... Lekin iss baar nahi... Mai India jaa kar hi rahugi... Aur jab tak pauch nahi jati unse baat bhi nahi karugi! Chalo bye... Mai jaa rahi hu office...

              And soon she ran off to her stretched limo and the chauffeur drove her off... Here Da maa was still sitting on the couch staring at the picture hanging on the wall...

Da maa - Woh nahi manegi sahab... Bohot ziddi hai... Apphi ki tarah... Ab na usse app rok sakte hai na mai... Ab India jakar kya hoga yeh sirf upar wala hi janta hai!
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*ACP sir's house, Mumbai*

              ACP sir was sitting on his rocking chair in his bedroom... Looking at some indefinite point... Lost in his thoughts... He was lost in a past memory dated 27 years ago...

                            *Flashback*
           ACP sir was walking on the streets of Mumbai... He was out for a evening walk... Not often he got time for walks like these... His job in CBI (then as its 27 years ago) kept him busy... He was looking around at the beauty of nature... Humming a song and watching the birds flying back to theirs nests... It was a windy day... Trees were harshly moving against each other giving rise to rustling noise... When in between he heard some sound... Sound of a child crying... He looked around trying to figure out from where was the sound coming when he saw a basket peeping out from behind a tree... He went there to find a small baby basket made up of cane... It was covered with a baby pink coloured soft and thin cloth which was almost transparent... With a cream coloured cotton mattress inside and a small cream coloured blanket... It was covered from all sides with a net which was again pink in colour while small toys hanging on its handle for the child... Small stars decorated the basket while ribbons made it look cuter... But even the beautiful basket failed to match the cuteness of the baby girl that was lying inside it... She was about only a month old... Wearing a sky blue coloured frock... And a hairband on her head... A teadybear in hand and teary eyes... She looked like an angel who just came on earth from heaven... ACP sir was looking at the baby girl while she stopped crying when she saw him... With her angelic deep black eyes she was staring him without blinking... ACP sir looked around to find if someone was coming to take her but he couldn't see anyone... He started going away to looking for the child's parents but as soon as the small innocent soul saw him going she started crying again... ACP sir finding no other way waited at the place...

ACP - (worriedly) Koi itna laparwa kaise ho sakta hai! Itni si bachi ko koi aise chod ke jata hai kya!

             An hour passed and then a few more... But no one came to take back the innocent soul... The sun had already set and moon took its place... ACP sir was still standing there... With the support if the tree... And the basket with the girl still kept near him... ACP sir would not budge... His heart didn't permit him to leave such a small child alone on a windy night... Just then the baby girl started crying again... ACP sir tried consoling her but it was of no use... Maybe she was hungry he concluded... And having no other option he picked up the girl from the basket... Kept a note in it with his address and phone number so that in case someone comes there searching for her they may find the note and giving a last glance around he walked back to his house... On the way he brought a packet of baby food
               Entering inside his house he closed the door... While making food her started talking to the innocent soul although he knew she would understand nothing...

ACP - Ab appko yahi rehna hai... Jab tak appke mumma papa nahi mil jate... Ok?

               While the girl flashed a beautiful smile at his words as if replying to him that yes am ready to live with you... Today... Tomorrow... And forever...
                         *Flaskback ends*

           Doorbell rang bringing ACP sir out of his thoughts... Shyam, ACP sir's helper opened the door and saw team waiting outside and welcomed them... ACP sir had called them for dinner today... He told that he wanted to share something with them and he would do it over dinner today... What? They had no idea of... But they had seen nervousness on his face... A rare nervousness I would say! ACP Prayduman and nervous... It was indeed a rare sight which made the team worried... But having no other option he decided to wait until he tells them what ever he wanted to...

Shyam - Sahab aayiye na ander...

Abhijeet - Woh ACP sir hai na?

Shyam - Haa sahab hai... Woh app logo ka hi intezar kar rahe the... Unke kamre mai hai woh... App log baithiye mai abhi bulata hu unko...

Daya - Nahi... Tum rehne do... Hum bula kar late hai unhe...

Abhijeet - Haa chalo...

            While the team settled on the sofa Abhijeet and Daya went upstairs to ACP sir's room... They knocked on the door seeking permission to enter inside... While a low voice responded them saying...

ACP - Aa jao... Darwaza khula hai...

            Abhijeet and Daya entered inside to find the room dark... The lights were off and the only source of light in the room was window through which faint moonlight entered... They could see ACP sir's silhouette sitting on the rocking chair... This was another rare sight that they witnessed today... ACP sir sitting so silent in the dark... Now they were sure of something going on in his mind that was disturbing him... Before they could say anything ACP sir said in the same low voice...

ACP - Aa gaye na sab log? Chalo bahar chalte hai...

Abhijeet - Haa sir sab log toh aa gaye... Lekin humare ACP sir kahi chale gaye hai!

ACP - (facing them now) Mai kaha gaya hu? Mai toh yahi hu... Tum dono ke samne!

Daya - Nahi sir yeh toh bas appka sharir hai... Apka man toh kahi aur hi hai... Nahi toh humare ACP sir iss tarah, andhere mai baithne walo mai se nahi hai sir!

        Until then duo had settled on the bed... Room still being dark as no one wished to make it illuminated as darkness helps seeing somethings better which light hides!

ACP - (in an attempt to change the topic) Mai andhere se darta thodi na hu jo andhere mai na baith saku!

Abhijeet - App bahar ke andhere ki baat kar rahe hai sir aur hum apke andar ki andhere ki baat kar rahe hai... Woh andhera jisse kahi na kahi hum teeno darte hai!

ACP - Abhijeet tum yeh kya...

Daya - Sach kahu sir agar koi kaam hai jo app nahi kar sakte toh woh hai jhoot bolna... Aur humse toh bilkul bhi nahi...

Abhijeet - Hum jante hai sir koi toh baat hai jo apko pareshan kar rahi hai!

ACP - Baat toh hai Abhijeet aur wahi batane ke liye ajj tumlogo ko bulaya hai maine... Kaise batau bas yeh hi samjh nahi aa raha!

Abhijeet - Mujhe nahi pata sir ki woh kya baat hai... Lekin mujhe yeh zaroor pata hai sir ki koi bhi baat apko pareshan kare yeh hum hone nahi denge...

Daya - Sir app humse kuch bhi bolne se pehle kabse sochne lag gaye sir? Agar hum pareshani kam na bhi kar sake toh bhi apke saath toh khade ho sakte hai na! Iss kabil apphi ne banaya hai hume...

Abhijeet - Bilkul sahi keh raha hai sir Daya! Kisi bhi halaat mai... Appke yeh bete aur CID team ka pura pariwar aake saath khada hoga sir... Aisi koi ladai nahi hai jo appko akali ladni pade... Yeh wada hai hum dono ka appse!

Daya - (starting fresh) App muh haat dhoke aa jayiye sir... Hum sabke saath niche appka intezar kar rahe hai...

           And then they went out of the room... ACP sir still staring the place his sons were sitting a moment ago... He smiled proudly looking at the photo of duo that was kept on the side table of his bed... He was a proud father... And was sure that his sons would support him no matter what in whatever circumstances that may occur...

To be continued...

            So here ends Chapter 1 of The Present... The anxiety and nervousness of the first chapter comes back... Can't wait for your review guys... Please do tell me if you liked it or not... Believe me... Your reviews do matter!