The Present - Chapter 2

             Heyo! Am back... With another chapter... Once again earlier than you may have expected... Go on and read... See you at the end

                             Chapter 2

*ACP sir's house*

           Duo came out of ACP sir's room and settled on the couch... When Freedy worriedly asked them...

Freedy - Kya hua sir kuch bataya unhone? Itne pareshan kyu hai woh?

Daya - Nahi... Woh toh humne abhi pucha bhi nahi... Jab unko theek lagega woh kudh hi bata denge

Salunkhe - Hmm... Sahi hai...

            Until then ACP sir came out of his room... He looked a lot more fresh compared to what he was a while ago in his room... Duo took a relaxing sigh when they understood that ACP sir's worry had subsided to some extent... While team was sure that duo worked as antidepressants for him... The whole team was staring at him...

ACP - Aise kya dekh rahe ho sab mujhe? Mai koi alien hu kya?

            Team changed their focus being embarrassed when they again heard ACP sir say...

ACP - Chalo aao sab log pehle dinner kar lete hai... Kyu pankaj? Ajj bhuk nahi lagi tumhe?

Salunkhe - (to lighten the environment) Nahi woh thoda dar gaya hai... Ki khana agar tumne banaya hoga toh kaisa hoga!

ACP - Kya! Pankaj tumhe meri cooking par itna hi bharosa hai kya?

Pankaj - Aree salunkhe sir! App mujhe kyu phasa rahe hai? (To ACP) Maine aisa kuch bola hi nahi sir!

Salunkhe - Bola nahi... Magar socha na!

Pankaj - (looking at duo for help) Sir dekhiye na! Salunkhe sir mujhe zabardasti phasa rahe hai!!!

Abhijeet - Kya baat hai Salunkhe sahab... Ajj meri jagh Pankaj par pyar aa raha hai appko? Koi khaas baat?

Salunkhe - Haa tumse toh bohot khaas hai woh!

Daya - Ek minute! Iske pehle ki app dono mai World War 3 start ho jaye... Dinner kar lete hai!

Abhijeet - Haa Daya chalo... Waise bhi kisi ko bohot maza aata hai mujhse jaghdne mai! (Taunting Salunkhe)

Salunkhe - Mujhe achi tarah se pata hai tumahara ishara kis taraf hai!

Abhijeet - Mujhe ishara karne ki zarurat bhi nahi hai... Mai khule aam apka naam le sakta hu!

             ACP sir was already seated on the table then while others settled too... Only Abhijeet and Salunkhe sir were busy arguing...

ACP - Dekh Salunkhe Daya ne apne Abhijeet ke liye seat pakad li hai (hearing this Daya instantly took away his hand which he had actually kept in order to save the chair beside him for Abhijeet)... Agar tujhe baithna hai toh jaldi aa nahi toh mai Daya jitna acha nahi hu... Bolta hu mai Shyam ko ki teri chair le jaye! Phir khana niche baith ke!

Salunkhe - (Running to his chair while saying to ACP) Kaise dost ho tum... Sikho kuch Daya se!

Abhijeet - Salunkhe sahab Daya mera dost hai (side hugging him)... Mere liye kuch bhi kar sakta hai... Aur uske jaisa aur koi ban bhi nahi sakta!

ACP - Abhijeet tum kehna kya chahte ho? Mai Daya jaisa nahi ban sakta?

Abhijeet - Aree sir aisa kuch nahi hai... Yeh toh salunkhe sahab ki wajh se! (Glaring at him) Chodiye na sir... Hum dinner karte hai!

            And then they had dinner... Their talks being more sweet and salty than the food! ACP sir had completely forgotten his worries... The magic of his team!
             After dinner they all settled back in their places... With ice creams in their hand... They were all chatting among themselves... Pulling each other's legs and doing all sorts of things they couldn't do in beauro... While ACP sir was silently sitting on his chair... Looking at his team, admiring them but lost in his thoughts... After a while team noticed his silent behaviour when Daya asked him...

Daya - Kya baat hai sir... App pareshan lag rahe hai?

             But ACP sir did not react to him... Maybe he didn't even hear him! When Purvi who was nearer to ACP sir tried calling him...

Purvi - Sir?

ACP - Ha? Bolo Purvi?

Purvi - Sir woh Daya sir app ko kuch bol rahe the!

ACP - Haa Daya?

Daya - Kuch nahi sir... Woh bas aise hi!

             ACP sir sighed looking down and made up his mind to tell them all whatever he wanted to tell...

ACP - Ek kahani sunoge?

            Team well understood that he wanted to tell them and nodded their head in yes...

ACP - 27 saal pehle... Ek admi ek raste par chal raha tha... Shaam ka waqt tha aur mausam bohot acha... Achanak usse kahi se ek bache ke rone ki aawaz aayi aur usne aaspas dekha... Ek ped ke niche ek basket mai ek choti si bachi ro rahi thi... Uske paas koi nahi tha... Woh admi uss bachi ke paas ruk gaya... Ghanto beet gaye lekin uss bachi ko lene koi nahi aaya... Woh admi usse apne ghar le gaya aur uss basket mei note likh ke chod di jisme uska address aur phone number tha...

              ACP sir was lost in his own world while saying and team was attentively and patiently listening to him...

                            *Flashback*
              It was midnight but sleep was far away from the angelic eyes of the baby girl... She was lying under the blanket on the king sized bed while ACP sir was busy making her asleep sitting in a half lying posture beside her... But she was in no mood to sleep instead wanted to do masti! Pushing aside the blanket with legs... Moving her small hands in random directions and pulling ACP sir's shirt being some of them...

ACP - Tum itni cute kyu ho? Daatne ka bhi man nahi karta! Aur beta raat sone ke liye hoti hai... We are humans not owls! So jao na!

            While she replied him in her own language understandable to none... And ignoring his request continued playing... ACP sir was forcing himself to be awake... His eyes closing but he couldn't sleep! He was looking at her with amused expressions... She busy with her own self... Her big cheeks dangling the typical way and ACP sir enjoying its moment... She was playing with her toys and he was playing with her... For the first time ever he loved not being allowed to sleep!
              The next day arrived and ACP sir left for office... He took her with him as he couldn't leave her alone at home... He started searching for her parents... Inquired in all the hospitals and clinics about the girl so that he could find out where she was born and hence her parents... But he got the same reply every where... That the girl was not born in their hospital... Having no other option he took her back to his house... On the way buying a cradle, some toys and some dresses for her... He also buyed baby care products as he knew he would need them! It was funny for the people around to see how a tough cop was doing such duties... But he enjoyed doing them... This little girl gave him happiness... Even after being awake the whole night he wasn't tired... Working around her made him smile... Her impossible to understand words becoming his favorite song... Her eyes his favorite thing show and her dangling cheeks his favorite toy whenever free... Four days passed but not even a single information about her parents... His friends and colleagues suggested him to leave her in some orphanage cause if her parents wanted her they would have come back by now! His heart didn't permit him to do it! He just couldn't... He spent days thinking about the same but couldn't make up his mind to do it!
              One day ACP sir got struck in a unexpected encounter... A bullet hit his shoulder but by god's grace he was safe... He and his best friend Arjun went to the day care center where he used to leave the girl when on duty... Getting out of the car Arjun once again tried convincing him...

Arjun - Prayduman tum samjhte kyu nahi ho? Yaar uss bachchi ko nahi sambhal paoge tum!

Prayduman - Aise kaise nahi sambhal pauga!? Itne dino se sambhal raha hu na mai... Aage bhi sambhal lunga

           And he turned back to pick her up... When he heard Arjun saying...

Arjun - Baghwan na kare agar ajj woh goli tumahare shoulder par nahi dil par lagi hoti toh?

            Having no answer ACP sir was silent... Arjun was correct! What if he wouldn't have returned from the hospital today?

Arjun - Uss bachchi ko yaha se wapas le jane bhi koi nahi aata! Ek mahina hua hai usse iss duniya mai aaye hue... Usse nahi pata yeh duniya kitni buri hai! Apne app ko bacha nahi sakti woh... Uski nazre tera intezar karti rahigi jaise abhi kar rahi hai (he said indicating to the baby girl who was looking at ACP sir in a hope that he will pick him up)... Aur jab un nazaro ke samne tu nahi aa payega na toh iss puri duniya ka koi bhi insan uss masoom ko yeh nahi samjha payega ki tu kyu nahi aaya! Hum inspector hai... Kab konsi goli par humara naam likha ho yeh hum nahi bata sakte! Maut ke dar ko jeet chuke hai hum... Lekin uss bachchi ko toh yeh bhi nahi pata ki maut hoti kya hai! Iske pehle ki tujhe woh apni puri duniya bana le usse apne app se dur karde! Yehi tere liye aur uske liye bhi acha hoga!

            ACP sir looked back at the girl... She was still looking at him with hopeful eyes... Those eyes making him weak again... But yes... What Arjun said was correct! Each and every word that Arjun said was correct!!! What if something happened to him? Who would look after her?
            He picked her up from the day care... With his broken arm! But it didn't hurt cause his heart was hurting more! They reached home... He had decided that he would leave her in a orphanage the next morning! He gave her meal and made her sleep... He was sitting on his rocking chair and staring at her... Unlike everyday today she didn't trouble him while taking the meal... Didn't do any masti and silently went off to sleep... Maybe she heard his heart crying or maybe sensed that he was going to leave her all alone the next day. Sleep was far away from his eyes! Whole night he kept looking at her... At that sweet little girl who was unaware of the happenings... He was committing a sin! His soul prompted... But it was all for her betterment his brain argued.
            Nature followed its path and the sun rose... A black day for him... Silently he got ready... Made her wear a cute frock and keeping her in a cradle took her away... Away from the house that was her home only for a few days! He went to the orphanage and went inside its gate where the watchman opened the door for him... The orphanage was huge... With a big building and a inbuilt school... A big garden and playground for kids... Where kids were playing football in their break... It had all facilities for children who didn't have anyone to look after them... But a orphanage is a orphanage!
                 He knew the manager there as he was one of the regular doners... The manager greating him with smile...

Manager - Ji sir! Ajj app yaha? Achanak?

ACP - Haa woh kuch kaam tha...

Manager - Ji sir boliye na?

ACP - Woh yeh bachchi hai (he said indicating at the cradle while the girl innocently looking at him... He immediately shifted his gaze from her as his eyes met hers... Guilty he was) Isse yaha chodne aaya tha... Iska iss duniya mai koi nahi hai!

Manager - Sure sir... Humara wada hai appse koi kami nahi hone denge hum isse

            And then ACP sir completed the formalities... Heavy hearted!

ACP - Agar kabhi bhi kisi bhi chiz ki isse zarurat pade toh yaad rakhiyega... Mai hu! Iski aakho mai kabhi aasu nahi aane chahiye!

Manager - Ji sir... Mai pura khayal rakhuga!

          He was about to turn to leave when the little girl held his index finger with her whole hand... With all the strength that it possessed... He had thousand times more strength than her... But it seemed as if the whole universe was stopping him from going... His eyes teary and he knew that her eyes were shedding tears too... He felt like ignoring every logic, hug her tight and tell her that he was there for her and would never leave her alone... When Arjun's words started ringing in his ears 'Agar ajj woh goli tumahare shoulder par nahi dil par lagi hoti toh?'... And he decided not to melt... He had to go away from her... For her betterment! And gathering all his courage he removed his finger from her grip and walked out of the building without turning back... He knew if he would see her he wouldn't be able to go!
                He drove straight to the beach... Maybe the only place that could make him feel better now!
                It was a sunny day and sun was shining bright in the sky... Hot and humid! The typical Mumbai climate... Salty water of the sea shining in the sunlight... Various vendors trying to sell their products to some of the people who were there on the beach... But far away in a corner a man was sitting alone... Away from the worldly chores! Lost in his own world of sadness... ACP sir was sitting on a rock watching the movement of the waves... Salty water making the wound on his arm burn but the same salty water was healing his inner wounds... Her voice still ringing in his ears and his eyes still searching for her... The way she held his hand... The way she smiled at him... The way she would get scared when she saw him angry and the way she would laugh at some stupid things only she found funny! Even thinking about her made him smile... The memories she gave him in such a small time! In her thoughts he drifted into sleep... Into pain that was deeper than the sea!
               His sleep woke with a crying voice... He opened his eyes and looked around... It was already evening and the sun was half below the horizon... But his eyes were searching for the voice... It was the same cry that he heard days ago... The voice which made him pick her up and take her with him! He looked back and saw her there... His little angel was lying in the same cradle in which he left her... She had now stopped crying... And was smiling looking at him... He ran to her an picked her up... His eyes shedding tears... He hugged her tight but delicately so as not to the hurt the precious soul... He separated her and looked at her face... While she was looking at his tears... With a soft touch she wiped a tear that had just slipped his left eye... And seeing her gesture another tear slipped his right one...
               Gaining his sences back in a while he looked around to see how she reached here! When he found a lady standing holding the cradle... She was a middle aged lady and looked very poor by her appearance

ACP - App kon hai? Aur isse yaha kyu layi hai?

Lady - Ji mai iss bachchi ki dai hu! Iska khayal rakhna meri zimedari thi... Lekin ajj se yeh appki amanat hai... Iss bachchi ka koi nahi hai sahab! Jo isse pyar karte the woh iss duniya mai nahi rahe aur jo hai woh isse pyar nahi karte... Na jane kitne dushman hai iss masoom ke... Unn sab ka samna yeh akeli nahi kar sakti... Kisi par vishwas nahi hai mujhe... Kisi par bhi nahi... Sab dushman hai iske! Uss orphanage tak bhi pohch jayege woh log isse marne... Iski raksha apke alawa koi nahi kar sakta! Bas itna yaad rakhiyega sahab ki agar apne bhi iska saath chod diya na toh yeh bachchi iss duniya ko hi chodne pe majbor ho jayegi!
                       *Flashback ends*

ACP - Aur phir maine ne uss bachchi ko adopt kar liya

             There was pin drop silence in the house... Team didn't know how to react... What to say and what not to say... When Salunkhe sir gathered courage and said...

Salunkhe - Ab kaha hai woh?

Prayduman - USA mai... Agle hafte wapis aa rahi hai

Salunkhe - Tumhe bees saal lag gaye hume yeh batane mai? Ya phir ajj bhi sirf isliye bataya hai kyuki woh wapis aa rahi hai aur tum iss baat ko aur chupa nahi sakte the!?

Prayduman - (shocked at his words) Nahi yaar... Mere paas bhi ek wajh thi yeh baat na batane ki!

Abhijeet - Aisi bhi konsi wajh thi sir ki app ne itni badi baat humse chupayi?

Prayduman - Woh... Woh mai tum logo ko nahi bata sakta

Daya - Bata nahi sakte? (With a painful smile) Koi baat nahi sir... Agar hume apke bare mai janne ka haq bhi nahi hai toh hum nahi puchege!

Prayduman - Nahi Daya aisi baat nahi

Abhijeet - (cutting in between) Hum chalte hai sir... Bohot late ho gaya hai... Thank you for the dinner

               Although ACP sir knew that they would react like this he was hurt... But he knew that they were hurt too... This team wasn't only a team but instead was a family... Where no one hid anything from the other... Even the smallest of the happenings were shared... But he hid such a huge thing from them... He deserved their anger, he told himself... But he had a reason for hiding this... What? He could not reveal
__________________________________________

*New York City 10:30 pm*

             On a huge LED screen ACP sir's photo was flashing... It was actually a wall covered with different LED TVs linked together to form a wall out of it... The flshing photo indicating video call from ACP sir... A helper came and picked up the call... And went inside to call Arya... Meanwhile Da maa came there to talk to him...

Da maa - Namaste sahab

ACP - Namaste... Woh Arya nahi aayi?

Da maa - Apse naraz hai sahab... Kyuki app usse India aane se mana kar rahe hai... Bol rahi thi ki jab tak mai India nahi pauch jati woh apse baat nahi karegi!

ACP - Hmm... Toh lawyer madam gussa ho gayi hai! Koi nahi... Abhi manate hai usse... Hai kaha woh?

Da maa - Apne kamre mai hai... Helper ne bata toh diya hai ki apka phone aaya hai... Lekin woh bahar nahi aayi... Matlab mu phula kar baithi hogi!

ACP - Ok... Jara uske room ke speaker se connet karna

             Da maa did as he said and now Arya could hear whatever he was saying...

ACP - Arya?

             She was sitting on ger bed... Folding her legs and holding them with with her hands... Hearing his voice she turned her head to the opposite side as if he was sitting in front of her! Although he couldn't see her but still ACP sir knew what she just did... A father he was... And he knew every reaction of his daughter...

ACP - Muh pher lene se awaz aana band nahi ho jayegi!

Arya - Huh!

ACP - ARNU beta suno na!

Arya - Don't use this name! Apko pata hai then i cannot stay angry on you!

ACP - Isiliye toh use kiya!

Arya - Papa! (She said in a complaining tone)

ACP - Acha baba sorry... Tumhe aana hai na India aa jao... Nahi rokta mai tumhe! Kush?

Arya - Sachi?

ACP - You know i don't lie! Chalo ab hall mai toh aao! Video chat karte hai...

Arya - Hmm... Aati hu

            She arrived in the hall and sat on the sofa... Where ACP sir could see her clearly...

Arya - Apne apki team ko bata diya mere bare mai?

ACP - Hmm bata diya...

Arya - How did they react?

ACP - Thode naraz hai... Aur unki narazgi jayaz bhi hai.... Magar dhire dhire unka gussa bhi shant ho jayega... Tumahari tarah gussa naak pe nahi baitha hota na unke!

Arya - Huh! Pata hai mujhe bohot achi hai apki team... Mujhe bhi milna hai unse... Dekhu toh sahi kon hai yeh apke Abhijeet aur Daya... Jinki tarif karte karte app thakte nahi ho!

ACP - Haa mil lena jab idhar aaogi...

Arya - Haa... Mere bade bhai hai na woh dono... Bohot sari demands karugi unse! Aur unhe puri bhi karni padegi!

ACP - Matlab aate hi un dono ko bhi pareshan karna shuru kar dogi!

Arya - Haa (then realizing what he just said)... What do you mean!? Mai aur kisko pareshan karti hu?

ACP - Hai ek bichara ACP... Mumbai CID ka! Victim hai na woh Arnu madam ka!

Arya - Wapis aane do mujhe... Phir batati hu CID Mumbai ke ACP ko ki pareshan karna kya hota hai... Just wait until Arnu returns!

              And the neverending talks of ACP sir's chatterbox went on for long... While a father kept enjoying her talks... Still worried about what will happen when she comes back to India

To be continued...

                And so this chapter ends... With lots of mysterys to follow... Why was baby Arya's life under danger? Who is this Dai ma? What made ACP sir change his decision and adopt the baby girl? Why did ACP sir kept this secret... Even from his own team? All answers will be given... Until then review please!