Baby Ruhi woke up first before her parents. She looked at her right side to find her mother sleeping with a frown on her forehead. She rolled close to her mother & tried to suck her teat but Madhu's cloth was a barrier to her. She got disappointed & crawled to the other side where her father was sleeping so peaceful. Ruhi tried to woke her father up by poking his cheek with her fingers but he just turned his face to the other side & continued his sleep. She rested her head on his chest & started singing "pa...pa..aa..." she lifted her head to see her dad still in deep sleep. The poor kid tried all her tricks but failed miserably in seeking her parents attention. Ruhi stood up on the bed with her wobbly legs & straddled over her dad's torso. Then she started slapping her dad with her hand to wake him up but he just groaned without opening his eyes, he picked Ruhi in one hand & placed her down on the floor from the bed. Ruhi started crying loudly for being thrown out of her bed.

"Ruhi!" Madhu startled awake hearing her baby girl's ear piercing cry. She panicked when she couldn't find her on the bed but hearing her sound coming from down, she relaxed a bit but still she wanted to know the reason for her cry. Did she fell off of the bed? But how? Rk was sleeping at the other end then no way she could have rolled off the bed.

Madhu clambered out of the bed & rushed to Ruhi's side & picked her up in her arms & consoled her to stop crying.

"What happened, Baby? Why are you crying? Are you hungry?" Madhu asked but Ruhi kept crying pointing her hand at her sleeping dad. Now, Madhu was sure that he was the reason for her tears.

"Rk! Wake up" Madhu shook Rk rudely. Rk sat up on the bed disoriented.

"What? What's wrong?" He asked seeing his baby girl sobbing.

"Did you put her down?" Madhu asked.

"Huh?"

"She was sleeping with us on the bed but when I woke up she was crying, sitting on the floor. Did you pick her up & put her down on the floor?"

"Oh! So it was she who kept disturbing me when I was sleeping? I felt some weight on my chest so I picked the weight off & gently placed down on the floor." he stressed the word 'gently' to tell her that he didn't throw or put her down like a mere thing.

Madhu glared at him angrily.

"Baby, come here, sweetie..." Rk extended his hand for Ruhi & she immediately pounced into his arms happily forgetting her cry. Madhu was astonished by Ruhi's act. She was never a cry baby but since she met her dad she was crying always. May be she realized her tears had a profound effect on her father.

"Ruhi, come lets play in water." She stretched her hands for her but she was busy playing with her dad.

"Why play in water? She will catch cold." Rk reasoned.

"I am going to give her a bath."

"Oh! I see." Rk nodded his head in understanding. "Come, I will also see how my baby girl takes her bath." Rk said in an excited tone & followed Madhu.

"Give her to me" Madhu asked after filling the water in Ruhi's little bath dub.

"You tell the procedure, I will do" Rk said with a sweet smile really wanting to do something for his girl.

"Peel her off..."

"What?"

"Remove her cloths. I know you could manage that." Madhu said in a sarcastic tone. Peeling a girl off her cloths was one challenge Rk enjoyed the most! Madhu thought, twisting her lips in disgust.

"Okay" Rk placed Ruhi on his lap & gently unzipped her frock & then took it off of her body.

"She is so pale... so soft... & so thin..." Rk whispered.

Madhu ignored him & ordered him to remove Ruhi's diaper.

"Eewww..." Rk made a face hearing that & passed Ruhi to Madhu. Ruhi hugged her mother tightly & turned her face away from her dad.

"Um... Madhu... I have an urgent call to make regarding today's shoot so will you please continue." Rk made an excuse. Madhu shook her head in a way saying he was hopeless. Then Rk hurriedly scrambled out of the bathroom, while Madhu very patiently removed Ruhi's dirty diaper & cleaned her before immersing her in her bath tub to play in water.

After few minutes, guessing the cleaning work would have been over, Rk poked his head again into the bath to see Ruhi splashing water at her mother & Madhu giggling, played with her kid. He felt so happy to see Madhu giggle & smile at the baby. She was so devoted & every ounce of her happiness was with the child.

"Hey, baby girl" Rk called sweetly & knelt beside her bathtub. Ruhi, stopped playing & stared at her dad amusing, then ignored him & smiled sweetly at her mother. Even Madhu was surprised seeing Ruhi's rather less enthused behaviour.

"Ruhi, baby..." Rk called her sweetly. Ruhi splashed water on his face.

"Ruhi!" Rk tried to take hold of her hand but she got scared with his loud voice & moved close to her momma & clung to her.

Then Madhu took Ruhi off the bathtub & draped her with a towel & walked out of the bathroom leaving a stunned Rk on the floor.

"You are not leaving?" Madhu asked.

"No... I canceled my days shoot. I would like to spend some more time with Ruhi." He said hesitantly.

"Why, Rk? What do you want? Why can't you let us both live in peace?"

"I don't want anything from you, Madhu."

"Then why are you still in my house?"

"Madhu... I don't know what I want or what I am doing... Its just... Its just I couldn't... I want Ruhi, Madhu"

Madhu looked at him wide eyed as she clutched her baby girl close to her chest.

"No! No! I won't give her. Ruhi is my life." She said frantically & took a step backward.

"Please, Rk. I don't have the strength to fight against the mighty you." She pleaded him as tears stung in her eyes.

"Madhu, I promised you that I won't take her away from you. I just said I want Ruhi... I want to be a part of her life." Rk explained but frowned at him in confusion."I know Ruhi needs both her parents..."

"No! She doesn't. Till you showed your face, I was her father & mother & I can be her everything till my last breathe."

"Madhu, I know you can be her everything... but please, don't snatch away my right. I am her father."

"Don't forget, you asked me to abort this child" Madhu reminded him. He lowered his head in shame. Yes, he indeed asked so.

Then Madhu quickly dressed Ruhi in a cotton top & shorts & took her along with her to the kitchen to prepare her food.

"Madhu, give her to me. I will hold her till you prepare her food." Rk asked following them to the kitchen. Madhu reluctantly agreed & tried to pass her to him but Ruhi circled her arms around her momma's neck tightly not letting her go.

"Madhu you put her down, I will pick her up. She won't come to me as long as she is in your arms." Rk said when his daughter refused to go in his hands. Madhu reluctantly settled her down on the floor but Ruhi hid herself behind her momma's legs.

"Ruhi, baby, come here, Papa will get you chocolates." Rk said & forcefully picked her in his hands but Ruhi struggled to get out of his hold.

"I am sorry, darling but I don't know why you are mad at me" Rk apologized to his little girl & kissed her head. After few seconds Rk felt something wet on his shirt.

"Shit! What have you done, Ruhi?" Rk shouted when Ruhi pee on his shirt. Ah! She took her revenge for not removing her diaper or clean her. He felt so disgusted of cleaning her & now she made him dirty. Seeing Ruhi's act, Madhu started laughing but Ruhi whimpered for getting scolding.

"Rk! She is just a baby so don't shout at her." Madhu scolded him after composing herself.

"Am... Sorry!" Rk said to Madhu & then looking down at Ruhi he murmured his apology. Ruhi grinned showing her front two little teeth. Rk's heart melted seeing his baby girl grin with childish mischief.

Right then Rk got a call from his P.A Bittu Sharma.

Cursing under his breath he attended his call, "Tell me, Bittuji"

"Chief, did you see today's newspaper?"

"No! I didn't see today's newspaper yet. Why?" Rk asked casually as he knew it would be yet another rumor about him & his latest heroines. Out of curiosity, Madhu quickly grabbed the newspaper & on the very first page itself the headline was given in bold letters. Her eyes widen in shock seeing Ruhi in Rk's arms but gladly she was not there in the picture. They might have taken the picture while she was wandering around the shop looking for cloths for herself when Rk was busy buying all the pink frocks for Ruhi.

"Superstar Rk caught in a Mall with a Doll" Bittuji read the caption of the news for him.

"What nonsense is this, Bittuji?"

"Chief, yesterday some nosy paparazzi took a photo of yours with a small kid in your hands & they all wanted to know who was the little girl?"

"Ignore them, Bittuji, within few days this news will boil down to nothing." Rk said in a disinterested tone.

"Okay, Chief. By the way, Do you know the baby?"

"Yes, She is my daughter" Rk replied proudly & cut the call not bothering to answer further & then he kissed Ruhi's cheek who was busy playing with his gold neck chain.

"Madhu, give me. I will feed her. You make breakfast for us" Rk ordered coolly as if owns her & her place. Madhu glares at him but he ignored her & took the bowl of food & walked to the living room.

"Madhuuu... Madhuuu..." Rk shouted for her from the after two minutes.

"What?" Madhu rushed to him wondering what happened to Ruhi.

"See, she is not eating." He complained when Ruhi just spit out the food when he force fed her.

"She doesn't like the food. Go get her something tasty."

"This is what she eats daily in the morning"

"This crap? It tastes yuck!" Rk made a disgust face.

"You tasted it?" Madhu asked.

"Yep! There is no sugar or salt. It tastes so bland."

"Sorry, Mr. Rishab kundra, this is not your dal, roti, chicken and scotch to taste too good. Its porridge & good for her health." She mocked him.

"But then why she is not eating?"

"My smart girl never takes anything from outsider's hand"

"I am her father not an outsider." Rk grunted.

"That she doesn't know."

"Then why the hell she called me 'Papa'?"

"She just said that word but didn't call you."

"No! There is strange bond between us. She loves me & that's why she loves being with me." Rk argued.

"Rk, I have work to do so just give her to me. I will feed her & then go continue my work."

Rk looked at Ruhi who was playing with a spoon, sitting on top of a glass table with her legs stretched out.

"Ruhi, baby, I am your Papa so you will eat if I feed you right?" Rk asked pleadingly. Ruhi smiles showing her dimples & nodded her head.

Rk took the spoon from her & fed her slowly.

"See? She is eating"

"That's because you pleaded her. My daughter will never take orders. She may or may not consider requests & you are lucky she considered your request & let you feed her this time but I don't think she will let you feed her next time."

"Oh really? So like her dad. Never takes orders from anyone. Cool! I love you, baby" Rk said proudly & kissed Ruhi's head.

Madhu shook her head & went back to the kitchen to make breakfast for Rk & herself.

"Eat!" Madhu passed the plate to him.

"What's it?" He asked. "Egg white omelet & toast. Great!"

"Wow! This omelet taste damn good! I never knew you know to cook."

Madhu didn't bother to respond to any of his comment.

Her eyes kept on following every move of Ruhi. Rk noticed Madhu smiling sweetly at Ruhi but her eyes were filled with sorrow. He felt bad about that when he knew he was responsible for her sadness. To divert his thoughts Rk took the TV remote & switched on the TV. Ruhi rushed to the TV screen hearing some sound coming from it but her wobbly legs gave away & she fell down but didn't get hurt.

"Ruhi!" Madhu dropped her plate & rushed to pick her up. Ruhi was actually quiet but when her mother panicked & started crying, the baby girl too pretended to cry but not even a single drop of tear came out of her eyes.

"Did you get hurt, baby?" Madhu asked as she rubbed Ruhi's knees.

"Madhu, she just fell down & she didnt get hurt then why are you crying?" Rk asked placing his hand on her shoulder in a way to comfort her & she shrugged off his hand & wiped her tears then placed Ruhi back down on the floor for her to play with her 'building block'

After a minute, Rk resumed his position & started eating while he flipped the channels.

Then he paused on a music channel & placed the remote back on the table.

"Hey dhin tadaak dhin tadaak

Aaja ud ke saraat

Pairon se bedi zara khol

Nagada sang dhol baaje, dhol baaje

Dhaayn dhaayn dhum dhum dhaayn

Nagada sang dhol baaje, dhol baaje

Dhaayn dhaayn dhaayn dhum dhaayn"

Hearing that song play on the TV, Madhu's whole body stiffens & her eyes started brimming with tears as the past association with that song & the event which took place after that all rushed back to her memory. Rk quickly took the remote & switched off the TV.

"Madhu..." Rk called her softly. She didnt look up at him but tightly pressed her lips to control her sob.

"I think you need some space. I will leave you alone for sometime." Rk said & took Ruhi in his arms & started walking out but Madhu was completely lost in her thought to hear what he said. Only hearing Ruhi loud cry, she looked up to find her daughter with Rk & he was taking her somewhere.

"Ruhi!" Madhu called her name & rushed to her.

"Give my child to me." She rudely snatched her away from him.

"Madhu, relax. I am not taking her away from you. I will just show her my house & play with her for sometime & bring her back by this evening."

"No need for all that."

"You are disturbed, Madhu. You need some time."

"I need my Ruhi. Only her. You just leave my house & I will be fine."

"Madhu..."

"Please!" She pleaded looking down at his shoes.

"Okay!" Rk agreed, then he stepped forward but Madhu moved backward.

"I love you, Ruhi" he said to his baby girl & kissed her forehead. He looked at Madhu but she didn't look at him so he turned & walked out of her house.

"Ruhi! My Ruhi!" Madhu clutched her baby girl & kissed Ruhi on her forehead right on top where Rk had kissed her.

... To be Continued!!!

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