Heya!!

Hope you all are well!

Happy reading.

Any suggestions and criticisms welcomed. I'll surely try to work them out.

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Chapter 4

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Next morning.

Avni was busy doing work in the kitchen. Sirat came there walking lazily.

Sirat: good morning avni... Soi nahi thi kya?

Avni recalled her night which was again a sleepless one.

Avni: nahi acche se soi thi main... Accha tu woh sab chhod aur yeh sun maine breakfast bana diya hai baccho ka... Unki Aaj chutti hai to sabka favorite banaya hai..

Sirat nods.

Avni: mujhe aaj Mr. Goenka ki party ki tyari karni hai... Isse pehle unki wife ke saath sari theme discuss karni hai... Tu apna aur sab ka khyaal rakhna..

She was hurriedly wrapping up her work.

Sirat nods her head at her disbelieving.

Sirat: avn...

Avni: neilanjana.. Naam hai mera...

Sirat: okay... Neilanjana ji... (Stressing each word) Tu bhi to breakfast karle.. Aur

Avni: haan maine toast le liya hai... Raste mein kha loongi aur yeh file na smart ko de dena... Almost khatam ho gyi hai...

Sirat wanted to say something but avni left without giving her a chance to say.

Sirat: yeh ladki pata nahi kis baat ki saza de rahi hai khud ko... (Sighs)

Saon it was nearly afternoon. Avni was still busy with her work.

Samrat jiya and Mowgli (random kids from sukoon house) sneaked out of the house and went outside to enjoy.

Samrat was the eldest 18 years while mowgli was the youngest 8 years old.

Samrat: jiya humein aise nahi aana chahiye tha... Jaan didi gussa karengi...

Jiya: offo samrat tum bhi na baccho se bhi gye guzre ho... Kitna darte ho jaan didi se... Kuch nahi hoga...

They were wandering here and there when they lost their way.

Jiya: ab yaha se kaha jaana tha?

Samrat: oh no... Mujhe to is jagah ke baare mein pata hi nahi hai... Ab hum wapis kase jaayenge?

Jiya: phone pe map mein daal do na...

Samrat: phone laane se kisne mana kiya tha? Tumne....

Jiya: kya ab hum kya karenge... Mowgli Tu darna mat...

She looked for Mowgli but he was no where to be seen.

Samrat: yeh Mowgli kaha chala gya? Jaan didi ko kya jawab denge hum?

Jiya: oh no... Ab kya?

They were looking here and there for Mowgli just when they saw him standing in the centre of the road trying to free a puppy from wires it was struck. He didn't notice a truck approaching him in full speed.

Jiya and samrat began shouting

Samrat: Mowgli hatt ja...

But he was not able to listen.

Jiya: Mowgli....

The truck was very near. Samrat and jiya shut their eyes fearing while Mowgli was frozen looking at the truck. Before he could react he was pulled up by strong arms.

A man rolled on the road with Mowgli securely held in his arms.

Samrat and jiya rushed to him.

Mowgli started crying hugging jiya..

Samrat: Tu theek hai na Mowgli? Aur aap?

He turned to the man who was now dusting his clothes while standing up.

His face is shown it was Neil. He was fine but got a scratch on his elbow.

Neil: (to Mowgli) hey tum theek ho? (Concerned)

Mowgli: (hiccupping) haan...

Jiya: thank you very much sir.. Agar aaj aap nahi hote to...

Neil: it's okay... Par tum bacche yaha akele kya kar rahe ho?

Jiya: woh actually hum log kho gye hai...

Neil: huff... Okay... Chalo mere saath I'll drop you...

Jiya and Mowgli nods and started going behind them.

Samrat: (holding her hand) tumhe pata hai na jaan didi ne mana kiya kisi stranger ke saath jaane se...

Jiya: par woh stranger thode hai...

Mowgli: haan unhone to meri help ki na...

Samrat: lekin phir bhi...

Neil stopped when he saw none of the three was walking.

Neil: kya hua hai?

Jiya: woh kuch nahi... Yeh samrat bhi na bas... Aap Chaliye hum bhi aate hai...

Neil nods all the three of them settled in his car.

Neil: so jana kaha hai aapko?

Mowgli: sukoon house..

Neil: sukoon house... Woh to orphanage hai na...

(One thing that sukoon house is quite famous in kashid as it is also known for helping poors too.)

Jiya: haan hum sab orphans hi to hai...

Neil felt a pain in his heart looking at them.

He silently drove to sukoon house.

Door bell ringed.

Sirat opened the door only to find samrat jiya and Mowgli standing there with heads bowed down.

She saw a man standing with them at the doorstep.

Sirat: tum sab kaha the? Aur aap? (Frown)

Samrat: sira didi woh... Hum bas ghoomne gye the...

Jiya: haan sirat didi.. Humein andar to aane dijiye... Inko to chot bhi aayi hai....

Sirat looked at Neil and then at the bruise...

She nods and got all four of them inside.

Sirat: mowgli sach sach bolo...

Mowgli told everything to her.

Sirat shot an angry glare to the kids she turned to Neil.

Sirat: thank you sir... Agar aap na hote to pata nahi..

Neil: it's absolutely okay... Yeh to mera farz tha..

Sirat: samrat jaa jaake first aid leke aa...

Samrat got the first aid box and did Neil's dressing.

Sirat: main aapke liye coffee laati hoon...

Neil just sat there looking at the surroundings.

SUKOON HOUSE was written in bold letters on the front wall.

Neil: (in mind) yaha sach mein kitna sukoon hai.. (Smiles) shayad isiliye is ghar ke bacche itna khush rehte hai...

Sirat came with the coffee...

Neil: thanks... Kya main ek baat puch sakta hoon?

Sirat: ji...

Neil: aapne is jagah ka naam sukoon house kyu rakha?

Sirat: (smiles) maine nahi... Meri friend matlab jo iski owner hai usne rakha... Kahani to main nahi bata sakti par itna zarur keh sakti hoon ki kisi angel ne uski zindagi sudhari thi... Badle aur negativity se bahar nikala tha usko... Wahi sab woh in baccho ke saath karna chahti hai... Main to yaha as a helper kaam karti hoon...

Neil smiled.

He thinks something and soon left after donating some money and giving her his card.

Neil: kabhi bhi zarurat pade to zarur bataana... (Smiles)

Sirat smiled.

As he drives off in the car avni's rickshaw stops behind it.

Avni: (in mind) yeh car...

She went inside.

Avni: sirat koi aaya tha kya? Woh gaadi?

Sirat looked at jiya and Mowgli who signed her not to tell.

Sirat: nahi woh to bas donations ke aaye the...

Avni: okay... (In mind) aaj phir Neil itna kareeb mehsoos hua mujhe... (Sighs)

She went to her room.

Neil reached hotel room DD was already waiting for him

DD: Neil bhai kaha chale gye the aur yeh.. Chot kaise aayi

Neil: Arrey kuch nahi woh bas...

He told him everything.

Neil: pata nahi kyu DD par is jagah pe na ek ajeeb sa sukoon hai... Mujhe wajah nahi pata.. Lekin aacha hai jo bhi hai... (Smiles)

DD: (in mind) Neil bhai ko batane se pehle mujhe khud sure hona padega ki avni bhabhi kaha hai?

Neil: Main kal ek party mein jaa raha hoon tum bhi ana...

DD: nahi mujhe sunheri ke saath rehna hoga... Aap enjoy karna...

Neil nods

DD: (in mind) asal mein main bhabhi ke baare mein jaan na chahta hoon...

DD: accha main chalta hoon aap aram karo...

Neil nods and went to bed.

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Precap: avneil at party.

Take care.
❣️❣️