"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

Chapter 1 - Sunshine

"Put her in here with that rich kid. Both are special brats. We're gonna make millions by blackmailing their parents!" spoke a guy to a woman holding a little five year old girl.

The little girl was sleeping peacefully in her arms.

"Ok, wait here."

The woman took the child to a dimly lit room where a little boy already kept there. He was playing with a small car.

"Hi there! Look I brought you a new friend to play with." the boy looked up at the woman as she slowly put the girl on the bed beside him.

"But why is she sleeping. And what's that in her hand!? Can I play with it? When will she wake up? Will she let me play with it?" the boy asked all the questions in one go. He was filled with curiosity and excitement.

The woman chuckles as she tried to answer all of his quarries. "She was tired of playing, so she fell asleep. And she is holding a musicbox."

"A munibwox?"

"No no... A musicbox."

"A Mu-zzi-ik bo-ox?" The child tried to spell out.

"Hahaha...yes, you almost got it. It plays music when it opens."

"I want to hear! Play it! Play it!"

'Stupid child. I don't have time for this. Boss is waiting.' the woman though I'm irritation.

"Um...It's...It's not mine. It's hers. Tell her to play it when she wakes okay? Bye bye!" saying so, she rushed out of there.

She went out and locked the door from the outside. "Ugh! Troublesome kids. I can do the kidnapping easily. But keeping them entertained is really hard."

"Hahaha... True that." her companion remarked. "Let's go. Boss doesn't like to wait."

#In the room#

"Hey! Hey you!" uttered the kid shaking the little girls shoulder, trying to wake her up.

Her eyes scrunched up from the disturbance. "Nghh.....huh?" she yawned and rubbed at her eyes. Seeing an unfamiliar face, she backed away from him immediately.

"Can I play with that mu-zi-ik box?"

The looked at him confusion. She then saw him eyeing her toy.

"I'll give you my car!" the boy brought his car from the floor and put it on the bed.

She looked at the toy car. Looking at the toy, she could not help but want to play with it.

However  it wasn't hers. Moreover, she was still suspicious of him.

"Look at how it goes! It glows too!" he tempted. The boy sure had some good customer luring skills.

She was fascinated by the car which was glowing, and moved forward to touch it, forgetting her fear of the stranger.

In a few minutes, both were playing with the car, as if they had been friends for long.

That was the beauty of little kids. Hate wasn't a word they had in them, but grew up to be taught to grow in it.

"So now can I play with your toy? Can you make it sing for me? " asked the boy tentatively.

"Okay. Let me play it for you!" said the girl in excitement.

She opened the box and sweet melody flowed from it.

"🎶 Sunshine, you are my sunshine
You make me happy, when skies are grey
You've never noticed, how much I loved you
Please don't take my sunshine away...
Please don't take my sunshine... Away... 🎶 "

"It's just like my mummy singing to me." she spoke with a smile. However, it soon turned to a frown. "I miss mommy. I... I want to go to her." she spoke softly with tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

"Hey don't cry! The big lady said that we can meet our mommys later."

"But.. But I want to be with her now!" shouted the girl, with angry tears flowing.

He covered his ears from the tiny menace. "Ow! Don't shout so loud like a baby." his words only made her cry more. "Stop, stop! Here." he gave her a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

The girl stopped for a minute and looked at the offered item. She sniffed but took the handkie. As she rubbed her face, she turned to glare at him angrily at being called a baby. "I'm five years old! I'm not a baby!"

He smiled in reply. "Really? Me too. But I'm 5 years and 7 months old!" The boy said proudly. "I'm older than you!"

"When will mum be here?" sniffed the girl.

"The lady said later. We can play till then!"

"Mum told me not to play with strangers." she mumbled with a pout.

"But we played together. So we are friends now."

"I don't know your name so we can't be friends." huffed the girl with her childish logic.

"Daddy told me not to tell my name to strangers." he reasoned with his own ethics.

"Then we cannot be friends if I don't know your name!"

"I want to be friends. But I also don't want to disobey my father." he frowned. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him. "Okay! I'll tell you half of my name. You tell me half of yours. Then we will know each other's name, even if it's half. And I won't be completely disobeying me father."

The girl looked at him with narrowed eyes, but nodded with a smile. "And I won't be fully disobeying my mother! Yay!"

"I'm Lak. I said my name. Now tell me yours." said Lak.

"I'm Rag."

"Okay Rag let's play! I want to hear your toy sing once more."

"Okay, I'll play it!" Rag replied happily to her new friend.

#3 hours later#

The two children were so busy in playing with each other that they forgot about the time. Suddenly, the door opened and some police officers barged in.

The officers seemed relieved. "Mr. Maheshwari, Mr. Gagodia here are your kids!" spoke the chief.

Two men came inside...more like rushed inside.

"Ragu! Oh my child! Come here!" he went and hugged the girl.

"Lucky! Thank goodness you're alright." the other man picked up the boy. "Thank you officer."

"It's okay Mr Maheshwari. We are just doing our duty."

"But we would not have been able to find our children without your help. For that, I am forever grateful." the girls father agreed in gratefulness. "Thank you. Thank you so much!"

"I'm happy that we could find them in time Mr. Gagodia, Mr Maheshwari. Now please take then home. We need to inspect this place."

Both parents nodded and proceeded to move out of the room.

"No! I don't want to go! I want to play with my friend!" cried out Rag.

"Leave me! I want to play with Rag!" the boy tried to break free of his father.

"Beta, we need to go home. She's just a stranger. You have many friends at home."

"No! Let me go!" he managed to break free of his father. "Rag!? Rag!" he tried chasing after the girl in her fathers arms. However, they were far and her father was walking too fast for his little legs to reach her.

"Lak! Lak!" Ragini cried but her father wouldn't leave her. As she was struggling to be free, she dropped her music box. She was too busy crying and struggling to break free of her father to notice.

Lak tried hard, but could not reach Rag in time. "No! Don't go! Come back!" he cried. But Mr. Gagodia had already reached his car and started it.

He was about to rush forward, only to be stopped by his father's hold on him.

"Laksh, beta let's go. I'll call all of your friends home if you come. Let's go please. Your mother is really worried about you."

Laksh cried bitterly. He wanted his friend to go with him. He didn't care about the other friends. He wanted his new friend.

As he wailed, he noticed a music box lying on the floor. It was no doubt his friend's. He rushed and picked it up. As he sniffed, he kept looking at it with much thought.

A smile slowly spread out on his lips. 'Don't worry dost. No matter wherever you are, I'll find you. I will find you dost! And then I'll give this back to you!'

"Daddy, I want to keep this."

Mr. Maheshwari wanted to say no, but he knew Laksh wouldn't leave without it. Hence, he just nodded.

#20 years later#

'Where are you now? Do you even remember me? Your Rag?' thought a 25 year old looking at a handkerchief that she had kept since she was a little kid.

"Ragini! Ragini hurry up! You're going to be late!"

'I hope I finally find you one day Lak.' with that, she hid the handkerchief in her diary and left the room.

#At another place#

'Do you still remember me Rag?' thought a boy, holding a music box as it played a tune.

"🎶 Sunshine, you are my sunshine
You make me happy, when skies are grey... 🎶 "

"I promise I will find you, not matter what it takes!"

"But you won't be able to find her if you idle your day in your room Laksh. Lets go already! Or your Swara bhabi will kill me." whined a man, standing outside Laksh's room.

"Hahaha...! I can't believe you Sanky. Sanskar Maheshwari, most successful business man in Delhi. Yet he fears his wife." Laksh teased as he walked towards Sanskar.

Sanskar glared at him and snorted. "Wait till you get married. You'll know then."

"Sanskar! Why are you delaying Laksh with your useless talk?! Lets go!" shouted Swara from the front door.

"Why do always I get blamed and not you?" Sanskar glared at Laksh.

"Because I'm awesome!" with that Laksh ran ahead of Sanskar as Sanskar tried to hit him.

"Bhabi! Help!"

"Sanky!"

"But Swara! I'm innocent."

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To be continued...

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹