"Yaha bhi back door? Ma'am aap pakka do number ka kaam toh nahi karti na?", Asked Sidharth finding Sana opening the back door lock of the bungalow.

Sana glared at him and he lowered his eyes in fear.

"Bahut hosiyaar ho.. ek minute mein pehchaan liya.. Haan, karti hoon.. main burger mein drugs milakar bechti hoon. Agar tumne apni zubaan kisi ke saamne kholi na.. toh goli maar dungi", she gritted her jaws while pointing the nosil at his back.

"Nahi.. nahi bataunga.. meri maa ki kasam. Meri bas ek lauti maa hai jinka khayal mujhe hi rakhna hai. Agar mujhe kuch h..ho gaya toh unka koi sahara nahi hoga.." He gulped in fear and fumbled by lifting both his hands up in air.

"Chalo.. chalo andar..", she said pushing the nosil even harder into his waist.

He stepped in with his hands still up in the air.

"Hilna math.. main lights on karne waali hoon. Agar jyada hosiyaari dikhaane ki koshish kiya na toh tumhara kamar ka kamra bana dungi..", she said.

"Nahi.. nahi karunga..", he said sweating profusely.

She turned on the lights by turning her head but taking it as an opportunity Sidharth turns back and holds both her wrists up and pins to the wall. His body pressed against her, their warm breath touching each other's face and they stare into each other's eyes. An electric sensation ran in both their bodies for a second. He shifts his gaze to her hand and gets shocked to find a carrot instead of gun.

"Carrot?", He says in confusion.

She pulls her wrist from his grip and pushes him away.

"Haan.. main mazaak kar rahi thi.. par yeh jo harkat tumne kiya na woh dubaara kiya toh sach ki goli maar dungi.. samjhe?", She asked

"Hmm.. Sorry ma'am.. main darr gaya tha.. meri ek lauti maa...", He opened his mouth again to repeat the same dialogue.

"Haan haan pata hai tumhaari ek lauti maa hai.. sabki ek lauti maa hi hoti hai..", said Sana.

"Ma'am, itna aalishaan bangla hai aapka par ismein koi samaan kyu nahi hai?", Asked Sidharth looking at the empty hall.

"Aaa.. hmmm.. woh kuch din pehle sab chori ho gaya. Police mein complain kar rakha hai, dekhte hai kab milega.", Said Sana.

"Ab woh waha carpet pe so jao.. main upar apne kamre mein sone jaa rahi hoon.. aur agar upar aane ke liye stair pe ek kadam bhi rakha na toh burglar alarm bajega aur paanch minute mein police aa jaayegi.. aur haan yaad rakhna main apne paas khanjar rakh ke soti hoon..", she warns before walking up the stairs.

"Ma'am agar aapke yaha burglar alarm hai toh choro ne chori kaise ki?", Asked Sidharth curiously.

"Arghhh.. kitna sawaal karta hai.. (she mumbles) woh alarm chori hone ke baad lagaya hai..", said Sana.

"Chori hone ke baad? Par ab churaane ke liye kya hai yaha?", He asked perplexed.

"Rrrr.. Main.. Main hoon na? Mujhse kimti aur kya ho sakti hai iss ghar mein? Aur chori ka samaan agar police ko mil gayi toh phir chori hone se bachaani toh chahiye na?", She asked.

"Hmmm.. ", he hums and she sighs.

"Ab main thakk gayi hoon.. mujhe neend aa rahi hai.. ab ek aur sawaal kiya na toh bomb se udda dungi tumhe..", she scolds. He nods his head to adhere to her instruction. She then walks towards the stairs and he lifts up his hand in air like a school student.

"Ab kya hai?", She asks extremely annoyed.

"Ma'am stairs ki lights on karu aapke liye?", says Sidharth walking towards the switches.

"Nahi..", she screams and he freezes in his place.

"Woh.. woh.. kuch din pehle hi mera aankhon ka operation hua hai toh main jyada roshni se durr rehti hoon. Sirf idhar ka ek light on hoga shaam dhalne ke baad. Kisi bhi aur lights ko haat mat lagaana. Samjhe?", She asks.

"Ji ma'am.. sorry", said Sidharth.

"Hmm.. So jaao ab.. Good night.", She said.

"Good night Ma'am.", He wished and curled up on the carpet supporting his head under his arm.

She went upstairs and using her mobile flashlight, she opened her suitcase and spread the bedsheet on the floor. Lying down on it, she pulled her blanket to sleep by shutting her eyes.

Within 10 minutes, she opened her eyes and sat straight. Walking back downstairs, she saw him curled up and snoring on the carpet. She covered him with her blanket and went back upstairs and slept covering herself with two thin duppattas.

.
.
.

"Good morning Udaas Agnihotri", she wished while walking down the stairs, looking at his unhappy face.

"Huh? Good morning Ma'am. Woh.. mera naam Sidharth hai..", he wished her back standing up from the carpet.

"Pata hai.. Par tumhara udaas sa chehra dekhke mujhe tumhe Udaas bhulaane ka mann karta hai?", She chuckled.

"Nahi.. main woh main udaas nahi tha.. woh.. Ma'am.. ek baat puchu?", He asked.

"Lo.. subah subah questions shuru ho gaye? Pucho..", She said rolling her eyes.

"Laterine kaha hai iss ghar mein?", He asked.

"Huh? Sandaas jaana hai? Yaha se sidha jao aur phir left lo.. Saamne jo white door hai wahi hai.", She said.

He nods his head and goes into the direction but comes back within few seconds.

"Itni jaldi ho gaya?", She asked and he nodded in denial.

"Ma'am waha lota nahi hai. Chor aapka lota bhi le gaya kya?", Asked Sidharth.

"Lota? Woh kya hota hai?", Asked Sana.

"Woh.. woh.. woh bartan jisse karne ke baad dhote hai.", Sidharth explained feeling shy.

"Achcha? Par uske liye faucet hai na?", She said.

"Ji.. woh kya hota hai?", Asked Sidharth.

"Spray jo gun ke jaise hota hai, jisse sheher waale apna pichwaada dhote hai.", Her words made him feel even more shy, he lowered his eyes and looked everywhere else then her eyes.

"Yeh dulhan jaise sharma kyu rahe ho? Gaon mein nal nahi hai kya?", She asks.

"Ji.. Nal hai par usmein paani nahi aata..", he said.

"Hmmm.. woh bhi thik hai.. yaha bhi nahi hota.. bade bade gharon mein water tank hote hai, jisse chal jata hai kaam. Chalo main dikhaati hoon faucet chalana..", she said walking towards the toilet and giving him the demo of using a faucet.

After finishing his nature calls and bathing, he returned to the place where she was seated.

"Ma'am woh.. aapne bataya nahi ki mujhe kya kaam karna hoga.", He asked curiously.

"Hmm.. tumhe iss ghar ka dekhbaal karna hai.. ek baar chori ho gayi hai toh dubara na ho iska dyaan rakhna hai aur ghar ke chote mote kaam karne honge", She said.

"Ji.. main aapke liye breakfast banau?", He asked.

"Hmmm.. kaise banaoge? Kitchen mein koi samaan nahi hai. Mere saath chalo, main tumhe apne restaurant se burger khilaungi.", She said.

"Huh? Ji", he nods.

She opened the back door and inspected the surrounding before stepping out. He looked at her in surprise.

" Woh len-den waale.. bola tha na.. chori ho gayi hai toh.. kuch din ki baat hai..", she said and he nodded his head.

They walk together to the restaurant and she asks him to stay outside before going inside and getting a burger for him.

"Khao isse aur yeh dusra packet dopahar ke liye hai.. waapis ghar jao.. aur ghar ke bahaar ghoomna mat samjhe? Jo karna hai ghar ke andar hi karna thik hai?", She asked

"Okay ma'am (nods) woh.. woh.. main.. woh..", he hesitated to say something.

"Kya hai? Bolo?", She asked.

"Mujhe ghar phone karna tha.. woh mere pass paise..", he looked down feeling mortified.

"Ye lo.. dulhan ki tarah sharmana chhoddo aur kar lo phone..", she said giving her phone to him.

He nods his head happily and calls his mother.

"Maa..", he fumbles.

"Montu.. kaisa hai beta?", She asks.

"Main theek hoon.. aap kaisi ho?", He asks.

"Main bhi theek hoon beta..", she replies.

"Maa.. woh main paise..", he hesitantly wishes to apologise for unable to send her any money.

"Haan beta.. tere paise mil gaye..", She said.

"Paise mil gaye? Par maine toh..", he was taken aback as he had no money to send to her, even the letter to inform her was lost with the wallet.

"Haan.. iss baar tune humesha se jyada paise bheje lagta hai teri tarakki ho gayi hai. Sab paise mujhe mat bheja kar.. apne liye bhi rakh samjhe aur theek se khaana khaana.. bhooka rehke ya apni mann maarke apni maa ko paise math bhejna..", his mother said.

"Haan.. maa.. main rakhta hoon.. bye..", said Sidharth lost in his thought.

"Suno beta..mujhe ek aur lifafa post se aaya.. usmein tumhaare saare identity cards hai..", she said.

"Kya? Maa woh kho gaye the mujhse.. kya aap usko bhej sakti ho post se?", He asked.

"Haan par address?", She asked.

"Main aapko message karunga.. bye", he said before disconnecting

"Kya hua Udaas Agnihotri? Tumhaari ek lauti Maa theek hai?", Asked Sana taking back the phone.

He smiles and nods in agreement. Sana got confirmation that his mother must have received the money order she had sent few days back, hence Udaas Agnihotri was smiling. His smile was blissful and mesmerising. It gave her a kind of contentment and peace.

"Ma'am please meri maa ko aapke ghar ka pata message kar dijiye.. unke paas mere id cards hai jo woh post karengi.. (Sana nods) Bye ma'am.", He said with a bright smile and left the place.

Sana went inside and wore the dino mascot costume to start yet another torturing day in scorching summer.

.
.
.

"Watchman kaka..", called Sidharth to the watchman of the stadium that he had visited few days back.

"Haan.. tum?", The watchman tried recalling.

"Main Sidharth Agnihotri.. mera batua kho gaya tha yaha..", he reminded.

"Arey haan.. tumne apna address nahi diya na? Tumhaare jaane ke baad ek ladki aayi thi.. uske paas tumhara batua tha..", said the watchman.

"Aap usko jaante ho?", Asked Sidharth.

"Nahi.. woh ek Dinosaur ka costume leke gayi thi.", Said the watchman.

"Dino mascot?", Asked Sidharth.

"Haan.. wahi..", said the watchman.

"Meri Lucky Mascot..", muttered Sidharth.

"Kaka, woh kaha milegi kuch pata hai?", He asked.

"Dino burger ke kisi outlet mein milegi shayad..", says the watchman.

"Thank you kaka..", smiled Sidharth and left.

___________________

To be continued.. ❤️❤️

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