"Mumma!" Kukki called again and ran out the maintenance room.

Prerna ran towards where she heard the child's voice and stopped in her tracks when she saw Kukki run towards her. The little girl smiled as she stopped next to her and Prerna sat down.

"Ph-phir se bolo?" She asked, as if she had heard wrong.

"Mumma, ice cream chalein?" Kukki innocently asked.

Prerna cried and stroked the girl's face before she pulled her into a tight hug. Even the house workers had surrounded them now.

"Aap, aap ne mujhe mumma kaha?"

Kukki nodded. "Toh aap meri mumma hi ho na? Actually, pari mumma. Kyunki real mumma nahi hai na. Woh chali gayi," before she could get sad, Kukki smiled. "Lekin phir aap aa gayi!"

Prerna laughed and nodded. "Hmm. Abh main aa gayi hoon. Aur abh Kukki bilkul thik ho gayi hai!"

"Baby, aap, aap ne konsa khana khaana hai? Aap bolo na. Main sara banae gi," Mrs. Briganza asked to hear Kukki's voice.

"Baby, aapko ice cream khaane jaana tha na? Aap bolo kidhar jaane ko hai, main leke jaata hoon!"

Kukki laughed at everyone being eager to hear her speak.

"Main sir ko phone karun?" One of the managers asked.

"Nahi!" Prerna shouted, and cleared her face as she got up. "Nahi. Mr. Bajaj ko koi nahi batae ga. Hum papa ko surprise dete hain, what do you think, Kukki?"

Kukki smiled and nodded her head side to side but Prerna shook her head. "Nahi. Abh yeh silent treatment nahi chale ga. Now Kukki has to talk, hai na? Toh, phir. Papa ko surprise dein?"

"Yes!" Kukki cheered and raised her arms for Prerna to pick her up. "Now ice cream!!"

Prerna laughed and the driver happily took them to the mall. They had ice cream and got more shopping done, this time with Kukki talking. When they got home, the table was laid full with Kukki's favorite dishes. The servants hung about again to hear her as much as possible.

Kukki was a chatterbox all night, except when Rishabh called for her bedtime. Rishabh face timed and Kukki continued her mute behavior to not spoil the surprise. It was raining that night, and Rishabh made her be a big brave girl for her mumma, and told her he would be home by the morning.

After the call, Kukki couldn't sleep with the thunderstorm outside, no matter what Prerna said. And then Prerna got an idea.

"Aapko thunder se dur lag raha hai na?" Prerna pulled Kukki in her lap. "Aapko pata hai ghar mein sabse ziyada safe room konsa hai?"

"Nai," Kukki shook her head.

"Ghar mein sabse safe room, papa ka room hai. Itna bada kamra hai, aur itna bada bed hai, aur uss mein itne ziyada pillows aur blankets hai! Idea: hum pillow fort banayein jaake?!"

"Yay, Pillow house!" Kukki agreed excitedly.

"Lekin Kukki, papa ka room upstairs hai," Prerna reminded her.

Kukki settled down. "Oh."

Prerna comforted Kukki. "Lekin aapko yaad hai na, jabh hum pehli baar mile the, toh main ne aapko mall mein aur road mein save kiya tha!"

"Haan, you got me the toy!" Kukki remembered.

"Toh phir aap mere pe trust karogi? Pari ma aapko kuch nahi hone de gi. Promise," she held out her finger.

"Aapko kuch ho gaya toh?" Kukki worried.

Prerna fake pouted. "Mujhe kuch kiyun hoga? Aur waise bhi, papa subhe tak aa jaaein ge. Aur phir hum saare safe honge, thik hai?"

"Aap mere saath hogi na?"

Prerna hugged Kukki. "Main eik second ke liye bhi dur nahi jaun gi. Abh chalein?"

Kukki nodded and took Prerna's hand as they headed towards the stairs. Staff came out too to support Kukki and keep her company. It took a lot of time, but eventually they made it up to Rishabh's room.

"Wow! Yeh itna big room hai!" Kukki exclaimed as she looked around.

Prerna smiled. "Dekha! Main ne kaha tha na! Aur woh dekho, itna bada bed hai!"

Kukki ran to the bed and started jumping when she noticed the screen across. "Aur itna bada TV bhi hai!"

Prerna laughed and went to sit beside her on the bed. "Hai na? Toh batao, itne bade TV pe konse show dekhein?"

Kukki came and sat tucked beside Prerna as the girls put on cartoons and movies to watch. They didn't watch the clock, and kept on watching as long they were awake. Prerna had the curtains drawn, so Kukki couldn't see the weather, and they couldn't see the time.

Rishabh and team had arrived at the airport but Rishabh's driver wasn't there.

"Sir, main aap ko drop kar deta hoon," Mehta offered.

Rishabh agreed. He was tired and longing to see his daughter. At the mansion, guards greeted him, but the house was eerily quiet. Rishabh left his stuff for the manager to put away and headed towards Kukki's room.

The room was empty.

Rishabh came back out confused. Prerna hadn't told him she was out.

"Everything alright, Mr. Bajaj?" Mehta asked.

Rishabh looked around. "Haan, bus, Kukki nazar nahi aa rahi."

His confusion was answered when he heard screams from upstairs. Screams? From upstairs? Rishabh ran as fast as he could. This was one of the deepest fears Mr. Business Shark had.

"Kukki?" He screamed, heading towards his room. He got there, and his door was locked, He started banging.

That only made the screams worse.

"Kukki, it's papa! Prerna, aap unther hai?!"

Prerna and Kukki were watching a cartoon movie when a scary scene came up. Kukki screamed, and then the door started banging, making them more scared. But then she heard Mr. Bajaj's voice and shushed Kukki.

"Aayi!" Prerna ran to the door and unlocked it.

She found a razzled Rishabh on the other side. Rishabh pushed his way inside and saw Kukki tucked in his bed, hiding under the blanket. He was pissed.

"Ms. Sharma yeh kya hai!? Aap Kukki ko upar kaise le aayin?! There is a reason ke uska room first floor pe hai. If anything has happened, aapko mujhe phone karna chahiye tha!" Rishabh accused Prerna of being careless and scolded her.

"Mr. Bajaj," Prerna tried to interject.

"Aap yahan sirf eik reason ke liye hain, Ms. Sharma. Aur main ne aapki life mein problems sirf is liye dali hain taqe aap Kukki ka khayal rakh sakein. Agar aap yeh responsibility nahi utha sakti to..."

"Papa!"

Rishabh shut up. He could've been talking to the queen and he would've fallen silent. He couldn't even see Prerna standing in front of him anymore.

Kukki came over and pulled on his pant, redirecting his attention. "Mumma ko yell nahi karo!"

Rishabh squatted down to her level. "Phir se kaho?"

Kukki beamed. "Welcome home, papa!" She hugged him.

Rishabh couldn't hold back and hugged her tightly. Holding her, he got up to face Prerna.

"When did this happen?"

"Surprise?" Prerna shrugged.

"Best surprise ever!" Rishabh kissed Kukki's head.

"Did you bring presents?" Kukki asked.

"Of course. Let's see." He put her down and went out to get his stuff that the staff had brought up. They sat in the hall chairs while Rishabh opened his bags.

"Main doonga, lekin aik condition hai," he held out his hands and Kukki placed her hands. "Aap papa ko kabhi silent treatment nahi do gi. Deal? You can be mad at me, but abh aap chup nahi reh sakti. Good?"

"Good! Presents!" Kukki rushed and Rishabh laughed as he handed out all the presents he got.

Kukki was excited to see all the things she got. She smiled at Prerna to show them to her. "And mumma ke liye?"

Rishabh looked up at Prerna. "Laya hoon. Lekin jo gift mumma ne mujhe diya hai, uss se better koi gift nahi ho sakta."

"What did you get mumma?"

"Hmm? Oh, I got her this," Rishabh pulled out a narrow box out of his bag and opened it to reveal a bracelet.

"Wow it's so pretty. Put it on mumma!" Kukki excitedly asked.

Rishabh turned to Prerna. "May I?"

Prerna smiled and extended her arm. "Sure."

Rishabh took her hand and wrapped the diamond bracelet around her wrist.

"Pretty!" Kukki oohed.

"Hai na? Bohot khubsoorat hai. Thank you, Mr. Bajaj."

Rishabh smiled as he got up. "Don't mention it."

"Papa! Nani ghar jaye!"

"Kukki, papa abhi aaye hai. Thora rest karne do."

"No, it's okay. Let's go."