CID team was searching for Meera's parents. In every police station of the city they had sent Meera's photo and details but there was no missing report filed which matched Meera's profile. The officers didn't show but they were quite worried about her. Here also Suraj and Pankaj tried to give some wrong information and distract the officers but as usual they got caught by Rajat. This time Rajat warned them that if any of them tries to destroy any evidence or give any wrong information he would get them suspended.
On the other side both Tarika and Meera got attached to each other too much. But still she couldn't give them any information about her family or how she had reached at the beach as she had no idea about that.
About two weeks had passed since Meera was staying with Tarika. Meera loved to paint and watch was now very much comfortable with the CID officers and specially Abhijit, ACP and Freedy. She didn't like dear old Dr Salunkhe very much cause she saw him scolding at Abhijit for flirting on Tarika. After a few days in the evening Shreya, Abhijit, Purvi, Vineet, Rajat and Freedy came to Tarika's house to visit her and meet Meera. They stayed there for sometimes. During their visit Rajat carefully put a piece of paper in Purvi's purse, Purvi didn't see but Vineet did and shook his head slightly which no one noticed. Shreya and Meera enjoyed a lot cause Shreya was also very good at painting and Freedy, he was making the little girl laugh so hard that her stomach began to ache. Tarika was making some light meal for them and Abhijit was trying to help her but he was disturbing her more than helping. She thought to ask him to sit outside with others but seeing his excitement remained quite.
Tarika was making "Paneer Pakora". She asked Abhijit to bring her the pot of salt but as he couldn't cook and didn't know the differences between salt and sugar pot, gave her the sugar pot. Tarika was in a hurry so she didn't notice that it was the wrong pot. About ten minutes later she finished preparing the meal and served it with chilli sauce. Abhijit was already at the living room and he took the first piece and first bite. For a second he tried to grasp what was wrong with the taste of the pakoras and all of a sudden he understood that he gave the wrong pot to Tarika. He bit his lips. Till then Rajat and Shreya also had those pakora's.
"Ye pakora hai?", Shreya asked, frowning. "Haan! Kyun?" Tarika said kneeling beside Meera on the carpet. "Abhijit sir apki madat kar rahe the na?" Rajat asked. Tarika looked upon him straight and gave a nod,"Haan! Kya hua?" Shreya and Rajat looked at each other and smiled a bit. "Tabhi toh itna meetha bana hai", Shreya said and both burst into laughter. Tarika looked at Abhijit, confused. She also took a bite and looked at Abhijit angrily. She took the plate and went inside the kitchen. Abhijit followed her in a hurry and all the officers laughed themselves. "Lagata hai Abhijit sir ko shakkar aur namak ka fark nahi pata", Freedy laughed, "Meri wife né toh shaadi ki baad mera kaan pakar pakar ke samjhaya tha". All of them again laughed listening to him.
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In the kitchen Tarika bent down to throw all the pakoras in the bin while Abhijit came in and snatched the plate from her hand. "Abhijit plate wapas karo", she said angrily. "Pehle meri baat suno phir phekna",he told her.
"Kya sunu", she frowned. "Shakkar aur namak ka fark nahi pata tumhe?"
"Mujhe khana bana na kaha ata hai?" he said to defend himself.
"Abhijit tumne meri saari mehnat pe paani pher die hai. Ab main inn logon ko kya du? Aur ab khud ki safai de rahe ho!" she exclaimed.
"Areh yaar! kaha tha na ki shaadi ki baad sikh jaunga", he said.
This was an unexpected reply for her and she blushed and lowered her chin. Abhijit put the plate aside on the counter and took a few steps towards her. "Sorry Tarika! mujhe sach main pata nahi chala ki wo shakkar...I'm really sorry", he apologized, lowering his head.
"It's okay. I'm also sorry. Mujhe tum pe aise chilla na nahi chahiye tha. Sorry!" she replied.
"Are nahi nahi ! aap ka toh haq hai mujhe pe...mera matlab; mujh pe chilla né ka", he corrected himself and made Tarika shy. She tried to leave from the kitchen quickly. While she was passing him he grabbed her hand and she was surprised. She turned her face to see him and found him looking downwards. She took two steps back and lowered her head to see his face. She put her hand on his cheek and made him look upper.
"Kya hua tumhe? Abh -" he cut her words, "Main né tumhara haath pakra uski liye tumne mujhe kuch nahi kaha". Tarika was shocked and felt that she was frozen. "Tarika!" he said.
"Huh!" she made an indistinct noise.
"Agar main tumhe ye kahu ki 'main tumse pyaar karta hoon' toh tum kya kahogi?", Abhijit asked.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Mai..main bhi shay..yet yahi ka..kahungi", her voice was hardly above whisper and she stammered badly. Abhijit let off her hand and went very close to her and wrapped his arms around her. She also put her head on his chest. There was pin drop silence inside the kitchen. They forgot about their colleagues sitting outside. Suddenly Meera came inside running.
"Aunty...mujhe ice-cream chahiye" she broke the silence. Tarika swiftly pushed Abhijit and stood keeping a little distance between them. "Nahi beta.. aap ko ice-cream nahi milega. Thand lag jayegi", she replied softly.
"Nahi lage giii...pleaseee...with ice-cream on the top", she pleaded. Tarika looked at Abhijit and smiled. "De do na! dekho na kitni pyaar se maang rahi hai", Abhijit suggested. "Nahi Abhijit! mousoom badal raha hai. Aise main ice-cream khayegi toh thandh lag jayegi", she said and bend down her knees in front of Meera and put her hand on her cheek and said, "Chocolate milk du? Wo toh apko bohot pasand hai na?" "Haan! Bohot", Meera yelled with a broad smile on her face and hugged her tightly. Tarika also patted her hair. After about half an hour everyone left.
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After everybody had left she made Meera lie down. And she began humming. Her humming brought sleep on the little girl's wakeful eyes. After she went to sleep Tarika sat on the balcony with a mug of hot coffee. Since Meera came in her life, she changed a lot. She felt the change in herself. May be that is what called "Motherhood". She took a sip from her mug and looked at the stars in the sky.
"Lekin aaj nahi toh kaal toh uski parivaar mil hi jayegi toh...toh main usse itna attached kyun ho rahi hoon?" she asked herself. "Takleef toh mujhe hi hogi. Lekin main iss bacchi ko akele bhi toh nahi chod sacti na!" She put her hand on her forehead and took a deep breath. The moments she and Meera had spent together float before her mind's eye. She looked up and closed her teary eyes and tear drops fell into the mug in her hand. She put the mug on the table and went near the railing and stood there for a while.
After a while her phone rang. She saw the name, it was Abhijit. She picked up the call. "Hello! Abhijit sab thik toh hai na? Itni raat ko phone kiya!" she exclaimed. "Ek minute ek minute! Kya main raat ko tumhe phone bhi nahi kar sacta?" she asked. "Nahi wo..tum kabhi aise raat main call nahi karte ho na...iss liye", she replied. "Agar main aaj se tumhe har raat call karoon toh?" Abhijit said in flirty tone. Tarika suddenly felt really shy remembering the incident which took place in the evening. "Mujhe koi problem nahi hai", her voice was a little higher than whisper. They kept talking...they talk for a long time about many stupid things, emotions and a lot more.
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"Mujhe pata hai Tarika ye tumhari liye bohot mushkil hoga lekin ushe uski mata pita ki paas jaana toh ek din tha hi na?" ACP tried to comprehend Tarika.
Meera was from from Pune. She got kidnapped about a month ago. While the kidnappers went to take the ransom from Meera's parents the police caught them red-handed but Meera was lost. The previous night Pune police called and informed that Meera was the same girl who was lost three weeks back.
When ACP and all the other officers were saying that she should give Meera back to her biological parents she lowered her head and sighed. The thing she was afraid of happened.
That evening the officers brought Meera's parents to Tarika's house. Seeing her mom Meera ran and jumped on her lap. Meera's mom cried like a baby, hugging and kissing her child and Tarika kept standing at a corner with teary eyes. When her parents were about to leave-taking her, Meera went to Tarika and handed her a drawing which she had made. There was a guy holding a girl's hand and the girl was holding a baby girl's hand. "Tarikaa aunty! ye aap ki liye", she smiled. "Ye Abhijit uncle, ye aap aur ye main", she pointed on each of the characters in the drawing. Tarika couldn't prevent her anymore and hugging her tightly she began to cry. After a while she managed herself and Meera waving her hands went away with her parents. After they had left Tarika was sitting on her knees leaning against the wall. All the officers also left but Abhijit was still there and he knew how she felt as he also faced the same situation. He put his hand on her shoulder and made her sit on the sofa and he sat beside her. "Main samajh sacta hoon tum par kya bith rahi hai", he wiped her tears which were rolling down her cheek. "Itni takleef kyun ho rahi hai mujhe Abhijit?" she wanted an answer. Abhijit pulled her in his chest and patted her hair. "Kareebi log ya aap jisse bohot pyaar karte ho wo jab dur hote hai tab dukh hota hai Tarika. Samhalo tum apne aap ko".
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After a while the few people who were left on the beach saw a guy was walking along with a girl, holding hands and talking in a very low voice. It was full moon night and there was no sound but the waves gusting. Abhijit looked at Tarika and all of a sudden he had a very strong feeling from deep inside his heart which he wasn't acquainted with. It was neither pain nor joy...it was the combination of both. In course of time he looked at her face and every time he looked at her he began to have the same feeling again and again.