Chapter 2
" Bhai, mujhe toh uss Vaibhav pe shak hai. Forensic lab mein ghus ke sabooto ke sath ched chad karna.. Yeh kisi bahar wale se zyada kisi andar wale ke liye bohot aasan hai. Aap ko kya lagta hai?" Kavin asked as both the brothers walked towards their home.
" Ho sakta hai. Vaibhav ke alawa aur kisi pe shak ki sui jaa bhi nahi rahi. I think humein kal doctor Salukhe se baat karni chahiye." Dushyant replied.
" Kis baare mein?" The younger one asked.
" Iss baare mein ki Vaibhav ke paas forensic lab ka kitna access hai." Later explained.
"Haan."
Kavin stretched his hand to ring the bell when Dushyant stopped him.
" Time dekha hai? Ma aur Papa so rahe honge. " He explained before taking out his spare key. Putting it in the lock, he pushed open the door careful of not making even the slightest of sound.
ACP Pradyuman didn't waste time to take note of his sons' presence. He looked up from the book he was reading, rocking slowly on the arm chair. Dushyant and Kavin stopped right on their tracks.
" Papa aap soye nahi?" Dushyant asked.
" Nahi woh, tum dono ka hi intezar kar raha tha." Pradyuman smiled a little.
" Maine kaha tha bhai ko ki jaldi chalte hai, par meri suni hi nahi unhone." Kavin made an excuse.
" Accha?" The father couldn't help but chuckle at his younger son.
" Haan matlab.." Kavin trailed off looking back and forth between his father and brother.
" Mujhe chalna chahiye, bohot neend aa rahi hai. Good night!"
Kavin has always been the sneaky one out of Pradyuman's family. The guy just knew how to punch his way out of every awkward situation, so the way that little shit nearly jogged all the way to his bedroom didn't surprise the father and elder son.
" Yeh kabhi nahi sudhrega." Dushyant shook his head in disbelief.
" Dushyant beta, mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hai. Kya tumhare paas ek minute hai?" Pradyuman asked, getting up from his chair.
" Haan kahiye na, Papa." The son walked up to his father.
Both of them took a seat on comfortable couch. The relationship between Pradyuman and Dushyant was very simple. They both loved each other. More over, Dushyant respected his father a lot for everything he was while Pradyuman couldn't be more proud of anyone than his first born.
" Beta, aaj lab mein jo kuch bhi hua.. bohot galat hua. Main jaanta hu tum bohot pareshan ho." Pradyuman spoke.
Dushyant nodded, his eyes fixed on marbel floor.
" Meera bohot acchi ladki hai. Aur beta, I'm very proud of you. Jis tarah se tum ne aaj uske liye awaz uthayi, mujhe bohot acha laga."
Dushyant glanced at his father, who had this pure look of affection on his face.
" Sach kahu toh mujhe bhi Meera ki madad karne ka mann hai, par main apni zimmedari se bandha hua hu. Main chah kar bhi tumhari ya Meera ki madad nahi kar sakta."
" Main samjhata hu, Papa. Aur mujhe khushi hai ki aap mere decision ko support kar rahe ho."
Pradyuman's firm hand placed on Dushyant's shoulder as he smiled at his son.
" Beta main toh hamesha tumhe support karunga. Aur hamara Kavin bhi hai tumhare sath, I'm sure tum dono asali gunehgar ko samne laaoge. Bas jo bhi karna soch samajh ke, sambhal ke karna."
" Good morning."
Dushyant greeted cheerly as Meera glanced at her boyfriend standing at her doorstep.
" Dushyant? Time dekha hai?"
Don't call her the mood killer but if your boyfriend showed up to your place at five thirty when even the sun's sleeping, you'd just get Meera's situation at that point.
Also, she looked a complete mess with bird nest-ish hair and sleepy eyes just added to her list of reasons to get mad at Dushyant.
" Chalo chalo, jaldi se fresh ho jao. Hum walk pe ja rahe hain." Dushyant said, ever so casually as he made his way inside the house.
Meera stared at him as if he just grew another head.
" Walk? subeh ke saadhe paanch baje? Tum theek toh ho na, Dushyant?" The girlfriend couldn't restrict a yawn.
" Haan. Meri subeh iss hi wakt hoti hai. Abb jao aur ready ho jao." Boyfriend successfully managed to get her fully awake and send her to get freshen up.
Exactly thirty minutes later, Meera padded out of the bedroom lazily wearing a loose comfortable full sleeved t shirt with cotton leggings. Long waist length hair neatly braided.
" Times like these make me have second thoughts about you." She glared at her boyfriend before closing the door behind her as they headed towards the nearby park.
" Marriage thoughts, you mean?" Dushyant chuckled while Meera religiously ignored the pun.
" Subeh ke 6 baje kaunsa park khulta hai, Dushyant? Kya chal kya raha hai tumhare dimag mein?" Meera whined like a kid forced to go to tutions on Sunday.
Dushyant kept listening to her rant quietly untill she finally finished. He simply smiled at the end of her rant, forwarding his arm for her to link in.
Meera couldn't help but chuckle. For heaven's sake, what good deeds she had done to find a guy like him? He was always so calm, so relaxed about everything, no matter what the situation is. Dushyant was as calm as a sea, Meera could talk endlessly in front of him, he'd take in everything ever so quietly and reply with a pinch of that notorious little grin of his.
Let's face it, girls like Meera or just girls in general like the relaxed, calm guys more than shitty angry young men.
" Tum pe gussa bhi nahi kiya ja sakta." Meera shook her head in defeat, linking her arm with his.
" Pata hai." He added, shamelessly.
Both of them had a nice stroll around, talking about pretty casual stuff, made fun of some fellow walkers and joggers, laughed on some really shitty stuff and returned home.
The early morning walk was actually a therapy to clear Meera's head from all the stress and negativity.
" Thank you." Meera thanked him as they stood in her small backyard where she and Purvi had developed a small flower garden.
" No problem." Dushyant shrugged, smiling.
He turned to leave when Meera stopped him. Holding his arm, she looked at him.
" Kyu hua?" He asked.
Meera believed more in doing than just talking, so the forensic doctor tip toed just a little inch and pecked the cop on his lips. Now ofcourse, they were not going to make out because it was her back yard, duh. The small peck was sufficient at it's job of bringing Dushyant's dimples to life.
" Abb jao." Meera allowed him, returning the playful grin.
" Pakka? Ki aur kuch baki hai?" Dushyant chuckled.
She shook her head in no. Softly patting her cheek, Dushyant walked away.
" Okay, I didn't see anything. Just a little bit public display of affection which I obviously didn't see."
Purvi yawned staring at the boiling tea, Meera instantly regretted coming into the kitchen right after kissing her boyfriend.
" Kuch pata chala?" Dushyant asked as he stood next to his car in parking lot.
" Vaibhav nahi hai." Kavin replied, stuffing his hand in his pockets.
" Hmm. Kavin aisa bhi toh ho sakta hai na ki Vaibhav ne khud ye na kiya ho.. par asli culprit ki madad ki ho? Doctor Salunkhe ne mujhe bataya ki Vaibhav ke paas bhi lab ki chaabi hai jaise Unke, Doctor Tarika aur Meera ke paas hai." Dushyant spoke.
" Ho sakta hai bhai. Par mujhe samajh nahi ata, aisa kaun ho sakta hai jisse Meera didi se problem ho? Unhone toh kabhi kisika kuch nahi bighada. Hum shak kare bhi toh kis pe kare?" Kavin questioned.
" Ek insaan hai."
Both of them turned to see Purvi approaching them. She stopped right in front of the brothers.
"Kaun?" Dushyant asked.
" Nisha. Didi aur Nisha ek hi batch mein padhte the. Dono ko doctor Salunkhe ke sath kaam karne ki chahat the, Salunkhe sir unke role model the. Par sirf Didi ko mauka mila." Purvi explained.
" Par Purvi hum aise kaise iss Nisha pe shak kar sakte hai?" Kavin asked.
" Kyuki, Nisha ki narazagi saaf thi. Jab Meera di ne ussey baat karni ki koshish ki thi tab usne bohot bhala bura sunaya tha didi ko."
" Filhal yeh Nisha kaha milegi?" Dushyant asked.
" Pata nahi. Bohot wakt se uske bare mein suna nahi hai hum ne." Purvi told.
Three of them stood contempleting, Dushyant finally spoke.
" Meera jis acadmy mein padhti thi woh Pune mein hai. Kavin, Purvi, tum dono Pune jaao. Acadamy se Nisha ke bare mein aur jaankari mil sakti hai, uska address vagera. Main yaha Vaibhav pe nazar rakhta hu." He briefed.
" Okay bhai. Hum thodi der mein nikalte hai." Kavin nodded, Purvi agreed as well.
" Main didi ko call karke batati hu." Purvi said as she stepped aside.
" Sun." Dushyant looked at Kavin.
" Dhyan se jana aur Purvi ka dhyan rakhna."
" Don't worry, Bhai. Aap aur Meera di mujhpe bharosa rakho." Kavin assured before getting into his car.
After an hour, Purvi slid in the passanger seat of Kavin's car, placing her small shoulder bag on the back seat. He egnited the car and the drive began in silence.
This was actually the first time they travelled together, just the two of them. Usually they had their team members or families to travel along. The awkwardness was evident between them. I mean, not to mention the fact that their older sibilings were dating each other was an awkward rope to start the climb with.
Both of them thought of starting a conversation, but what were they going to talk about?
How about some case or murder? But isn't that they talk about almost all the time every day?
" Umm.." Kavin looked at Purvi.
" Jee, aap ne kuch kaha sir?" She asked, uncertainly.
" Nahi woh main bas yeh soch raha tha ki.. yeh thoda awkward nahi ho raha?"
That made Purvi chuckle.
" Bohot, actually. Humein baat kar leni chahiye. Teen ghante hum chup chap baithe rahe phir toh ho gaya." The junior giggled.
" Exactly. Aur waise tum mujhe Kavin bula sakti ho. Sir bulane ki zarurat nahi hai." He told her.
" Nahi baba, mujhe koyi risk nahi uthani. " Came Purvi's immediate reply.
" Risk? Kya matlab?" Kavin asked.
" Haan toh. Dekhiye agar abhi mujhe aadat pad gayi aur galati se kabhi maine duty pe aapko Kavin bulaya, tab toh aap mujh pe baras padoge. Waise bhi mujhe aap se thoda darr hi lagta hai." She admitted.
" Darr? Really? Please haan, tum mujhe khaamkha badnaam kar rahi ho." Kavin scoffed.
" Accha? Kabhi dekha hai khud ko duty pe? Aisa lagta hai jaise kisi ne aapko smile karna sikhaya hi na ho. Har wakt bas serious, no nonsense attitude leke ghoomte ho."
" Okay that was very, very offending." Kavin complained.
" Sach hamesha kadwa hota hai, Sir." Purvi stiffled a laugh.
" Tum meri baat kar rahi ho, kabhi khud ko dekha hai? Kitna bolti ho tum. Har wakt bas chapad chapad.. aur duty khatam hone pe toh aise lagti ho jaise Disney land pohoch gayi ho. Woh Pankaj ke sath reh reh ke tumhara dimag bhi kaam karna band ho chuka hai lagta hai."
This time, Kavin stiffled a laugh while Purvi stared at him with agaped jaw.
" At least khadoos hone se toh accha hi hain na? Aap toh-"
And without even their knowledge, the awkwardness was already gone. Disappearing somewhere into thin air, leaving only two individuals with somewhat similar personalities.
None of them known to what this journey holds.
A/N : Thank you so much for reading guys! I'm so so thankful to those who read and reviewed the 1st chapter. It's very encouraging. Let me know, how was this one.
Love xx
- Divine.