Chapter 3

" Sir, mujhe bohot zyada bhuk lagi hai. Humein abhi ke abhi khana kha lena chahiye." Purvi told her senior for the nth time.

" Purvi, yaha beech raaste mein kaha khana milega? Hum hotel pohoch jayenge bas kuch der mein." Kavin replied, monotoniously.

" Kishan dhaba, Lele uphaar griha aur Gold coin chinese centre mein khana nahi toh kya sona chandi milne wale the? Lekin kisi ko unki mummy ne ghar ke khane ki aadat laga kar bighaad rakha hai." Purvi sassed.

" Main kisi dhaabe pe khana nahi khane wala." Kavin stated as a matter of fact.

" Hum highway pe hai, Sir. Yaha pe dhaabe hi milenge. Aur filhal mujhe bohot bhuk lagi hai toh hum ab jo bhi agla dhaaba dikhega waha ruk kar khana khane wale hai." Purvi ordered, crossing her arms.

" Yaha pe senior main hu, toh tum mujhe order nahi karogi. Hum hotel jaake hi khana khayenge." The senior scowled.

" Aap nahi manenge na?" Purvi glared at him.

" Nahi." Kavin was quick to reply.

He could hear the girl letting out an unhappy huff next to him, adding a bit fuel to her frustration, he just had to laugh.

" Hello, Dushyant Sir, dekhiye na aapke bhai kya kar rahe hai. Mujhe itni bhuk lagi hai par woh hai ki car rokne ko hi tayar nahi! Aur- "

Kavin's foot pushed the break harshly as he saw her talking on phone with his brother.

" Jee. Deti hu." She smiled sick sweet before handing the phone to Kavin.

The cop couldn't be more pissed at his junior as he took the phone and tried to speak.

" Hel-"

" Woh abhi tak bhuki kyu hai, Kavin? Tujhe kaha tha na uska dhyan rakhne ko?" Dushyant's voice asked from the other side.

" Dhyan rakhne ke liye woh bacchi nahi hai, aur woh bekar ki zidd pe adi hai. Dhaabe pe khana chahiye usko aur aapko pata hai main-"

" Khana khana hota hai, Kavin. Abhi ke abhi car rok aur tum dono khana kha lo." Dushyant summoned.

" Par bhai-"

" Kavin.."

Kavin took back his protest as he knew it was pointless. He couldn't win in front of Dushyant, so he sighed and replied,

" Theek hai."

Fifteen minutes later both of them stood in front of a dhaaba.

" The great Mast Malvani.." Kavin spoke, sarcastically.

Although it was meant to offend Purvi, but she didn't mind. Well, if only she had time from drooling over the aroma of mouth watering food.

" Tum bohot shaatir ho, pata hai na?" He taunted.

" Shaatir nahi smart, jo har CID officer ko hona padta hai. Aap jaise bohot akadu logo se paala padta hai roj. Jhelna toh aana chahiye na?" Purvi answered back, before walking inside.

Kavin helplessly followed her as they occupied a table.

" Dada, khane mein kya hai?" Purvi asked.

" Sab hai, tai. Kolambi, Surmayi, Paplet, Bhakari, Bhaat, Rassa. Tumhala kay pahije? What do you want?" The waiter asked.

" Aap kya khayenge?" Purvi asked Kavin.

" Jo aap kahengi woh kha lenge." Kavin made another sarcastic remark.

" Okay. Toh dada Kolambi masala, Surmayi fry, bhakari, bhaat aur rassa hum dono ke liye." Purvi ordered.

" Thik ahe. Okay." Waiter wrote down the order on small diary.

" Aur dada, sol kadhi hai?" Purvi asked.

" Haan hai na."

" Do glass."

( Sol kadhi is a maharashtrian beverage made of coconut milk and kokum, usually served with sea food.)

Kavin gawked at Purvi as she ordered. Was she going to all those dishes alone? Can she eat all of those? Forget her, how was he going to push those things down his throat!?

" Ani dada, jara lavkar kara ha. And dada, please hurry up."

Finally Purvi looked back at Kavin only to find him weirdly staring at her.

" Kya?" She asked, casually.

" Tumhe Marathi aati hai?" Kavin questioned.

" Haan toh? Bachpan se Mumbai mein rehti hu. Aur agar Mumbai mein rehke tumhe Marathi na aye toh laanat hai tum pe!" Purvi explained.

" Okay.. waise yeh sab jo tum ne order kiya hai, tum apne aap kha paogi sab?" He asked, leaning back in his chair.

" Haan. Usmein kya? Aap ko koyi shak hai kya?" She raised an eye brow at him.

" Itni si toh ho. Shak aana laazmi hai." Kavin joked.

" Excuse me? Ek baar khana aane dijiye phir dekhna. Aap khana sunghte reh jaoge aur mera khatam bhi ho jayega." Purvi boasted.

" Accha? Itna tastey hota hai Marathi khana?" Kavin asked.

" Haan. Aap ko nahi pata?" The junior gave him a strange glare.

" Nahi madam ji, woh kya hai na main Punjabi family mein paida hua yeh meri galati hai." Senior made another sarcastic remark.

" Aap akadu ho." Purvi huffed, looking away.

" Tum ziddi ho." Kavin looked away as well.

" Aap muhfatt ho." Purvi stared at him, wide eyed.

" Tum ajeeb ho." Kavin huffed.

" Aap-"

Before the arguement could go any further, food was served and Purvi took no time to dig in. She ate like her life depended on the componants present in plate.

Kavin too started eating, much against his will might I add. While eating none of them spoke, turns out Kavin was actually enjoying the food. It was tastey, it smelt delicious, it looked pretty alluring. But he wasn't going to accept that and say it out loud, was he?

" Yeh.."

Purvi looked up from her food when Kavin forwarded his fried fish to her. She looked at him, confused.

" Mujhe iss mein se kaante nikal ke do." He said, hesitantly.

" Kyu? Aap ko nahi aata?" Purvi chuckled.

" Nahi aata isiliye toh tumhe keh raha hu na?"

" Accha accha." Purvi laughed a little before clearing his fish for him.

After the glorious dinner, both of them walked back to Kavin's car.

" Khana badhiya tha na?" Purvi smiled.

" Theek tha." Kavin replied, curtly.

" Accha? Isiliye ungliya chaat rahe the na. Kitni akad hai baap re." Purvi poked him on purpose.

" Dekho, ab agar ek aur baar akadu kaha na toh main tumhe yahi chod ke chala jaunga." Kavin looked at Purvi.

" Toh main aapke bhai ko call karungi aur aap ke kaarname ke baare mein bataungi." Purvi shrugged as if it was no biggie.

Frustrated, Kavin ran a hand through his hair.

" Galati kar di maine jo tumse kaha baat karne ko. Tum chup hi acchi thi." Kavin clapped his hands in defeat before getting inside the car.

" Galati ki hai toh bhugto ab. Main toh ab chup nahi baithne wali." Purvi said as she took her seat as well.

" Haan Salunkhe, Kya pata chala uss body ke baare mein?" ACP Pradyuman asked as he entered the forensic lab along with Daya, Dushyant and Pankaj.

Today, Dushyant did feel different while entering the forensic lab. He felt like his sunshine was missing. Who could blame him though? He was too used to of seeing his pretty girlfriend smiling at him the moment he entered the lab. Her desk was empty today, so was the lab without her, for him.

While Salunkhe proceeded with briefing about the body, Tarika stepped aside.

" Dushyant, kuch pata chala?" She asked, concerned.

" Ek suspect aur mila hai, maine Kavin aur Purvi ko bheja hai puchtach karne. Yeh.. Vaibhav ka kya haal?" Dushyant asked.

" Abhi tak toh aisa kuch kiya nahi usne jispe shak kiya jaye. Main aur Salunkhe sir nazar lagaye hai uspe." Tarika told.

" Hmm. Agar usne kuch bhi alag kiya.. toh please mujhe batana. Har ek choti se choti cheez important hai Meera ko bekasoor saabit karne ke liye."

" Chinta matt karo, Dushyant. Waise Meera kaisi hai?" Tarika asked.

Although Tarika and Salunkhe equally missed Meera in the lab while working but the fact that Meera and Tarika had a special bond of friendship couldn't be ignored. Both of them loved working together, they believed that it was more fun when they worked.

" Kal bohot udaas thi, par ab theek hai." Dushyant assured her.

" Main aaj milne jaungi ussey. Sab theek ho jayega Dushyant."

Later that evening, Tarika sat in the living room while Meera brought two coffee mugs. Tarika took her first sip and let out an applauding moan.

" Kal pura din maine tumhare haath ki coffee miss ki pata hai." Tarika told her friend as she sat down in front of her.

" Maine bhi aaj bohot miss kiya tum sab ko. Roj lab jaane ki, aap sab ke sath kaam karne ki, sath mein lunch karne ki aadat pad gayi hai. Aaj ek din ghar baithi toh aisa laga jaise.." Meera left the sentence incomplete.

" Tum jald hi duty pe wapas aane wali ho, Meera." Tarika smiled, placing her hand on Meera's shoulder.

" Matlab?" Meera asked, confused.

" Matlab yeh ki Dushyant apni puri jaan laga raha hai asali gunehgar ko dhundhne mein. Uske tewar dekh ke mujhe lagta hai ki jald hi tum wapas aane wali ho duty pe." The curly head explained.

" Tarika, Dushyant ke wajah se hi I still have hope. Agar woh nahi hota toh shayad abhi tak main kahi dur jaa chuki hoti." Meera confessed.

" Arey waah? Aise kaise chali jaati? Tumhara Dushyant jaise tumhe jaane deta na.. Mujhe toh uss DCP ke shakal dekhni hai jab woh tumse maafi mangega." Tarika chuckled.

" Mujhe bas wapas aana hai. Yeh job mera passion hai, Tarika."

In no time, both of the friends indulged themselves in a conversation regarding random stuff.

A/N : Yes, this was a bonus update! Am I updating too quick? Anyway, let me know how was it. :) I love reading comments.

- Divine