" Mujhe kyu bulaya hai yaha? Tumhe pata hai mujhe kitne kaam hote hai?"
DCP Chitrole whined like a typical over dramatic bitch as he stood in forensic lab in front of everyone, the CID team and forensic experts.
" Jaise maine aapko kaha tha. Meera ki bekasoori main saabit karke rahunga. Uss hi ke liye aapko yaha bulaya hai."
Dushyant Singh, ACP Pradyuman's first born stood tall and confident along side the love of his life. Everybody's face lit up with curiosity as Dushyant pulled out his phone and called Kavin.
" Haan Kavin, leke aa unn dono ko."
While they waited for Kavin, Chitrole and Dushyant were having sort of an eye battle. Chitrole was trying his best to be little the later's confidence. Because somewhere he knew, Dushyant had the upper hand today.
" Agar yeh galat nikala toh pata hai na tum ne kya dawa kiya tha?" DCP chuckled in mockery.
" Bilkul. Lekin agar main sahi nikala toh aap ko pata hai na ki aap ne kya waada kiya tha?" Dushyant smiled.
That smile, it surely egnited Chitrole's temper.
" Chal chup chap."
Kavin's voice boomed as he walked inside holding two men by their collars. Followed by Purvi who walked just behind Kavin.
" Dushyant, yeh log kaun hai?" ACP Pradyuman asked as the men stood in centre of lab.
" Sir, yeh hai Manav aur yeh aadmi unn gundo mein se ek hai jinhone kal Meera pe hamla karne ki koshish ki thi." Dushyant explained.
" Kya? Meera pe hamla hua tha?" Daya asked, concerned.
" Sirf Meera pe nahi, Kavin aur Purvi pe bhi jaan leva hamla hua tha jab woh Pune gaye the Meera ke case ki puchtach karne." Dushyant added.
" Hum ne kuch nahi kiya sahab. Hamein toh bas paise mile the yeh madam ko maarne ke. Hamara bechara dost Ramesh, jisne yeh sahab aur yeh madam pe hamla kiya woh bhi mara gaya." The attacker cried.
" Kisne diye the tumhe paise?" Abhijeet asked.
The man didn't think twice before raising his hand and pointing towards the trainee doctor who stood behind Tarika.
" Vaibhav?" DCP Chitrole raised an eyebrow.
Everyone was laid in a shock except Tarika, Dushyant, Meera and their younger sibilings. Vaibhav, looked very much drained of colour.
" Sir, yeh.. yeh kuch bhi bol raha hai. Main kyu doctor Meera ko phasane ki koshish karunga? Woh toh meri senior hai." He weakly defended himself.
" Yeh jhoot bol rahe hai." Manav spoke up.
" Inhone hi mujhe paise diye the inn ki behen ke jhoote bhai hone ka. Do saal se main Nisha madam ka jhoota bhai hone ka natak kar raha hu taki kisi ko pata na chale ki Nisha madam ka asli bhai yeh hai, main nahi."
And, it was all out. The truth. Vaibhav didn't try to run or escape the truth. Because he wasn't guilty of whatever he did.
Dushyant walked to Vaibhav and stood right in front of him.
" Mann toh karta hai mere gun ki sari goliya tere bheje mein utar du. Lekin sach sunane ke liye tera zinda rehna zaruri hai. Bata kyu kiya yeh sab?" Dushyant asked in a voice which could easily send chills down anyone's spine.
" Kyuki meri behen ki zindagi barbaad kar di teri girlfriend ne. Wo aaj jis halat mein hai, uski zimmedar sirf aur sirf Meera hai." Vaibhav spat bitterly.
Kavin stepped in between Dushyant and Vaibhav as he saw Dushyant's hand clutching on to his gun.
" Bhai.." Kavin spoke as he stood a step ahead of Dushyant.
" Kya matlab hai tera? Saaf saaf bata." Kavin asked, making sure that his older brother was not having any talking business with the criminal.
" Mere didi ka naam Nisha hai. Wo aur Meera sath mein padhte the aur unka ek hi sapna tha, Mumbai ke forensic mein Doctor Salunkhe ke sath kaam karna. Lekin Meera ne woh chance meri didi se chin liya!" Vaibhav yelled.
" Nisha didi itni depressed ho gayi ke unhone car ke saamne kudh ke suicide attempt kiya. Par woh bach gayi aur abb do saal se coma mein hai. Maine tab hi soch liya tha ki jis ladki ne meri behen ka career shuru hone se pehle hi khatam kar diya, uska career bhi main barbaad kar dunga. Aur Meera ki jagah main le lunga, taki meri didi ka sapna pura ho sake."
" Tumhari behen ke sath jo hua wo bura tha. Lekin uske liye tum Meera ko blame nahi kar sakte." Daya interjected.
" Badle ki aag mein tum itne andhe ho gaye ke tum ne Kavin aur Purvi, yani do CID officers ko marne ki koshish ki." Abhijeet yelled.
" Itna hi nahi, Abhijeet! Tum ne mere forensic mein sabooto se chedchad ki. Apne profession se gaddari ki! Mere ek kaabil aur begunaah doctor pe jhoote ilzaam lagaye! Pradyuman, DCP sahab, mujhe aisa insaan apni lab mein bilkul nahi chahiye." Salunkhe let out all the pent up anger.
" Haan. Thik hai. Vaibhav, main tumhe suspend karta hu. Aur arrest ka order karta hu." Chitrole took the decision, hesitantly.
Mayur and Vansh stepped forward and took Vaibhav in custody.
" Vaibhav?"
Meera called as everyone stared at the forensic doctor.
" Mujhe afsos hai Nisha ke sath jo bhi hua uska." She said.
" Tumhare afsos karne se woh theek nahi ho jayegi." Vaibhav told.
" Ho jayegi. Aaj se Nisha ke treatment ka khayal main rakhungi. Tumhe uski chinta karne ki zarurat nahi hai."
Meera showed her character. That's Meera Shukla. No, she's not any saint. Nor she tried to be modest or anything. To state in simple words, she was just good at heart.
Vaibhav was taken away and everybody was in smiles. Dushyant being the happiest one.
" Sir, aap kuch kahenge nahi?" Pradyuman was the one to bring the topic up.
" Haan. Woh.. Uh." Chitrole fumbled a little before finally looking at Meera.
Every person standing in the lab was waiting for DCP Chitrole to put aside his ego and apologies to Meera.
" Meera." Chitrole spoke.
" Jee sir." Meera smiled.
" Woh, tum sahi thi. Tum aaj se duty join kar sakti ho." He kept it pretty short.
" Thank you, Sir." The girl thanked.
" Aur woh.. sorry." Chitrole mumbled.
" Kya?" Kavin coughed.
Chitrole shot him an angry glare as a wave of chuckle escaped throughout the lab.
" Pradyuman, yeh kya?" Chitrole looked at ACP who quickly retrived the serious face.
" Arey sir woh, bacche ko sunayi nahi diya hoga. Thak gaya hai na bechara." Pradyuman made a funny excuse.
" Haan sir. Agar aap repeat kar dete toh..Sun leta Kavin. Kyu hai na?" Daya joked.
" Haan haan." Salunkhe enthusiastically added.
" Maine jo kuch bhi kaha tumhe uss din, uske liye main MAAFI CHAHTA HU."
Chitrole stressed on the last few words on purpose making everyone giggle.
" Koyi baat nahi, Sir." Meera politely answered.
" Main joining letter bhijwa dunga. Get back on duty now."
With those last few words, DCP stromed off. Leaving everybody in laughter.
" Congratulations Meera!" Shreya advanced at the happy forensic expert.
Very next moment, congratulations and best wishes poured upon her as everybody welcomed her back on duty. All this while, when Meera was over the top of world, Dushyant stood back, watching his Meera finally happy. This was his Meera. Happy, smiley, positive, not the stressed out and sad girl he witnessed since past three to four days.
He was the happiest man at that moment, he did what he promised. Meera was back and proved innocent.
Pradyuman and Kavin stood on either sides of Dushyant as he smiled at them.
" I'm proud of you." Pradyuman patted Dushyant's shoulder, happily.
" Kavin ne bhi utni hi mehnat ki hai, jitni maine." Dushyant looked at Kavin.
" Mujhe tum dono pe garv hai." Pradyuman said before advancing to congratulate Meera.
Dushyant glanced at Kavin with a warm smile.
" Tujhe kehne ka mann toh nahi kar raha par thanks."
" Bas kya, bhai. Aap ke aur hamari hone wali bhabhi ke liye toh jaan hazir hai." Kavin teased.
" Dheere bol kamine."
And they were back to their normal selves.
Meera didn't miss to store the charming smile her boyfriend's lips wore while talking to Kavin. She definately owed him.
Later that evening, Dushyant and Kavin waited for Meera in the parking of forensic lab. She finished her work and walked downstairs along with Purvi and Tarika. Bidding farewell to Tarika, the girls moved towards parking.
" Finally!" Kavin exhaled as the sisters stopped in front of them.
" I'm sorry, hum ne bohot wait karwaya na?" Meera looked at both of them, apologetically.
" Arey nahi. Waise koyi baat nahi hai. Kavin toh bas yun hi." Dushyant assured her.
" Exactly. Aap bhi na, didi. Jab aap ke boyfriend ko koyi takleef nahi hai toh aap kyu kisi ki bhi maafi maang rahi ho?" Purvi remarked, looking at Kavin.
" Excuse me? Main mazak kar raha tha, samjhi? Meera didi ko samajh aa gaya woh lekin tum kaise samjhogi? Logo ko paka ne ke alawa aur aata kya hai tumhe?" Kavin was ever so quick to retort.
" Kya kaha aap ne?" Purvi fumed.
Meera and Dushyant stared at their sibilings in awe, for all they knew, Kavin and Purvi hardly ever spoke to each other apart from work. They never really tried to be friend each other, because they never really felt the need to. They were better like strangers, and right now they stood watching their younger sibilings fight like cat and rat.
" Purvi.. yeh kya tareeka hai? Aise baat karte hai? Kavin tera senior hai na." Meera decided to step in between the fighting monkeys.
" Senior honge duty pe." Purvi huffed.
" Kya matlab-"
" Kavin. Kya kar raha hai tu?" Dushyant didn't let Kavin finish.
" Lekin bhai, shuruwat isne ki thi. Main chup chap khada tha. Isse kya zarurat thi mujhe chedne ki?" Kavin complained.
" Bhai aap ko pata nahi yeh sab natak hai. Aap ke saamne sharafat ki murti bane hue hai. Aap ke peeche dekhna chahiye inko!" Purvi replied.
" Oh hello! Bhai kya bhai? Woh mere bhai hai aur unko bhai sirf aur sirf main bula sakta hu."
Dushyant couldn't believe it was his own brother fighting like a five year old kid for his favourite candy. Dushyant, right now being the candy Kavin was fighting for with Purvi. Afraid to loose his right over his older brother.
" Ahaha! Aap jo meri didi ko hamesha didi bulate ho uska kya? Maine kabhi kaha kuch? Maine ek baar aap ke bhai ko bhai kya bol diya toh aise chidh rahe ho jaise pata nahi kya kar diya ho maine."
" Meri marzi! Main senior hu." Kavin told her.
" Kaha na duty pe! Yaha nahi." Purvi replied.
" Tum mere bhai ko bhai nahi bulaogi, that's it." The senior announced.
" Ek baar nahi, das baar bulaungi! Bhai, bhai, bhai, bhai, bha- "
" Arey ek minute ruko tum dono!"
Meera again meddled in between as the arguement started to become loud and immature.
" Bacche ho kya tum dono nursery ke? Kaise ladh rahe ho? Kya ho gaya hai tum dono ko?" Meera looked back forth between the fighting pair.
" Aap samjhaiye apni behen ko, didi." Kavin requested.
" Purvi, usko nahi pasand toh matt bula. Jhagda khatam karo. Koyi dekhega toh kya sochega." Meera looked at Purvi.
" Main kyu haar maanu? Mujhe kyu-"
Meera glanced at Dushyant helplessly while during this whole time he just stood there laughing as he watched everything.
" Tum hass rahe ho, Dushyant?" Meera glared at him.
" Aur kya karu?" Dushyant simply shrugged.
" Jhagda mitao inka. Meri toh yeh log sun nahi rahe." The girlfriend ordered.
Dushyant finally sobered up.
" Purvi, tum mujhe bhai bula sakti ho-"
" Par bhai-"
" Aur iss baat par ab aur koyi behes nahi hogi. Bohot late ho chuka hai already, chalo sab baith jao."
Dushyant dismissed the arguement as Purvi smiled in triumph. Kavin just shook his head in disbelief before walking to the passanger seat while Dushyant took the control of wheel. Meera and Purvi quickly settled themselves in the back seat.
" Waise Meera, tumhe duty pe wapas dekh kar sab khush the." Dushyant changed the topic.
" Mujhe bhi kitna accha laga. Aisa laga jaise sab phir se normal ho gaya hai." The girl admitted in all honesty.
" Mujhe toh Shamsher ki shakal dekh ke hi maza aa gaya!" Kavin chimed in.
Dushyant elbowed him as it was their nick name for DCP Chitrole and Kavin was not supposed to say it out loud in front of anyone else.
" Tum log unko Shamsher bulate ho?" Meera gasped at both of them.
" Woh bas mazak mein." Dushyant tried to cover up.
" Kaash main ek minute pehle DCP sir hoti." Purvi mumbled.
" Kya zarurat hai. Tum bhi Shamsher se kuch kam nahi ho." Kavin heard that and gave it back.
" Dushyant bhai, dekho ab yahi mujhe uksa rahe hai." Purvi giggled, casually looking out of the window after stressing on the word bhai.
" Roti raho bas hamesha. Aur shikayat karti raho. Aur kuch toh aata nahi." Kavin mummered.
Dushyant glanced at Meera from the rare view mirror as she flashed an adorable smile at him. He too smiled back.
Dushyant stopped the car and Purvi was the quickest and very first one to get down.
" Didi, main andar jaati hu. Thank you for the lift, Dushyant bhai. Good night."
Purvi warmly wished, completely ignoring Kavin.
" Good night, Purvi." Dushyant smiled.
Purvi began to walk away when Kavin called out from behind.
" Purvi, tumhe ek number bhej raha hu uspe contact kar lena!"
She stopped to turn around.
" Kiska number?" Purvi asked, seriously.
" Dimag ke doctor ka. Jald se jald check karwa lena."
Kavin joked making both Dushyant and Meera laugh. Purvi just had enough for the day, she stomped away towards the house mumbling something inaudible to herself.
" Toh kal ka lunch sath mein. Bhulna matt." Meera reminded Dushyant as both of them stood just outside the door of her place.
" Main puri koshish karunga time pe aane ki. Investigation mein kitna wakt lagega yeh keh nahi sakte, par main aaunga." Dushyant smiled.
" Thik hai. Waise tum dono andar aa sakte ho. Khana khake jana." Meera insisted.
" Arey nahi." The boyfriend politely declined.
" Kyu? Itni jaldi thak gaye mere haath ka khana khake?" She joked.
Dushyant chuckled.
" Aise koyi baat nahi hai. Teen din se ghar pe khana nahi khaya hai, na maine aur Kavin toh bahar hi tha. Aaj agar ghar pe nahi khaya na toh Maa pakka ghar se nikal dengi." He told her.
She laughed.
" Okay. Sambhal kar jana. Good night." Meera smiled.
" Bas? Sirf good night?" Dushyant raised an eyebrow at her. She understood faster than flash of light.
" Tumhara chota bhai peeche hai aur meri choti behen andar. Kuch toh khayal karo." Meera stiffled a chuckle.
" Accha? Madam, agar main khayal nahi karta toh kal hi hamare chote bhai behen dekh lete hamein."
He just had to mention that. After successfully making his girlfriend shy away, Dushyant shook his head before turning around to leave.
" I love you."
Meera slipped the little confession in before Dushyant left.
" I love you too, Meera."
Dushyant smiled before walking back to the car, only to see his brother waving at something above his head. He glanced at the direction and saw Purvi opening the window of her bedroom and shouting,
" Jaate ho ya abhi ACP sir ko call karu!"
Kavin litreally burst out laughing enjoying seeing her so pissed. Dushyant simply settled down and egnited the car.
" Kya ladki hai na, bhai? Ekdm pagal. Bas jara sa chedne ki kami hai, baras padti hai."
Kavin laughed placing his hand over his chest.
" Pagal nahi. Bacchi hai woh." Dushyant took a stand for her.
" Bacchi? Hum dono ka birth year same hi hai. Chaubis saal ki kaha ki bacchi hai yeh?" Kavin replied, taking out his phone.
" Waise Kavin.."
Dushyant looked at him, voice getting sincere.
" Hmm?" Kavin didn't look up from his phone.
" Aaj Purvi ke wajah se kam se kam tera bachpana wapas aata hua dikh gaya mujhe."
Kavin's fingers halted automatically as he glanced at his older brother.
" Aisi koyi baat nahi hai, bhai."
" Yeh sab baakiyon ke saamne. Woh log sach maante honge isse, mere saamne ne koyi fayda nahi."
" Bhai main theek hu. Pata nahi aap ko kyu aisa lagta hai ke mujh mein koyi farak aya hai."
Kavin fixed his eyes over the road.
" Tu aur Purvi bilkul ek jaise ho. Tujh mein bhi bachpana bhara hai, bas kuch logo ke wajah se kho gaya tha. Aaj bohot wakt baad wapas dekhne ko mila, bohot accha laga mujhe."
Kavin quietly listened his brother talk, because somewhere he too knew that Dushyant was right. Dushyant didn't force him to speak either. A few minutes passed before Kavin spoke.
" Meri kisi se bhi koyi shikayat nahi hai. Sab theek hai ab."
" Lekin jo kho gaya woh abhi tak mila bhi toh nahi tha na?"
" Aisa kya kho gaya hai, bhai?" Kavin asked, a little provoked.
" Mera bhai." Dushyant calmly answered.
Both of the brothers exchanged glances as they waited for signal to turn green.
" Main yahin hu." Kavin weakly defended.
" Tu bhi jaanta hai sach kya hai. Yeh woh nahi hai jiske sath main bada hua hu. Jab se tune khud pe yeh sakhti ki chadar oodhli tab mujhe laga ki maine apne bhai ko kho diya, lekin aaj mujhe woh wapas dikh gaya."
Dushyant started the car as the signal turned green.
" Purvi ke sath baccho ki tarah ladhte hue, khud jaisa lag raha tha tu."
Kavin smiled a little at Dushyant as the older brother changed topic to get things back to normal. Drive back home was casual as they discussed a little sports, cracked a few jokes and just..talked.
Who knows what future has in store for them?
.
.
.
A/N : That's it for today! This chapter was supposed to be up on Sunday itself, but I had 3 consecutive papers from Monday. That explains the delay. How was it?
Thanks a ton for all the precious reviews! They made me smile so much!
Guest : Reviews display nahi hue kyuki guest reviews 2 din baad dikhte hai, reason being not having an account. Don't worry I read your reviews! Thanks a lot! Love :)
Will update soon!
Thanks.
- Divine :)