[Recap: Rani regains consciousness. Veer meets Kunal. Vikram gives an advice to Rani. Jaisingh comes up with a new plan].
Rani blinked her eyes twice before looking at the clock. It was 12:30 at midnight.
She turned towards Veer who was sleeping with his back towards her.
Rani picked up the teddy lying between her and Veer and shifted closer to him.
She sighed in relief seeing him sound asleep.
Rani: (to herself) accha hai ee gehri neend mai so rahe hai. Eehi mauka hai. Chal Rani!
Rani was about to move away when suddenly she felt something around her.
Very slowly she turned to the other side and found that Veer was facing her and his right arm was wrapped around her.
Before she could try and get out of his grip, Rani glanced at his face, closely.
How innocent he looked while sleeping!
Her hand automatically went up to his face to caress it.
Realisation struck her. She has to hurry.
Vikram must be waiting.
Rani held his hand in the air, moved out of his grip, kept the teddy in her place and his hand on it.
She quickly got down the bed and carefully sneaked out of the room.
______
Rani: devarjii?
She called Vikram who was sitting on the last step.
Vikram: Bhabisa...mujhe laga aap sogayi hongi...😅
Rani: arey naahi naahi... Hum to bas unke sone ka intezaar kar rahe thhe.
Vikram: bhabi sa aap sure hai na? Bro ko agar pta chala to wo--
Rani: humme kuch naahi hoga devarji. Aap chaliye na hum dikhate hai aapko oo kaunsi photu thhi.
He nodded and both of them tiptoed till the hall.
Vikram took out a flashlight from his pocket and shone it on the wall images.
Rani carefully examined each one of the pictures.
Although she hardly remembered the faces that she saw in that photo, Rani was confident that she could identify the frame.
It was in the evening when Vikram accidentally told her that the picture that caused her to blackout, would probably be able to give them a clue about who was behind Rani's accident.
After that, Rani was adamant that she would help him in finding out the truth.
Hence it was decided that at midnight they would come and check out the photo frame.
Afterall if Veer catches them roaming around that place, the result won't be good.
Present,
Rani: wo photu ynaha naahi hai devarjii...
Vikram: par yahi to sare frames hai...kisi ne haath nahi lagaye..
Rani: humme saaf yaad to naahi ki oo photu mai humne kise dekha thha par hum ekbar dekhenge to jarur pehchan jayenge. Eeha naahi hai oo..
Vikram looked at the wall thoughtfully.
Vikram: kahi bro ne to nahi hata di? Nahi..unhe to khud hi nahi pata kaunsi photo hai.
"Kaun hai wnaha"
A voice came from behind them.
Vikram immediately turned off the flash and both of them sat down on the floor.
The sofas were guarding them.
Rani: ee kiski awaz thhi?
Vikram: lagta hai mom jag gayi hai..
Rani: ab kaa karenge?
Vikram: aap kamre mai jaiye...bro jag gaye to gadbad hojayegi. Mai mom ko handle karloonga.
Rani: jii..thik hai...
Rani swiftly moved away from that place and rushed upstairs.
_________
Ranisa came towards the place where Vikram was hiding.
But she spotted no one.
Ranisa: humme aesa kyu laga jaisa humne ynaha koi roshni dekhi? Shayd humme hi koi vehem hua hoga.
Ranisa shook her head and walked away.
Vikram who was hiding behind her throne chair sighed in relief.
________
Rani carefully unlocked their room's door and peeped inside.
Thankfully, Veer was asleep.
Rani tiptoed inside and was about to climb up the bed when-
"Kahan thhi aap?", asked Veer with his back towards her.
Rani: (gulping) umm...oo hum p-paani laane gaye thhe..😅
Veer: raat k 12:45 bajne se pehle aap kamre se nikli..aur ab baj rahe hai 1:30. Itni der lagi aapko paani laane mai?
He asked while getting up from his place.
Veer: yehi soch rahi hai aap ki mujhe kaise pata chala, hmm? Doctor hoo mai Rani. Raat bhar jagne ki ya alert rehne ki adat hai mujhe.
Rani lowered her gaze and kept quiet.
Veer: kahan thhi aap?
He asked wuth a gruff which made Rani blurt out the truth.
Veer: aapne raat ki saari dawaiye li thhi?
Rani gulped.
She had to skip one of her medicines so that she could be awake.
Veer: mai kuch puch raha hoo Rani!
Rani: naahi.
Veer didn't say a word more. He just went to his table, took her tablet and handed it to her.
Rani took the medicine.
Rani: oo hum...
But Veer didn't seem to pay any heed to what she was telling. He came back to his place, covered himself with the blanket, turned to the other side and slept.
Rani reluctantly lied beside him without saying anything.
This time, however, the teddy wasn't between them.
__________
Next morning,,
Rani had to unwillingly wake up as Veer's phone started ringing near her ears.
Before Veer could come and grab his phone, Rani reached it and attended the call.
Rani: (sleepily) hello?
"Hello? Rani? Rani kaisi hai tu? Aur tu college kyu bahi arahi? Mera phone nahi utha rahi thhi...hua kya hai tujhe? Sab theek hai na? Arey tu kuch bol kyu nahi rahi?",said the person on the other side of the phone in one breath.
Rani was confused which question to answer first. Moreover she wondered who was this person bombarding her with a number of questions
early morning.
Veer indicated her to hand over the phone and she did as said.
Veer: hello?..... Yes Preet.....haa Rani theek hai, unki tabiyat thodi kharb hai isiliye..... Yea....Ok, Aap mujhe details send kardijiye mai dekhta hoo.... yeah...bye.
Rani: kaun thhi ye?
She asked as soon as he cut the call.
Veer: Preet. Aapki dost.
Rani: humari dost? To aapko kaahe phone kar rahi hai subah subah.
She asked with her face still buried in the pillow.
Veer had to chuckle in his mind.
She is still his possessive Rani like before.
Veer: Aapke College mai kuch assignment submit karne hai. Wahi batane ke liye phone kiya thha.
Rani: Humara college maane?😳
She sat up.
Rani: hum kaa callege mai partey hai abhi bhi?
Veer: jii... engineering ki student hai aap.
Rani: bhak budbak🤦♀️. Abhi tk humri padhai khtm naahi hui?
Veer: ji nahi. Infact jaise hi aapki health improve hoti hai aap college rejoin krlengi.
Rani: kaa! Eeha humri yaddasht chali gayi aur aapko humme callege bhejna hai? Humme naahi jana! Humme kachu bhi yaad naahi hai. Hum kaise padhai likhai karenge...hum naahi jayenge!...
Veer: Rani....Chup!
Rani put her finger on her lips
Veer: College ki student hai aap par harkate nursery waali.
He said making her pout innocently.
______
Veer knocked at Vikram's door. The latter opened it wirh a smile.
Vikram: good morning Bro. Aap ynaha?
Veer: aapse kuch baat karni thhi Vikram.
Vikram: haan... boliye na bro.
Veer: kal raat knaha thhe aap?
Vikram: mai?...mai to aapne kamre mai hi thha.
Veer: jhoot mat boliye Vikram! Kal raat 12:30 se 1:30 ke beech aap apne kamre mai nahi hall mai thhe Rani ke saath. Kya mai pooch sakta hoo ki aap wnaha kar kya rahe thhe?
Vikram: bro...mai..mai bas uss photo ko dekhna chahta thha jisse shayd hum uss insaan tk pohuch payenge jis ki wajah se Bhabisa k saath ye sab hua.
Veer: Vikram, I know ki aap ek lawyer hai. Aapko sacchai janna hai but.... Vikram, mai bhi nahi chahta ki jo bhi Rani k iss halat ka zimmedar hai vo humare haath se nikle...
He paused.
Veer: par kya hum thoda intezaar nahi kar sakte? Bas Rani ki tabiyat pehle se behtar ho. Mai Rani ko kisi bhi tarah pressurised ya stressed feel nahi karvana chahta Vikram. Kya pata kaunsi baat, kaunsi photo, kaunsi koi bhi cheez ka kya asar padega un par....
Vikram: I'm sorry bro...
Veer: baat sorry ki nahi hai Vikram. Mai inn sab cheezo se Rani ko durr rkhna chahta hoo. Agar aaplogo ko wo photo hi dekhni thhi to aap mujhse kehte... Chori chupe jassosi krne k chakkar mai Rani ne apni dawai tk nahi li...
Vikram: (hugging him) bro I'm really sorry mai Bhabisa ka bura bilkul nahii chahta bro ...
Mai to bas jald se jald us insaan ko dhoondna chahta hoo ... Mai nahi chahta aap bar bar apne aap ko blame Kare....
Veer: (breaking the hug) Vikram... mujhe pata hai aap jo bhi karna chah rahe hai vo bhalai k liye hi hai. Jab tak vo insaan khule aam ghumega tab tak Rani par khatra bhi bana rahega....Par aesi silly harkate expect nahi krta mai aapse.
Vikram: aenda aesa kabhi nahi karunga promise. Umm.. bro, kya aapne hall se koi photo frames hatwai hai?
Veer: nahi to. Waise Rani keh rahi thhi ki unhe vo photo nhi dikhi.
Vikram: hmm... Hall se 3 photos gayab hai. Mai aapko dikhata hoo.
Vikram came with his laptop.
Vikram: hall mai lage saare photos ki copy hai mere paas. Maine check kiya to dekha ki... Nandini ki shaadi ki photo, humari ek family photo aur Dad, Tauji, Dadisa ki photo missing hai.... Maine sab se pucha, kisine ye photos nahi hatai.
Veer: iska matlab jis kisine bhi ye kia hai vo ghar ka hi koi hai aur vo humme gumrah bhi karna chahta hai.
Vikram: exactly... Dekhiye bro, 1stly Bhabisa ko jis kisika bhi chehra dekhke vo flashback aaya thha vo inn 3 photo mai se hai. 2nd bhabi sa unhe nahi pehchanti. Aur agar inn sab mai se bhabhi sa kisiko nahi janti to vo hai-- Kiara, Jaisingh aur uski family, aur Tauji.
Veer: to aap kispe shak kar rahe hai?
Vikram nervously licked his lips before looking at Veer's face thinking what his reaction will be
and replied,
"Tauji".
***
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