"Happy Birthday Meri Jaan!" Raghav came in the office and hugged Arjun tightly.
Arjun smiled and let out a sigh, though happy still a pang of hurt always lingered around his heart on a few days in the year.
His birthday, Pihu's birthday,Holi, Diwali and on Rakhi especially, he felt miserable and remorseful.
However, he also knew that he had been privileged enough to have Baba and Raghav by his side.
After Pihu, when Baba left both of them forever alone, he promised never to sulk and spoil any festivity ever...he should remain happy...if not for him atleast for Raghav...he deserved happiness and Arjun couldn't afford to loose him. They were the only family they had!
As Arjun cut the cake and they ate
Raghav spoke "I really wish you find everything you are looking for!"
Arjun went emotional, Raghav knew him a bit too well, probably more than he could ever decipher!
"Achha main na kal Mumbai jaa raha hoon technical discussions ke liye...I hope we crack this deal!
2-3 din me aa jaoonga, mujhe zyada miss mat karna aur apna dhyaan rakhna"
"Haan Bhai, mat chinta kar!"
The next day as Arjun was praying in the temple, the girl he had saved that night came upto him and offered Prasad.
She was looking far better than that night.
"Thank you!" Arjun said
"Thank you toh mujhe aapko bolna chahiye" She spoke softly
"Nahi..please...mera farz tha!"
"Aapki jacket mere...,"
Before she could complete Arjun's phone rang
"Ajju!" Raghav spoke in a frantic voice
"Raghu! Kya hua??"
"Tu Mumbai aaja fatafat...Maine kal shaam ke Kolkata ke tickets book kiye hai... kal shaam 5 baje ki flight hai...tu nikal jaldi"
"Kolkata?? Arre par kyun? Hua kya?
Bol na"
Arjun was getting tensed with this sudden plan.
"Main yahan meeting ke baad ek bande se mila...baaton baaton me usne bataya ki woh bhi pehle Nasik me rehta tha aur uski behen ek Girls Orphanage chalati thi..jo ki PTC mandir ke paas tha..woh lady ab Kolkata me hai.....Maine address phone number le liya hai...tu aaja kal chalte hai!"
Arjun sighed deeply and went teary eyed
"Aa raha hoon!" He said and cut the call. He closed his eyes and thanked God, tears fell from his eyes.
The girl seeing him got a bit worried,
"Aap theek hai.. Sir!"
"Haan...thanks"
"Main chalta hoon" And he rushed out
"Woh aapki jacket"
"Main baad me le loonga" And Arjun left hurriedly without looking back.
Suddenly an elderly woman came upto the girl and asked "Kon tha Aanchal?"
"Kaku woh us shaam ko maine bataya tha na, kuch ladke peecha kar rahe the, toh inhone hi bachaya tha"
"Oh accha! Par aise jaldi me kahan chale gaye?"
"Pata nahi,Kaku"
"Chal tu bhi ghar ja"
And both the siblings went in opposite direction! One hoping and the other wanting to meet the eachother.
As Raghav and Arjun reached Kolkata, they met the woman and showed her the pics Arjun always carried.
"Yeh ladki, aap jaanti hai ise???kuch yaad hai aapko???
meri behen hai..Pihu naam hai iska kareeb 7 saal ki thi...
Main bahut saalon se dhoond raha hoon...please aap ko kuch pata hai?
Wahan ab Orphanage bhi nahi hai...please..please meri madad kijiye"
Arjun pleaded and broke down
The lady took the photo and reminisced
"Haan ye thi wahan, phir ise adopt kar liya tha....bahut shant si thi aur sundar bhi...Hume jab mili thi toh bahut ro rahi thi..humesha apne bhai ka intezar karti thi..kehti rehti thi ke woh bas aane wala hai"
Arjun completely broke down hearing this and cried hard.
Raghav tried consoling him, the last thing he would want was to see his best friend in such a state!
"Kisne adopt kiya?? Please aapke paas record hoga...bas ek baar milna tha" Raghav told the ex Matron.
"Purani baat hai...mujhe kal tak ka time dijiye main dhoond kar batati hoon"
The boys thanked her and waited impatiently for the next day.
"Ise, Mr.Manohar Sharma ne adopt kiya tha, Nepanagar me kaam karte the..Nepamills company me maintenance manager the. Ye raha address "
"Thank you...thank you..aapne bahut madad ki"
Arjun thanked her and the boys tried figuring their way out to reach Nepanagar.
In Nepanagar
"Unhe yahan se gaye toh 10 saal ho gaye. Humme se koi touch me nahi hai... Bhopal shift gaye the Hindustan Die Mould me...bas itna hi jaante hai."
Arjun was disheartened. He told Raghav to head back home while he continues his search. He didn't want to trouble Raghav any further.
"Tu poora pagal hai kya Ajju? Mere liye ghar ka Matlab hi tu hai..tere bina kahan jau?" Raghav was miffed at him
"Raghu please, na jaane kab pata chalega...tu kab tak aise mere saath bhatakta rahega?"
Arjun felt sorry for both of them
"Saari zindagi meri Jaan, tere alawa mera hai bhi kon?
Aur agar zyada bura lag raha hai,toh aaj ke baad Beer ke paise hamesha tu hi dena"
Raghav grinned as Arjun whacked him.
As they reached Bhopal and searched for Mr. Sharma,all they again faced was regret. He didn't worked there anymore. Infact he had only worked there for a couple of years before he left the job and city.
Arjun's face fell and his heart heavy as they decided to head back, an old security came over.
"Aap log dhoond rahe hai kya Manoharji ko?"
"Haan.." Arjun stammered as his heart skipped a beat
"Aap jaante hai?"
"Ji zyaada nahi..par yahan ke unke manager the, unhone unhe bada pareshan kiya tha...bade achhe the Sharmaji, kaafi mehnati aur imaandaar...isi baat se woh Manager Saab ko khatakte the.
3-4 saal me hi chale gaye the yaahan se"
"Akhiri baar pata chala tha ki woh Nasik me Carbon Corporation me kaam karte hai, machine department me"
"Kya???"
The boys were nothing short of bewildered.
Arjun couldn't believe his ears, he literally traveled 4 cities in 6 days only to realize that he and his sister both are living in the same city currently!
They thanked him and left for their home.
Arjun all through his return prayed hard...he just wanted her back and now hoped to find her soon.
"Manohar Sharma machine department me, is naam ka toh koi nahi hai"
"Dekhiye please check kijiye, woh shayad kisi aur department me ho"
Arjun pleaded the security.
Suddenly a middle aged man walks upto the security for some report.
As the security finishes updating him, he says " Singh Saab, ye log kisi Manohar Sharma ko dhoond rahe hai..keh rahe hai ki Machining department me hai"
The man looks upto them
"Manohar Sharma ko"
Arjun " Ji Sir, woh woh actually mere Baba ke dost the...pehle Bhopal me kaam karte, hume yahin ka address mila tha"
Raghav "Woh humare Baba ke college friend the, milna tha hume unse...aap jaante hai kuch unke baare me?"
"Beta, woh toh ab is duniya me nahi rahe, 4 saal ho gaye unhe guzre hue!"
Arjun "Oh! Kab? Kaise? Aur ..unki Family...woh kahan hai..aap ko kuch idea?"
Raghav "Sir please ... hum bahut time se dhoond rahe the..aap..aur kuch jaante hai?"
The man was a little skeptical about disclosing the whereabouts until Raghav made a story to convince him fully
"Sir Sharmaji ne humare Baba ko college me kaafi help ki thi financially...unhone us waqt Baba ki bahut madad ki thi...kuch saal toh touch me the, phir kaafi saalon se koi khabar nahi mili....
Baba humesha unhe yaad karte the, bahut ehsaan the unke Baba par
Baba toh ab nahi rahe par unhone apni will me woh udhaar lautane ko kaha tha...humare Baba ki akhiri ichha thi ki hum Mr
Sharma aur unki Family ko zaroor mile"
"Oh achha" The man was finally convinced and elaborated further
"Arre bada bura hua tha...Unki wife ko Cancer ho gaya tha, bechari ki haalat bahut kharab thi..Chemo kara ke laut rahe the...badi baarish thi us roz...saamne se truck aa rahi thi..car skid ki...aur bas sab khatam...bada accident tha."
Arjun's heart sank...what about his Pihu? Where is she? Is she ok...or she too???
Raghav sensed Arjun's turmoil...
"Sir unke koi rishtedaar ya bachche?"
"Bhai behen toh nahi the, Maa saath rehti thi par unka dehant bhi abhi 3 saal pehle ho gaya....ek beti hai unki..yahi koi 18-19 saal ki hogi..."
"Woh yahin rehti hai? Isi shehar me?" Arjun mustered to ask
"Haan, ye M.G Road pe woh kya naam he...Caramel Spice..ek bakery hai...wahan kaam karti hai...Aanchal...Aanchal naam hai uska"
As Arjun's eyes welled up, Raghav was appalled...
Aanchal...this name echoed in his senses...was she the same girl he frequented library for?
The same girl he confessed his love and his dreams of marriage to his Best friend!
The one who wrote on the cake that day???
Is that why she got apprehensive writing the name?
Is that why he wasn't charged for the cake that day? Was she remembering her brother that day!!
Raghav couldn't figure out what he felt??
As for Arjun he just wanted to rush to Caramel Spice now!
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