'Where did she go?
What happened? Oh my God!' Angad stared into space stunned. This could not be
happening. This could so not be happening. She was looking sad today but he had
thought that it was because they were going for Mumbai. But it was the other
way round! He couldn't lose her. 'I'm coming home right away Mom! I'm going to
be there!'
Naina smiled.
Everything was going according to plan. She made her voice sad, 'But Angad,
what about your work in Mumbai? What about Kunal?'
'I don't care about
work Mom. I can't lose Kripa. Kunal will understand. We have to find her! Oh
God!' he slammed the phone down and repacked his bag. He called Kunal who was
in the shower. 'Kunal, we have to go back. We have to go back to Nainital
immediately.'
*****
Kripa frowned. What
was she going to do for two weeks? She hadn't even brought any books to read.
There was nothing near the farmhouse. Everything was at least an hour away. Oh
well, she would just go sit in the garden.
She went downstairs
and blinked in surprise. The sky looked beautiful. She hadn't realized how many
stars there could be just in one place in a night. It was a clear night so
there were no clouds to obstruct the view. The moon had a very mystical
appearance. Kripa sighed and wished Angad was here with her. She shrugged. Some
other day.
*****
'Papa, where did
Mama go?' asked Kunal with a small sniffle.
Angad looked at his
son and didn't know what to say to him. 'I don't know Kunal. But she'll be back
soon. I promise you that. Maybe she has just gone for a break.' A tear slid
Angad's cheek and Kunal felt sad for what had happened.
'Yeah, don't worry
Papa, she'll be back.' With that, they drove silently to Nainital.
A few hours later,
they were there and Angad ran inside the house to see his mother. 'Mom, where
is Kripa? What happened?' Angad saw his mother bend her head down trying to
hide her tears.
'Angad, I have no
idea. When I came back, she was not there. I called the hospital to find out if
she was there but there was no such luck. They told me.. they told me..' Naina
started crying even more. Angad was scared. What had happened to Kripa?
'What did they tell
you Mom?' he almost screamed.
'They told me that
she had decided to leave the hospital and they wouldn't tell me where she had
gone. I don't know what to do Angad!' Naina said trying to hide her smile.
'Mom, don't worry,
we'll find her. She'll be alright.' Angad also tried to comfort himself. She
probably went for a small break. She would be back.
'Papa, have you
tried Mama's cell phone?' Kunal asked suddenly.
Naina looked up
with a start. She had totally forgotten about Kripa's phone! They would call
her now and her plan would go down the drain. She had no other choice but to
see Angad dialing her number quickly. A few seconds later, they heard the phone
ring in Angad's room.
Angad went to his
room, stared at the phone and burst into tears. She did not want to be found.
He would find her, by hook or by crook.
*****
Where was her cell
phone? Kripa asked herself for the hundredth time. There was no landline over
here so it was very important that she had her phone. She had carried it from
her car, hadn't she? She was such an idiot! How would she call home and tell
her mother-in-law that everything was fine? Duffer, idiot, stupid, fool! She
called herself.
*****
A week went by, but
there was no sign of Kripa. Kunal was miserable. Angad had taken to drinking
and only slept when he had passed out from exhaustion. Naina didn't like the
way things were going. Her fool of a son wasn't supposed to be passed out! He
was supposed to be out looking for Kripa! She couldn't believe that she was
causing her family such pain. She was about to go to Angad and shake him awake
when the phone rang.
Naina got annoyed
and picked it up and screamed, 'Hello!'
Josh did a
double-take. What had happened to his sweet mother-in-law? 'Namaste Mom, this
is Josh.'
Naina sighed,
'Namaste, how are you?' They chatted for a while when Naina suddenly exclaimed,
'Angad is such an idiot! Instead of looking for Kripa, he is passed out drunk.'
'But Kripa is at the
farmhouse, Mom. Why is he supposed to be looking for her?' Naina explained her
plan to Josh while he gave a whoop. 'Don't worry Mom, I know how to make this
work. Tell Angad that I will come and pick him up later, just to hang out.'
Naina went to
Angad's room with a bucket of water and drenched him with it. Angad woke up
with a start and shrieked 'Kripa'. Naina said, 'Get ready, Josh is coming to
pick you up. Stop behaving like Devdas and just look for your Paro OK!'
Angad mumbled
something and got ready. When Josh came, he was ready. 'Hey,' he grumbled.
Josh smiled but hid
his face, 'Hey yourself. I heard about Kripa man. I'm sorry about that. But
stop drinking like a fool and look for her.'
'I am so done with
this. I need to get away from here for a while, Josh! Can I have the key to the
farmhouse?' Angad said suddenly.
Josh grinned.
Everything was done and he didn't have to do a single thing. This was life!
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