Emotional Ramblings: MaAn

Two parts of a whole - 1

"Mummyy?!"

"Bebli?"

"Mummyyyyyyyyyy!!"

"Anu?!!" screamed Anupama as she ran outside in shock upon hearing Chotti's voice again. Chotti was here? How?!

Anupamaa rushed outside into the small front yard to see a disheveled chotti with two plaits crying and holding the hand of a strange woman. Anupama rushed and picked up Chotti and chotti engulfed herself into Anupama's warm hug and clung onto her like her life depended on it.

"Bebli thu yahan kaise, Papa ke saath aayi hain - yaa Maaya?" enquired Anupamaa unable to understand how Chotti was here and not seeing either Anuj or Maaya around. "Bebli kuch to bol ne - aur tu ro kyu rahi?!"

The strange woman interjected and said, "Anupama Kapadia?"

"Ji, main hoon Anupama Kapadia, aap kon?"

"Ji main ek parent volunteer hoon. Actually we had taken the kids to Ahmedabad for a field trip for a few days and upon reaching here, I was in charge of the group of kids which Anu was a part of. We've been in the city for the past 2 days and Anu here has been relentlessly crying and running away looking for you I believe."

Anupama was shocked, why was chotti behaving as such - she could've let her Papa or Maaya know - but Anupama urged the parent to continue the story as she soothingly patted Chotti's back and let her snuggle into her neck.

The parent continued "Actually we tried to call Mr.Kapadia and Maaya but we couldn't reach their phones and chotti was insisting that she needed her Mummy and upon enquiring from your listed contact  we found out that you were here. Chotti in face had overheard that you were at your Mothers' place and she ran away yesterday to find you. Luckily we got to her first before she was in any danger. But after that incident we felt it was best that we bring her to you and she can be in peace."

Anupama was shocked, chotti never behaved this way so what happened?

She stammered thank you to the kind lady and went inside her Mothers' small house and sat on her bed with Chotti still clinging to her. She rubbed her back and tried to pry her hands away from around her neck but chotti refused and Anupama gave up after a while and laid down on the bed with chotti on top of her. They both laid down, covered by the blanket and Anupama hummed a soft song as she caressed her hair and rubbed circles on her back. Finally after a while chotti looked up at her Mummy and peppered her with kisses on her cheeks and she said softly "Mummy, I missed you soo much. I can't stay without you. Please let me stay here."

Anu's heart swelled up at her bebli's request and before she went down that path she asked softly "Par bebli aap tho maaya ke saath jaana chahti thi, kya hua bebli. Aap kyu pareshan ho, aap Maaya ke saath kush the na? Main tho humesha aapki hoon, par kya hua achanak? Papa bhi the naa saath waha?"

Chotti looked at Anu adamantly and said, "Ab mujhe nahi rehna wahan. If you don't want me then I'll leave from here too!"

Anupama chuckled and pulled her cheeks - "Acha ji, aur kahan jayenge aap mujhe chodkar? Main aapko doondlungi and kasss ke pakad loongi." and with that she grabbed chotti tightly and got off the bed and twirled her around in circles. Chotti squealed and clung onto Anu's neck as both their braids flew in the air as they twirled in circles. They heard humorous chuckles from the front door as Kaanta Maa and Bhavesh reached the front door and were delighted to see Chotti. Chotti jumped down from Anu's arms finally and ran to her Naani and reveled in the soft warm figure of her Naani and she hugged her tightly as her uncle chucked her chin slightly laughing at her adorableness. Chotti left Naani and jumped on Bhavesh Maama's back and they both proceeded to run around playing their usual princess and horse game.