The Ex's At War

Chapter 15 - Lost & Found

"Manik what are we going to do now? How will we get back? What if they leave without us? What will we do?", I wittered like a fish out of water.

"Nandini will you stop panicking..hang on let me think..", Manik brushed his fingers over his hair trying to figure out the situation while Manini tried to seek my attention towards something else and when I didn't pay attention to her, she ducked from my grasp and ran .

"Kadduu please stop troubling baby...come here", I ran after her caught hold of her.

"Mommy I want bayboon", she nagged looking at a balloon vendor. Of course the mess we were in hardly concerned her, to her the red and green balloons were more pleasing than the pale faces of her parents.

"Kaddu shut up and stay still", I clasped her hand firmly while Manik went ahead and asked in a few shops. He tried his best to make them understand that we were lost and needed help but they hardly understood anything due to the language barrier.

"Damn!! I shouldn't have sent away the translator..these people don't understand a word in English"

"That's because it is not their language", I tried to defend them when probably we ourselves were in danger.

Manik let out a sarcastic chuckle at my attempt, "Only if you had not wasted the time in the changing room we wouldn't have got lost in first place"

"Haww Manik ...it was because of me!!!!you are such a jer..", I stopped midway suddenly realizing Manini's presence. I gave an irritated look at Manik who was busy in scanning the area and his daughter was busy trying to climb on her Daddy.

"Daddy two bayboon pleashh", she demanded making a puppy face and raising her hand to show a count of five. She still confused when it came to counting on fingers.

"Yes baby I will get them but lets first find Uncle Cabir...he has lots of chocolates..we need to find him fast before he eats up all", Manik managed to tune her according to him and her eyes twinkled at the mention chocolates.

"Manik I think we should search for them...they will be here only", I suggested a better alternative than trying to break our heads in front of the residents. Manik nodded his head in agreement and picked the little packet of trouble in his arms and started walking. We roamed about in those endless lanes. God knows if we were getting near or even farther.

"Godd I shouldn't have listened to you at all...I think we have drifted even far"

"If you had a better idea why didn't you put into practice", I darted back at him making a face

"Shut up and follow me"

"Manik I am tired...I cant walk please lets rest for sometime", I was sweating under the scorching sun.

Manik made an irritated face at first but when he realized that I was actually exhausted.

"Fine you sit here with Princess..even she looks tired...I will go have a look"

"No no where are you going?? What if you get lost and can't find us"

"Relax I have kind of understood the patterns of the lanes...I will just go and have a look but you guys stay here and don't move okay", he led Manini to my arms and vanished in the crowd.

It was almost half an hour that Manik was gone and I saw no traces of him coming back. Manini was getting restless as such she was the most patient kid in the block (pun intended) and the waiting game was beyond her purview. Sometimes she needed balloon, sometimes candyfloss, ice creams and what not. I tried every possible thing to cajole her to stick to me but even I was getting impatient. I was sure Manik was wandering here and there without any help so I decided to take charge. I got up and walked to a small group of people who seemed busy amongst themselves. I tried to talk to them but got the same reaction. I gestured them asking about the other boutiques nearby and one of them led me to a lane.