<|| Udd Chala. ||>

|| Part One of Three. ||

Mishti finally stopped pacing her bedroom floor & threw her phone down on her bed in desperation. She had tried to continuously call Abeer after what had happened with Kunal & the pre-nuptial agreement fiasco. But he wasn't answering. He was obviously in a deep state of shock. & she couldn't rest just like that. Not until she knew he was okay. & to do that, she had to speak to him. But when he wasn't answering her phone call, that made her even more frantic.

That was it. She had had more than enough. She could not just sit around doing nothing any longer.

So she grabbed her phone from the bed & her purse from her dressing table before rushing out of her room, down the stairs & into the foyer; to where Rajshri was just leaving the kitchen, calling out instructions to the staff as she did so.

"Badi Maa" she said desperately & Rajshri saw the worried expression on her daughter's face.
"Mishtii, what's wrong beta?"
"Badi Maa, Abeer's not answering his phone &..." She began & her Badi Maa cut her off.
"Then what are you still doing here? Go. He needs you" she told her & Mishti smiled softly. A feeling of relief washing over her topped up by her emotions on not being able to get hold of Abeer. Her Badi Maa always knew what she needed & when she needed it. Mishti threw her arms around her & Rajshri hugged her tight, smiling. "Thank you Badi Maa. For always understanding me."

"Meri Bachi" she pulled away from the hug & took her daughter's cheek. "If I don't understand you, who will? Mm?" She asked & Mishti nodded. "Now go." She said & Mishti rushed off toward the main door of the house. "& keep me informed!" She called.
"I will, Badi Maa!" She called back, passing Jasmeet through the foyer.

"Where are you off to in a hurry?" She asked curtly, causing Mishti to stop in her tracks. She really didn't have time for this.
"Jasmeet" Rajshri interrupted before Mishti could reply, & both Mishti & Jasmeet turned to face her.
"Yes Tai Jee?" Jasmeet replied ever-so-sweetly. A contrast to her tone with Mishti, as is.
"Let her go, Beta. She's in a hurry."
"I'll call you in a bit Badi Maa." Mishti called as she left, thankful for the interception.
"Okay. But go carefully!" She called back as Mishti rushed out of the door.

Mishti continued to try & call Abeer but he still wasn't answering. "Come on Ajeeb Rajvansh. Answer your phone!" She sighed but the call dropped. She tried again as she hailed down a rickshaw. "Come onnn" she said to herself as the Rickshaw came to a stop in front of her. She gave the driver instructions on where to go before getting into the back.

She messaged him; Ajeeb Rajvansh. I've been calling you for the last half an hour. Answer your damn phone or you'll really see my angry avtar!

Nothing. He didn't even see the message. She sighed aloud to herself.

"Madam. We're here" the driver announced & Mishti looked up to see them parked right outside Rajvansh House.

"Thank you bhaiyya" she said, taking some cash out of her purse & handing it to him, before getting out.

The rickshaw had disappeared as she rushed over to the house but she stopped in her tracks when she got to the gates.

A lot had gone down that day at her house. Every one was clearly already disturbed after Kunal's antics & she was sure that right now her presence wouldn't help matters any further. But she needed to know how Abeer was. Where Abeer was.

How was she going to do that?

She sighed, trying to think of her next step. She had called Ketki earlier, when she first couldn't get hold of Abeer but she wasn't home, so she didn't know where Abeer was. Nidhi had sent her & Atul on a few errands, probably to keep them away from the tense atmosphere in the house.

What was she going to do? How was she going to find out where he was? She put her hand to her head then suddenly a thought came to mind. She closed her eyes, silently praying that no one else would pick up the phone. "Please, please, please, please, please!" She said to herself.

"Hello?' A familiar voice spoke & Mishti sighed in relief.
"Thank God! Jugnu Bhaiyya! It's Mishti"
"Yes DiDi?" He lowered his voice, obviously afraid of anyone else hearing who he was speaking to.
"Do you know where Abeer is? He's not answering his phone. I'm really worried. I'm outside Rajvansh house!"
"What!?" He exclaimed then realised the volume of his voices he lowered it again. "DiDi, bhaiya's not at home. He left a while ago." She said & Mishti sighed. Back to square one. "DiDi he had his bag with him. I tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen..." He said worriedly & Mishti's eyes widened.

"Jugnu Bhaiyya. You don't know where he went, do you?"
"No. Naanu called up the NGO DiDi in case he went there but he's not there." He said & Mishti sighed, her hand to her head again.
"Wait. Did you tell Naanu that he had his bag?"
"No. Bhaiyya promised me not to say a word to him..." He paused. "...Or you"
"It's okay Jugnu Bhaiyya. He won't find out you told me. I promise" she assured him.
"Thank you DiDi" he sighed in relief.
"Where could he be?" She said to herself.
"Is there any place you think he could go DiDi? Any place he really likes. You know him more than anyone" he said & she paused. One place coming to mind.
"Jugnu Bhaiya. Tell Naanu not to worry. I'll find Abeer & bring him back. I promise!"
"Okay. I'll tell him. All the best Mishti DiDi"
"Thanks Jugnu Bhaiya. Bye"
"Bye" he said & she ended the call.

She just hoped that he was where she was thinking he'd be & hadn't gone anywhere else from there.

She sighed deeply, her eyes closed. "Ajeeb Rajvansh" she said quietly.