Ardent Lovers

You Are My Happiness

Scene - Everyone realizes that Mishti has gone missing and Badepapa comes to the Rajvansh Sadan. 

Badepapa stormed inside the Rajvansh Sadan, anger burning in his eyes. He spotted Parul and asked her about Meenakshi's whereabouts. 

"Benbaa upar hai." 

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Badepapa strode away angrily. Up the stairs and to the place where he thought Meenakshi could be, Badepapa took deep breaths to calm his raging nerves. But today, nothing seemed to be of any help. Badepapa was about to turn towards Meenakshi's room when he heard some voices coming from the balcony area. He followed the voices and located Meenakshi, Abir, Kunal and Kuhu at the balcony. He walked towards them and looked straight into Abir's eyes. 

"Mishti kaha hai Abir?" He demanded. Before Abir had the chance to answer, Meenakshi intervened.

"Mishti ko iss ghar se jaana hi tha. Aur woh apni marzi se gayi hai," Meenakshi said as a matter of fact. Badepapa gaped at her in disbelief and fury. How could this woman be so insensitive? But today, he hadn't come here as the father of Meenakshi's daughter-in-law. But rather as the father of the girl who had been tortured by this woman since the day she had become a part of their lives. 

"Do ghanto ke bhitar agar hume Mishti nahi mili toh hume police ke paas jaana padega," he threatened, tired of Meenakshi's perpetual attitude. Meenakshi's eyes widened in astonishment while the others eyeballed Badepapa. 

"VISHAMBARJI!" Meenakshi shouted dangerously. But Badepapa wasn't going to be scared of her and keep mum.  

"Ab jail mei baithkar sochiyega apne asli waaris ke baare mei," he seethed in anger. Kunal and Kuhu were too shocked to react to the words being exchanged in front of them. Abir knew where Badepapa was coming from. If his mother had to do anything with Mishti's disappearance, he wouldn't leave her either. 

"Agar Mishti nahi mili ya usse kuch bhi hua na Maa, toh mei khud Badepapa ke saath police station jaaunga," Abir warned Meenakshi. Meenakshi stared at him with horrified eyes. Abir ignored her and glanced towards Kunal 

"Teri bike ki chaabi lekar aa," he commanded. It took a second for Kunal to recover from the shock and register his words but as soon as he did, he nodded his head and they both left from there. Badepapa threw one last glare at Meenakshi and tramped away with Kuhu behind him. 

With Abir driving the bike and Kunal on the back seat, they searched for Mishti in every possible place. Lakeside, bus stops, railway station. They asked people around those places but all they received in return were the denials of her presence. With every place that Abir didn't find Mishti in, his hope dwindled and his fear intensified. The only place that was now left, was the airport. Not once but twice, Mishti and Abir had been in the same place. The first time, he stood in the way of their separation but the second time? The second time he had let her go. So what did fate hold in store for him today? Abir parked the bike outside the airport. With trembling hands, he turned the ignition off. Abir's mind was a chaos of all the pleasant and unpleasant memories that were attached to this place while his heart was a tangled mess. Kunal was already heading towards the entrance when he realized that Abir wasn't behind him. He turned around only to find a fearful Abir, still standing by the bike. Kunal walked back towards him.

"Bhai," he called out. "Chaliye," he said, worry seeping through his heart. There had only been a finite number of times when Kunal had found Abir in such a disheveled and terrified state. And all those times had been related to Mishti. Abir slowly shifted his gaze towards Kunal. 

"Na-Nahi Nanko," he stuttered, a lost look etched on his face. "Ag-agar Mishti yaha nahi hui toh? Ag-Agar hum late hogaye honge toh? Ag-agar woh already chali gayi hogi toh?" He questioned as his eyes widened at the realization of the most distressing possibilities and trepidation gripped his heart. Kunal's heart broke at the sight of his brother, voicing out his inner turmoil. Tears lined his eyes but he controlled them. Right now, his brother needed support and he couldn't be the one falling weak. He had to be strong, for Abir.