"Mumma Papa wapas kab aaenge?" Kabir asked Bandana, she looked away, "Kabir abhi khana khalo, fir baat karenge" Bandana said, "Mumma aap shaam se bol rhi ho ke baadme baat karenge. Mujhe abhi batao Papa wapas kab aaenge" He insisted. She closed her eyes, "Kabir m..." She stopped when her phone rang, she looked at the screen.

She smiled when she saw Manjot video calling her, "lo baat karo" She said and gave her phone to Kabir, "Papa!!!" Kabir said excited, Bandana smiled. "Champ!! Kesa hai?" Manjot asked, "Papa aap vapas kab aaoge? Me miss kar raha hu aapko" Kabir replied. Manjot bit his lower lip, "jaldi aaunga" He said.

"Mumma kaha hai?" Manjot asked, "yehi hai" Kabir said looking at Bandana, she took the phone and Kabir finally started eating. She felt butterflies in her stomach when she saw him, he felt complete as he looked at her, "baat bhi karo" Kabir said, Bandana looked at him and chuckled.

"Theek se pohonch gey?" She managed to ask, he nodded. He signed her to go to another room, "Kabir tum theek se khana khaa lo, me upar bedroom me jaa rhi hu" She said, "bedroom me kyu? Yahi baat karo na" he said. "Yaha network theek nhi hai" she lied, "seedha bolo na private me baat karni hai" he said, she widened her eyes, "jao jao" he said. 

She went to her bedroom and sat on the bed, "kya hua?" She asked Manjot, "mann lag gaya tumhara?" He asked, "mera to pehle se laga tha, tum gey ho, me to apne hi ghar me hu" She said, "to ro kyu rhi thi?" He asked.

She avoided eye contact, "mujhe yaha aane ke lie kyu kaha?" She asked, he smiled. "Kabir raat ko kahani sun'ne ki zidd karega, to abhi mujhse kahani sun lo fir use suna dena" he said, "tumne hi bigaada hai usse, pehle chup chaap so jaata tha" she said. "Woh khud zidd karta tha kahani sun'ne ki" He said. She shook her head slightly and then Manjot started narrating her a story that he made up.

Kabir came after a while, "lo, aa gaya" She said, "Papa kahani" he said laying on the bed. Manjot smiled, "me hi suna deta hu" he said. 

He was still half way through the story when Kabir fell asleep. Bandana switched off the lights and went outside, "ek baat batao" She said to Manjot, "kahani to usse vese bhi suna sakte the, in fact sunai bhi tumne, to mujhe akele me dusre room me jaane ko kyu kaha?" She asked.

"Arey yehi baat thi" He said looking down, she smiled. They talked for a while and then finally went to bed.

*******

The next morning, Sameeksha went to the kitchen and saw Bandana preparing breakfast.

"Aaj to Tuesday hai, Abhishek ko training pe nhi jaana? Tayaar nhi hu..." She said and stopped as she realised that Abhishek did not live there anymore. "tu iss sab se door bhaagti reh, lekin ab ham sab jaante hai tu usse pyaar karti hai. Jitna chupaegi, utna hi bahar aaega" Bandana said and left.

Sameeksha had some breakfast and left for police station. 

She kept thinking about Abhishek on the way to her office, even when she reached she couldn't stop missing him.

"Ma'am, woh college ki ladki aai hai" Sumedh said, Sameeksha nodded and called her in the office. "Hi Ma'am" The girl said, "Hell..." Sameeksha stopped when she looked at the girl. "Tum?" Sameeksha asked shocked, "tum yaha kya kar rhi ho?" The girl asked to Sameeksha.

"Yeh mera office hai" Sameeksha said standing up, "Sumedh are you sure yeh woh ladki hai?" Sameeksha asked, "yes Ma'am" He replied, "aap jaanti hai isse?" He asked. "Acche se" Sameeksha replied sitting on her chair.

"Take a seat" She said to the girl. "Naam kya hai tumhara?" She asked, "Tamanna" The girl replied. "To tum uss ladke ko pasand karti thi jiska murder hua hai, right?" Sameeksha said, the girl awkwardly looked here and there.

"No no, it's fine. Tumhari present relationship me mujhme koi interest nhi hai" Sameeksha said in relation to Tamanna's relationship with Abhishek. "Mujhe bas iss case ki investigation ke lie tumse kucch sawaal poochne hai" She said. Tamanna nodded.

"To tum uss ladke se pyaar karti thi?" Sameeksha asked, "yes. But that bitch..." Tamanna started and Sameeksha immediately stopped her, "mind your tongue, mera office hai yeh" She said, "sorry" Tamanna said, "woh kisi aur se pyaar karta tha, iss lie me thodi koshish karne ke baad khud hi usse door ho geyi" She said.

"Kitni koshish ko tum thodi koshish keh rhi ho? Aur iss thodi koshish me tumne kya kya kia?" Sameeksha asked writing down the answer Tamanna gave. "Mene unn dono me misunderstandings paida karne ki koshish ki thi. Fir poore college me uss ladki ke bareme kucch rumours bhi failaae the" She said. Sameeksha hummed.

"Is that it?" She asked, Tamanna nodded, "fair enough" Sameeksha finished writing, "thank you for your time, you can go" she said, Tamanna smiled and left.

"Ma'am? Aapne usko ese hi jaane dia?" Sumedh asked, "jitna isne kaha, utna hi kia. Isse Zada karne ke lie dimaag nhi hai isme" Sameeksha replied.

*******

In the evening, Manjot went to Abhishek's room. 

"Kal mujhe Bandana se milne jaana hai" Manjot said, Abhishek looked at him, "aur?" He asked, "DCP se permission chahiye jaane ki, mere saath aa permission lene ke lie" Manjot said.

Abhishek nodded and they went to DCP Rane's room.

"Ham andar aa sakte hai Sir?" Manjot asked, "haan haan, come in" DCP Rane said. They entered the room. "Sir actually me Bandana se milne jaana chahta tha" Manjot said, DCP Rane nodded, "haan theek hai, tum dono jaa sakte ho. Kucch problem ho to mujhe call kar dena" He said.

Abhishek was looking at the room, his gaze fell on some frames on a wall on his left. There was a girl standing with DCP Rane in those photos, "Sir yeh ladki..." Abhishek said, "meri beti hai" DCP Rane replied, "Tamanna" He said.