Here Angel was waiting for her, after long she noticed that the sound of the playing children is not coming.. she peeped out but..

"arey ye log kaha gaye aur mannu mannu kaha gayi?"

She moved out hurriedly "mannu mannu.."

She sees Manvi sitting on the pavement weeping like a small child

She moved near and bent beside her, noticed the her fork near her knee getting wet..

She caressed her hairs and pulled up her face "mannu kya hua?" she asked lovingly..

But Manvi skit back..

Angel grabbed her "kya hua mannu.. kya hua?"

"chimpu.. wo chimpu.. aap dogi mujhe?"

Angel didn't get the head and tail of it but nodded "ha dungi na chalo aap.. ao mere saath ao utho"

She helped her to stand..

Manvi uttered "ahhh... dard ho raha hai.. ahh.."

Angel wrapped her in side hug "abhi thik ho jayega aao.. aao.."

She led her inside.

Angel makes her sit on the sofa and goes to bring the first aid box..

Manvi looks around.. "chimpu.. nahi hai.. unhone to kaha tha chimpu dengi."

Angel comes back with the kit and knelt in front of Manvi, and started applying antiseptic..

Manvi feels the pain and pushes away Angel "ahh jao.. dard.. gande.."

Angel get misbalanced for a moment but maintained herself well

"mannu aise nahi kerte dekho abhi thik ho jayega.. abhi fir hum ghumne jayenge.. chalo chalo.."

She applied the band aid and looks at Manvi who is about to cry at any moment.. she got up and sat beside her

"aab batao kya hua tha.."

"wo log na chimpu ko le kar chale gaye" she said making sad face

"acha bahut buri baat.. per aapke pass to ek dost hai.. fir aap chimpu se kyu dosti karni hai?" Angel asked

"dost hai.. dost.. haan aap meri dost ho.. toh aap mujhe chimpu ko la dogi na? haan.." she requested

"haan per aap bolo ki chimpu se kaise dosti hui aapki?" Angel asked.

"main waha gayi to ek gandi si larki chimpu ko leke khadi thi usne mujhe diya hi nahi.. fir sab.. mujhe bahut darr laga.." Manvi said

She hugs Angel "aap la doge mere liye ek chimpu? wo kitna soft soft tha.."

Angel ruffled her hairs "ha la denge.. aur aapko unlogo ki saath khelna hai na?"

Manvi left her and nodded excitingly..

"par wo log na bure hai.."

Angel smiled "acha mein na ache wale bacho se dosti kerwaungi aapki.. yeahi pass mei ek bachi hai.. shaam ko ayegi wo.."

Manvi nods "aur chimpu?"

"le aayungi meri behena" Angel said

Manvi nods.

That evening Angel is sitting with Manvi in front of laptop and playing games..

Manvi is very excited "ise aise karu.. yea aise.."

Just then the doorbell rang.. Angel noticed Manvi engrossed in game so moved out to open the door

"arey Sneha tum?"

A young girl of about 14yrs is standing out "ha papa ne bataya aap kal hi agayi thi. toh aap mujse mile kyu nahi Angel Di?"

"wo main" Angel said..

"aap apni behen ko le aayi??" Sneha asked

"ha wo.." Angel nodded

"mujhe bhi milna hai unse.."Sneha said with a smile

"beta wo.. actually beta..wo.."

Sneha comes in with "kya Di milao na unse.."

"beta wo na thori alag hai.. wo.." Angel does not know to explain to her about Manvi's condition.

Manvi comes out with her toy which Angel had bought this afternoon "dost aap kisse baat kar rahi ho?"

Sneha looked at Manvi "aap Angel Di ki behen ho?"

She moved forward.. Manvi started taking back steps..

Angel tried "Sneha beta.."

But Sneha smilingly moved forward and touched Manvi "main Sneha."

Manvi jerked she laid her hand on a small bronze statue and threw it on Sneha

"tum lene ayi ho na chimpu ko jao jao tum.." she rushed to her room..

Angel came near Sneha

She got a big bruise on her forehead

Angel said in a low tone "sorry beta isiliye.."

"I am sorry Di..." And she left.

Later that evening Sneha's mother came and accused Angel "pagalo ko asylum mein rakhna cahiye naki ghar mei"

" kisne kaha aapko meri behen paagal hai haan wo paagal nahi hai nahi hai woh paagal" Angel replied shouting at the Sneha's mother

"Arey paagal hi hai wo ek bachi ko aise marta hai koi.. haan kuch ho jata Sneha ko toh ussy kamre me band karke rakho aacha hoga"

"Tum hoti kaun ho faisla karne wali meri behen hai wo kahi bhi aa jaa sakti hai samjhe tum nikalo ghar se mere chalo" shouting at the person

The person moves out angrily murmuring

Angel closed the door with a bang and sat back on the nearby chair.. she closed her eyes

"mannu tum thik ho jao yaar jaldise.." a tear rolled down her cheeks she didn't know how long she is sitting like this when she felt a soft touch on her cheeks

She opened her eyes and found Manvi kneeling in front of her wiping her tears..

"aap ko daanta kisine? aap ro rahe ho? dard hai aapko?"

Angel turned away her face

Manvi looked at her sadly then placed the doll in her lap "aap naraj ho mujhse? haan maine galti ki? aap danto mujhe yea yea bhi le lo.. baat karo na... main sari baat manungi aapki"

Angel without looking at her "tumne sneha ko mara kyu?

"wo le jata na chimpu ko unn larkiyon ki tarah.. bahut darr laga.. aur wo aapse bhi baatein ker rahi thi.. aapse dosti ker leti to fir aap mujhe bhool jaati na?"

Angel looked at her but Manvi is looking downwards explaining

"mere pass to aapke siwa koi dost nahi hey.. fir main kya karti mujhe darr lagta hai na akele akele.. bahut darr.."

Wo... (she started taking rapid breath) andhera hota hai.. sab sab chale jate hai aap.. bhi usse dosti ker loge..(she cuddled the toy near to her heart) mujhse baat nahi karoge.. maine baat nahi maani aapki aap chale jaogi

Angel immediately got up from chair sat beside her and hold her by arms "mannu mannu aisa kuch nahi hoga.. dekho dekho yaha dekho.."

"nahi aap chale jaoge.. uske pass.. mujhse naraj ho jaoge.." Manvi said while crying

Angel pulled her forcefully and cupped her face looking in her eyes "aapko pasand nahi na main kisi aur ki dost banu?"

Manvi shook his head in negative hugged her with "nahi aap sirf meri dost ho sirf meri.. dost.. meri dost.."

She feels very tired suddenly

Angel helped her get up "ha hum sirf aapke dost hai aur kisi ke nahi chalo ab aap kamre mein chalo..

She leads her to her room lied her down with "per aapko bhi meri baatein manni hogi na?"

Manvi sleepily nods..

"to aap kal Sneha se sorry kahogi aur aage se kisi ke saath aisa nahi karoge warna main sach mei naraz ho jaungi"

Manvi grabbed Angel's hand "sorry sorry kahungi.. sorry.."

and she moves to sleep

Angel rubbed her palm in her hairs "kal to tumhe yaad bhi nahi hoga ye sab.. par possessiveness yaad reh gayi hai na? tum na mannu sudhrogi nahi.."

Angel had meet with her old friends after long, actually sisters were at beach when they meet with that group

One of them is junior to Angel..

Angel greets her "arey kaisi ho tum choti?"

"main thik hu tum kaisi ho.. Di" the friend said.

"main bhi tek hun.."

And during all these Angel introduced Manvi.

After some more chit chat.. they went back home.. That night Manvi didn't take dinner..

Angel asked "Manvi.. tumne khana kyu nahi khaya.." but Manvi did not answer went to sleep..

Angel thinks "issey kya hua.. achanak.. kal puch lungi"

Next morning Angel woke up.. looked at the time it was 8.30, she freshens up and goes down finds no one. She was surprised "aaj ye khud uthke nikal gayi training ke liye"

Later in evening, Angel came back home but Manvi was ignoring her. Angel asked "mannu kya baat hai? Tum aise kyun behave akr rahi ho? Kalse ignore kar rahi ho mujhe"

Manvi said teasingly "haan ab main to mannu hoon na choti jisko kahoge wo mil gayi hai na bulane wali aapko main to ab stranger hoon"

Now Angel started laughing.. Manvi gets more angry and asked "ab isme hasne wali kya baat hai.."

Angel spoke up "toh aur kya karu.. tum hi to choti ho meri"

Manvi glanced at her "behen hoon na main to usko aapne choti kyun bulaya?"

Angel smiled and said "to madam itni si baat ko lekar mujhse naraz hai"

"itni si baat hai.." she was more angry.. "haan main kaha kuch hoon ab purane dost mil gaye hai to meri nhi padi hai aapko"

Angel smiled.. "kitna ladti thi tum mujhse.. gussa bhi hui" And she moved out after covering her properly

Angel woke up Manvi for dinner and then after settling her engrossed with TV she moved to get the dinner ready

She comes back and finds Manvi excited at something over tv..

"dost dost dekho ye na iss baby ka bahut khayal rakh rahi hai baby ko ghumane le ja rahi hai.. ye kaun hai baby ki.."

Angel looked at the screen and got in moments "ye baby ki maa hai.."

Manvi looked at Angel and asked "maa.. wo kya hota hai..."

Angel's heart pinched.. "ma.. ma wo hoti hai jo apne bacho se bahut pyaar karti hai uska bahut khayal rakhti hai uske har zarurat ka khayal rakhti hai.."

Manvi seems to be in deep thought.. "fir meri maa kaha hai? aur aapki?"

Angel don't know what to answer.. "bolo na dost meri maa kaha hai? aapki maa kaha hai? humari maa bhi waise hume ghumane kyu nahi le jati hai.. mujhe maa se milna hai.. bolo na maa kaha hai.."
To be continued..