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Ram went downstairs to see if she was somewhere there but when he couldn't find her there, he came back upstairs with a tensed face.

"Is she there, Ram garu?",Sri asked worriedly.

Ram nodded his head as no which made Sri worry more and more.

"Should we wake up athayagaru and mamayyagaru?",Sri asked.

"No, don't! I'll check the surroundings and come. You just stay home, I know you want to come along as well but we can't leave Aadhu alone in home and waking up amma and nanna and handling her to them and then going will make it more late. So, please ammadi stay back. I promise, I'll be back soon",he said and kissed her forehead giving her a faint smile.

"Please be safe, Ram garu and wait your phone it's with you right? Call me if you find something just keep me updated please?",she said to which he nodded.

Ram went from there while, Sri Devi got back to her room and sat beside Aadhira who was sleeping peacfully.

No matter what Ishu did, Sri was getting worried for a girl who was missing from home at midnight. After reading various news everyday regarding such things it made her even more worried.

An hour passed and there was no text or call from Ram, Sri was getting anxious now. Just when she was about to call him, he called her quickly without wasting a second.

"Ram garu, did you find her? Is she okay?",Sri asked.

"No Sri, I searched everywhere and her phone it's switched off. I somehow feel she is playing with us just to make us feel guilty and to-",before Ram could continue saying more Sri cut him off.

"Ram garu, why do you say things like that? What if she is in some trouble? Her parents trusted us and sent to our home, now what are we going to answer them?",Sri asked to which Ram stayed silent.

"Shall we file a missing complaint then?",he asked.

Sri thought for a while.

"Let me check her room once, Ram garu. Then we will see if to give a complaint or not",Sri said.

"Alright",Ram replied.

Sri went to Ishu's room to look if she left some letter or atleast something but failed to find anything. She called back Ram.

"I think we should file a missing complaint, Ram garu",she said and Ram sighed.

"I will go to the police station and come back. I hope she is fine",he said and cut the call.

After around two and half hours, Ram came back home and Sri rushed to give him some water while he settled down on the couch.

"Did they take the complaint?",Sri asked.

"Yeah, they did. I called one of my classmates from the department when they refused to take the case and they finally took the case",he said and took a sip of water.

The whole night they stayed up. Even when Ram forced Sri to sleep for sometime thinking about her health, she refused to do it. She said him she can't sleep peacefully when a girl is out there who could possibly be in danger.

The night passed and a bright day was welcoming with the sounds of chirping birds and the sun peeping in.

Every few seconds, Sri was looking at the door hoping that Ishu would walk in some time safe and sound.

Shyamala was the first one to wake up, she came into the living room to find Ram sitting on the couch while his foot were being tapped on the floor continuously whereas the tea which was kept on stove was all over it even when Sri was just in front of it.

"Good morning, Sri! Good morning ra",she tried to break the ice.

"Sh*t",Sri tried to switch off the stove and put the vessel off but she forgot to to use the tongs which burnt her hands.

"What happened?",Ram rushed to the kitchen to find Sri seeing what has happened to her hand.

"What happened, ammadi?",he asked again.

"I think I burnt my hand, I forgot to use tongs and it got burnt",before she could complete he rushed to her and put her hands under the running water. Her hands were turning pinkish red and her expressions clearly show that it hurts a lot.

"Is it hurting a lot?",he asked blowing air on her hands.

"It would be a lie, if I say no",she says as he continues doing the same.

Meanwhile Shyamala came with burnol and applied it on her hands and made both of them to sit.

"Will you both tell me, what's going on? Only then I can help you. You'll gain nothing by keeping it all to yourself, instead it will make me even more worried looking at you both like this",Shyamala said.

"What's going on?",Krishnam Raju walked in the dining room and sat beside  Shyamala.

"Ishu is missing since last night 1am, athaya garu. We searched everywhere and I asked him to give a missing complaint and come home since we didn't find her anywhere. What are we going to answer her parents athaya garu? A young girl missing from home that too at midnight is really not a little thing. That's what we are worried about",Sri said.

"What? Ishita is missing? But how is it possible? Did you try calling her?",Krishnam Raju asked.

Before Ram could answer, they heard Aadhira's cries from the room.

"I'll go see that and come. Devi will tell you ,nanna",Ram said and got up from there

Sri was talking with both of them while Ram went to their room to see Aadhira who was crying.

"Aele, dadda's angel why are you crying? Look dadda is here! Good morning, love", saying he kisses her forehead while a giggle escapes from her mouth.

"Gummning daddaaaa, mammmaa?",she asked.

"She is in hall angel, come let's go! Did my baby sleep sleep well?",he asked and she blinks her eyes and wraps her arms around his neck snuggling into him.

Ram came into the dining room to find his parents with tensed faces.

"Amma, don't you know about Ishu? I think she'll come back",Ram said while he was patting Aadhira's back slowly.

"I know ra, but something seems off to me that feeling that something is going wrong is in my heart",Shyamala said.

"Same with me also, athaya garu. If I say that to him, he isn't listening. I'll get tea for you both",Sri said and was about to get up.

"Where do you think you are going, young lady?",Shyamala said sternly and Ram sat beside Sri with Aadhira in his arms.

Aadhira's m.v : Mamma is here! Mamma was crying yesterday, is mamma okay now? Who hurt mamma? I am going to go on a war against them. Wait, that red dress girl is not here. Yayyy! Only nanamma, thathayya, dadda, mamma and Aadhuuu! Jollyyyy!

Aadhira gigglea and plays while throwing her arms in air. She threw her arms towards Sri and Sri was quick enough to take her in her embrace and hold her tight to her heart.

"Mamma missed you, Aadhu",she whispers while the men talk about what to do further.

To be continued..

Hello there readers,

No slippers please 🙏

I know I am late again, so sorry about that. But I'm finally here with an update so yayy!

Aadhu is happy because red dress Ishu isn't here and so am I!! Who else is?

Do you think they'll find Ishu? Is Ishu really in some danger?

Stay tuned to know more!

I just realised it's been an year I started this book. Aadhu is always my sweetheart ❤ and I would like to sincerely thank all my readers for always sticking by me through thick and thin.

4k + reads again! Thank you guys!

Thank you for reading, don't forget to vote and comment your views!

I'll meet you all in next update real soon. Sending loads of love!

Hasta la vista

- Sakshi Devi