Prerish || What it should have been

To be or not to be

Prerna woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, sweating and panting. She searched for some water but found the jug to be empty. She got up to bring some water from the kitchen, but when she opened the door, she found Kukki unconscious on the floor.

"Kukki!!! Kukki!!!" scared Prerna shouted and tried to wake her up. Prerna realized Kukki had peed on her clothes and was lying all wet for God knows how much time. She ran to the study and frantically searched for Mr Bajaj. But he was nowhere to be found. Prerna came back to Kukki and realized she had no time to waste and quickly picked kukki up in her arms and ran to her room. She first changed her clothes, wrapped her in blankets and started rubbing her hands and legs, all the time trying to wake her up. After what seemed like forever, Kukki opened her eyes and frantically started hitting her hands and legs, trying to get away from Prerna. Prerna tried to protect herself and it took her a while to realize that the little girl was having a nightmare, scared out of her wits. Somehow Prerna stopped Kukki and hugged her tightly, getting her to relax. She kept patting on her head and speaking soothing words to her. Finally, Kukki relaxed.

Kukki then did the sign to get her papa and where is he. But Prerna could understand nothing. Kukki tried to do it again and again, but Prerna had difficulty understanding, making Kukki irritated. After sometime Kukki pointed towards the photo of hers and Mr Bajaj and Prerna realised what it was.

"I am sorry. Aapko aapke papa chahiye" Prerna said. Kukki nodded her head. Kukki tried to show her in signals that she went to meet her father. His room door is never closed, but I don't know how it was. He never closes it. When Prerna again didn't understand, Kukki started crying angrily at Prerna. Prerna didn't know what to do.

"Kukki beta mera baat suno." Prerna said, but Kukki removed her hands.

"Please!!! Please mat ro. Acha main aapke papa ko bula ke lao. Kukki please," Prerna kept pleading. She then decided that maybe she would have to find Mr Bajaj anyhow. Kukki needs him and he will know how to handle her. As she got up to leave, the little girl caught her hand crying and shook her head, asking her not to go. Prerna quickly hugged the little girl and kissed her on her head. Kukki hugged her back.

"Main nahin ja rahin hoon. Kahin nahin ja rahin" Prerna said, relaxing the little girl and reassuring her. No matter what she said to MrBajaj and what she must have thought or how she might have reacted, she can never hate this angel. She can never take out MrBajaj's anger on her or punish her for his mistakes. It was something she couldn't imagine even in the wildest of her dreams. Would this little angel make her forget her wounds she didn't know, and this was not the time to think about it.

"Kukki!!!! Kukki!!! Sorry!!!" Prerna said, wiping Kukki's tears and making a puppy face and catching her ears with her hands. Kukki then smiled and Prerna started ticking the little girl, making her smile.

"Dekho main to aapki friend abhi abhi bani hoon to mujhe pata nahin hain ki tum kya bolna chahti hoon. Hain na mujhe bhi thoda time lagega. Aur mujhe jo nahin aayega woh tum mujhe sikha dena" Prerna said and Kukki nodded her head. Kukki then did all her actions again slowly and tried to get Prerna to understand.

"Aapke papa.......... Apna..nahin door.... Door kabhi band nahi rakhte hain. Aaj closed tha" Prerna tried to decode what she was saying, and that is when she realised what must have happened. Kukki must be used to running to her father in sleep when she gets a nightmare, but today since Prerna was there.... but how could Mr Bajaj be so careless with his daughter? He could have told her or had he done this deliberately to push her towards.... No, that can't be.... but......Prerna got pulled from her thoughts when Kukki tapped on her shoulder.

"Woh aaj aapke papa room main nahin the study main the. Aur main room main thi. Aur pata hain main bhi aapki tarah akele main bahut dar jati hoon to maine door band kar liya tha. Mujhe pata nahin thana ki tum but I will not do it from tom. Tumhe agar dar lagega then you can come to my room. Okay. Aur hum dono milke sab bad dreams ko bhaga denge'' Prerna said and gave thumbs up to Kukki which she answered with the same.