_Ranjish_

~Chapter 8~

Rishita started looking here and there, to see if what she heard was true or not.
Aadheesh was irritated. Firstly, she ignored him. Secondly, now that they are talking her whole attention is over something else.
"Can you stop it and talk to me! ", he huffed as he snacked his hands around her waist.
Rishita was taken aback. She stared in his brown orbs. No.. No.. Stop it. Her heart was shouting.

But again she heard the wail cry.
She again turned her head to that direction.
" Rishita..
"Shuu!! ", she said as she placed her finger over his lips to stop him from talking.
He felt her finger over his lips. Even though it was a simple act, it wasnt a simple one for him.

" Did you hear that? ", she asked as she again heard the cry, which sounded like a fragile wail.
" Huh? ", Aadheesh was confused. All this while he was just lost in her.
" There's someone crying! ", Rishita said still looking around trying to guess the direction of the cry.
"Did you.. ", she turned towards him, but seeing her finger's position she removed it quickly as she completed her question, " Did you hear that? "
Aadheesh nodded in a no.
Rishita got out of his hold, as she started searching around.
"Will you please tell me what's wrong? ", Aadheesh asked.
" There's a baby around. ", that's all that she said, as she continued her search.

After a minute or two, Aadheesh too heard a cry. Rishita was right. He listened for few more seconds and walked towards the direction of the wails.

And when he saw, what he saw, his heart bleed at the sight.
At a corner, in the less explored corners of the fort, against the wall, laid a small baby.
Rishita on seeing Aadheesh haulting at a place, walked towards him.
She got in front of him, her back in contact with his broad chest, but just as she saw the baby, in that position, she stumbled back. Aadheesh held her in his embrace.

By now, the others who were looking around for them both, came to that place.
Nishita was taken aback looking at Aadheesh and Nishita's position. It did pain her to see them both so close.
Everyone approached them.

As they saw the baby, gasps left their mouths, looking at the fragile wailing ones condition.

Aadheesh held Rishita securely. She was going through something. He could feel it.
He just gestured her, as he left her. He went and picked the little one up. The baby was crying insanely. Baby's face was all red, limbs fragile.

He moved in the open space, trying to calm the wailing baby. But it was off no use, as the baby didn't stop crying at all.

Rishita, she stood rooted in her place. She was lost in the chronicles of time. Her forehead covered with sweat, as she tried to calm her shaking hands.

"Nishi Di, aap baccho ko bohot badhiya sambhalti ho! You'll calm the baby down! ", Simran complemented.
" Ha, let me try Aadhi! ", Nishita said as she took the child from Aadheesh.

(" Nishi Di, you handle babies very well. You'll calm the baby down! ")

She tried her hand too. But failed.
The cries became louder.
A shrill cry from the baby, finally bought Rishita out of her trance.
She gained her consciousness.
While not taking too much of time, she walked to the baby and took the baby from Nishita's hold. Everyone was taken aback.
Aadheesh looked at her surprised.
But what made him more surprised was that, Rishita actually did calm the baby down.

" Pata nahi kaise log hai! Matlab, itne chote se bache ko koi aise kaise fek sakta hai. Agar bacha chahiye hi nahi, toh karna hi kyu. Aaj kaal log, modernist hokar sab kuch kar lete hai, aur phir they make the child suffer. Jism ki aago ko kabu me rakhna chahiye na. Nahi, bus khud ke mazze karne hai logo ko", Nishita was saying when she heard Rishita speak, "Bas di! Enough! ", everyone looked towards Rishita with shock.