"Nanna!" Madhav hears a voice. "Nannaaaaa!"

"Dum dum doo! Bibity bobity boo! Pipi papi poo! I love you too!" He hears Madhu sing.

Madhu lets out a loud cackle as she sits on Madhav's chest.

"Nanna, why are you sleepy?" Madhu whispers softly pressing her forehead against his cheek. "Wake up! I miss playing with you!"

Madhav opens his eyes and finds the ceiling fan rotating slowly on the hospital roof. He sits up on the hospital bed and looks around the general ward. His bed was covered with the thick hospital curtains.

"Where am I?" He groans and notices the words 'Jakarata Hospital' written all over the hospital gown he was wearing.

"You are in general ward. Jakarata Hospital." Says a tall Malay lady who was changing the saline in the infusion bottle. "You came last morning badly wounded and very weak. Many open wounds. We operate you and you are recovering very fast."

"Thank you." Madhav breathes as he looks at the big saline lock on his hand. "Where's Uday?"

"Your friend? He went outside a while ago." She says checking Madhav's pulse.

"How long will it take for me to recover?" Madhav asks looking up at the roof.

"Not too long. You must rest and eat very well." She says. "You rest now, I will ask someone to bring you food."

Madhav nods.

He looks at the surgical stitches on his arms and legs, groaning. There was a little window right next to his bed. It was afternoon. He closes his eyes and he looks up at the roof.

Madhav opens his eyes startled as he hears the curtains get open in a flash.

"Madhav!" A woman cries and he rubs his eyes.

"Anu?" He says softly as he looks at Anushiya who was standing in front of him with Sivaji and Uday. She was wearing a green shirt with a black denim. She runs to him and hugs him.

"Oh lord, oh lord. We found you, at last." She says kissing his face.

"Did you miss your best buddy?" Madhav asks holding Anu's hand.

"Fuck yes!" She says dissolving into tears.

"I missed you too!" Madhav says.

"What about me?" Sivaji says smiling. "Damn I missed you tons, machan."

"Aren't I getting any hugs and kisses from my best man?" Madhav asks and Sivaji hugs him back.

"You are to never travel on a plane or a jet. Ever!" Sivaji says.

"Yes and we aren't letting you board one." Uday says. "Except for now since we're all planning on taking a rented jet to get you home."

"I don't think I can ever step into a plane or a jet without reliving all that horror." Madhav says.

"We feel you machan. Save that for when the police comes to record your statement." Sivaji says.

"We spoke to the doctor and she said they'll give you a sedative so you'll be asleep for the whole journey." Anu says. "We want to take you back home as soon as possible. Shree and Madhu need you. You'll heal faster with them around you."

* * * * *

Madhav slept the whole journey from Indonesia to Mumbai. He was changed into a light blue shirt and a pair of sweatpants. The sedative worked and he slept peacefully on Sivaji's shoulder. They were all in the jet which was chartered by Anu's father, Mr. Chithambaram. 

He sat in between Anu and Sivaji. Anu insisted that Madhav held their hands as he slept. Anu was going through Madhav's medical reports.

"I wish I could understand what's on this report." She mumbles. 

"Hey, Anu! Doesn't it remind you of the time we went on our trip to Goa?" Sivaji asks.

"Yes, we fought on who gets to sit in the middle of the three-seater bus. Somehow he tricked us and got the middle spot just so he won't have to miss being next to each of us." Anu says reminiscence.

"After some time he fell asleep on my shoulder." Sivaji says as he reclining Madhav's seat. He takes the blanket from the under-storage beneath Madhav's seat. "It was sweet but also kinda gross with his head smelling like some weird herbal hair oil."

Anu smiles.

"He smells like Johnson and Johnson, now." Sivaji says. "And look at him sleep like a little baby."

"He reminds me of our baby boys." Anu coos. "Don't tell him I said that."

"I won't! But quick! Take my phone and click a pic of him. It's not everytime we can get to see a soft innocent side of Madhav!"

"Sivaji! Don't be creepy!" Anu reprimands him softly. "Let Madhav sleep peacefully."

"Guess your right!" Sivaji says. "How much more time till we reach Mumbai, Uday?"

"Two more hours." Uday says. "That's what the pilot said. How's our man, Sivaji?"

"He's pretty dope and hot for a DILF, if you ask-"

Anu swats Sivaji on his forehead. "He's fine, Uday. He's deep asleep. We should ask Leila to arrange a vehicle to take him back to the RK Mansion."

"Ashok and Leila are on their way." Uday says.

* * * * *

Madhu rolls over on her parent's bed, sighing and kicking the sheets, unable to fall asleep. The LED digital clock near the nightstand now reads 12:41 am. She stares in awe at the roof which had the glowing cupids.

She sits up on the bed and notices Shree missing.

"Mumma must have gone to Rukmini Bhamma's library." She says and raises an eyebrow seeing Meow looking out of the window. Meow's bushy tail was wagging.

"Meow, why aren't you asleep?" Madhu asks as she jumps off the bed. She straightens her pyjamas and walks towards the window. "It's night time baby girl. I can't take you to the garden to play catch. Promise mumma will take you out in the morning."

Meow looks outside and a few minutes later starts to bark loudly. Madhu looks outside too. It was quiet, with only the two security guards who were patrolling. The marvelous fountain with the four cupids facing each direction as the center figure. The water erupts from the tips of the upturned arrows of four cupids and cascades into the basin of the fountain where several koi fish swam.

"Meow!" Madhu exclaims. "What's wrong with you! You're going to wake up everyone!"

Meow barks louder and runs out of the room.

"Yo girl! Where are you running?" Madhu yells chasing Meow who was barking louder than ever.

Madhu takes baby steps down the stairs as she tries to catch Meow. Meow was standing in front of the big door barking louder than ever. Madhu hissed and started to quickly waddle down the stairs.

"Why the fuck is that bloody dog barking at this time?" RK angrily yells as he comes out of his room wearing his plain grey tee-shirt and shorts. Yashoda too followed him.

"Madhu baby what happened to Meow?" Yashoda asks calmly as Madhu comes downstairs.

"I-I-I don't know. She was quiet and then and then started to bark!" Madhu says.

"We should let her out." RK says and opens the door.

Madhu follows as Meow runs outside. She stops by the fountain and starts barking again. RK notices the two security officers exchange conversations through the walky-talky. They nod and run to open the main gate.

"Why are they opening the main gate at this time, Radha?" Yashoda asks RK. "Madhu! Come here!" 

Madhu pulls Meow and goes towards Yashoda. A few seconds later a black car drives in and halts just outside the main door. Ashok steps out from the front seat.

He opens the backseat door and Sivaji gets out and from the other side Anu gets down and comes rushing towards Sivaji.

"Sivaji!" RK calls out. "What are you, Anu and Ashok doing here at-"

RK stops, and holds on to Yashoda's shoulder for support. He breathes heavily and rubs his eyes as he sees Anu and Sivaji help someone get off the car.

"Yasho love, is that - is that?" RK asks Yashoda.

"NANNA!" Madhu screams loudly and runs towards the car. Madhav gets out of the car with Anu and Sivaji's support.

Madhav limps towards Madhu, without holding onto any support. He sits on his knees and Madhu came running squealing, reaching her arms out for him. Madhu wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face on his chest, letting out all the sobs and tears. 

Madhav closed his moist eyes as he hugged Madhu tightly. He ran his hand down her soft hair as he let a few tears cascade down his cheeks.

"You came back!" Madhu says looking up at him. She sniffs again and uses her shoulder to wipe away the tears.

"I couldn't stay away from my little baby for too long." Madhav says as he holds her chubby face in his palms.  

"Did you miss me, Nanna?" She asks as she wipes her running nose.

"Kannamma, there wasn't a day I didn't think of you and your Mumma." Madhav says. Her eyes well with fresh tears and her bottom lip quivers.

"I love you, Nanna. Don't leave me ever ever!" She says as she hugs Madhav once again.

"I love you too, my little Madhushree." Madhav whispers and kisses her forehead. 

"Madhav! Madhav!" RK says as he walks towards Madhav with tears in his eyes.

"Appa!" Madhav says as he stands up. RK holds Madhav's hands. 

"You came back to your old man!" RK says weakly as Madhav embraces him. RK blinked through the tears rolling down his sagging, gaunt cheeks. He runs a shaking hand on Madhav's hair. "My little boy has come back to me. The gods brought my son back to me!"

"You mean, his friends brought our son back to us?" Yashoda corrects RK. Madhav smiles and hugs Yashoda.

"How have you been, my boy?" Yashoda asks smiling. "You look so thin and wounded. You know what, I'm going to cook every food item you know. And I'm going to start right now. I'm going to make you a big feast!"

"Please don't start preparing right away. I'd be thankful if you did all that in the morning." Madhav says.

Yashoda smiles. "As you wish, Madhav. You should go and get some sleep, I guess."

"I should, before that I want to meet her." Madhav says breathing sharply. "Where is Shree?"

"She's in your mother's library, son." RK says caressing Madhav's shoulder. "Somehow the library gives her some peace and relief."

Madhav dashes into the house.

To be continued....

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