Little Love

Chapter 4: Kalipotka

Dear Lovelies,

Thank you so so much for loving this story as well. I apologize for being late by one day, but I really needed to do some urgent editing. So here is the update. Vote, comment, follow, and enjoy.

Love

W

 "Shubho is the thief? Have you lost it, Pihu?" Kailash said with rage in his voice.

"Kailash....behave..." Aroop warned Kailash.

"Aroop Mesho, this camera belongs to Jeet." She turned to Aroop and held the camera at his eye level.

"But the name tag...." Palash started but was interrupted in between.

"As you know now, he doesn't know how to write Bengali.", Pihu said promptly.

"My friend wrote it for me." " a pale Shubh injected in a defensive voice.

"Really, Shubho da? Fine, then why is your father's name written on it?" Pihu asked interrogatively while holding the name tag before Shubh's eyes.

"I...I told y..you. It is h..his gift." Shubh stuttered.

Pihu turned with a victory smirk towards the twins and gave a knowing look. Kailash and Palash stepped in front of Pihu, right before Shubh.

"Shubho, we want the truth", the threat was clear in Kailash's voice.

"I...I..." Shubh stuttered and turned towards his father for help. Mr Aggarwal had a suspicious look on his face. Meanwhile, Aroop came to his rescue.

"Kailash, Palash...what kind of behaviour is this?" Aroop charged at his twins. He squeezed himself between the non-existent space between the twins and Shubh.

"No, Mr Mukherjee." " came the booming voice of Mr Aggarwal. He turned towards Shubh. "Shubh, tell me the truth." his voice had cold warning.

"Baba, I am so...sorry. I..I lost the cam...camera." A shivering Shubh wailed with fear. His eyes were brimming with tears as he pleaded with his father. For a moment, everyone went quiet. Nobody knew how to react. A moment later, Mr Aggarwal turned towards Shubh. His eyes had shame and rage at the same time. He was embarrassed by his son, and at the same time, he was enraged by his behaviour.

"Once we reach home, you will have it."Mr Aggarwal spoke through his gritting teeth.

"Ba...ba", Shubh pleaded with his father to forgive him for once.

"Aggarwal ji", Dipu masi, who was till now a mute spectator, pulled Shubh towards herself. "He is just a kid. Maybe he got scared. Let us give him a chance to explain himself." Dipu masi gave sobbing Shubh a sympathetic look. She made him sit on the sofa. "Why did you do it, Shubho?" the sweetness in Dipu masi's voice melted everyone's heart.

"I lo..lost my camera. I dropped in in the pond behind the school." Shubh risked a peek at his father and regretted it immediately. His father was fuming. Shubh lowered his eyes immediately. "I saw Jhodojeet with a camera at Sanu's birthday party. He told me that my name was written on it. He thought it was my lost camera." He looked at the twins. "I told Kailash that Jodhojeet stole my camera and asked him to help me. He agreed." with that, he hung his head in shame.

Suddenly, a sharp shriek echoed in the Mukherjee living room. Aroop was dragging the twins by their ears.

"You two thugs raged the poor boy and took his camera.?" Aroop scolded his twins.

"Baba...he lied to us....."Palash tried to reason out with his raging father.

"Right, Mr. Mukherjee, it is all Shubh's fault." Mr Aggarwal tried to intervene. Aroop was about to say something, but his eyes fell on a confused Beena, and Sudeep stood at the threshold. Little Diotima was hiding behind his father's leg. She was visibly frightened.