KIDNAPPED

Everything seemed blurred. Just a few hours ago I was happy that everything has come to an end but now our happiness was ripped out of our lives with the news that my niece was missing. Where could have she possibly gone? Mathew, at last, stopped crying but didn't stop blaming himself. Catherine was trying to show that she is strong though we know what she is going through. Akash has been silent since he got to know about Sahana. Krish was in the kitchen cooking us all food. He was more than devasted, she was his favorite kid ever. Even a single tear hasn't flower down my eyes since I got to know that Sahana is missing. I wanted to be strong, but I was holding back my emotions I didn't want to burst out because everyone here was shattered and I guess at least one should be strong in this situation. Mathew has always been with me in my hard times and stood bravely by my side and helped me out. Now it was my chance to, return his favor by standing by him and helping him out. We searched the school once again, the school's neighborhood, and even her friend's places. But, she was nowhere to be seen. Dad called me right at that time.

"Hello, sweetie", he said. As I picked up the call.

"Hello dad", I replied nonchalantly

"How are you and the baby doing?"

"Both of us are fine"

"Why are you sounding worried?"

"Sahana is missing dad"

"What?"

"Mathew had gone to pick her up from the school, but she wasn't there"

"Maybe she has gone to her friend's house or something"

"No, we checked all her friend's houses"

"Do you want me to come over?"

"No dad, your patients need you more than me"

"Hmm. Listen calm down first and then think you will surely find her"

"I hope so"

"Okay sweetie, I got to go. See you"

"See you, dad", I said and hung up.

Steve barged into the house unusually very angry. He stumbled while walking, he was drunk or should say took bath in alcohol he was smelling like a mixture of liquors. He pulled Mathew by his collar and pinned him to the wall. His eyes were fuming in anger.

"Is Sahana missing?", he questioned him

"Yes", Mathew replied looking down at the floor

"Did you just lose your own daughter, Mr. Jones Mathew?"

"Steve"

"Don't. Don't you dare speak a word."

"Hm"

"She was hardly 8 or 9 years old. Couldn't you take care of her? What kind of a father are you, sitting here after losing your daughter? I don't know what you will do I want her back here very soon."

"Steve, let go of him", I said sternly and he released his grip from Mathew. His fist closed compactly.

"He didn't purposefully lose her Steve, even he is suffering and we will find her soon", I added

"I hope so", he said and hurried inside his room, slamming the door.

Mathew fell to the floor, his eyes set to the floor, his knees pulled closer to his chest, his shoulders trembling and he was badly trying not to cry. Catherine sat next to him, placed her hand on his knee, and pulled her into his hold. He buried his head in the crook of the neck and started crying. The house was filled with the sound of his cries. I couldn't stand there anymore seeing him crying. I walk to the kitchen, and Krish and Akash followed me. Akash took a few steps closer to me patted my shoulder and assured me that it is going to be fine soon. He took a glass of water and went back to his room.

I was shocked when Krish lift me without any notice. He made me sit on the kitchen slab and made himself comfortable in between my legs. His eyes fixed on mine, one of his hands on my thigh while the other one caressed my face. I pushed him away, jumped off the slab, and tried to get out of the place. But all in vain, Krish held my elbow, pulled me back, gently pushed me until my back touched the slab, and caged me between his hands.

"I want you to stop holding your emotions inside, Megha", he said as he attached his forehead to mine.

"What are you talking about?", I asked.

"Megha you are allowed to be weak. At least with me", he said and that's it all the walls that I had built to hold my tears, broke brick by brick.

My eyes were getting watery, and he pulled me into his hold. I snuggled into his chest, making his T-shirt damp with my tears. One of his hands was rubbing my back while the other one was being my head pulling me closer to him. After a few minutes, I stopped weeping and took a step back from him. He wiped the tears off my cheeks and removed the strands of my hair stuck to my forehead. He kissed the side of my head and I relaxed with this gesture of his.

"We should inform about this to Shrey", he said

"Yes", I said and pulled the mobile from my jeans pocket and called Shrey.

"Hello, soon-to-be mommy", he said musically as he picked up the call

"Shrey I need your help", I said without leaving many gaps between the words and even without greeting him.

"What's wrong?"

"Sahana is missing"

"From when is she missing?"

"From today afternoon. Mathew had gone to pick her up from the school but she wasn't there"

"Megha, I want you to brief me on whatever happened today", he said and I explained to him everything that happened since I woke up till now.

"Did you check in and around her school?", he asked me

"Yes"

"Her friend's places"

"Yes"

"Don't panic"

"Just spit it out"

"Maybe she is kidnapped"

"What?"

"But we need to wait until we get any demand from them"

"What can possibly be a motive to kidnap her?"

"She is a daughter of a well-known chef and niece of a well-known doctor. Probably for money"

"Damn"

"Ask everyone to meet me, so I can take information from them"

"Okay"

"Ask them to come to my house"

"Okay"

"You can stay back, I don't want you to stress yourself. Just stay home and take care okay", he said

"Fine", I said and threw the phone.

Thank god! Krish caught it or else it would have been shattered into pieces and I would have got screwed up for breaking it.

I informed all of them to meet Shrey at his home. At first, Mathew and Krish were reluctant to leave me all alone, after some convincing they agreed that they will leave alone but not for long, whoever finished talking to Shrey first will rush back and take care of me. Then they left.

One thing which was clear to me now was that someone hates my family so much and I am sure that person is the one plotting all this against us. At first, I got framed for a murder, then the murderer was Steve's loved one, and now Sahana's kidnap. Connecting the points the only thing common is all of these at the end of the day hurt someone in my family.

I rub tummy and said, "Before you see this world, I will surely find this person who ever is hurting our family."