You guys have to love me for this chapter... Super hard worked chapter this is... I hope you all will enjoy this one... Super long update this time! Jaao readers jaao... Jeelo apni zindagi...

Chapter-8

 

Dil de diya hai,

Jaan tumhe denge,

Dagha nahi karenge sanam...

Rab di kasam yaara,

Rab di kasam...

Dev kept on looking at his cellphone screen, his WhatsApp was on... He had opened his conversation with Sonakshi. He didn't text her much after the walk many nights ago, where she had requested him to give her, her space, and just have the boss and employee relationship...

Many days have passed by then, and he abided by her request, texting her only on her messages reporting about his mother's health... Nothing else she talked about, and he did not press.

It has been three days since she had finally left her job here and was trying to get busy with her life. He had dutifully transferred her fee into her account for her tenure without saying a word. He was working hard, no doubt; but the muse of her hardwork seem missing to him. He still had no great interest earning for his family, but since Sonakshi didn't like his previous avatar, he followed her instructions and went to office and worked hard...

He saw his last conversation with her... He had sent an mp3 song to her... He wanted her to know his feelings about how they felt, and since she didn't talk much, he had sent this song... He pressed the play button to hear it once again; Sonu Nigam's beautiful voice crooned from the speakers:

"Mujhse naraaz ho toh ho jaao... Khud se lekin khafa-khafa na raho;

Mujhse tum door jaao toh jaao... Aap apne se tum juda na raho..."

https://youtu.be/rr3Ov7pU0cI

He scrolled down... She had just for courtesy sake sent an emoticon down:

And this was their last and only conversation since then... Dev kept the phone on the bed got up exhaling a long breath and walked to his closet for a towel and a fresh pair of his formal clothes. A navy-blue pant, sky blue shirt and a navy-blue blazer; he laid it all on his bed...

On sensing, someone at the door, he saw his mother standing there, longingly looking at her son... He wouldn't let her touch any of his clothes, or ask her to do any of those tiny little works she had loved to do... He didn't care anymore; self-reliant that is what he had wanted to be...

Without a word, he was in the bathroom with his towel... And few minutes later he was ready; neatly shaved, tidily ironed clothes he had brought from the laundry that he had taken out of his closet, he was wearing, and after long, tidily combed hair making him look the man he was earlier; sincere and corporate.

"Kahin jaa raha hai?" Ishwari had come back to his door and asked timidly... Though he didn't repulse at his mother, but he wasn't the same anymore...

"Haan... Sonakshi ke ghar jaa raha hoon... Uske maa-baba se milne, unn sabse maafi maangne... Main Sonakshi se shaadi karna chaahta hoon..." Dev had announced... This time around his words didn't seek his mother's permission, he had given his verdict... The sorry part Ishwari felt, she had no right to give her say in all this anymore... There's a fine line of the decency between relationships that she had called "Maryada" very proudly before Sonakshi in the previous times when Sonakshi claimed to love her son... Unfortunately, the mother herself crossed that line by being the ultimate barrier that broke her son like nothing did, and now that barrier was nothing more than a stepping stone for her son, that he sidelined and walked away...

"Tum sab khush karo... Bas, ek maa aur kya chaahegi..." Ishwari had told to herself, or to the retreating back of her son, who might have heard her, but did not react.

 

Rukh zindagi ne modd liya kaisa,

Humne socha nahi tha kabhi aisa...

Aata nahi yaqeen kya se kya ho gaya,

Kiss tarah main tumse bewafa ho gaya,

Insaaf kar do,

Mujhe maaf kar do,

Itna hi kar do karam...

Dil de diya hai,

Jaan tumhe denge,

Dagha nahi karenge sanam...

The bell to the Bose house rang, the person outside had all the patience in the world to wait for the doors to be opened... A minute or more it took for the Boses to open the door... The aged man of the house had opened it and was adjusting his glasses before looking at the man before him... Bijoy Bose, Sonakshi's father's smile disappeared seeing his daughter's ex-lover standing before him... Though somewhere in the back of his mind he was angry with Dev, but situations and time mellow you down... Bijoy gave a formal nod considering that he was Sonakshi's boss in the recent past too...

"Koi kaam tha Shona se? Wo hospital jaane hi wali thi..." Bijoy asked with no emotions, no anger, and no politeness either, considering he needed to ask something pertaining his mother's health...

"Nahin sir, mujhe kaam aapse aur ma'am se hi tha..." Dev was straight to the point talking about Bijoy and Asha...

"Humse kya kaam tha? Bhai, hum Shona ko force nahi kar sakte aapke yahan aur kaam karne ke liye. Wo uska call hona chahiye ki wo kaam karna chahti hai ya nahi..." Bijoy was clear, though he had left space for Dev to enter...

Dev entered inside and was vehemently shaking his head negatively- "Nahin, ye baat nahi hai, sir."

Asha had come wiping her wet hands with her saree pallu- "Kaun hai Bijoy?"

"Mr. Dixit aaye hain... Tumse aur mujhse koi baat karni hai inhe..." Bijoy answered...

Asha gave him a warm smile and signaled him to sit...

"Aunty, uncle..." Dev began... Bijoy looked sharply at the change in addressal. "Mujhe aap logon se ek important baat karni thi." Dev wanted to deliver his thoughts as politely as he could...

"Aagey bolo..." Bijoy was impatient... And Asha kept a hand over her husband's hand to have a hold over himself...

"Bolo beta..." Asha smiled again, making the young man comfortable...

Dev cleared his throat for the last time, squared his shoulders to face whatever may come next, just say whatever is in his mind...

 

Aaawargi mein ban gaya deewana,

Maine kyu saadgi ko nahi jaana...

Chaahat yahi hai ke iss qadar pyaar doon,

Kadmon mein tere main,

Do jahan waar doon...

Chain mera le lo,

Khushi meri le lo...

Dedo mujhe dedo saare ghum...

Dil de diya hai,

Jaan tumhe denge,

Dagha nahi karenge sanam...

"Uncle-Aunty, maine jitna bhi rishton ki pyaar ki gehraayi ko samjha tha, wo sab sirf Sonakshi se samjha tha... Mujhe kuch nahi pata tha ki pyaar aapko kiss hadh tak strong aur kamzor banaata hai... Maine Sonakshi se apne purey dil se pyaar kiya tha, aur ab bhi karta hoon... bohot zyada..." Dev told... His eyes lowered, looking at his shoes...

"Toh? Inn sab baaton ka kya faayda? Tumne humari shona ko chodh diya, baat khatam ho gayi..." Bijoy was curt... He felt uncomfortable at the conversation when his daughter has suffered heartbreaks twice...

"Uncle, maine kaha na, pyaar taaqat bhi deta hai aur kamzori bhi... Sonakshi ka pyaar mujhe jahan taaqat deta tha, maa ke pyaar ne mujhe kamzor, spineless bana diya tha... Mujhe laga agar maine maa ki khushi ke liye sona ko nahi chodha toh main maa ko kho dunga... Par ye kabhi nahi jaana, ki Sona ko khone ke saath saath main khudko bhi kho dunga... Main jaise jeena hi bhool gaya tha uske bina... Aaj aap jo mujhe dekh rahe hain... Wo Sona ki hi wajah se hai..." Dev told.

"Humko pata hai, humari Sona ek bohot hi able bachhi hai, tumhare pyaar aur approval ki zaroorat nahi hai usko..." Bijoy scolded...

Asha immediately put a hand on her husband's lap shushing him, and standing up and walking towards Dev she spoke- "Deb babu, main samajh sakti hoon ki aapko apni ghalti ka ehsaas hai, aur mujhe khushi bhi hai iss baat ki... But Shona ki life mein bohot tragedy hua hai... Uska recently divorce hua hai... Hum usko kisi aur relationship ke liye force toh nahi kar sakte na?"

"I understand Aunty ji, lekin..." Dev wanted to speak, but was cut off by Bijoy...

"Tumko ye samajhne ka zarurat nahi hai Deb Babu that my daughter is divorced so she is available... Bijoy Bose ke shoulders mein abhi bhi itna strength hai, that his daughter is not a burden on him..." Bijoy spoke proudly.

"Bijoy, main baat kar rahi hoon na, tumhe har baat par chillane ki zaroorat nahi hai..." Asha admonished her husband...Turning back to Dev he saw the same adamancy she was seeing on her husband's face... Asha had a change of expression in a second... Both the men were being extra protective about the same woman, giving the same expressions, one being insistent to start a relationship and the other to not give relationship a chance... Asha was serious- "Aap kya chaahte hain Deb Babu?"

"I want to marry Sonakshi, like seriously!" Dev told with sincerity...

"Tumne bol diya, aur humne maan liya? Gudda Gudiya ka khel hai shaadi?" Bijoy was again popping with anger...

"Bijoy!" Asha admonished her husband... She turned to Dev- "Deb Babu, pyaar apni jagah, and practicality apni jagah... Aap jaante hain ki nahin, main nahi jaanti, but Sona ka divorce isliye hua, because Sonakshi cannot become a mother, and that is a fact of her life... Pyaar kehna aasaan hai, par shaadi nibhaana bohot mushkil hota hai Dev Babu, family ki expectations, society ke taunts, iske alaawa ek personal conflict... Kisi bhi aurat ke liye ye bohot painful baat hai ki usmein koi problem hai, jisse wo apne aap ko ek perfect woman nahi feel kar paati, kisi bachhe ki maa nahi ban paati... Ye bohot tough hai..." Asha explained politely...

"I understand that Aunty ji, but mujhe meri biwi chahiye, mere bachhe produce karne wali maa nahin... Wo maa banti, wo humari bonus khushi hoti, lekin humari khushi toh ek dusre ke saath hai..." Dev spoke his heart out...

Asha patted his arm smiling ruefully-"Aapne itna socha Deb babu, humare liye bohot badi baat hai... Par inn sab se Sonakshi us kami ko feel karna band toh nahi kar sakti na? Aur ye dard sirf ek aurat ka hota hai... Aadmi kitna bhi ye bole ki usko farq nahi padta, lekin aurat ko toh farq padta hai Deb babu... Ritwick Babu ko bhi koi farq nahi padta tha, par hua kya? Apne baba ke liye unhone bhi Shona ko chodh diya... Kal ko aapki maa ke sapne toot gaye pota ya poti na milne par, aur aapne humari sona ko apni kamzori mein phir chodh diya toh hum apni tooti shona ko kaise jodenge Deb Babu...?" Asha spoke her helplessness...

"Aunty, main Sona ko uske hopes par give up karne ke liye kabhi nahi kehta... Usko best se best treatment dilaane ke liye taiyyar hoon... US tak mein bhi agar better treatment hoga toh wahan bhi kara dunga, agar wo koi aur method opt karna chaahegisurrogacy ya adoption, main tab bhi usko whole heartedly support karunga aunty ji... Ye mera promise hai, main ab sona ko kisi ke liye nahi chodunga... Apni maa ke liye bhi nahi, aur uske maa na banne pe bhi nahi..." Dev had a fist tightly held over his heart, crossing over his promise...

 

Mere ashk keh rahe meri kahani,

Inhe samjho na tum sirf paani,

Ro-roke aansuon ke daag dhul jaayenge,

Inmein wafa ke rang aaj ghul jaayenge...

Paas tum rahogi,

Bhool ab na hogi...

Karunga na tumpe sitam...

Dil de diya hai,

Jaan tumhe denge,

Dhaga nahi karenge sanam,

Rab di kasam,

Yaara rab di kasam...

 

Dev has his eyes holding sincere liquidity... They held no opaqueness... Clear, to the point and very true... Asha was trying to wipe her tears with her pallu, and Bijoy crossed yet again- "Mazaak hai kya ye sab? Aap uthke aayenge, aur kahenge ki aapko shaadi karni hai, aur hum maan jaayenge?"

Dev looked up from his clouded tears filled eyes... He didn't understand how harder should he try to convince his love's father...

"Tumko tameez nahi hai ki ye sab rishte ki baat seedhe ladka nahi karta, uske ghar ke bade karte hain?" Bijoy was finding faults in the situations...

"Ghalti jab maine ki thi, Sonakshi ko jab apni zindagi se maine door kiya tha, toh maafi toh mujhe hi maangne thi na Uncle? Mere ghar ke bade aakar kar bhi kya lete... Aur main iss baar humare rishte ko kisi ke bhi haathon mein dekar isko tootne ka mauka nahi dena chaahta tha... isliye khud hi aaya tha yahan uncle... Agar aap convinced honge toh main apne ghar walon ko bhi bhej sakta hoon..." Dev told sincerely...

"Deb Babu, pichli baar humne apni marzi shona par force kar di thi shayad, uski failed marriage par dukh se zyada regret hain humko... Hum ye ghalti dubara nahi dohraana chaahte... Aapne Humein apni taraf se convince kiya, thank you iske liye... Par aapko Shona ko khud hi convince karna hoga, aur agar wo agree karegi, toh hi hum aagey soch sakenge... I hope you understand Deb Babu..." Asha again politely kept her point forward...

Dev nodded again, wiping his red face with his bare hands, tears running from his eyes and nose... He wiped it all with a handkerchief from his pocket- "Kya main Sonakshi se baat kar sakta hoon Aunty ji?" Dev asked Asha...

"Main yahan hoon..." a strong Sonakshi's voice was heard from the bottom most stair, standing just behind the three of them, heard all their conversation...

They couldn't make out her reactions... In all these two years, she had successfully learned to keep a facade. And now she excelled at it... If she had heard all these conversations, she must be in a turmoil... And if she was in a turmoil, she hid it beautifully...

"Maa-baba, kya main Mr. Dixit ko apne room mein le jaa sakti hoon?" Sonakshi asked her parents... She needed to talk to this man... And on her parents' nod, she turned around on the stair and started moving without inviting Dev, expecting him to follow her... Nevertheless, he did follow her obediently.

Once they entered, she closed the door, to have a privacy of conversation, with him... He had opened his mouth to explain it to her, but never got a chance, she spoke herself- "I will not question your sincerity, what you said downstairs Dev... I will talk what I want to talk..."

Dev nodded... Both were standing in front of each other, they skipped formalities of sitting and clearing their throats...

"Dev, I have loved you like I loved nobody else... I never did, I can never do to anyone apart from you... But there are few things that have changed, and you should be knowing about... Dev, first I am a used woman... I have been someone's wife already, I am not the same girl who would have killed to have you my first man. I am not only talking about my physical aspects, but the emotional aspects too... You may not like the traces of my troubled soul here and there... It's not easy..." Sonakshi was talking the raw feelings inside of her, that he was sure she hadn't have ever talked to anybody else...

"Sonakshi..." Dev wanted to assure her, but she stepped back immediately...

"Meri baat khatam nahi hui hai ab tak Dev! I have a lot of emotional baggage, I am not that Sonakshi anymore..." Sonakshi was breaking...

"Aur kuch?" Dev gave her time...

"I don't know..." a tear leaked out the corner of her eye...

"You've made me strong enough to fight the world Sonakshi, I will fight on your behalf too... Since you wouldn't be apart from me..." Dev spoke...

"It's not easy Dev!" Sonakshi had another fat tear drop...

"Let's try it together..." Dev held her softly by her hands giving her a soft pull...

"If you start breaking?" Sona mumbled...

"You are my strength... The next time I'd be able to break is when you leave my side... You wouldn't... Would you?" Dev whispered in her ear...

"Until you ask me to leave..." Sonakshi's forehead touched his shoulder...

"Fight with me, beat me into a pulp, destroy me... But don't you ever leave me, even if I turn insane and get admitted into an asylum, and ask you to leave... But I swear I won't ever do that again..." Dev had his arms around her tiny waist, holding her close to himself, absorbing her warmth, giving her his fire...

"You'd handle everything na Dev? I am broken... I cannot handle anything, anymore... I am tired..." Sonakshi was leaning on to him...

"Without a say Sona... Without a say... I will always protect you whenever you are vulnerable... You are my princess... I promise to be your prince charming... Just like your fairytale, I will try and make one for you..." Dev wanted to give her everything she needed in this moment to assure her forever...

"Dev..." Sona was leaking her silent dam on his shirt...

"Ab toh bata do..." Dev asked...

Sona looked up curious- "Kya bata doon?"

"Will you marry me?" Dev asked smiling...

"Of course, you duffer!" Sonakshi mock punched him in his stomach, as she leaned on him again... She was crying profusely...

"Rona band karogi toh ye le lo... Warna kehna mat ki Dev Dixit ne bohot hi unromantic proposal diya..." Dev made her look up again... A ring with a solitaire white diamond surrounded by many tiny ones was sparkling between his thumb and index finger... She gave a watery chuckle, as he slipped the ring on her left-hand ring finger; the first step into marking her, his forever...

 

~~Thanks for reading~~

 

 

Aazeen022017-01-16 23:34:13