Chapter 12

Gayatri

@Gayu_K

Chapter Eleven

Tina was surprised to see Dev in office much before his usual time...it was a usual custom for her to reach office much before the other employees and of course her dynamic boss Mr. Dev Dixit...but today it seemed as if her boss had changed the daily scenario...entering the cabin with a faint knock on the cabin door Tina greeted Dev with the widest possible smile

Tina : Good Morning Sir!!!! Aaj aap inti jaldi aa gaye office?...aap to aaj airport jaane waale the na?...is everything alright Sir?

Dev : Very Good Morning Tina!!!! Of course main airport jaakar hi aa raha hoon...wahan ka kaam jaldi khatam ho gaya to socha office aakar yahaan ka saara kaam jaldi se niptalun...jitna jaldi ho sake mujhe Mumbai ke liye nikalna hai...(whispering)tumhe pata hai na Ansh mere bagair nahin reh sakta...aur phir mujhe bhi uski bohot yaad satati hai.

Tina : Sir are you sure ki aapko sirf Ansh ki yaad aati hai?...I mean sirf wahi aapke bina nahin reh sakta?...mujhe to laga tha ki sabse jyaada Dr. Bose aapko miss karti hongi...par I guess I was wrong.

Dev glared at Tina as she chuckled...she was the only person apart from him who knew his biggest secret...infact he couldn't thak her enough for always being there for him and Sona...there were numerous occasions wherein he was on the verge of being almost caught but Tina had always helped him out...she would lie to his family members regarding his business setup in Mumbai and the reason for his prolonged stay there...Dev would always wonder despite having three grown-up sisters he had to always confide in Tina...she was his biggest support in personal as well as professional life.

Dev : haan haan udalo mera majaak...tumhe bhi bohot accha lagta hoga na mujhe aisi haalat mein dekhkar...kabhi idhar to kabhi udhar...bas bhatakti aatma bankar reh gaya hoon main...mera bass chale to humesha keliye Mumbai mein bass jau...par aisa kar bhi nahin sakta...yahaan sabko shaq jo ho jayega...lekin tumhe kya...tum hasti raho bass.

Tina : arrey Sir I was just kidding...mujhe acche se pata hai ki aap kitne stressed out ho jaate hai kabhi kabhi...but I must say ki aapsa accha insaan maine aaj tak nahin dekha...matlab kitni acche se aap sab balance kar lete hain...chahe yaahan Delhi mein aapki family ho ya wahaan Mumbai mein Sona ma'am aur Ansh ko sambhalna...I really wonder ki shayad hi koi insaan itna stressed hokar bhi itni mast life jeeta hoga...sometimes I really feel bad for you Sir...I really wish I could help you out.

Dev : Please don't be sorry Tina...issmein tumhari koi galti nahin hai...galti hai to sirf meri hai...agar waqt rehte maine maa ko oppose kiya hota to aaj yeh naubat hi nahin aati...sab kuch sahi hota aur main khush hota apne ghar  mein...par ab to Ishwari Niwas apne ghar jaisa lagta hi nahin hai...infact Mumbai ka woh 2bhk rented apartment jyaada apna feel hota hai...aur haan tum jo mere liye karti aayi ho pichle 6 saaloan se woh shayad hi koi kar pata...trust me when I say this ...meri behenein bhi mera itna saath na deti jitna tumne diya hai.

"aisi kaunsi baat hai bhai jismein aapki behnein aapka saath nahi de paayi aur humari kami Tina ne poori kardi?"...a frowning Neha appeared all of a sudden thus shocking the wits of out Dev and Tina...had she heard all what they had spoken a while ago?...if not the entire conversation then what all she had heard...did she hear them mention Sona's name...a confused as well as confused Dev and Tina exchanged glances at each other as Dev signaled Tina to leave the cabin without any sort of conversation with Neha...following suite Tina moved out of his cabin paving way for Neha to enter...entering hurriedly she sat on the couch placed in Dev's cabin throwing her handbag in a fury enough for Dev to realize that she was indeed quite angered...trying to gauge the situation he got up from his seat shutting his laptop screen, forwarding a glass of water to Neha.

"yeh paani kisi aur ko pilana bhai...main yahaan paani peene nahin aayi hoon...mujhe aapse jaroori baat karni hai"...Dev decided not to waste his energy in persuading her, to cut through straight to the point was a  much better option...keeping the glass down on the coffee table he sat down on the couch facing Neha..."bolo kya baat karni hai?...aisi bhi kya jaroorat aa gayi ki tum mera ghar lautne ka intezaar tak nahin kar sakti thi...agar yahaan tak aayi ho to pakka koi bohot badi baat hogi"...already feeling partially victorious at her brother's mellowed down front she counter questioned him with a devilish smirk intact on her face..."bhai aap airport par kya kar rahe the...kisi khaas insaan ko drop karne gaye the kya?"...Dev stood rooted as a ghost as Neha questioned him authoritively..."airport?...yeh tum kya keh rahi ho Neha...main bhala kyun airport jaunga...tumhe pata bhi hai ki kitna kaam hai mujhe office mein...kahin bahar nikalne kaa time hi nahin milta...airport jaana to dur ki baat hai do dino se to main ghar bhi nahin gaya"...Dev tried the best to avoid the tide of questions coming his way...he guessed Neha had heard him and Tina speak about him being at the airport this morning before coming to the office...he just hoped she would not be too inquisitive about it.

"Sonakshi aapke liye yeh sab free mein karti hai yaa aap iske paise dete hai use?...shakal surat se to shaadi shuda lagti hai...kya uske pati ko maloom hai ki uske peeth peeche woh aapki bahoan mein apni raatein bitati hai...bichara uska pati, kaisi charitraheen aurat se rishta hua hai uska..."...Dev clenched his fist as he tried hard to control his anger...his jaw tightened as he controlled himself from raising his hand on an accusing Neha..."Neha...(he shouted)...himmat kaise hui tumhari Sonakshi ke baare mein yeh sab kehne ki...agar tu meri behen nahin hoti na to aaj shayad yahaan jinda khadi nahin hoti"...Neha being Neha didn't pay much heed to Dev's slowly rising anger...being the shameless creature she was, she continued spitting venom like never before..."aapki taste bhi itni kharab hogi kabhi socha nahin tha bhai...aisa bhi kya dikhta hai aapko uss Sonakshi mein...na rang na roop...maa to ek se badhkar ek rishte lekar aayi thi aapke liye...par aapne yeh kehkar mana kar diya ki aapko shaadi hi nahin karni hai...agar bina shaadi ke hi yeh sab karna tha to aur bhi kayi ladkiyan mil jaati aapko bhai...kya jaroorat thi uss ghaas poos waali ke peeche jaane ki?"

Dev have had enough of her nonsense...letting go of his fear he decided to give it back to her..."pyaar, shaadi, rishte, naate yeh saare shabd na tere muh se ache nahin lagte Neha...jisne sirf paisoan keliye Ranveer jaise acche aur nek insaan ko chod kar apni se dugne umar ke ladke se shaadi kar li jiske already uski pehli shaadi se do bacche the...matlab values ki baat to tum na hi karo Neha...tumhare muh se na sab fake lagta hai"...Dev shot back equally angered..."oh please bhai...i agree ki Mohit mujhse umar mein bohot bade hai par atleast humara rishta legal to hai...uski pehli biwi se do bacche hai uske par uske apne hai...aaj airport par jo baccha aapke aas paas ghoom raha tha woh kiska hai yeh pata bhi hai aapko...aapki pyaari Sonakshi ka hai yeh baat to pakki hai...par pita kaun hai uska...Sonakshi ka woh bewakoof pati...ya phir aapke alawa uska koi aur client."

"Enough Neha...isse pehle ki mujhse kuch aisa ho jaaye ki tumhe uss baat ka jindagi bhar pachtava rahe just shut up...aur tumhe yehi janna hai na ki Sona aur mera kya rishta hai to suno patni hai woh meri...6 saal ho chuke hai humari shaadi ko ...aur woh baccha mera aur Sonakshi ka hai...Ansh Dev Dixit naam hai uss bacche ka...acche se sun lo aur samajh bhi lo"...Neha laughed as she had accomplished her mission successfully...she had curtly got the truth out from Dev...now all she had to do was inform her mother so that she could sit back and enjoy the drama her mother would create after knowing the truth..."accha jii to yeh sach hai...maa ke laadle bte ne unko bina bataye yeh gul khilaye hain...unki marji ke bina shaadi karli aur to aur baccha bhi paida karliya...matlab had hai besharmi ki...ab main to unse jhoot nahin bolti kabhi bhi...isiliye mujhe to unhe batana hi padega ki unke bte ke iss masoom se chehre ke piche kitna ghinona sach chupa hai...just wait n watch bhai"

She had just picked up her things and started moving out of the cabin as her feet stalled at the next piece of information Dev had to reveal..."suna hai pichle saal Mohit ki company mein ek bohot bada scam hua tha...yahi kuch 80-90 crores ka...bohot badi mushkil ho gayi thi uss company ko...company band karne ki tak naubat aa gayi thi...par itna sabkuch hone ke bawajood bhi woh log asli gunehgaar ko dhoond nahin paaye the...soch raha hoon ki unki thodi si madat kar doon...bata hi deta hoon unke ki unki company se paise gaban karne waala insaan aur koi nahin balki unka trusted employee Mohit Garewal hi tha"...it was Neha's turn now to be shocked at the turn of events...now the control was in Dev's hand and her could play his cards the way he wanted..."kya sabot hai aapke paas bhai ki yeh sab kuch mere pati ne kiya hai?...aise kaise aap kisi imaandar insaan par itna ghatiya ilzaam laga sakte ho"...Dev couldn't help but laugh sarcastically at the defensive move Neha had made..."imaandaar...seriously Neha?...iss shabd ka matlab bhi pata hai tumhare pati ko...yeh mat bhoolo ki uske bank account mein jitney bhi transactions hue hai uss sabki list hai mere paas...woh saare fake accounts...fake id's...woh saare sim cards jo alag alag naam se khareede the usne iss scam ko anjaam dene keliye sab ki details hai mere paas...ab bhai main uski tarah jhoota aur farebi to hoon nahin...ab duniya waaloan ko bhi to pata chale ki tumhara  pati kitna bada fraud hai...and I promise Neha you won't have to wait before you watch out my next move".

Neha stood rooted to her spot like a corpse...here she had come to threaten her brother about his possible affair with Sonakshi and here she had landed herself in a bigger mess...now how would she get out of this?...what if Mohit gets to know about this...he would definitely strangle her to death...trying to gain Dev's sympathy she pretended to cry her heart out..."please bhai...aap mere saath aisa kaise kar sakte ho...main behen hoon aapki"..."jiss aurat ke baarein mein tum kuch der pehle bakwaas kar rahi thi na Neha woh bhabhi hai tumhari...jab tumne uska lihaaj nahin kiya to bhala main kyun karu?"...Dev was firm in his decision..."please bhai aap jo kahenge main sab kuch karungi...Sonakshi bhabhi ke pair pakad ke unse maafi maang loongi...par aap please kisiko kuch mat batana...Mohit barbaad ho jayenge ...please"...Dev was in no mood to witness to her emotional drama...opening the door of his cabin he looked up to her..."mujhe nahin lagta ki tumhe alag se bataana padega mujhe ki tumhe kya karna hai...as of now, get the hell out of here Neha...aur dubara mujhe blackmail karne ki ya phasaane ki koshish bhi mat karna...warna tumhe acche se pata hai ki anjaam kya hoga"...Dev shut the door on her back with a thud as Neha moved out of his cabin sobbing...all the employees starring at her for this state of hers...Tina smirked exactly knowing what scene might have unfolded inside her boss's cabin.

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Dev entered Ishwari Niwas after a long and tiring day...he had just wanted to immediately retire to his room when he was stopped by his mother as always..."Dev beta aa gaya tu ...kahaan tha pichle do dino se...apni maa ki yaad nahin aati hai na tujhe jara bhi...chal aaja maine teri pasand ka khana banaya hai...aaj main tujhe apne hatoan se khanaa khilaungi"...Dev cut her off before she could start any of her emotional talks..."maa aaj bilkul time nahin hai...bohot kaam hai jo aaj hi poora karna hai...kal sham hi mujhe Mumbal keliye nikalna hoga...isiliye aisa kar tu na kichu ke haatoan mera khana upar kamre mein bhijwa de...main wahi kha loonga...aur tu so jaana good night...kal subah baat karenge"...ishwari stood there anticipating as Dev just continued his ignorance towards her...this was a common scene in the last 6 years...he would talk to her, eat the food cooked by her but the feeling and sense of belonging had long disappeared...he would now do all this only as a part of his duty and not to get happiness and satisfaction out of this.

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Next day Dev left for office early before meeting Ishwari and then after finishing his pending jobs left for the airport directly from office as he had to catch his Mumbai flight ...on the way to the airport he made a call to Ishwari to inform her about the same ...Ishwari couldn't help but lament her son's rude behavior towards her as she had her entire life to lament on.