Chapter 5

Sorry, this time there wasn't a sneak peak. But I'll definitely try to give you sneak peaks sometimes, if not before every update!

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Also, before you go on to read the chapter, I've attached a photo of how a 2 level penthouse apartment looks like. Many people have asked me what a penthouse apartment looks like which is why I have provided the photo. You can imagine Dev's apartment to be slightly bigger in area than this one. These penthouse style apartments are usually on the topmost floors of an apartment building.

Okay. that being said and done, here's Chapter 3!

Enjoy!

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Banner Courtesy: Me! 

Devakshi FF: Reaching Out

Part 3

Sonakshi dragged her last two suitcases into the room she had chosen as her bedroom. She had spent the entire day unpacking and now she just had to unpack her clothes and her bath kit. She had placed her cutlery neatly in the kitchen and filled up the shelves with all the books she had brought along. Those books were her life and wherever she went, her books would go with her. And now that she would live here for the next two years, she had almost brought along her whole collection. Sonakshi dragged the suitcases to the wardrobe and opened them.

Yes, she was tired unpacking. But all these things were her necessities. Especially the story books. She grew up with them and also wove her fairytales with them, as she grew up. No, she wasn't stupid. Bitter experiences in life had taught her that fairytales didn't really happen in reality. But that didn't mean she would throw away the opportunity to escape the reality for certain points of times, through those story books. As she started arranging her clothes, her phone rang. Sonakshi picked it up from the bed and said, "Haan Ma, shob theek achhey? (All okay?)" Hearing her question Asha laughed from the other end. "Haan Shona. Sab theek e hai. Yeh toh mujhey tumse poochna chahiye. Tum ghar se gayi ho, main nahin!"

Sonakshi smiled at her mother's statement. "Haan ma. Idher bhi sab theek hai. Ab buss apney kapdey unpack kar rahi hoon. Baaki sab ho gaya." Hearing that things were going fine Asha asked, "Chalo good. Khana khaliya tumney?" Sonakshi was juggling a lot of clothes in her hand along with the phone wedged between her ear and shoulder she answered, "Haan haan. Tina ne shaam ko meri grocery shopping ki list lekar kisise kehlewakey mere liye shopping karwa di, kyunki yahan mera first day hai. She's a very nice girl ma, bohot helpful hai." She really was happy to have found someone like Tina. She didn't have to help Sonakshi, but she did anyway. She was glad to have found someone like this in this world full of selfish people.

Asha was also delighted when she heard that. "Arey waah. Ladki toh bohot achhi hai. Waise uska boss kaisa hai? Devrath Dixit. Mili na tum unseye? Kaisa laga? Ajeeb toh nahin hai naah? Waise bhi mujhey yeh bilkul achha nahin lag raha ki tum kisi aadmi ke saath ghar share kar rahi ho" Asha said worriedly. Sonakshi calmed her mother. "Ma, aap khamakha tension le rahi ho. Abhi nahin mili main unsey. Woh tour pe hain. And maine jo unke barey me padha hai, unsey toh woh bure insaan nahin lagte. But jo bhi ho, main apna khayaal rakh loongi. Kal woh ayengey, tab milungi main. Waise bhi Tina ne kahan hi tha ki woh har waqt office me ya tour pe rehtey hai. Toh aap chill karo." Sonakshi reassured her mother.

Asha wasn't fully convinced because after all, she was a mother worrying about her daughter who was alone in a new city. It was natural and Sonakshi totally understood that. But Asha knew that she had made her daughter strong. She trusted her. After telling her mother to take care and asking about Elena, Dada and Ro, Sonakshi finally disconnected a call with a goodnight while placing the last bottle of shampoo on the shelf in the bathroom. She had finally finished packing and she couldn't wait to get some sleep. All this unpacking had made her back pain and she wanted to be fully charged before her first day at the hospital tomorrow. She quickly changed into her night suit and jumped into bed. It was her big day tomorrow. She needed this goodnight's sleep.

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Dev shut his laptop and kept it on his bedside table. The clock on the hotel room wall read 11:30 PM. He needed to sleep now. The conference had gone on much longer than expected. But that wasn't something that bothered Dev. He was just happy that it was successful. Tomorrow he would go back home and have a good night's sleep. He had worked to much these past two weeks. He deserved a break. Just as he was about to switch off the lights his phone rang.

Dev reached for it and answered. It was Tina. "Sir aapka sab theek se ho gaya tha naah?" Dev smiled. Tina was a really good person. "Haan Tina. Sab achhey se ho gaya. Kal me wapas aa raha hoon and direct office hi aunga. Woh Ahluwalia and co waali file ka issue bhi toh theek karna hai" he said going into work mode again.  Tina laughed. "Arey Sir. Aap abhi toh aur kaam ki baat mat kariye. Kal aap rest lenegey. Baaki sab main dekh lungi." Dev also laughed at that. "Pata nahin kya sochke maine tumhey apna PA banay tha" he said laughing. "Par I'll take up your idea, main rest karunga, but after this file is corrected. Phir me ghar jakey aram se rest le lunga, okay?" Dev knew that would satisfy her and so he waited for her agreement, which came as expected.

"Okay Sir. Done. Waise maine aapke tenant ko achhey se aapke ghar me settle karwa diya hai! " he heard Tina say happily. He had completely forgotten about that. He thanked god that he had a responsible PA like her. "Very good. Unhey ghar achha laga? Did he feel comfortable?" Tina laughed once again on the other end, "Haan Sir, "He" was very comfortable. "He" seems really happy!" Dev was confused at her tone. "Yeh toh achhi baat hai Tina. Par tum yeh "He" itney zor zor se kyun bol rahi ho?" Tina continued her giggles, "Woh Sir mujhey laga aapko sunai nahin de raha hai, isiliye boli. Sorry!" Dev was even more confused now. Why did Tina seem so happy with his tenant? But he was too tired to dwell on that fact. So he bid her a goodnight and fell asleep.

He had a flight to catch early next morning.

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Sonakshi had woken up fifteen minutes late on the first day of work in Delhi and she was frantic. She had finished her morning duties and her bath in ten minutes and made a hasty breakfast of a small sandwich and was out the door in another ten minutes. While she was in the cab Tina had informed her that Mr. Dixit had come back and had gone straight to work. And that he would meet her when he got back home in the evening. Also before she disconnected the call, Tina had reminded her to always carry her key so that she wouldn't be locked out as Mr. Dixit's entry into and exit out of the house was very erratic.

She had luckily not forgotten the key in her hurry and reassured Tina that she would always remember that. But even in all that hurry Sonakshi did notice that her landlord was really a workaholic. She also contemplated the fact that he wouldn't be at that height of success continuously if he wasn't a workaholic. But breaks were necessary for everyone. She wondered how he looked. But she had to put a stop on this train of thought as her cab pulled up in front of Goenka Hospital. She paid her fare and ran up the steps. As she neared the reception she saw that she still had five minutes. Slowing her pace she enquired at the reception about the person she was supposed to meet. "Excuse me, where will I find Dr. Neha Dixit?" She asked the lady at the reception. The lady directed her to the second floor and Sonakshi hurried to meet her.

On arriving at the mentioned room Sonakshi knocked on the door. Hearing a "Come in" she promptly went inside. There she came face to face with a lady whom she assumed to be Dr. Neha and rightly so. "Hello. I'm Dr. Sonakshi Bose. I had been asked to meet you." Dr. Neha smiled, "Yes Dr. Bose. Welcome to Goenka Hospitals. Main yahan ki head surgeon hoon and I also look after most of the administrative details." Sonakshi shook hands with Neha. Neha seemed smart and warm. She didn't seem to be older than Sonakshi. Sonakshi guessed they were more or less of the same age. "Dr. Bose aapka cabin isi floor ke end me hai. Main aapko le chalti hoon." Sonakshi followed Neha to her chamber and was impressed. Her cabin was big and had a lot of space.

Neha turned to Sonakshi and said, "Aap apney chamber ko apne hisaab se theek karlena. Zyada kuch toh nahin bolna hai as you already know the rules and regulations. Buss yahi kehna hai ki all the best. Main thodi der me aakey aapko apkey patients ka list aur unke medical histories bhijwa dungi through someone" Neha said making Sonakshi sign on a paper as a formality of her officially becoming a part of the hospital. Sonakshi nodded and said, "Thank you so much." With that Neha left but before leaving she handed Sonakshi a pager which was for the notification of emergency meetings or emergency cases. Sonakshi spent the rest of her day setting up her chamber and studying the list of her patients. There were quite a lot of patients but she loved her job and didn't seem a least bit difficult for her.

At one point Sonakshi's stomach rumbled and she realised she needed to have lunch. She had been assigned a helper who helped with whatever she needed. She buzzed the intercom and called for him. As he came in Sonakshi asked, "Bhola Bhaiyya, yahan koi achha restaurant hai kya aas paas?" Bhola Bhaiyya scratched his head and said, "Haan Dr. Didi hai ek. Yahan se 5-7 minute duur hai. Par aap cafeteria me nahin khayengey kya?" Sonakshi smiled and said, "Aaj nahin. Kal se cafeteria me hi khaungi. Aas paas ghumke bhi dekh loon. Jis din cafeteria band rahega, uss din yahin kahin jana padega naah" she explained to him.

As Sonakshi made her way towards the specified restaurant, she remembered that she hadn't called Asha today. She decided to do so after ordering her food. She found the small cozy restaurant within minutes and entered. It was buzzing with people. She walked up to the counter and ordered herself a plate of  chicken sandwich with French fries along with a cup of coffee. Then she found herself a seat and called her mother. Elena was the one to pick up the phone and said, "Kya Sona. Wahan jake hume bhool gayi?" Sonakshi laughed at her sister's antics and calmed her. She explained why she couldn't call in the morning and then told her how much she was liking the hospital. Then she went on to talk to Asha for a good ten minutes. In between her phone call, a waiter had come to place her tray of food on her table.

It was only after she disconnected the call and was about to take her first bite that she realised that the sandwich was a veg one instead of chicken. But before she could fully comprehend what had happened she heard a commotion at the counter up front.  She saw a man at the counter scolding the person behind the counter. Even though Sonakshi realised that he was scolding the waiter, the man was doing so in a very calm and cold tone. A tone that would make anyone's blood run cold. Like a calm before the storm. And that somehow made him scarier than a man who would scream at the waiter. "Maine Veg sandwich kahan tha. Par mujhey chicken sandwich diya gaya hai. Mere paas time zyada nahin hai. Adha toh wait karke hi nikal gaya. Jab aya, toh galat order. Dimaag kharab nahin hoga toh kya hoga?"

All the other waiters had gathered around this man and all of them were apologizing on behalf of the one who made the mistake. Sonakshi scrunched up her brows. Why were all the staff members apologizing for this minor issue? He must be someone very important to be getting this much attention. While she was wondering about who he was she suddenly realized what had happened. She looked back down at her plate and realized that their orders had gotten mixed up. So she decided to put an end to everyone's misery and walked up to the counter. When she was just a step away from the counter she heard the man say, "Aap logo ko naukri pe kis liye rakha jata hai? Mistake karne ke liye?" He was looking directly at the man who was responsible for the mix up. And the man in question seemed like he would faint any moment.

"Agar humey mix ups hi chahiye hote toh training dene ki mehnat kyun karte? Aj main nahin hota, toh koi aur hota jisko time ki kami hoti. Tab kya karte aap? Abhi bhi is naukri ke layak hai aap?" Sonakshi was astounded that the man went as far as to threaten to sack a man in restaurant that wasn't even his. Angry that he had too much of an audacity Sonakshi spoke up, "Excuse me. Aap jo bhi hai. Aapko koi haq nahin banta ki aap ek choti si galti ke liye inki naukri chhenney ki baat karey who bhi kisi aur ki restaurant me." Listening to her say these words the man turned to look at her and that, according to Sonakshi was the worst thing possible because along with that mysterious, scary, yet enigmatic personality, this man was also extremely good looking. With a straight nose, square cut jaw lines and high cheekbones, the man seem to be a model right from the pages of those magazines. But that wasn't what made sonakshi go numb. It was the eyes. Those chocolate brown orbs. Sonakshi now understood what scared those staff members so much.

Because that same calculative look was now being directed in her direction but his face gave away nothing. Absolutely impassive. Only the sharp gaze did its job. But she didn't let her emotions come to the fore. She continued, "Jahan tak aapkey order ka sawaal hai, woh mere order ke saath mix up ho gaya tha. You can take it" Sonakshi finished off with a challenging look. She had expected him to lash out at her, say a bunch of rude words. But to her surprise he did neither. He turned back to the man he was speaking to earlier and said, "Yeh dobara nahin hona chahiye.  Abhi mera lunch office bhej dena." Turning back towards Sonakshi he said, "Aur inn madam ka lunch unke liye pack kar dena. She must have been waiting for a long time as well." Sonakshi's jaw almost dropped to the floor. But the man didn't wait to see that. He turned around and headed straight out the door without a backward glance.

Sonakshi huffed, "Pata nahin apney aapko samajhte kya hai! Aap logo ne kuch kahan kyun nahin? Aapki naukri sirf aapkey restaurant owner hi le sakti hai. Koi ainvayi aakey thodi aise threat kar sakta hai?" She asked the staff members skeptically. The person nearest to her turned to her and said, "Arey ma'am, woh hi hai, iss restaurant ke owner!" Sonakshi slapped her forehead, "Kya! Aur maine unko itna sab suna diya! Unhoney toh kuch bola bhi nahin! Aap logo ne mujhey roka kyun nahin?" She asked them wide-eyed. Another one in the group said, "Humey darr lagta hai ma'am." Sonakshi narrowed her eyes," Woh aap logo ko darrake rakhte hai kya?" She asked concerned. The man replied, "Arey nahin nahin madam. Woh bohot achhey boss hai. Woh aur unki behen own karte hai yeh restaurant. Buss unhey gussa ata hai toh badi serious daant padti hai. Who humein kabhi aise hi naukri se nahin nikalengey. Woh toh unke daantey ka style hi aisa hai." He reassured Sonakshi.

"Yeh kaisi ajeeb baat hai" Sonakshi pondered. The man must be really fair and firm to have people respect him as well be scared of him. "Waise ma'am sorry apka order mix up hua. Yeh raha aapka parcel" the man at the counter said. Sonakshi absentmindedly picked up the lunch and left the restaurant thinking about the man. She would make sure find him out and apologize. The rest of her day was a pretty hectic one and she didn't have much time to think about anything else. It was only when she stepped into the house she remembered that her landlord, Mr. Dixit would be coming back today. She needed to look presentable.

She hurried and freshened up and whipped up a simple dinner of rajma chawal and kept some for Mr. Dixit as well. Tina had told her that he would often be late. But she was so hungry that she couldn't wait. She planned to apologize once she met him. So she had her dinner and waited on the couch. He would have to come in through the main door itself. So there was no way she would miss him when he came in. But as the clock struck 12 Sonakshi realised that she had been waiting for almost an hour and there was still no sign of him. She had to reach the hospital by 8 AM because she would be meeting her first set of patients tomorrow. So she wrote a small note apologizing about sleeping off and promising to meet the next day, kept it beside the dinner plate and went to her room. The moment she hit the bed, sleep overtook her because her day really had been exhausting.

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Dev massaged his neck with one hand as he stepped into the elevator with his blazer in the other hand. He had wanted to come back home earlier but the Ahluwalia file issue had lasted much longer than he expected. But he was looking forward to having proper rest and sleep. He had taken the day off tomorrow.

As he stepped off the elevator and walked to his door he remembered about his tenant. Tina had told him that they man seemed like a good person and once again she had weirdly stressed on the word Man as if giving him some sort of warning. But that just confused Dev even more. He sighed and opened the door. Stepping in he saw that the drawing room lights were on. But he knew that his tenant wouldn't be awake at 1 AM waiting for him. He also thought that meeting him in the morning would be more convenient. He had initially refused the idea of having a tenant. But having someone else in the house was a good thing. At least he could talk to someone when he felt like relaxing. He only hoped the man was friendly and that his serious closed off personality wouldn't scare him off.

As Dev passed the dining room something caught his eye. He walked back towards the dining room and looked at the table. He was shocked to see that there was food waiting for him there. Dev had forgotten to have dinner and by the time he realised that all the shops nearby had closed. He had lied to Tina about having had a sandwich. Even at lunch he had been faced with a problem. The stupid people had mixed up his order with some irritating woman. He made a note to himself to talk to Riya about having a meeting with the staff members. After all Riya, his sister owned the restaurant actually. Dev only looked after the finance and maintenance.

But now seeing the plate of food lying in front of it he couldn't be happier. He took the lid of the container and was even happier to find his favourite rajma chawal in it. He took it to the microwave and warmed it. While he waited he thought about his tenant. The man was good person then. He had left food for someone he hadn't even met. It was then that he noticed the note on the table. Reaching for a plate from the rack of plates he took one out, served himself and came to the table and sat down. He read the note and smiled. Tina had done well. He would finally make a friend he could talk to. As he ate he was reminded of the times when his mother, Ishwari, would make the same dish for him. Though it was not as good as that one it was very close. Finishing the food at top speed Dev took the plate to the sink and washed it.

After drying it, as he reached out to put it back he realised something odd. The plate had floral patterns on it. "Ajeeb hai" he mused out loud. "Ladko ko floral plates kabse pasand aaney lagey?" He wondered aloud. But then placed the plate back and thought, "Hota hoga. Sab ladke same thodi na hote hai." With that he took his blazer from the chair, took out a pen, turned the note and wrote, "see you in the morning" and left it on the table. He couldn't wait to get some sleep. He finally had a hearty dinner and could now relax peacefully.

As he made his way up the stairs he reminded himself to thank his tenant in the morning for the kind gesture.

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Kaisa laga?

Time for the chocolates and chappals!

Or you could also give me other things you want!

But do comment and let me know exactly kaisa laga aap sabko! Also don't forget to hit the like button!

Also before going I want to say that according to schedule iss Sunday, yaani the fourth update would be an update for my OS series. But instead of that you'll be getting an update of this FF only. The OS series update will be up after the sixth chapter of this FF!

So in short, Sunday milte hai!

Edit: Updated Neha and Riya in the character list!

Love

Mishti!