"Mr. Mallik?" Dev asked his brother wanting conformity to what he had just heard… he rushed out of the room and hurried down to the steps towards the study upon getting the nod from his brother…. Forgetting everything about his wife, forgetting the fact that she was still sick… Mr. Mallik…. The name was enough to make him forget everything… the only thing he could remember was his dream project…. The only think he could think about was how Mr. Mallik had refused to sell him the land he needed in order to proceed with his dream project…. Mr. Mallik, who had refused to take his calls, had now actually called him… he wondered what the reason was for the call….. dare he hope for his dream project finally turning into a reality……
*************Part 8*****************
Radhika was whimpering in her sleep when Dev entered the room, he rushed to her, distressed to see the tears flowing down her cheeks, her body twitching on the bed, her lips quivering, her loud gasps from the suppressed cries. It broke his heart to see her in that state; he shook her awake, not able to withstand her tears. He wondered what it was that was disturbing her so much, what nightmare was she seeing that had her in this state.
"Radhika…. Radhika…. Utho…Radhika?" he called out to her, shaking her harder this time. She snapped her eyes open and he saw the uncontrolled panic in her eyes.
"I didn't mean to…. I didn't" she whispered desperately to him. Dev stared at her in confusion, not understanding the desperation and panic in her eyes.
"Radhika?" Dev called softly.
She sprang up from the bed, Dev backed a little at her sudden move. "Radhika… calm down. It was only a dream" he said calmly, pacing his hands on her arms cautiously.
"It's burned…. the food is burned, Baba is very angry…. Please don't whip me… burned the food….. burn my hand…. humme bhi ma ki tarha…. Baba…. don't… please don't burn me…Ma…. Ma.... please" Radhika cried frantically, her eyes mirroring the uncontrolled panic that engulfed her. It was frantic terror that gleamed in her eyes and he could see her entire body trembling as his mind wondered the cause of such fear in her.
"Radhika?.... Radhika please stop crying… it was just a nightmare…" Dev said attempting to stop her panicked cries. He could not watch her body tremor like that anymore; he would not be able to see her scrawny shoulders shake any longer. "Radhika… it was just a dream… a bad dream" Dev spoke but she did not budge from her place. She did not even seem to hear his voice.
"it's burning…. Baba ne jala diya….. jala diya…. just…. with ma…. it hurts…. dukhta hain humme…. please…." Radhika cried out fidgeting, holding her left arm and blowing out on her palm as she cried for the pain to stop. It hurt too much, it had felt like acid.... she was sure of it. She cradled her hand one minute and the next frantically rubbing at her hand with all her strength, desperately trying to wipe the burning sensation off from her hand. She dared not move her eyes to her burning hand, too afraid to see it melting before her eyes….
"Stop the pain… please…. make it stop …. please" She cried with desperate urgency stressing the last word.
Dev sat too shocked to move, his heart ached to see those innocent eyes pleading him to stop the pain she was feeling but he couldn't, he didn't know how to… how can he stop her pain when the pain wasn't even real…. the pain which was only an illusion created by her….. he watched his wife, stared at her unblinkingly, rattled by her eccentric behavior, his dark grey irises moved noting every single movement his wife made, silently watching as his wife blew out air at her uninjured/unburned hand, her face distorted as if in immense pain, listened as she whispered out her cries.
"Radhika….. shh…. stop crying… it was just a bad dream… look your hand is fine. It's not burned." Dev tried to assure her as he gently pried her hand towards him and soothingly rubbed his palm on her soft ones but she shook her head, wriggled her hand free from his hold and resumed to frantically blow out on her palm. Fear rose in him as he watched how she was still immersed in her nightmare, not able to see the reality. He clenched his hands into fists to rid them of the urge to touch her, to embrace her and let her tears spill into him, to take away her pain and torment…………
"Radhika!" Dev screamed and watched as she jumped back at his loud voice and stumbled by the night table, the milk glass resting on it fell making a loud crash as it broke into pieces.
Radhika gasped in horror as reality finally sank into her. Her eyes rose from the broken glass pieces to stare at pati, Dev stared back at her.
"It was only a bad dream, Radhika" Dev said softly, getting up from the bed and extended his hand towards her, she backed away in fear. Dev watched as she caught her lower lip between her teeth and lifted her head to gaze at him, the horror of what she had done, what had happened was plainly visible on her face. Dev stood silently, his hand outstretched towards her waiting patiently for her to reach him.
"Please don't hurt me… I-Radhika didn't mean to… please don't" she pleaded through her trembling lips.
"I am not going to hurt you Radhika" Dev tried to assure her. "Please, come here…. Radhika?" Dev spoke, his voice calm and soft, taking a step forward, beckoning her to him with his hand.
Radhika shook her head, tears flowed and descended down her face, the tremors had now taken over her entire body and her bony shoulders were shaking violently but she did not budge. She was scared, too scared to move towards Pati, afraid of the punishment he would give her for breaking the glass, for disturbing his sleep with her screams. He said he would not hurt her but how can she believe him? she knew she had erred…. she knew she must be punished for her mistake and she feared that punishment…. she feared Pati who would administer that punishment…. the words her brothers told her rang in her ears… she did not want to feel the brutal whips on her body, she did not want to be locked in the dark closet with rats…. she didn't want any more pain…. the pain she was sure she would receive from Pati….
"Come here Radhika, I am not going to hurt you" Dev said again, his low voice holding the hint of authority that he hoped would force his wife to obey him. He gazed into her frightened eyes as he watched silently, his hand hanging in mid air waiting for his wife to place hers in his.
Radhika looked down at Pati's hand, breaking their gaze. "come here" She heard Pati say but her fear won't let her move towards him, she stared at her hand which she had presumed to be burned, her eyebrows creased as she stared at her smooth unburned hand but the memory of the distorted skin, the marred palm and the acid burn was still edged in her mind. The time when she had only been a nine year old, when her father had forced her hand down on the acid filled bucket; a punishment for burning the dinner.
"It was a bad dream, you are not hurt" Dev reassured her seeing her eyes searching for the burned skin.
Dev heard the slight movement by the door, wondered who could be up at this time…. Had Radhika's cries been loud enough to wake up someone from their sleep.... he just hoped it was not one of the servants, he did not want to give them a reason to gossip about his wife. He turned his head towards the door to find Muskaan's head peeking out from the half closed door. He raised his eye at her peaking but she had her focus on his wife, he waited for her to shift her gaze to him but she seemed to be entrapped by his wife's frantic actions, studying her as if she was a book….
"Musk-" Dev tried to get her attention but she stopped him by gesturing him to not voice out her presence. She was very well aware of his eyes on her when he thought she had been focused on Radhika…
"Par-" Dev tried once again to talk to her, maybe she knew how to handle Radhika…. She was after all better acquainted with these kinds of situations given her profession…
Dev curled his fingers in anger when Muskaan glared at him rather than stepping forward and helping him in dealing with Radhika. Muskaan shook her head and gestured towards Radhika when Dev tried to walk towards her, he shifted his gaze on Radhika who still seemed to be intent on rubbing her supposedly burned hand, very oblivious of his and Muskaan's presence. He turned to Muskaan and raised his brow in question wondering what she wanted him to do but the stupid woman just mouthed out the words "Keep Talking" and pointing out at Radhika. He cursed inwardly at her, did she think he hadn't tried talking to his wife, trying to snap her out the illusion she was currently living…. Damn the woman! And damn the man who gave Muskaan the license for her internship! The woman could not even help him in calming his wife!
"Talk" Muskaan mouthed again gesturing towards Radhika with her head.
Dev sneered at her and turned his attention back on his wife who was still searching for the blemished skin on her hand….
"It was just a dream, Radhika… you are not burned" Dev whispered to his wife, once again stretching out his hand towards her.
"Come to me, Radhika" He called beckoning her with his hand "hold my hand, please"
Radhika looked down again at his hand and then back up at him and repeated the action numerous times for the next ten minutes. Dev remained silent the whole time, aware of Muskaan's eyes on them and knew that she as well was watching the emotions playing across Radhika's face, the deep concentration as she tried to decide whether to believe him or not, the suspicious look in her eyes as she gazed at him, her fear and hesitation, her distrust at his words….. he studied all that, read all the emotions that passed in her eyes….. and knew Muskaan was also critically examining the array of emotions that were held in his wife's eyes…
"You will whip Radhika?" her quite voice broke the silence in the room. Dev raised his eyebrow at her question, shocked to hear her question such a thing…. Why did she think he would whip her? She had whispered the question as if too afraid to voice that thought, as if asking it would make it more real…….
"No, I already told you… I am not going to hurt you" Dev answered as he took the few steps covering the distance between them. "I am not going to hurt you, Radhika" He whispered again, holding his hand out to her again.
Radhika lifted her head, her eyes cautiously stared deep into his, as if reading them for assurance…. as if studying his eyes would give her the true answer. She did not believe him, he said he would not hurt her, but she could not believe that… tears floated down her face as she slowly lifted her hand and tentatively placed it on pati's, who wrapped his hand around her's in a tight hold.
"Are you going to whip me now?" She asked again, knowing his answer would be different this time since now she was in his hold.
"No. I won't" Dev said not understanding why she was still asking such a question, why would she think he would whip her….
Radhika furrowed her brows and stared at pati in disbelieve, unconsciously moving closer towards him as he brushed back the few strands covering her face, "Radhika didn't mean to, Radhika do be sorry" She said, staring at the broken glass on the floor.
He held her face between his hands and wiped her tears with his thumb. "I know" Dev said wrapping his arm around her and taking her towards the bed "be careful, we don't want you stepping on the broken pieces" Dev said as he carefully guided his still terrified wife towards the bed.......
**********Angel**********
So how was it? I know the preview I posted so long back is still not part of this update, I promise it will be in next part... from here on, starts the crucial part of the story.... so I hope you all are still interested in reading this ff because I promise it won't be all happy and romantic.... I gave a big hint in this part and I want to see how many catch on to that... I will be waiting to see if any of you realize what that hint is.... if you do then I will update the next part sooner....😆
Itti Si Khushi Sab TV
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
