************Part 27************
"Now, answer my question… did that tickle you?" Dev asked his question once again, knowing this time he would get a truthful reply.
Radhika nodded her head in acceptance… yes his fingertips tracing on her arm had tickled her.
"Good" Dev smiled leaning down and kissing her cheek. Glad to have finally taken care of her lying issue now he can get on with what Muskaan had instructed him to do.
"The second step is questioning"
"Haven't we done that too many times?"
"Yes, and we must continue on with that… question her as many times as possible until you get a verbal response"
"What if she still refuses to give a verbal reply?"
"Two important things when dealing with selective mutism; patience and persistence. You have to be patience and at the same time persistent"
"Patience? You know I have very little patience! I can't handle this… why don't you do this since you are obviously experienced and seem to have all the patience and all" Dev grumbled not really confident of effectively carrying out the task he was given.
"I am assigning you to do this because Radhika has already formed a relationship with us all… a relationship that included silence but with you she has in a way formed a relationship that included speaking…"
"You are confusing me now…. Radhika doesn't really talk with me… the few times she did was when she wasn't exactly conscious…alert…. remember you yourself pointed that out to me…" Dev reminded Muskaan and frowned at the way she rolled her eyes at him as if frustrated with his lack of knowledge.
"Armaan said that through his research he has discovered a highly successful method of treating patients with selective mutism. This method that he has stated is both simple and effective. You see all one needs to get Radhika to speak is for her to meet with someone she doesn't know… someone who very clearly displays expectations that Radhika will speak and quickly designs an unavoidable opportunity to do so…" Muskaan explained looking over the sheet, circling the paragraph that addressed this and then showing it to Dev bhai so that he can also read it to better understand it.
"But I am no stranger to her… she has been living with us for nearly a month now…" Dev stated still not fully understanding this whole approach Muskaan was taking upon that cousin's guidance.
"I understand that but you see we have already indirectly set ourselves in that way… we were strangers to Radhika and we all have already displayed to Radhika that we expect her to speak with us… every one of us has talked with her, constantly asking her questions and expecting to hear her reply…. The only thing we slipped up on is that we didn't exactly state it to her that we expect her to speak…. Till now we have only showed our desire to hear her speak but I think if we can just speak to her that we want to hear her talk and that we are not going to relent until she speaks might be more effective…. As for choosing you for this is because she has given in to you… not only tonight but once before she has spoken to you and that was a big slip from her… because even though she might have done it when she was in a dream like daze but there is high chance that she remembers that she did speak with you…"
Dev simply stared at her with a big frown on his face… he had simply no idea what his sister-in-law was babbling about…. Hadn't she herself said that the few times Radhika did speak to him did not count as a conversation and here she was putting all the emphasis on those few times just because Radhika might remember she had spoken with him…
"So you see… you are in an ideal position to get Radhika to speak hence you must quickly proceed forward before she pulls up her defenses…. right now she has basically shed off the defenses with you so you better be quick to corner her and completely break her defenses…. Just simply began by questioning her continuously and become more insistent…. Remember to provide an "unavoidable opportunity" you must be persistent, cling to your question as if your life depended on it… do not for any reason let the silence dissuade you… don't give up until she responds to you through words…. make sure to voice out that you want to hear her verbal response…."
"How am I suppose to remember all your babbling and follow it when I don't even understand it…" Dev complained rubbing his temple…. Seriously all that explanation from Muskaan was giving him a massive headache… the worst part; he didn't exactly understand anything except that he had to be persistent and keep asking questions until one of them gave up… he desperately hoped it to be Radhika who gave up and answered one of his questions….
"Oh… you will do fine… just remember one thing though…." Muskaan trailed her words waiting for Dev bhai to stop with his sulking so she can proceed with her final instruction.
"What is it now? Are you going to go on with your endless droning again?" Dev snapped tapping his fingertips on the table.
"Stick to one question…."
"Are you crazy? You want me to repeat the same question continuously?.... Muskaan? Really?... I am mean really?"
"I like you, you know" Dev whispered, his thumb caressing her cheek.
Radhika stared at him, skeptical about the truthfulness of the words he had just whispered… he likes her?... it just seemed too hard to believe… no one had ever really liked her… except for her mother… and her Mannee…
"Do you like me Radhika?" Dev asked staring down at her, searching her face.
Silence.
"Do you like me?"
Again silence. She simply stared back at him hardly blinking.
"Tell me, do you like me?" Dev asked his gaze locked with hers.
Radhika smiled tentatively and nodded her head.
"You don't like me?" Dev asked, his eyes staring into hers.
Radhika widened her eyes and shook her head in denial not wanting Pati to misunderstand her. She liked Pati, she had nodded her head in consent to that. Didn't he see?.....
"So you like me?" Dev asked smiling inwardly at how his wife had vehemently denied his assumption of her dislike towards him.
Radhika peered at Pati and nodded her head in affirmation.
"Do you like your Pati?" Dev asked again, ignoring her nod. He remembered Muskaan's words she had stated to keep repeating his question until he got a verbal response from Radhika… to push her with his question till she is forced to answer it verbally… It was important to get Radhika to talk if not for anything else then at least for his sister's and DadiMa's satisfaction.
Radhika frowned at Pati, he again asked her the same question…. Hadn't she just answered his question? ….. She once again nodded her head but this time slowly hoping Pati would understand her this time…
Dev shook his head at her answer. "Yes or no? Radhika? Speak to me, please" Dev requested his voice even, hinting at his authoritative tone.
A long silence. Dev could see the slight tremble in her hands…
"Do you like me or not Radhika? Won't you tell me?" Dev asked once again rewording his question, his one hand resting on her stomach tracing patterns while the other caressed her cheek… He knew he had to keep her calm… gentle caress seemed to calm her nerves - he hoped Muskaan was right in her observations or else it would be futile to carry on with his stimulation….
Radhika bit her lip, her eyes staring at Pati's hand that was wrapped around her waist, his finger tracing circles. He wanted her to speak… she didn't know what to do… was he testing her? trying to see if she still remembered her rules? She gasped suddenly as she remembered she had spoken to him last night, and even before that when she had been sick… she had talked to him - a lot… maybe Pati wanted to punish her for speaking so much last night?.... No! Radhika shook her head at her thought, Pati wouldn't punish her…. hadn't he promised not to hurt her?... he had to keep his promise… he must!
"Yes or No, Radhika?" Dev asked again waiting for her reply. He knew he had to be patient, it was a key rule Muskaan had pressed upon while giving him the instructions.
Radhika blinked and stared at Pati for some time, opened her mouth to speak but closed it back too afraid to break one of the rules that she had followed for so long….. she turned her face away from Pati no longer able to stare into his waiting eyes.
"Radhika?" Dev whispered, lifting his hand to grasp her chin and turn her to face him.
"Y-yes" Radhika whispered her eyes tightly shut as Pati tuned her face, holding her chin in his head. His touch gentle not harsh was the only thing that prevented the panic attack from engulfing her.
"Pardon?" Dev pretended to not have heard her whisper.
"Yes" Radhika croaked in a half whisper.
"You like me?" Dev asked waiting to hear her again.
"Yes" Radhika whispered once again, her eyes still tightly closed in fear or nervousness she didn't know…
"I can't hear you, Radhika" Dev spoke, trailing his fingers on her right cheek trying to urge her to open her eyes by tapping on her closed eye lids.
"Yes" Radhika answered, her voice a little higher in volume.
Dev smiled at his accomplishment but he was still not done. "I want you to say it, say you like me" Dev urged as he trailed his fingertips from her temple descending down to her cheek and resting on jaw.
A long pause. As Radhika opened her eyes and regarded her pati.
"Say the words Radhika" Dev insisted smiling at his wife, his fingers caressing her jaw line.
Still Silence. Radhika simply stared at Pati and nodded her head.
Dev shook his head at his wife's action. "I want to hear you speak the words" Dev explained and patiently waited for her to gather her strength to speak the words. She seemed to struggle with her words, opened her mouth and then closed it back again couple of times.
" I… Ra-Radhika…l-lik-es… h-her… P-Pati" Radhika stammered her answer, confused at Pati's adamant behavior but realizing that he wouldn't relent until she did what he asked her to…. He wanted her to speak the words!
"Say it again" Dev commanded wanting to hear the words again, wanting her to confess it again.
"Radhika likes Pati" She answered without stammering. She peered at him to see him smiling down at her, his eyes bright with happiness as he stared down at her. He seemed so happy… just because she had spoken her like towards him.
"Ah! How I adore you my wife!" Dev whispered staring at her innocent face.
Radhika slightly lifted her head, suddenly finding herself hard to breathe at Pati's words although he had spoken them just few moments ago but still it gave her immense happiness to know he liked her. She blinked at him as she stared into his happy face and tentatively gave him a small smile in return.
"I love your smile" Dev whispered his fingers tracing her widened lips.
"y-you do?" Radhika asked her eyes widening at his confession.
"Yes, I do… I think it's the most beautiful smile I have ever seen… I love seeing your smile" Dev spoke softly being careful with his words hoping she would take them seriously and hopefully would smile often rather than stare at him with fearful eyes or worse hide her face behind the dupatta like she often does…
Radhika smiled hearing her Pati's words… he loved her smile… she promised herself she would always smile at him since he loved seeing her smile…
Dev smiled back at her, his fingers continued on tracing her smiling lips… he wanted to kiss her then… feel her soft lips against his rough ones… he leaned his head down moving his mouth closer to hers but his eyes stayed on her, holding her gaze… silently watching her…. wondering how she would react to his actions…..
"KakiMa!" Mayank called out loudly as he banged into the room, stilling Dev in his movement and disturbing the perfect movement he was having with him wife.
"God!" Dev groaned at the intrusion, burying his face in the nape of his wife's neck.
Radhika flinched at the sudden closeness; she could feel Pati's warm breath fanning on her shoulder…. His lips kissing her neck leisurely. She clenched her hands at the feel of it, the strange feeling that was spreading through her body because of Pati's closeness…
"KakiMa, yeh kya aap abhi tak so rahi ho? Aapko pata hain, Mamma ne kaha hai ki main aaj school se chootti karsakta hoon" Mayank informed her with excitement.
"I got a big boo-boo in my hand na, that's why" Mayank explained, climbing up on the bed and showing his burned palm as he crawled towards his KakiMa.
"Remind me to lock the door at night" Dev whispered into his wife's ear before nibbling on her earlobe, very much aware of the shiver that passed through her body at his action.
"Kaka? Aap… aap kya karrahe ho?" Mayank asked peering at his Kaka's form.
"Aaapki KakiMa ko morning kiss de raha hoon" Dev snapped, lifting his head and kissing his wife's cheek to display it to his nephew… maybe that will keep him away from barging into his room so early in the morning…
"Silly! Morning kissy cheek pe nahin lips pe dete hain!" Mayank laughed at his kaka's ignorance.
"Wh-what?" Dev stammered, shocked at his nephew's statement.
"Haan, dad hamesha Mamma ko morning kissy lips pe dete hain… aur bade papa bhi badi ma ko lips pe kissy dete hain… I saw it!" Mayank announced, his poor Kaka, didn't even know how to give a morning kissy to his wife.
"Oh" Dev whispered, staring at his nephew in bewilderment. He suddenly found himself repulsed by the image of his brother and sister-in-law kissing each other…. it only worsened as his mind played another image of his sister and brother-in-law kissing each other… Urgh! He did not want to be tormented by such sick images in his mind. He glared at his nephew for implanting such images in his mind...
"Oh kya? Chaliye meri KakiMa ko proper morning kissy dijiye nahi tho woh aapse angry ho jayegi jaise Mamma Papa se hoti hain" Mayank threatened his kaka who suddenly took a leap from his bed.
"Rahul! Muskaan!" Dev called out angrily as he rose from his bed and strode out of his room in search of his brother and sister-in-law to throttle them to death for corrupting his innocent nephew's mind with their display of romantic sapping.
"KakiMa, uthiye… what happened?.... angry ho Kaka se?" Dev stopped in his steps right outside his door hearing his nephew's voice questioning Radhika.
"Nahi ho? Kyun? Aapko angry hona chahiye Kaka per… he did not give you a proper morning kissy and see how he just left you without even giving you your kissy" Dev growled, shaking his head, too shocked to hear his 5 yr old nephew instigating Radhika to be angry at him.
"Muskaan!" Dev roared in anger as he stalked down the hall towards his brother's room searching for his sister-in-law… fully knowing that it was her fault… she is the one to be blamed for drilling such things into his nephew's innocent mind……
************Angel************
Soooooo?????????................ Was it dragged?...... I tried to keep it realistic.... I actually re-read a novel that focused on selective mutism before writing this part...... lolz.... but I can proudly say that the whole scene came out the way I wanted it to be.... so yah... I am very pleased with myself.... (I never said I was modest! 😆)
Rahul and Mrinalini both sputtered and coughed hearing Mayank's words.
.....
.....
Dev cleared his throat, fidgeting in his seat eliciting laughter from Rahul who was thoroughly enjoying his brother's obvious discomfort.
Members Lounge
Book Talk
