Story so far
R: 'Dev aap please phir se us baat ko shuru mat kijiye jise aap ko takleef ho. Apko meri dosti se sirf mushkile he mili hai. Is dosti ko khatma kar dene min he samazh dari ha'
'Aasha' had arrived, and Radhika got down. Radhika turned and was about to leave when Dev called out her name.
D: 'Radhika tum meri dosti tod sakti ho par main hamesha tumhara dost rahoonga'
D: 'Jab bhi tumhe jarorat hogi tum muzhe apnea aas paas paogi'
And Dev drove away with a pained expression, leaving Radhika pensive.
Part 4
Radhika's day was absolutely miserable. She could not concentrate on anything. The events of the morning were playing on her mind. She was replaying her encounter with Dev in the mandir. It was ironic that he met her after his return from the US in the mandir. It reminded her of her meeting him for the first time all those years ago in the same mandir. It was when he had told her that he would be her friend.
She was still lost in her thoughts when a peon interrupted her thoughts, 'Didiji aap ke liye phone hai'
Radhika was surprised. No one called her at 'Aasha' unless and until it was urgent.
She went to attend the ph apprehensively.
R: 'Hello!!'
'Hello Radhika', Dev spoke at the other end.
R: 'DEV!! Aap?'
D: 'Ya, Radhika what is your plan for the evening? I will be free by 5:30. I was wondering you could come for a cup of coffee, say meet you at 6:00?'
Radhika glance at her watch. It was 4:30 pm. It was the time that she left for the day.
R: 'Nahi Dev, main abhi ghar ja rahi hoon. I am sorry, but I can not come'
D: 'U are leaving for Malhotra House?'
R: 'Haan, main bas 5 min main yahaan se niklne wali thi'
R: 'Accha Dev, main ph rakhti hoon'
Radhika picked up her belongings and left in a hurry.
She came out of 'Aasha' and found Dev leaning on the bonnet of his car, arms crossed and smiling at her.
Radhika almost stumbled the moment she saw Dev.
She saw Dev walking towards her smiling from ear to ear.
R: 'Aap? Yahaan?'
D: 'Haan! Tumhe laga kit um mushe avoid kar sakti ho!!'
R: 'Par aap to 5:30 ko free hone wale the?'
D: 'Agar main ese nahi karta to tum itni jaldi bahar kaise aati?'
R: 'Aap ye sab kyoun kar rahe hai?'
D: 'Main tumhe le jane aaya hoon.'
R: 'Main coffee nahi piti'
D: 'Main tumhe ghar le jaane aya hoon. Ghar to chalogi na?'
R: 'Aap ne khama kha tkaleef ki. Main chali jati.'
D: (he was angry this time) 'Main jaanta hoon , tum chali jati. Pichle dus saloon se tum sari chije khod hee karti aa rahi ho. Par main bhe ghar jar aha tha to socha ki tumhe leta chaloo'
R: 'Oh!!'
D: 'chale?'
Dev opened the door to the front seat to let Radhika in.
On the way back Dev asked 'Tum hamara rishra kyoun todna chahati ho?'
R: 'Jo rishta apko chot pahucha chukka hai aaur bhavishya me bhi chot pahucha sakta hai, ap use barkarar kyoun rakhna chahte hai?'
D: 'Radhika tum khud ko dosh dena chod do. Jo kuch bhi hua usme tumhara koi kasoor nahi tha. Aur tum ma ki bato par dhyaan mat do.'
By the time they reached MH it was 5:30pm. As soon as they entered MH, Mrinalini broke the news that Vishakha and her dadi ma were coming to visit them.
Radhika flinched at the mention of dadima's name. She very well knew that dadima had still not forgiven Radhika and still despised her.
Radhika also knew that it was Mrinalini's plan to get Dev married to Vishakha. She was happy for her sister because she knew that Dev was a great guy and would be a perfect husband for her sister. He would go to any heights for the people he loved. HE was very passionate from the very beginning. She knew his passion very well. She had realized that, that passion had not died down a bit, if at all it had grown with him. As for Vishakha, she was good to Radhika. She remembered Vishakha to be kind. But the bond had faded away because dadi wanted Radhika no where near Vishakha and after the accident that was the only reason dadi took Vishakha away.
M: 'Dev beta!!! Jante ho kal subha ke flite se dadima aur Vishakha aa rahe hai. Main chahati hoon kit um unhe air port receive karne jaao'
D: 'Theek hai ma. Main aur Radhika kal airport chale jayenge'
Radhika was surprised at the way Dev got her involved in this and was about to protest.
M: 'Radhika!! Tum Birju ko saath le kar jao. Aur vaise bhe Dadima Radhika ko pasand nahi karti'
D: (very thoughtfully and looking at an uncomfortable Radhika) 'Thik hai, main Birju ko le kar jaoonga'
Radhika was relieved by this and went to her room.
Radhika knew that it will be tough for her from tomorrow, since now dadima would be here and she will have to be extra careful about not enraging her further.
She went to the kitchen to check on the dinner arrangements. She prepared the gajar ka halwa which chachiji wanted to be cooked, it being Dev's favorite sweet dish.
After checking out that the dinner was ready, she asked Birju to call every one for dinner and to serve them. She excused herself saying that she will eat later and went to her room.
She was reading a book when suddenly there was a knock on the door.
She opened the door and found Dev standing wearing a white kurta..
R: 'Aap? Yahan?'
D: 'Haan, voh tum khane par nahi aee. Sab intajaar kar rahe hai.'
R: 'Nahi, voh main baad main khaa loongi'
D: 'Kyoun? Baad main kyoun? Sab ke saath kyoun nahi?'
R: 'Bas vho…'
D: 'Main kuch nahi sunana chahat. Tum abhi mere saath chalo, varna main bhi baad main khana khaaonga, tumhare saath'
The thought of herself alone with Dev was motivating enough for her to nod and follow a smiling Dev to the dining table.
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