-Agar Tum Mil Jao- last part pg 72- 6/5 - Page 22

Part 13

Dev doesn't know for how long he sat drinking there on the beach…talking to himself…

Congratulations & Celebrations Dev!! Ek baar phir tumne ek aur rishta kho dia…Cheers to that!! (smiled sarcastically) Sid was so right…who tumse pyaar nahi karti…(laughed)now wats new in dat…who toh koi bhi nahi karta…& Pallavi adds to the list…So, Happy now (continued drinking)…& now time to be the same Good Old Dev!!. 😃😃 ..pichle kuch dino se pagal hogaye the 😆😆😆 (as if remembering)…no no…Sid ne kya tha…yup emotional Fool Dev…😆😆😆 (laughed) exactly…& u have been a fool… 😆😆😆 ek sapne ko jeene lage the…tum samajhne lage the ki tumhe bhi khushiyan mil sakti hai…par tum...sabse bada sach bhool gaye…You were so wrong Dev 😆😆…(smiled)par ab aur koi galti nahi…kyunki Dev Khanna koi galti nahi karta…aur Galti ko kabhi dohrata bhi nahi hai… 😊😊 (determined)So, now its back to old self Dev…accept the fact …tumse koi pyaar nahi karta …aur yeh baat kabhi nahi bhoolna…(finishing off the bottle) & now no more being emotional…its gona be old Dev back…

Welcome Back Dev… (& continued drinking)

He didn't knew when he passed out…the exhausation from the journey…emotional exhausation from past few days took a toll on him…

***

Next Day

At breakfast khanna house…

Massi—Rj aur khushi ke jaane ke baad ghar soona soona hogaya…aur pallo bhi chali gayi…

Prachi—exactly who log ghar mein the toh raunak rehti thi…

Kabir(joked)—toh Rj-khushi ko wapis bula lete hai…

Massi(laughed)—kabir tu bhi…😆😆 bachon ko njoy karne de…acha main kal poochna bhul gayi thi…Dev trip ke liye gaya tha…Rj ke honeymoon pe jane se pehle aane wala tha…aaya nahi…😕😕

Kabir—shayad late hogaya hoga…😕aap janti hai usse kaam ke chakkar mein har cheez bhool jata hai 😆😆

Massi—par har baar lautkar who ek baar milne aata hai is baar aaya bhi nahi…

Kabir—shayad busy hoga…kabse uska phone try kar raha hoon lag hi nahi raha…

Prachi—shayad pallavi ko pata ho…afterall uski PA hai…

Massi—haan Pallo ko pata hoga…

Massi—kya hua?😕😕

Kabir—pallavi phone nahi utha rahi…

Massi—aisa kaise …abhi toh ghar pe hi hogi…ya usse bhi Dev ki bimaari lag gayi jaldi office jane ki….😆😆😆

Kabir(laughed)—ho sakta hai…par aap fikr mat kijiye main abhi office jate hue usse office mein milta jaunga...isi bahane Dev se bhi mulaqaat hojayegi… 😊😊

Massi—Haan yeh theek rahega…😊 aur Dev se kehna main usse naraaz hoon…😡😡 har baar jab who trip pe jata hai…usse kehti hoon pahunch kar phone kardiya kar…is baar main kehna bhool gayi toh usne kiya bhi nahi…

Kabir—keh dunga…Maa…😊😊 aur Dev aaye toh ache se kaan kheenchna uske…. 😆😆😆

Finishing his breakfast…. Bidding bye he left for Dev's office…

***

Pallavi looked at her watch. 7.30am….she need to be in office in another hour…. But that wud mean facing Dev….

Throughout night she had been sleepless… whole night tears kept trickling down…She walked towards the bathroom for her fifth shower in 7 hours….Everytime she tried to wash of his touches with water…hotter than she could bear…Seeing her skin all red and herself acing from the pain was her punishment…for stepping outside her boundaries the previous evening… She washed her hair again almost pulling it out…rubbed her lips, again and again He had touched it…She felt she felt sick, nauseas, and her head was spinning…from all the emotional turmoil…

She sat all dressed but her legs refused to move out... wondered what to do now….Going to work meant facing Dev…& how can she do it…😕😕 after the cheap thing she did last night… How could she face him after she had kissed him back…its true it was he to be blamed for initiating…but it was more her fault that she responded too… knowing who he was, and what he was?...She kissed her married boss…someone who was her guardian. She had kissed the man who was way out of her league…She kissed the man who was the brother of her brother-in-law… How could she did this…how did she let it happen! She cursed herself for nth time since night…😡😡

She crawled back into her bed sobbing…😭😭 closed her eyes…but images of the previous night were flashing. …His eyes his lips his face…his touch…everything flashed in front of her…

Finally she gave up going to office…she is not ready to face him or anybody for that matter… She never ever again wanted to talk to Dev.…

Pallavi—kya soch rahe honge mere baare mein… must be thinking of me as a cheap and easy woman…

One thing she realized after last night, that he affected her in some way…😛... She cared for him…the unknown pull she always felt towards him… the emotion she had dreaded to name was certainly there... whether she accepts or not…and last night proved her that it was not the only just a feeling she had… now She will have to stay away from him.

Pallavi composed herself decided to call off for a day & call in sick she grabbed her phone & dialed number…but She stopped midway…

Pallavi—main phone karke kahungi ki meri tabiyat kharab hai…aur Mr.khanna ne agar ghar pe sabko bata diya meri tabiyat kharab hai toh sab bekaar mein pareshan hojayenge…😕😕 shayad sab yahan bhi aa jayen…

Just one look and they would know that she isn't sick… she is just using it as an excuse…aur sach main unhe kabhi bata nahi paungi… that she ended up kissing her boss…& now she feels disgusting abt it…

With a heavy heart she reached …Pallavi left for office…a late than usual…directly she went to her cabin…& decided she would avoid Dev as much as possible… He would call her if he needed her.…She started working, at least she tried to…

***

An hour later Kabir entered

Kabir—I always knew it…tumpar Dev ka asar aa hi jayega…😆😆😆 tum dono boss-PA ko hua kya hai? Dono office jaldi aa jate ho…aur Dono hi apna phone nahi utha rahe…😆😆 wats up with…(He paused as Pallavi looked at him…He was shocked to see her so pale & looked as if she has been sick) Pallavi yeh tum…tum theek toh ho 😕😕(in a concerned voice)… kya haal bana rakha hai apna…😕😕

Pallavi(smiled)—ermm kuch nahi… woh…..main woh….cudn't sleep yday…was having a headache… but I am fine…

Kabir—toh phir office kyun aayi…😕😕 u shud have taken off…yeh Dev kaha hai…usne tumhe ghar jane ke liye nahi kaha…😡😡 dat reminds me itni der se Dev ka phone laga raha hoon…he is not picking up… as 4 u…main doctor ko phone karta hoon…

Pallavi (assured him)—trust me bhaiyaa main theek hoon…😊😊 I am fine… mujhe kuch nahi hua hai… 😊😊

Kabir—but still have a check up with doctor to be sure…& don't worry Dev se main baat karta hoon who kaise tumhe off nahi dega 😊😊…who cabin mein nahi hai kya…he is not picking even landline😕😕…since his mobile is switched off I tried on that too… 😕😕

That's when realization stuck her…Dev is not in office…😲😲 her heart sank… she rushed to his cabin to check… Everything in his office was the way she left it the day before, and he was not there… she had this nagging feeling something was wrong... It was like something inside her chest did not allow her to breath properly….she came out of her thots when kabir tapped her on her shoulder.

Kabir—seems Dev tujhe bhi batakar nahi gaya…😕😕 hadh ho gayi hai Dev ki…ghar pe maa pareshan hai…Dev tumse mila tha kya kal ??…kuch kaha tha ki kaha jana hai usse…😕😕😕

Mention of yday & Pallavi lost colour…she was reminded of what Dev had said to her & what had happened later…Kabir saw her lost…he shook her…

Kabir—Pallo…kya hua?

Pallavi—huh? Who…nahi kuch nahi…Mr.khanna mujhe batakar nahi gaye…😕😕

Kabir(sighed)—He is just impossible ab kaha dhunde usse…😡😡 kitni baar kaha hai usse...kahin jaye toh batakar jaya kar 😡😡(as if remembering) I guess Sid ko pata hoga main usse phone karke poochta hoon…

As if on cue Kabir's phone rang…it was Sid calling…

Kabir(answering the call)—Sid…bahut lambi umr hai abhi tujhe hi phone karne wala tha…who

Sid(interrupted)—bhaiyaa aap issi waqt City hospital aa sakte hai…as early as possible

Kabir(worried)—hospital ? tu theek toh hai…

Sid—ermm main theek hoon…who actually Dev….

Kabir—Dev? Dev ko kya hua …who hospital mein? 😕😕

Sid—aap hospital pahunchiye waha Suhaas hai… he will explain to u…main subah Bangalore ja raha tha Sneha ko drop karne…par raaste mein Suhaas called me… mujhe hospital pahunchne mein thoda time lagega…I am on my way…tab tak u just handle it…

Kabir—haan main abhi ja ta hoon waha…

As he disconnected it…Pallavi asked him

Pallavi—sab theek hai bhaiyya…(but kabir didn't replied so she shook him) bhaiyaa..

Kabir without answering just dragged her outside office along him to hospital…

***

As soon as they reached hospital Kabir was surprised to see throng of media there… group of interviewers with camera's rushing towards them…

"Mr.Dev khanna ko kya hua hai Mr.kabir… Anything serious? Did you talk to him?"

Throughout the ride Pallavi felt hell worried abt Dev… she doesn't want to even imagine what condition they might see him…The moment she had heard abt him in hospital all the worst thots came to her…she remembered the time he had been ill in Delhi…

Both of them got through these people with great difficulty…as soon as they entered Kabir soon spotted Suhas (Suhaas had been there family doctor…& also Kabir's college friend)…Kabir rushed to him

Kabir –Suhas…How is Dev…who theek toh hai?

Suhaas—as of now he is fine Kabir…still unconsciousness…

Kabir—can I see him…

Suhaas –ofcourse come…

They entered the room…Dev was unconscious… he was being dripped for glucose… he was looking so unwell so vulnerable…exhausted…& paler than y'day…

Pallavi felt worser to see him in this condition…took a seat next to his bed…kept looking at his face….she had to use all her self-control to clench her hands in a fist to prevent herself from touching his cheek 😳😳…removing the few strands of hair that were resting on his forehead…

She came out of her thots when she heard Doc speak with Kabir…

Suhaas—Kabir tension ki baat nahi hai…he gonna be fine😊😊 …nothing too serious…its just since he was dehydrated…& exhausted….& unconscious isliye we had to use drip to feed him…

Kabir(nodded)—ermm…yeh yaha kaise I mean…😕

Suhaas—who…actually subah subah ek couple Dev ko yaha laya tha….beach se…couple apni morning walk pe gaye the , Dev unhe waha unconscious mila tha…since Dev ko almost sab jante hai… they brought him here…

Kabir—thank god for that…par Dev waha kaise? 😕😕…

Suhaas—yeh toh Dev hi bata sakta hai…waiting for him to be conscious…seems kai dino se Dev ne theek se khaya piya nahin hai… that's why he was unconscious …😕

Suhaas noticed Pallavi still staring at Dev…

Suhaas—kabir yeh?😕

Kabir—oh sorry yeh Dev ki PA hai…Pallavi…u knew kiran aunty…unki beti hai…

Suhaas—oh…ermm since u are his PA…I guess u can help me…Dev ko kisi baat ki tension thi…was he worried abt something… usne kuch kiya which was unusual of him…I mean… uske behavior mein koi change anything u noticed…

Pallavi did not know what to say… Last night was a surprise to her…😲 and totally out of character for Dev…she never expected something of this sort to happened…Dev had confessed….kissed her…How was she supposed to tell the doctor that he did a lot of things that were unusual of him to do…😆😆

Pallavi(mumbled)—Haan…

Suhaas (surprised)—did he? Kya kiya…

Pallavi(Now how cud she tell what he did ..so immediately what came to her mind she said)—emm who …Mr.Khanna kal office nahi aaye the…its unusual of him…

It was Kabir's turn to be shocked

Kabir—what ? Dev kal office nahi aaya tha😕😕 …tumne kisi ko bataya kyun nahi…😕

Pallavi—ermm…shayad kisi kaam mein busy the…unhone baad mein mujhe inform kardiya tha…he had messaged me…

Suhaas—Kabir…pichle kuch dino mein Dev se mila hoon…& I found him to be tensed abt something…tujhe toh who sab bata hoga…usse koi problem hai? Something he is stressed abt…😕😕

Kabir nodded in No..but they were interrupted by Sid's voice…

Sid—mujhe bataya tha Suhaas…

Kabir—tujhe pata tha Sid 😡…Dev kyun pareshan tha…

Sid (gave one look to Pallavi…& she looked down guiltily)—ermm who Dev ek project ko lekar thoda tensed tha…maine usse samjha bhi diya tha…but I guess who 😕😕…par suhaas tum yeh sab kyun pooch rahe ho?Is something wrong? 😕😕

Suhaas—who actually …I don't want to hide anything from both of u…par…Dev ki bimaari physical itni serious nahi hai…who ek do din theek se khaega peeiga rest karega he will be fine…😊😊 nothing to worry abt… I am not a psychiatrist but still apne experience se aur Dev ka dost hone ke naate was treating him for stress…Dev ko dekhkar humesha mujhe lagta tha that somewhere something was troubling him 😕😕 bahut baar usse poochne ki koshish ki ...but Dev ko hum jante hai...he never tells us 😔 (to kabir)…Kabir, insaan ki fitrat hi aisi hai ki who khushi aur sukoon ki talaash karta hai…& there is nothing wrong in that...hum sab zindagi mein khushi aur ek peacefulness expect karte hai…Dev ko hum sab jante hai…who kuch kehta nahin hai lekin ek arse se usko jante hai…Dev kahe na kahe...we can almost see Dev ne apni zindagi ke saath samjhauta kar liya hai… 😕😕 bas ji raha hai apni zimmedarion ke saath… like a machine…without any emotion…Jo Dev ke liye theek nahi hai…(sighed) I fear Kabir…Dev dobara depression mein na chala jaye…jaise aunty ki death ke time…par is baar it gonna be worse situation coz(apprehensive to tell) Dev bahut peene laga Kabir…its time he controls it… Maine bahut se patients dekhe hai who break down when they finally realise they don't have… or can't have something that makes them happy or peaceful...Mere khayaal se Dev ke saath bhi yahi huwa hai…😕😕 There is something jo who hume nahi bata raha… aur breakdown kai tarah ka hota hai …Sometimes the body stops reacting jaise Dev ke saath hua tha when I was treating him…medicines was not affecting him… emotional breakdown mein Sometimes the patient behaves totally different…aisi cheezein kar baithta hai which is unexpected… I only wish Dev doesn't do anything dreadful…

Hearing everything Pallavi's thot went to last night….Now everything made sense to her…why Dev had behaved in that way…

Sid(interrupted)—Suhaas…hope Dev is fine now…😊😊 koi tension ki baat toh nahi hai…I mean u suggest something…

Suhaas—Dev theek hai Sid…😊😊 just make sure who zyada stress out na ho…& he doesn't take much tension… 😊😊 he takes proper rest…& most importantly…make sure he spends time with family…aas paas log rahenge toh he will open up…Dev aap sabse baatein karega toh he will feel better… 😊😊😊

Pallavi and Sid swallowed hard….it was only two of them who knew what exactly had been wrong with Dev…

Looking at Dev both of them felt guilty… and both of them were lost in their own thought, hoping Dev hears their thot…

Somewhere Sid felt responsible for Dev's condition because of the confrontation they had the previous day…

Sid(whispered)--I'm sorry Dev…😒 I did not realise how important it was to you… I'm sorry for everything 😭….main gusse mein kuch zyada hi keh gaya…I shud have understood from where u were coming…I am sorry…apne dost ko maaf nahi karega…

Pallavi(also apologized & whispered)—I am sorry Mr.Khanna 😭…'It's my fault. Yeh sab meri galati hai….Mujhe aise react nahin karna chahiye tha…. Agar maine apne aap ko roka hota to baat yahan tak nahin pahonchti….Only if I had stopped myself…(she closed her eyes) I'm so sorry 😭

Kabir—ermm Suhaas …hum Dev ko ghar kab le ja sakte hai?😕hope its nothing serious 😕😕

Suhaas(assured him)—bilkul nahi...nothing too serious...if u want Dev ke hosh aate hi u guys can take him home 😊😊 …but I wud prefer atleast for today who yaha rahe... it wud be better for him…(lightening up) & I am sure hosh aate hi Dev ghar jane ki zidd karega…knowing how he hate hospitals 😆😆😆 …aur uparse mere hospital mein ek bhi b'ful nurse nahi hai…😆😆😆

Sid(smiled)—isliye tujhe humesha kehta tha…atleast ek do achi nurse rakh le…taki patient ka rukne ka mann kare yaha😆😆😆

Suhaas(checking his watch)—ok I need to check on other patients also😊 …waise toh yaha main aur mera staff hai, Dev ka khayal rakhne ke liye but still tum logo mein se koi Dev ke saath rukna chahta hai toh 😊😊 …u can but teeno nahi ruk sakte…

Pallavi—ermm main ruk jati hoon…Bhaiyaa aap massi aur prachi ko bhi sambhal lenge…& bahar media bhi hai…I will not be able to handle… 😕

Kabir—Pallo, par akele kaise 😕😕….

Sid—don't worry bhaiyaa main bhi ruk jata hoon(he wanted to have a talk with Pallavi as he wanted to know what exactly had happened he ws sure Pallavi knew it)…it will not be a problem…

Kabir(nodded)—theek hai…tumdono ruk jao…main ghar pe inform kardunga…& yes Suhaas…need a favour…Dev ki health ke baare mein bahar press ko…😕😕

Suhaas—don't worry I will handle it…😊😊

As Kabir left…Sid wanted to have a talk with Pallavi…but didn't got an opportunity since he got a call from office & he had to leave….

***

In evening massi & prachi along with kabir came to see Dev…he was not unconscious now but was sleeping under medication…it was only when Suhaas assured Massi that Dev is fine & will be back home tomorrow massi agreed to go back home…

Massi decided that they will take Dev along to khanna house only… & it would be better for his health if he stayed with them…as they all will look after him…

Pallav—lekin massi inki wife …I mean…Mr.khanna aap logon ke saath rahenge…she need to be informed…woh

Mausi's (face got pale and in a cold voice)—usse pata chal hi jayega (sighed) agar Maya is baat ki parwah karti toh Dev ki aaj yeh halat nahi hoti… 😡😡 Dev humare saath apne ghar hi jaayega…aur is baar main Dev ki baat bhi nahi sunugi…😡😡

They were interrupted by Kabir-sid walking in angry mood…

Kabir-- media is having the time of there life….😡😡 . Sab pooch rahe hai is waqt break kya zarut hai… jab ki bahut bade projects ko complete karna hai …as if Dev insaan nahi hai…& he doesn't deserve a break… 😡😡😡 thank god Suhaas handled it naming it just a migraine…& that's why he had collapsed…but media is speculating… drug addiction an alcohol addiction. 😡😡😡😡 …I just don't get it. 😡😡😡 Why can't they just leave him alone!...(he threw the file he was holding in frustration)…😡😡.

Sid—Bhaiyaa…aap tension mat lijiye…Media toh bakwaas karta hi rehta hai…hume bas Dev ka dhyaan rakhna hai… (Kabir nodded) ab aap massi aur bhabhi ko ghar le jaiye main aur Pallavi hai yaha par…

***

He remembered the incident that took place at her house…. It was not something Dev was proud of… 😔 His breakdown in front of her embarrassed him immensely...but his words were true…he meant everything he said… 😊😊 He loved her…He loved her so much it hurt him every time he thought about not being able to see her… not being able to listen to her sweet words… not being able to be with her…. That, however, did not give him the right to force his feelings on her …& make her uncomfortable….

Dev dreaded the thought how far he would have gone if Pallavi would not have stopped him in time…He shuddered with the thot…

He could still feel the texture of her skin…the feeling of her lips on his… her heartbeats against his chest… her rapid breathing….

How was he ever going to face her…😕😕 .thinking about all this he didn't realize when he fell asleep.😊

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Hope …Part 13 is OK 😊😊

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