Part 16
Its been almost 15 mins since the incident…& Pallavi feels Dev had gone back in some sort of shell…he has been silent since past 15mins…just had ordered driver to drive…haven't uttered a single word other than that….
Pallavi looked at him…as he sat there lost in thots….she cudn't still comprehend anything what she had seen just few minutes back…. How Dev & his wife were behaving….looking at them no wud have said that these two are a couple…the way they have been talking, no practically shouting at each other…
Pallavi wonder what kind of relationship they both share…where they are not even cordial with each other…she had seen Dev dealing with other people he has always been very warm & cordial even with strangers for that matter but here as if she was seeing a complete different Dev…what surprised her more that Maya didn't once asked abt his health he was been hospitalized infact she was accusing him……how strange….she was shocked to see a married couple behave like this….
Pallavi's thots went back to what have happened a while earlier
***
As Maya introduced herself…
Maya—Hi …Maya Mathur… oops I am sorry… Mrs. Maya Dev Khanna , still his wife unfortunately…
It took a moment for Pallavi to come over the shock…she didn't expected it to be her…..Maya had been the person who had been irritating her since last days….Pallavi wondered why Dev didn't wanted to meet Ms. Mathur when he knew who she is…
Pallavi(composing herself & with as much professionally she cud)-- G-g-g-good evening Madam…(guessing she must be here to talk with her husband…she started to walk away) aap log baat kijiye… Excuse me.
As she turned to walk away she felt a hand around her wrist pulling her back…
Dev (sternly)-- Tumhe jaane ki koi zaroorat nahin hai as "Madam" is leaving…(glared at Maya) coz baat karne ke liye hum dono ke paas topic nahi hai…(tried his best to control his temper) anyways, Tum yaha kya kar rahi ho Maya? 😡😡
Maya (smiled sarcastically)—Dev, tum jante ho…tumse milne ya baat karne mujhe koi shauk nahi hai…par kya kare(sighed) ghar tum aate nahi ho, office mein Mr. Dev khanna ek phone call uthane ke liye bhi busy hai…unke paas 2 min ki bhi fursat nahi hai…(taunted) par yaha ghoomne ki fursat hai….
Dev(angry)—Maya tum…😡😡😡
Maya(interrupted)—anyways Dev, main yaha tumhare rendezvous nahi disturb karne aayi hoon nahi discuss…..i am not at all interested…mujhe sirf itna janna hai…. Tumne last month board meeting attend kyun nahi ki ?? ….(shouting) where the hell were u Dev…? yeh jante hue ki meeting mein tumhara hona important hai u skipped it…(angry) how can u be so irresponsible Dev!! …anyways, skip karne ki wajah chahe jo bhi ho… I don't care… just make sure kal ki meeting attend karne aajana…
Dev(coldly)—kyun?
Maya—excuse me!!...kyun matlab?You are supposed to be there Dev…
Dev—dats what I am asking….why me!! More than that main kyun aau?…(taunted) ahh!! let me guess finally apne pati oops I am sorry unfortunately still ur husband, ki zarut pad gayi hogi … Kya baat hai…I didn't expected so soon 4m u Maya, (as if recollecting) I think do mahine pehle ki baat hai shayad Right….someone has said…she is perfectly capable of handling my father's business…. Ab kya huwa hai??
Maya (turned red in anger)— apne papa ka business sambhalne ke liye mujhe tumhari zarut nahi hai Mr.Dev Khanna …coz dats my right…jo tumne mujhse cheena…Mere papa ko phasaakar mera sab kuch hathiya liya, aur ab…
Dev(interrupted)—jab zarut nahi hai…toh I guess dats end of discussion…yaha aane ki takleef karne ki zarut nahi thi…jab tum sabkuch khud sambhal sakti ho…yaha kya lene aayi ho??
Maya(irritated)—Dev, tumse behas karna bekaar hai…kal meeting mein chale jana…dats it…
Dev-- Tum khud kyun nahin jaati….
Maya—behre ho kya Dev, 😡😡 ek baar mein sunai nahi deta…they need u in the meeting… unhe Dev Khanna chaiye…😡😡
Dev(smiled vindictively)--kyun, don't the other directors trust you…jo main waha jau…ya phir business handle karna thoda mushkil hai tumhare liye…coz dat wud mean less of late nite parties, less of clubs,& getting out of bed before noon…Nahi…
Maya(boiling with rage)—Devvv!! Mujhse ulajhane ki bhool mat karna…else u know me better… (smiled) warna tumhare paagalpan…. oh sorry….woh TV channel pe Kabir ne kya kaha tha…(as if remembering) emm ya, "a small break"… ke bare me sab ko pata chal jaayega…ki tum kis tarah beach pe behosh mile the…
Dev(angry)—Don't threaten me Maya…😡😡 coz I have a lot of things to tell about you, myself but…
Admist of their fighting they forgot abt Pallavi's presence but they became of surroundings as Pallavi's cell rang…it was khushi informing they have reached Shimla, as she had accompanied Rj on his business trip to Shimla…
Pallavi excused herself to talk to khushi…when she came back…she just heard Dev saying that he wud be there tomorrow…Maya left from there angrily… she tried to read Dev's face but it was expressionless…
Pallavi(cleared her throat)—ermm Mr.Khanna chale…
Dev just nodded…
***
Throughout the drive to Khanna house Dev remained silent …Pallavi wondered to herself Why were they arguing on the parking lot…dat too in front of her? … From their conversation she could make out Dev was needed there tomorrow…. She cudn't understand why Dev was needed there as far as she knew Dev never did business with his father-in-law's company… nor was he the owner of the company….
Whatever happened completely confused her… but one thing was for sure was that they did not have a normal marriage….It was maybe on of the worst husband-wife relationships she ever saw…somewhere she felt the knot near her heart…
Pallavi's thots broke when the car stopped…as she got down…Dev still sitting there…she almost had to shook him…realizing which they entered the house…..
***
As they entered they saw massi,kabir, prachi all in the living room only…happily chatting …abt something & having sweets…when massi saw them entering she beamed with happiness & welcomed both of them…As they settled themselves…
Massi(cheerfully)—aagaye tum dono..kabse wait kar rahe the tum dono ka…bade ache mauke par aaye ho abhi abhi Prachi ne…(noticed Dev being silent)
Pallavi looked at Dev, he didn't responded to what massi is saying…& Pallavi noticed massi observing Dev very keenly…she massi abt to ask from Dev….
Pallavi(interrupted)—matlab bhabhi ne aapko bata dia…ki main bua banne wali hoon…
Massi(surprised)—tujhe kaise pata?
Pallavi—who sab chodiye…pehle yeh bataiye main right hoon na…(her gaze fell on ladoos) & wow itni jaldi mere fav ladoo bhi bana diye… wow!!
Prachi(pretended to be angry)—tera answer toh right hai…par bua kyun? Massi kyun nahi(sulked)
Kabir(joked)—kyunki biwi, Pallavi ko massi toh khushi banaegi…& since she is like my sis, toh technically bua hi hui na… (asked Dev who was right next to him) haina Dev…(seeing him silent) kya hua Dev?? Sab theek hai…(Dev came out of his thots & just smiled a little) waise congrats toh kaha nahi …chalo main keh deta hoon afterall u are to be chachu…
Dev pushed back his thots & hugged Kabir congratulating him…even prachi too…
Pallavi thot they might notice Dev's silence & since it was a happy moment for everyone she didn't want to spoil the mood as she knew they all will get sad if Dev will tell them what had happened…
Pallavi(finishing of the ladoo)—waise bhaiyaa(almost warning him) aagar aapne treat dene mein thodi der ki toh mujhe bua se massi banne mein der nahi lagegi…
Kabir(laughed)—dats so mean, anyways chal bata kya chaiye treat mein…
Pallavi(smiled)—wohi the usual dinner at our fav place…aur is baar hum sab challenge….Infact, abhi chalte hai…wotsay…
Kabir—ofcourse , dats a nice a idea…Rj-khushi ko wapis aane do then we will have a big party …abhi chotti si celebration kar lete hai…
Everyone was happy with the idea they readily agreed…actually Pallavi wanted to bring Dev out from his silence….he looked too lost…she knew if comes along with all of them it wud be a nice change for him…else if they have dinner at home he wud remain in his room or study…
Pallavi (cheerfully)—toh der kis baat ki hai? Jaiye ready hokar aaiye…main toh ready hoon hi bas fresh hona hai..…come on…chaliye..
As they left it was only Massi & Dev…massi was abt to get up when she saw Dev still sitting there …
Massi---Dev, ja taiyaar hoja…ya aise hi chalega…
Dev(reluctant)—ermm massi, aap log jaiye…main…I mean …main nahi aa paunga…
Massi(surprised) ---tere bina koi nahi jayega…tujhe saath chalna hi padega…aur kyun nahi chalega(realizing) ek min, teri tabiyat toh theek hai…kahi phir se kharab toh nahi hogayi…pallo ko maine kaha tha teri dawai ka dhyan rakhe…usne dhyan nahi rakha kya..usse kaha tha…
Dev (interrupted)—massi, Pallavi ki galti nahi hai, aur meri tabiyat bhi theek hai…its just mera mood nahi hai…just want to rest aap log jaiye…
Kabir who all ready just heard the last part
Kabir(interrupted)—theek hai, tera jab mood hoga hum sab tab challenge…& I agree with ma, tere bina koi nahi jayega…(turned to go back) main prachi ko mana karke aata hoon bekaar mein ready ho rahi hai…
Dev(stopped)—bhaiyaa, plzz aap log jaiye, bhabhi ke liye khushi ka din…unka mood mat spoil kijiye…she is so happy…
Kabir—tu nahi chalega…toh uska mood waise hi kharab hojayega…mujhe kuch karne ki zaut nahi hai…
Dev—par…
Prachi(joined him)—soch lijiye devarji…aap nahi challenge toh main bhi nahi jaungi… ek kaam karte in sab ko jane dete hai…hum dono ghar pe njoy karenge…
Massi—Dev sab request kar rahe hai …chal na…itne waqt ke baad khushi ka mauka aaya hai…saath celebrate karenge… plzz…
Dev sighed & agreed…..he felt useless arguing with them & went to get ready….
As he left Pallavi mouthed thank you to kabir, as she was going upstairs to freshen up she had heard Dev refusing to massi…on her way to room she met kabir & told him abt it…
Pallavi—bhaiyaa hum sab jayenge aur mr.khanna ghar pe akele rahenge…acha nahi lagta…
Kabir—exactly, tu fikr mat kar …Dev ko manana mujhe aata hai…
***
Dinner turned out to be an enjoyable experience for all of them…on few occasions Dev also smiled forgetting everything…
After dinner as they were going back…as they had came in 2 cars, kabir tried hard to convince to Pallavi to come along she can stay back at khanna house doesn't need to go apartment as dat wud mean he wud have to go & drop her…but pallavi didn't agreed…finally massi stepped in…
Massi--- rehne de kabir, pallo nahi manegi jane de usse…
Kabir—par mom…
Massi—tujhe pata hai Pallo ziddi hai…nahi manegi….chal raaste mein drop kar denge usse…
Pallavi(interrupted—nahi massi main chali jaungi…yahi paas mein hi toh hai…(joked) aur aap log drop karne aoge toh pure raaste mujhe wapis shift hone ke liye convince karte rahoge…
Massi(laughed)—toh sahi toh hai…kaha akele akele apartment mein rehti hai…pata nahi kya maza aata hai…
Pallavi(sulked)—massi aap bhi…I thot aap meri side ho…anyways main chali jaungi…fikr mat kijiye its just 10mins …
Massi—bilkul nahi…kabir drop karke aaega tujhe…
Kabir(sulked)—meri baat toh manti nahi…I am not going…(looked other way) main baat nahi kar raha isse…
Massi(smacked him)—kabir tu bhi na… bekaar mein naraaz ho raha hai…Koi baat nahi…Dev tu drop kar aaega…
Both Dev-Pallavi were surprised to hear that… both tried to refuse…but massi didn't listened…
Massi—kya tum dono…tu bhi kabir ki tarah bhav khaega Dev… ya ab main jau Pallavi ko chodne…
Finally Dev gave in & agreed to drop her…while kabir took rest to khanna house…
***
It was a quiet ride towards Pallavi's apartment….Neither of them dared to talk….Every topic shattered their hearts in millions of pieces….because it would not be able to convey the intensity of their feelings… Both realized that it wud be first time after that kiss incident Dev wud be going to Pallavi's house…
As they were abt to reach the apartment…when weather turned bad, it had become a little windy with rains drizzling …making it little difficult to drive…with winds was blowing fiercely….thankfully they were close to apartment ….
Pallavi(getting out of car)—ermm aap upar aaenge Mr.Khanna…i mean weather is not good...its .
Every inch of her hoped for him to say no so she could immediately try to forget him once again, like she tried every night. But if she really wanted that so badly, then why did her heart sank when he politely refused….
Dev(interrupted)—ermm nahi…its quite late…main…need to go….goodnight..
Pallavi—par…is waqt mausam theek nahi hai…thodi der ruk kar chale jaega…
Dev—its ok I will manage…barish abhi zyada tez nahi hai….its…
Before he cud complete… the wind blew again…broke a few branches from the tree…falling on the car near by…around same time Dev's cell rang it was Kabir asking him where he was…as kabir came to know he was at Pallav's apartment he asked him to stay there only as weather is not good…massi wud be worried if he drives in such weather…
***
Dev quietly followed Pallavi to her apartment…. Asking to make himself comfortable she went to make some coffee…. After few minutes when Pallavi returned to the living room she saw him stand in front of the window like the last time…
Pallavi(handing him the coffee)—lagta hai aapko mere ghar mein yeh jagah bahut pasand hai…
Dev(taking the coffee)-- ermm yeahh…sort of…yaha se view bahut acha hai…(smiled) sab kuch thehra hua sa lagta hai…u know yaha ki scenery, yeh view ek painting ki tarah hai…jisme har cheez perfect hai, har cheez khoobsurat (moved his free hand to the wind chimes above) aur yeh is painting ko musical painting bana deti hai…jaise is khoobsurat painting ko sangeet de rahi ho…aur sabse khaas baat yaha se door tak ka samundar dikhta hai…aisa lagta hai who humare bahut kareeb hai…usse haath badhakar choo sakte hai…(added after a pause) aur door hokar paas hone ka yahi ehsaas shayad kahi na kahi sukoon deta hai….It gives peace…
Pallavi(smiled)—Par mr.khanna aapko nahi lagta yeh peace…yeh sukoon bahar dhundne ke bajai hume apne andar dhundna chaiye…
Dev(smiled still looking at the view)—kehte toh aisa hi hai...par aisa sach mein hota nahi hai…agar sabko apni khushi…apna sukoon apne andar mil jata toh duniya mein har koi khush hota…par shayad hi koi hoga jisse yeh sab mil jata ho… (turned towards her) agar main tumse poocho... are you at peace? Do you have that something inside you that gives you peace?kya tum apna sukoon apni peace khud apne andar dhund sakti ho??
Dev's gaze seemed to look straight through her…. Dev wanted to find out how the solution and the goal of his internal peace found her own peace…
For a moment pallavi went speechless… she looked away….His eyes made her nervous….she feared he might read her eyes…
Pallavi(truthfully)—ermm shayad haan…shayad nahi…I mean… I mean I had that something….
Dev—tha matlab?
Pallavi—ermm I mean…(shrugged) I think I lost it, I lost hope…
Dev--Hope for what?...(added after a pause) Care to share it…
Pallavi(smiled cynically) ---aap kyun janna chahte hai?
Dev controlled himself from telling her that he wanted to share everything with her….He refrained from telling her that he wanted to be a part of her life…(to himself) kya pata isi bahane I get some kind of significance in her life…
Dev—aisi hi, koi specific reason nahi hai janne ka…bas wanted to know…shayad it wud help me to find my inner peace... 😊😊😊
Pallavi (thot the same thing) –Maybe I can be a very small part in his life by doing this…she decided to share it with him…may be he will share his…which she really wanted him to do…as she remembered Doctor's word a month ago
"Dev ko buri adat hai sabkuch andar chupane ki, its important who apni baatein share kare, who kya chahta hai, kya sochta hai warna aise hi andar-andar ghut ta rahega…which is not good"…
Pallavi came out her thots when Dev asked the question again
Dev—ermm tum nahi batana chahti toh its Ok…I mean…
Pallavi—nahi aisa kuch nahi hai…(confidently)Ok, I will share it with u …par meri ek condition hai….
Dev(smiled)—kya, yahi ki kisi aur ko nahi batau yeh secret…
Palllavi—nahi, condition yeh hai ki you tell me honestly about yourself… 😊😊 abt u, abt your life…kuch bhi aisa jo aapne aaj tak kisi ke saath share na kiya ho...😊😊 (seeing him reluctant) Come on, main aapke saath kuch secret share karungi toh aapko bhi toh karna chaiye I guess it's a fair enough.
Dev(apprehensive)—ermm main…
Pallavi—soch lijiye... I think its no harm in sharing 😛😛 ….baatein share karne se, problems share karne se, nuksaan nahi faida hota hai...i agree problems kum nahi hojate ...but atleast hume is baat ka ehsaas rehta hai ki humare saath koi aur bhi in problems ka bhoj uthane ke liye hai 😆😆😆 (joked)….aur agar share karne se nuksaan hota toh bhagwaan hume bolna nahi seekhate…😆😆😆
Dev lowered his eyes…a nagging voice in his head warned him not to do this… its not right…he is practically intruding into her life 😡😡 …& sharing his life wud mean he wud allow to let her come into his…eventually leading to complicating things for the both of them…already its too much complicated…
Dev didn't paid heed to what his mind said…but smiled & nodded in agreement, to let her know he accepted her condition….😊😊
***********
Hope part was OK...
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