Part 2..
Prachi opened the door & was surprised to see Dev at this hour it was late at nightβ¦π²π² also he hadn't informed even he wud be coming.
Prachi(surprised)βDev, tum is waqt yaha sab theek toh hai?π
Dev(assured her)βsab theek hai bhabiβ¦I hope aap log soye nahi the abhi tak?
Prachiβnahi not yet, aaj kabir office se late aaye the toh we gonna have a late dinnerβ¦
Dev(seeing Prachi not letting him in)βab yaha darwaze pe khada rakhengi ya β¦andar aa sakte hai ππ
Prachi(realizing)βoh sorry! Come on inβ¦πππ
Massi Kabir Rj were also surprised to see Dev at this hour & asked same question as Prachiβ¦ππ
Dev(joked)βaap log itne surprise kyun ho rahe hai?ππ I didn't knew mere achanak aane se yeh reaction milegaβ¦ππ
Ranvijayβab surprise toh honge Bhaiβ¦humesha hume aapko bulana padta hai aaj aap bin bulaye aagaye toh zor ka jhatka zor se lag gayaβ¦
Dev(just smiled)βactually main aap logon ke liye surprise hi laya thaβ¦infact do surprisesβ¦ππ
By then Pallavi & khushi also joined themβ¦Massi was very happy seeing them thereβ¦hugged both of themβ¦π€
MassiβPallo,khushiβ¦tum dono yahaβ¦so good to see uβ¦main dev se kehne hi wali thiβ¦ki tum dono ke aate hi mujhse milne le aayeβ¦ (to dev) yeh tune acha kiya dev inhe milne le aayaβ¦πππ
Devβsirf milne nahiβ¦yeh abse yahi rahengi β¦Hope its Ok with all of uππβ¦(tried to explain) who main
Massi (interrupted)βsirf Ok nahiβ¦yeh toh bahut acha haiβ¦ππ mujhe bhi company mil jayegi...waise bhi pura din akele rehti hoon kabir office chala jata hai, Ranvijay collegeβ¦aur Prachi apne boutique β¦main bore ho jati hoon yeh dono pariyaan mere saath rahengi toh mera bhi mann lag jayegaβ¦ππ
DevβThank you Massi, ππ I know inhe mujhe apne saath rakhna chaiye thaβ¦ye meri zimmedari haiβ¦par aap janti haiβ¦kaam mein busy rehta hoon , zyadatar out of town bhi jana padta haiβ¦ aise mein theek se dhyan nahi de pata inheβ¦aur naya shehar hai, nayi jagah, naye log β¦aap logon ke saath rahengi toh they will feel betterβ¦ππ So,Thank you so muchβ¦πππ
Pallavi looked at him surprised he didn't told anything abt what happened back at houseβ¦Here Dev is giving totally a different reasonβ¦ππ
***
Back at Dev's house
Before Ramsingh could answer Dev the voice of a woman could be heard.
Both girls looked back to see a woman in her early thirties, wearing a black designer dress...
Woman--'Don't you dare Dev Khanna π‘π‘π‘ !!!!!! Who the hell are you to decide β¦π‘π‘ is ghar mein kaun rahega? Who the hell are these girls yeh mere ghar mein kya kar rahi hain?π‘π‘
Dev had back to the womenβ¦he turned back & in a very composed wayβChillane ki koi zarut nahi haiβ¦
Not paying heed to his request she pointed her finger towards him and the woman started shouting again
Woman-- Don't you dare to tell mβ¦..!!!!π‘π‘
Before she could finish her sentence Dev raised his right hand to indicate her to stop and said with a strict voice that could scare anybody
DevβMaine kaha naβ¦chillane ki zarut nahi hai Maya π‘π‘ ek baar mein baat samajh nahi aati tumheβ¦π‘π‘π‘ aur rahi in ladkiyon ki baat to yeh meri mehmaan hai, Badi Maa ki betiyan. Yeh yahi rahengiβ¦Understoodπ‘π‘
Maya(angry) -Nowayβ¦Dev Khannaβ¦ . !π‘π‘π‘π‘
.
Pallavi's eyes widened in shock π²π² not because the woman just said they couldn't live in that house, but the woman had the guts to defy what Mr. Khanna said π²π² β¦she thot to herselfβ¦ Agar is tarah mujhse baat ki hoti toh inki baat mana karna toh door ππ β¦meri awaaz bhi nahi nikaltiβ¦ππ In this tone of voice I would probably have said 'yes' and 'amen' to about anything & everything he said...
Her chain of thots broke when Maya continued to shoutβ¦.
Maya-- I will not let any1 in my house Dev π‘π‘π‘ β¦. Yeh ghar tumhare baap ka nahin hai ki tum kisiko bhi yahaan par rakh lo, samjhe!!! π‘π‘π‘ Hote kaun ho tum?inhe yaha rehne ke liye kehne waleβ¦π‘π‘π‘ Yeh mera ghar haiβ¦koi Khairaati dhramshala nahiβ¦jahan tum apne so called mehmaano ko rehne ke liye le aaoβ¦already tumhe is ghar mein bardasht kar rahi hoon wohi bahut haiβ¦. π‘π‘π‘ (dev tried to say something) Dev, π‘π‘ tumse behas karne ka nahi mujhe shauk haiβ¦Nahi mere paas faltu waqt hai barbaad karne ke liyeβ¦π‘π‘ already I am lateβ¦& main chahungi jab main wapis aau toh mujhe mera ghar Ghar hi lage Dharamshala nahiβ¦π‘π‘ (abt to leave but turned back )& mind u Dev Khannaβ¦ π‘π‘ Just because we are married iska matlab yeh nahi hai ki tum jo kahoge main manugiβ¦tumπ‘π‘
Dev (his voice sounded like the thunder) βStop it right there Maya! π‘π‘ Ek bhi lafz aage mat kehna!... baar baar mujhe jatane ki zarut nahi haiβ¦Mujhe already pata hai ki yeh ghar mere baap ka nahin, tumhare baap ka hai, π‘π‘ lekin Ghar mere naam par zaroor haiβ¦ Aur rahi humari marital status ki baat, to yeh main sab ke saamne discuss nahin karna chahta hoon!! π‘π‘ & you know me mujhe explaination dene ki adat nahi haiβ¦π‘π‘ Tumhare liye itna janna kafi hai... ki yeh dono yahan rahengi...Hope its clear enoughπ‘π‘π‘
Both Pallavi & khushi felt out of place...ππ They never really saw a married couple fight...π coincidently they happen to be the reason of fight... this was open hostilityβ¦ππ
Ramsingh who was still standing there, gave the girls a reassuring smile and continued to do what he was doing namely looking down at the marble floor.
Maya finally left withβI don't care a damn Dev Khanna π‘π‘ β¦ mujhe apne ghar mein koi bahar wale pasand nahi haiβ¦π‘π‘ (coming closer to him so that only he can hear) & yes if u are thinking them to send them to ur outhouse toh tum jante ho it might just not be safe thereβ¦you never know inke saath kuch bhi ho saktaβ¦ππ baad mein mat kehna I didn't warn youβ¦ π‘
Maya gave a last look at her husband & walked out giving an angry look to the girls. π‘π‘
Dev(still there was anger in his voice)βRam Singh! Inka samaan lejao...guest room mein (Dev turned around to climb the stairs again)
Its when pallavi tried to say something in an unsteady voice. βUhmmm (She was nervous seeing Dev's anger).Mr Khannaβ¦(dev turned to look back at her) agar koi problem ho toh(she fumbledβ¦as she was nervous) hum kahin aur reh lengeβ¦we can understandβ¦ it's okay.
Dev(very calmly)βtum log yahi rahogeβ¦& its end of the discussionβ¦(controlling his temper) Actually β¦maine Maya ko pehle nahi bataya tha ki tum dono aane wale hoβ¦& she doesn't like surprisesβ¦toh gusse mein kafi kuch bol gayiβ¦plz don't mind herβ¦uski taraf se I am sorryβ¦ππ Main usse baat kar lunga she will understandβ¦I will manage her β¦tum log yahan reh sakte hoβ¦ (he turned to go back when)
Ramsingh though being a little elder than Devβ¦ still apprehensive to defy dev's ordersβ¦tried to say something
Ramsingh(in a low voice so that only Dev cud hear) βDev Beta whoβ¦main keh raha thi kiβ¦ (dev indicated him to continue) .Maya madam maraaz ho jayengi...aur koi problem hui tohβ¦Maya madam ne inhe kuch kaha toh...
Devβtumhe pata hai Ramsingh jab tak main hoon aisa kuch nahi hogaβ¦
Ramsinghβpar aap toh zyadatar bahar rehte haiβ¦aapke peeche se kuch kaha tohβ¦ππ
Dev agreed Ramsingh has a valid pointβ¦he cant be here 24*7 to keep a eye on themβ¦.then thot to himself the only place they wud be comfortable wud be only oneβ¦he wud take them there.ππ
Pallavi thought that they landed from a boxing match with fighting spouses into a tennis match where they were the tennis balls b/w boss & Master..ππ
Dev(finally deciding)βtheek hai Ramsingh inka samaan car mein Rakhwa doβ¦ main dekhta hoonβ¦(to girls) tab tak aap dono kuch lengiβ¦tea coffeeβ¦anything (Both nodded NO & mumbled thank you) theek haiβ¦phir chaliyeβ¦ it is already quite late.
***
Now here they are at Khanna houseβ¦ ππ
Pallavi came out of her thots when she saw Massi almost scolding Devβ¦
Massi(pretended to be angry) βlagta hai mera thapad khane ka man kar raha hai...shayad isliye thank you bol raha haiβ¦π‘π tujhe pata hai teri problem kya haiβ¦tu sabke liye sab kuch kar sakta, par tere liye koi kuch kare toh tujhe lagta hai who ehsaan kar raha haiβ¦π main koi ehsaan nahi kar rahiβ¦Kiran meri liye Sudha ki tarah hi thiβ¦uske saath zyada waqt nahi bita sakiβ¦par ab uski betiyon ke saath waqt mila hai...yeh yaha rahengi toh sabse zyada mujhe khushi hogiβ¦ πππ
Dev (nodded)βOk massi thank you nahi kahungaβ¦happy (to kabir) Bhai aapse kuch discuss karna thaβ¦(kabir nodded)
They both were abt to leave when Massi stopped Devβ¦knowing there might be something business related to discuss abtβ¦ she knew it wud take time. π
MassiβDev, sirf kabir se baat karke wapis mat chale janaβ¦tera liye bhi dinner lagwa rahi hoon chup chap kha lenaβ¦ππ (dev tried to refuse) aur yeh mat kehna tu dinner kar chuka haiβ¦waise bhi yeh bachiyan bhi dinner karengiβ¦so jaldi aanaβ¦ ππ
Dev knew there is no point in arguing he just agreed to massi... while he was leaving ...she saw Both girls comfortably chatting with Prachi & Rjβ¦ππ Massi instructing Prachi to show them their roomsβ¦also asking them to feel at home, introduced them to Prachi,& Rj.. He knew it's a good decision he took, they will be comfortable here more than in his house or outhouse fending for themselvesβ¦π
***
back in another room
Kabirβkya baat hai Devβ¦π
DevβBhai β¦ek toh aapse khushi ke admission ki baat karni thi, maine Rj ke college ke principal se baat karli hai πβ¦aap baki ki formalities dekh lenaβ¦& (giving him the file) yeh in dono ke insurance papers aur baki documents hai jo lawyer ne bhijwaye haiβ¦baba aur badi maa ki jo bhi savings thi & ghar ke papersβ¦sab kuch isme haiβ¦baki aur koi expenses honge toh mujhe bata denaβ¦ ππ
Kabir (interrupted)βDev yeh tu, hum log sambhal lengeβ¦yeh dono koi bhoj nahi banegi hum parβ¦ππ
DevβI know Bhai, but still badi maa inki zimmedari mujhe dekar gayi haiβ¦so yeh meri duty hai ki main inka dhyan rakhu ππ β¦I will have to take care of themβ¦ plz bhaiβ¦hope u understandβ¦
Kabir (sighed)βtheek haiβ¦jaise tu chaheβ¦(its when he noticed Pallavi at the door) pallavi tum yahaβ¦
Pallavi (got little nervous composing herself)βermm who...Massi β¦aap dono ko dinner ke liye bula rahi thiβ¦
KabirβOh haanβ¦chal devβ¦warna massi ko jantaβ¦mere liye nahiβ¦par tere liye yaha khana lekar aajayengiβ¦ ππ
Dev joined all of them at dinnerβ¦Dinner passed by to quickly for the girls
After a long timeβ¦they got to enjoy a dinner with other people besides themselves.ππ ..Every member seemed to have accepted the fact that they have 2 new members in their house and they looked pleased with it. ππ Every member tried their level best to make the girls feel comfortable.ππ
Rj cracked his stupid jokesβ¦to make them smileβ¦ππ Massi pampered them with asking them for more foodβ¦also asked them to call her massi instead of Auntyβ¦ Prachi & Kabir also made them feel at homeβ¦ ππ
***
After dinner as he was leaving... Dev asked Massi again...
Dev-- Mausi aapse kuch baat karni haiβ¦.(massi indicated to continue) aap ko bura to nahin laga ki mai bina pooche in dono ko yahanβ¦.I meanβ¦
Massi(interrupted)βMaine pehle bhi Kaha hai Devβ¦yeh yaha rahengiβ¦ toh hume khushi hogiβ¦ππ koi problem nahi haiβ¦ππ aur dono itni sweet hai ...Main toh pehle hi inhe saath lane wali thiβ¦par ye aayi hi nahiβ¦ (added sweetly) uparse Kiran aur Shrikant ki bachchiyan hai. Yahan nahin aati to aur kahan jaati.
DevβThank you mausi, (seeing massi glaring him..he just smiled)β¦I know aapne thanx ke liye mana kiya haiβ¦ but still aapne meri problem solve ki haiβ¦(sighed) main darasal inhe apne paas rakhna chaahta tha but...
Massi (worriedly)βDev, Maya ne kuch kaha kya?πDid she do something ππ
Dev(instantly) -- Nahin aisa kuch nahi hai, it's just that ....(she knew he was lying...Dev changed the topic) anyways mujhe un dono ke saath kuch baatein discuss karni hai lekin aaj nahin, kal kar lungaβ¦ππ Aaj bahut raat ho gayi haiβ¦& Mausi aap inke liye woh barawala karma ready karwadenaβ¦dono ke liye jagah nayi haiβ¦isliye saath rahengi toh acha rahegaβ¦
Massiβtheek haiβ¦Main prachi se keh dungi...π
Dev-- Accha mausi main chalta hoon, (hugged her) i will see you tomorrowβ¦ππ Bye & goodnight
Dev walked out... wishing Rj & prachi also goodnight...
He was abt to get into the Carβ¦ when he heard someone call his nameβ¦Mr.Khannaβ¦
He turned around and saw Pallavi aproching himβ¦ heard the same sweet "Cham-cham-cham" he heard the last time he had walked toward his car earlier... Unknowingly he smiled again...like hours backβ¦. ππ
***
As Dev led had them outside the house towards his carβ¦ Khushi's eyes had widened seeing the beautiful silver car that stood there... ππ
Pallavi was in deep thoughts to notice anything... 'I don't want to burden anybody, maybe I made a mistake coming hereβ¦shayad.hume nahi aana chaiye thaβ¦ π
Dev could notice the excitement of khushiβ¦but wondered why the elder one was so quiet, was she walking behind him or did she stop midway?
Then he heard the sweetest noise he ever heard on this compound.ππ A faint "cham- cham-cham" was following him. His lips formed a strange curve. He smiled!ππ After such a long time he smiledβ¦π genuinely smiled coz he wanted to ππ β¦he smiled to himselfβ¦on his ownβ¦just not to fool othersβ¦ππ it was the sweetest sound he heard! Even he himself was taken by surprise.
He suppressed the urge to look back and find out who gave him this melodious reason to smile...π
Dev asked driver to call for the day as he gonna drive himselfβ¦ also asked Ramsingh to make other workers to retire for the dayβ¦
As Dev took the driving seat he looked at the two girls who were still standing and looking at the car and elder one was still in deep thoughts.
Dev(clearing his throat)βahem, Chaleβ¦ One of you can come and sit in the front β¦ π
Khushi just noddedβ¦
Throughout the drive Dev kept glancing in rear view mirror & kept an eye on Pallavi who sat in back seat still lost in thots...
Pallavi rested her head & closed her eyes-- what gonna happen in future...
π
***
Dev came out his thots when he realized she stood next to him. A little scared to look up...she avoided looking at him...
PallaviβMr Khanna, just wanted to say thank youβ¦ππ thank you for calling us to Mumbai and for letting us stay here andβ¦uhmmmβ¦Thank you,for everything. I hope we are not causing you any trouble & I am also sorryβ¦aapke ghar pe humari wajah seβ¦.
Dev(interrupted)βplzzβ¦mujhse sorry ya Thank you kehne ki zarut nahi haiβ¦ππ aur jo bhi hua usme tum dono ki galti nahi thiβ¦ππ & tum dono ko mujhe yaha bulana hi thaβ¦Kyunki main waha aakar nahi reh sakta tha...na hi itni door se sab manage karna possible hota ππ isliye Maine wohi kiya jo mujhe karna chaiye thaππ β¦infact yeh sab mujhe kuch waqt pehle karna chaiye thaβ¦ππ I know tumhe bahut se sawaal poochne hongeβ¦ you must be having a lot of doubts β¦but I promise we will clear them very soonππ . (gave a small formal smile)β¦ As for now just go to bed. Maine massi se baat karli haiβ¦tumhe aur khushi ko kisi baat ki problem nahi hogiβ¦.dono behne saath rahogi toh you won't feel lost in your new house.. So, .Get comfortable here and we will talk tomorrow okayππ,(pallavi just nodded) So, Good nightβ¦
Pallavi-- Good night Mr.Khanna...
She stood there until she saw the silver car drive through the gatesβ¦
***
Pallavi & khushi were given same room as Dev had asked massiβ¦ It was a good spacious roomβ¦b'fully decorated β¦
Though whole family had been so warm & welcomingβ¦ ππ being in a new place, new house among new peopleβ¦it was difficult for Pallavi to sleepβ¦ she had a lot of questions in her mind...The feeling of uneasiness of being at a new place didn't leave her...
She kept looking at the ceiling in the middle of the huge bed in the room, Mausi got ready for them. She looked at Khushi who slept peacefullyβ¦ Finally giving upβ¦She got up to sit in the terraceβ¦which she had loved as soon as she saw itβ¦it had small swing tooβ¦ She sat there lost in thotsβ¦ how within a month her whole life took a complete 360 turn β¦.
***
Barely 22, and in charge of the well being of her younger sister, though with her Mother's constant ill health she had been taking care of her mother & sisterβ¦but now it was more difficult of managing everything, her studies, with job & home to take care ofβ¦
Being not only a sister but also a mother, a father, a friend and most important a guideβ¦. To her Choti "Khushi," as she lovingly called her, Khushi looks upto herβ¦for every decision, she seeks her guidance... Khushi has only her as a family...
She saw her mother working so hard after their father's death, she has seen her working day & night so that she cud give her daughters the best, with No help from any relatives as her mother had eloped & married a middle class, orphan school teacher, her family broke all ties from themππ
Pallavi was only 15β¦when her father passed away, but whatever happened, she then had her mother to look after themβ¦ππIt gave her a sense of securityβ¦ππ
But now she was alone, somewhere she was scared... scared that she was responsible not only for herself but for her choti's life too...What if something goes wrong...what if she messes it up She is Scared to be in charge of her most precious possession in the world...
She might be a matured girlβ¦but still somewhere she seeks securityβ¦seeks that feeling of someone is there for herβ¦π someone is there to be her strength... if anything goes wrong there shud be some one to tell her, everything gonna be OKβ¦.ππ
She had been little releived when few days back she received...massi's call telling her abt the will & guardian... & Dev had asked both of them to come...since khushi cant come & stay alone in Mumbai... She will have to come along... Though Massi had cleared her doubts abt Dev...she briefed her abt Dev's & his Badi Maa's relation...
Pallavi was surprised...thot to herself βPar Mumma Papa ne toh kabhi kuch nahin bataya ππ to ab yeh guardian kahan se aagaya...?Pallavi tried to recollect if anytime her parents told them abt any1 living in Mumbai...but she cudn't remember any...
2 days later their family friend & lawyer visited them...& showed her the will & gave her tickets to mumbai...
Inspite of being apprehensive... Pallavi was so gratefulβ¦ She thanked God a million times that day. Of course she was scared to go to Mumbai and live in a strange city and in a strangers house, ππ but if there was some1 whom her parents loved & trusted so much to give him responsibility of Khushiβ¦ he could never be a bad person.ππ
Pallaviβagar mumma papa ne unhe Chotti ka guardian banaya hai toh kuch soch ke hi banaya hogaβ¦ ππwoh khushi ke liye koi galat faisla nahi lenge...
Now She would have some emotional support in raising her sister and she hoped she could continue upholding the values her parents wanted in them.ππ She could not afford to make any mistakes in taking care Khushi, and now she would have someone who would help her and would point out things before she made a serious fault. ππ
Pallavi decided it all ...that. till the time khushi would turn 18 she would try to get a good job and a nice apartmentβ¦ππ She will have 8 months to do that.
For advice about her sister upbringing, she now had the option of discussing with their newfound guardian. She would make sure gets well educated and well settled, and she could even give her life to accomplish that. ππ
Pallavi looked towards her mother's photo seeking her blessingβ¦ also she asked God to give strength so that she makes a good life for her Chotiβ
Bhagwaan aapne humari zindagi mein Mr. Khanna ko bhej kar mujh par bahut bara ehsaan kiya hai. ππ Ab mujhe utna dar nahi lagta hai. Mere baad bhi koi khushi ka dhyan rakhega, is baat ki khushi rahegiβ¦ Thank you β¦ππ
She prayed silently againβ¦to her Godβ¦"Ram ji", she had a deep faith inβ¦ the only one with whom she ever expressed her insecurities, her fearsβ¦ ππ
***
She dreaded what future has in store for her ππ ... the insecurity she felt about their future doesn't seem to vanish by coming to Mumbai...as she had thought few days back π
Lost in thots she dozed off...sitting there on the swing...
β¦β¦β¦.to be continuedβ¦..
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