Prologue
" One who is born should die, Beta. It is the law of nature," said Ishwari Dixit thoughtfully as an affectionate weak smile graced her pale face.
" Maa, don't speak of death!" roared Dev, who hated to even think about death and the ultimate reality of it.
Ishwari sighed at her son's words." If not today then tomorrow, death is inevitable. Promise me that you will fulfill my one last wish at any cost," she asked, looking at Dev with eyes glistened with hope.
" Just name it, Maa!" said Dev, without a moment of thought.
" I want to see my Bahu, Beta. Can you do that?" she asked while Dev looked at her with questioning eyes and surprise etched over his tired features.
"Bahu?" he asked, looking at his mother incredulously.
" Yes,Dev. You are committed to a girl and I want to see you both together, before I close my eyes forever. I want see you both happy in your life and feel relieved that someone would take care of you," said Ishwari with tear-filled eyes and her already weak tone shaking with emotions.
The bomb dropped by Ishwari would have managed to shock anyone in Dev's place but for Dev, to whom commitment meant nothing, it meant a lot to know that he was committed to a woman and that piece of information proved to be harder to digest than Ishwari had imagined.
" Are you kidding me, Maa?" asked Dev with an almost amused smirk on his face as it was the only possible explanation he could give for the sudden drop of the bomb by his mother, who was hell bent on getting him married.
" Why would I do that?" asked Ishwari sternly while Dev answered,
" Because you always do that."
" I wouldn't joke about a serious thing like this, least of all in this situation, Dev. Now are you fulfilling your promise, Mr.Dev Dixit?" asked Ishwari weakly but there was a glint of excitement in her eyes which compelled Dev to believe that she was serious about it.
"Have I ever backed off from my promise made to you, Maa? Let her be in nether or the heaven, I will make her come back to me," vowed Dev Dixit.
But will the journey be as easy as he had imagined?
----
How is it?
Jhanak
