DevAkshi SS: Hidden
Chapter 7
It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness...
The famous saying must have been written typically for people like Sonakshi Bose. Despite being deprived of every possible needs and necessities, in spite of being snatched away from all the rights and everything else that were rightfully hers, she has been in the kitchen, wearing that beautiful smile of hers, making Alfredo Mushroom Pasta, another finger licking dish according to dev that she still remembers he mentioned once, during one of the countless chattering they used to have in his room after school.
The night he had first praised her cooking skills, she had been on cloud nine, jumping around the room every now and then, dancing to a random song that plays in her head, sometimes even forgetting her surroundings and doing every possible crazy dance moves in the living room and kitchen. Ever since that day, she has been looking up for different recipes of Dev's favorite non-Indian dishes, something she's not an expert on but wishes to be one, in the newspaper and magazines, cutting and collecting the pieces and obediently following all the instructions. She knew how much he loves Italian. And now that she knew what it feels like to be praised for a talent she took for granted, for a skill she was never been praised for from anyone, that too from someone who is so close to her heart and so precious to her being, she is no way going to let go of the opportunity. Oh no sir, no way!
As she put the parmesan cheese over the now boiled Pasta, she realized she forgot the magazine in the living rom. Turning off the stove quickly, she sprinted towards the living room, humming a song of her own, skipping a step or two like a 5 years old kid.
"And the Paneer Tikka Masala was amazing. Would love to have it again for lunch tomorrow!"
Her lips curled into a beautiful smile as her brain replayed Dev's compliment, yet once again. And she did wake up early that morning to cook and pack the dish for him to have it for lunch at his office, earning a look of surprise when she handed his Lunch box to him, and then what looked like a simple nod but she knew it was full of appreciation and gratitude for her effort. She knew he's an introvert, doesn't express his emotions much, but his eyes speaks the unsaid and she needs no special skill to interpret it. She just...does!
As she reached the living room which was empty apparently, with her hips swaying and hands flying literally in all direction, her legs doing the jig jag and her heart containing boundless joy, she royally missed the one person who has been present since the very first moment she stepped into the living room few seconds back, looking at her every move with an intense gaze. Picking up the magazine, she turned around swiftly, only to bump into something hard.
"Ouch", sonakshi shrieked and closed her eyes as she collided with something hard.
And when she looked up to see what the hard thing' was, she almost stilled on her spot.
Dev!
Her eyes widened in horror, and she clamped a hand over her mouth that just let out a loud gasp.
There he stood, in his casual black pants and a navy blue T-shirt, his arms crossed, looking at her with his one eyebrow raised as if asking her to explain what she was doing.
Sonakshi, for once, wished the concrete floor to swallow her right there and then. The longer she stared at him with her big round saucer-like eyes, the more her cheeks started to burn.
Dev had been at the corner of the living room, checking the mails in his phone when something unusual caught his attention through the corner of his eyes. As he raised his face to look up, he witnessed the sight of the most epic view infront of him. Swaying her hips, skipping her way, her hands doing god knows what, literally flying in all direction, her legs sometime looked like doing some break dance, and then the next moment it seemed like a classical dance move, Sonakshi skipped her way towards the table in the living room. Narrowing his eyes, he walked towards her in slow movement. He was about to ask her when she turned around abruptly and bumped into him. Her eyes had turned huge, her right hand was covering her mouth and her cheeks had turned into the brightest shade of red. She looked like a five years old who was caught stealing her favorite ice cream. And the face she looked at him with almost urged him to roll on floor and laugh to his heart's content. However, he controlled himself. Clearing his throat, he crossed his arms.
"What exactly are you trying to do?", finally came the question.
All sonakshi could do was look from his left eye to right and then back to left, repeating the process for the next 15 seconds. She opened her mouth to come up with a story but it felt like she lost her voice at that moment. She was so embarrassed that all she did was keep hope after hopes that whatever situation she's in right now is just a nightmare or her hallucination and nothing more, and that she will be out of it any moment. However, to her disappointment, nothing as such happened, and dev stood in his place still with his straight face and an eye- brow raised.
After what felt like eternity, Sonakshi clutched the magazine to her heart, raised her chin and ran out of the living room as if being chased by a predator.
Once out of sight, his lips finally curled into a smirk that he had been trying so hard to contain, as he moved his hands into his pockets. Shaking his head, he chuckled, "Pagal!"
~~
With her back stuck to the kitchen wall, her hands clutching her heart, she closed her eyes; the past incident still hasn't sunk in her properly. Her heart thudded so loudly that she felt like whoever steps into the kitchen might just have to cover their ears if they don't want their eardrums to be blown off. Her heart started beating uncontrollably and her cheeks were still burning from embarrassment.
I did not just do that infront of him... no. No. nope! nah! I did not.
Covering her face with her palms she murmured, "What were you thinking dammit?"
Dammit? Since when did you start saying dammit, Ms sonakshi Bose? , She questioned herself.
Hey Bhagwaan! How am I going to face him now. What must he be thinking about me ...
She slapped her forehead at her stupidity, as the countless questions started hitting her one by one, making her cheeks turn into tomato red. However, the very next moment, her heart her heart took an abrupt dive in the stomach as she heard a loud shriek.
"MAAA!"
~~
"It was a minor heart attack"
The doctor finally broke the news after fixing the oxygen mask on an unconscious Ishwari, and completing his thorough check up, while everyone maintained an ear-deafening silence.
"Could be couple of reasons behind it. Could be due to unhealthy diet, stress, high blood pressure. Not to worry, I have given her all the medication. All she needs right now is proper rest."
Ever since Sonakshi stepped into the room, her eyes have been on Dev. Her feet had come to standstill and her shoulder stiffened to see his face. What she witnessed infront of her at that moment shot a burning pain up her neck. His face was as pale and white as a ghost, devoid of any emotion, his eyes blurring uncontrollably with his best attempts of not showing it to anyone, looking down at his unconscious mother. Sonakshi felt someone just ripped her heart out of her chest and choked so tightly that it almost stopped breathing. What she saw in his face drove her back to the nightmare of a shelled, rock-hearted Dev when he lost his father. She had this sudden urge to pull him to her chest, brush her fingers through his hair and tell him that everything is going to be just fine. But alas! What she longed to do was nowhere near what the reality would let her do. She closed her eyes as a lone tear fell from her left eye.
"And Mr. Dixit, She looks very very weak. According to the reports, she has quite a few deficiency. Especially on iron and calcium. She needs to start having a proper diet. You need to make sure she's eating healthy and absolutely no oily food for her."
As the doctor handed in the prescription, Dev went out to the main door to see him off while Neha cocooned both Ria and Nikki into a tight hug as the three sisters wept holding each other.
~~
Sitting by the poolside with his legs crossed, Dev stared at the dark sky that was lit by the only source of light at night- The moon. The silver light was shining down at him while innumerable twinkling stars adorned the sky.
Sonakshi stood a few feet away, out of his gaze, staring at him. Taking tiny hesitant steps, unsure of whether to approach him or just take her feet back to where she was, she finally reach him. As she slowly sat beside her, not breaking her gaze at him, she realized the acknowledgement of her presence by him when he moved his hand that was laid on the floor.
And there he goes again. Masking his emotions, blinking back the tears that formed in his eyes which didn't go unnoticed by Sonakshi, composing himself, he cleared his throat. Looking at her he finally uttered, "you need anything?"
Sonakshi just stared at him. Why is he like this? Why can't he just let it all out? Why does he always have to mask all his pain? Why can't he just share his feelings?
Gulping down the lump that had formed in her throat, she slowly raised her trembling hands from her lap and laid them over Dev's. This was the least she could do compared to the longing of her heart.
As she raised her eye lashes and looked at him, he saw him staring down at her with an agonized gaze...a gaze that held immeasurable amount of pain, a gaze through which she could read him crystal clear, a gaze that showed his biggest fear...fear of losing his loved ones!
Holding his hand a little tighter than before, she rubbed her soft thumb over the top of his rough ones.
All dev did was to look at her, as if been hypnotized. If it was anyone else right now, he would have probably snapped at them and left. But there is an unknown serenity around her that sooths him...that heals him to an extent he is unable to fathom. Such little gesture and it felt like it was giving him all the strength he needed at that moment. It felt like he has an unbreakable support, and a blooming courage to fight. Her eyes held an unknown power and strength for him to gather himself.
Her eyes...
"Many a times, it happens that something hit our ever-so perfect life with such a force that it feels like we would never be able to replenish again. The storm possess so much power that it takes away all the courage and strength that we took years to build within us. We feel like we will never be able to get up and fight back. Aur aap jante hai, what is the biggest mistake we make? We think that we will just keep everything to ourselves and make everything right by our own. And in that process, we take so much pressure that were supposed to be shared with family or friends that at one point it just chops our every limb and leave us unqualified of taking any more of that burden. And that's where it gets us!"
Turning towards her, now facing her directly, too engrossed in her words that he didn't realize when his fingers had curled hers.
"The storm will not only try to wither the strongest and tallest tree but also every smallest plant on its way. And if it doesn't have the power to withstand it, it is obviously going to collapse, so will the other petite ones. What happened to aunty today is not something in our hands. We can't control such things. But what is in our control are the remedies and resolutions. We are all here to take care of her. I have talked to the doctor and he has given me a detailed run through about what she must have on her diet. So don't worry about her food. But if YOU stop eating in that process, don't take your medicines on time, you will fall sick. Then who will take care of aunty, hmm? Who will look after Ria, Neha and Nikki? You're the pillar of strength for them. Please don't do this to yourself."
Dev for once forgot where he was or what he is surrounded by. Everything just blurred around him, except her ! Her every word held an angelic power and an unknown strength that gave him the energy to gather himself.
"Aap...aap thik hai na?", finally came the question she had been waiting for so long to ask.
Her voice, all of a sudden went so soft that it trembled when he uttered the question, absolutely opposite of the determined and powerful voice she used a minute ago.
Gulping, finally breaking his gaze, and looking at the reflection of the moon on the pool water, he nodded.
"I'm.. I'm fine."
And it reached his eyes. He was actually fine. He felt a lot better. He... he really did!
Taking the plate of the Alfredo Mushroom Pasta she made in the afternoon that she hid behind her till now, she held it infront of him. She had promised herself that she will make sure he eats and doesn't go bed in empty stomach tonight.
"Aap ne subha se kuch nahi khaya. Please have this.'' Came her soft voice.
As he finally moved his gaze from her angelic face to the plate, his mouth watered seeing his yet another favorite dish, served no less than similar to how they serve in a fancy restaurant, infront of him, ready to be devoured.
As he took the plate from her and started eating the delicious cheesy Pasta to his heart's content, it gave Sonakshi innumerous joy and tremendous happiness. Her heart swelled with pride as she saw him eating her hand made dish with a sudden glim in his eyes. She couldn't contain her smile at the adorable picture he put up at that moment.
"You are a fabulous cook! I love this dish!", came the simple compliment that made her heart skip a bit and her cheeks instantly colored.
Holding his medicines to him, still the smile intact on her face, she spoke, "your medicines.."
Taking the pills from her hand, gulping down one at a time, he handed the glass over to her.
As she got up to leave, her feet halted as she felt a hand holding hers, stopping her to leave. Turning around, she saw him curling his fingers around her wrist as he stared at her with an intense gaze, the kind that leaves your heart in a marathon.
Rubbing his rough thumb on the pad of her palm slowly, he curved his lips into a smirk, for the first time ever, in front of her.
"Thank you!"
And he was surely unaware of the fact that his one curve of lips and his small gesture with his thumb would cause Sonakshi Bose to suffer from insomnia tonight!
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Hello my lovely fellows!😳 Hope everyone is doing fine. I couldn't be happier to announce that I received the largest and most number of comments for the last chapter of this SS. 🥳And I was on cloud nine reading each one of your comment that were full of so much love and appreciation for my work that I was left speechless and it nothing but increased my motivation to write more. I mean, each one of you is such a sweetheart, ke mein kya boloon🤗I tried replying to a few of you on page 16, if you wanna check...😉
Once again, will be eagerly waiting for your comments and feedback regarding this chapter. ☺️ This chapter contains three different DevAkshi scenes, each containing a completely different vibe from the other... So please do tell me which part got you the most, which scene(s) you liked the best, disliked or any particular you would wish to see in this SS. If it doesn't change the main concept/context of the story and is within the flow, I will try my best to include it.😉 And please, don't forget to hit the like button, my darlings😳
Note:
if you wish to receive PMs for this SS or for any of my future DevAkshi work, please send a buddy request to my other account called Devakshi_PM
Love,
Mushfika
Chapter 8:https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/136434306
Edited by Mushfika - 9 years ago
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile
Tum Se Tum Tak
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Vasudha
