OS - Say you believe me!! Part 5 Pg 39 Sept 25 - Page 27

"You?" Sona sat up from her slouching posture and put the mug in her hand aside. "Dev, what are you doing here?"

"I came to attend the board meeting," he retorted sarcastically, coming inside and perching himself on her bed, facing her. "You do ask the most ridiculous questions, Ms Jungli Billi. I called and Elina told me you have fever so I came."

"No," she scowled, looking towards the door. "I meant what are you doing in my room!"

"How do I see you from your hall?" he countered.

"Your sense of humour, Mr Obhodro..."

"Your mom opened the door and sent me up so here I am. Happy?" He touched his palm to her forehead, his brow creasing in worry. "You still have temperature. Shall I call Dr Sinha?"

Her smile went a mile wide. Her mom sent Dev up. Her Mr Obhodro in her room! On her bed! Then his question registered. "You gotta be kidding! It's just fever. I don't even have cold or cough. And I took a paracetamol a few minutes back. I'll be fine."

Dev continued to look sceptical but decided to let it go for now. He would keep an eye on her and if the temperature didn't come down in the next thirty minutes, he was going to call the doctor, with or without her permission. Peeking at the coffee mug and finding it almost full, he gave it to her. "I think you are supposed to empty this one," he said.

Sona scrunched up her face and tried to refuse. He held the mug to her mouth and made her drink it. After the last sip, she muttered, "Tumi na...tumi ek dum impossible!"

His eyes turned sad and happy at the same time. "I missed your tumi tumi Ms Bose!"

"It's Sonakshi for you!" she tried to bite back her smile and failed. "And what was it you called me when you came in?"

Dev grinned. "Jungli Billi!"

"When did I turn from Khargosh to Billi?"

"Not Billi," he denied immediately. "Jungli Billi, complete with deadly claws and sharp teeth."

Sona was outraged. "I don't."

"Oh yes, you do," his smile was wry. "I have sustained enough injuries from the multiple attacks."

Her anger died, leaving behind repentance. "I'm..."

He closed her mouth. "No. No more sad talk. It wasn't my intention to get into the past. I want to...I'm desperate to get out of it. Forget it. And I don't want you to think about it either, OK?" Sona nodded, even managed a smile. Determined to lighten the atmosphere, Dev adjusted himself until he was sitting beside her, leaning against the headrest, he gave her a swift one-armed hug, removed his hand and joined their palms, entwining their fingers tight. With a contented sigh, she rested her head on his shoulder. "Anyway, that was when I realized, there is absolutely no way you can be a mild rabbit. You are my wild cat. My Jungli Billi," he finished, picking up her palm, placing a tender kiss in the middle of it before entwining their fingers once again, sealing the kiss.

"You need to go to work na?" Sona mumbled sleepily.

"Shhh!" Gently he shushed her, watching her eyes slowly drift close, a small, dreamy smile playing on her lips. Quickly taking his phone out of his pocket, he switched it to silent mode so it doesn't disturb her rest. Peace permeated every cell of his body. The nightmare of the past was well and truly behind him. Holding her palm tight between in his palms, he sighed and closed his eyes. Yes. His Sona was back with him.

Asha got the breakfast and tea ready for both Sona and Dev. With the help of Elina, she took both the trays up to her daughter's room and stopped at the door and stared at the tableau. Both of them were fast asleep. She took in the way their fingers were entwined. At the smiles playing on their lips even in the slumber. It was a cute sight. She noted the dark circles still visible under Dev's eyes. She had witnessed her daughter's pain, her tears. But Sona hadn't been alone in her suffering, Asha realized. The boy had undergone the same torment. Two survivors who had been through a heavy storm, finally feeling safe enough to rest their tired minds. Yes. These two were right for each other. Asha and Bijoy weren't making a mistake. Relieved and reassured, gesturing Elina to be quiet, Asha stepped back. Breakfast could wait.

****

Ishwari dialled the number again and waited. Why wasn't Dev picking up, she fretted. It never happened that she'd called and he hadn't answered. Never. Disturbed, she disconnected and started to dial again.

"Ishwari, what happened? Everything OK?" Mamaji asked, walking into the room.

"Nothing bhaiya. I'm just trying to call Dev and he isn't picking up."

"He left for work already?"

"No. He said he's going to Sonakshi's place."

Mamaji grinned. "Oh Sonakshi's house! Then why are you so worried? They've come together after such a painful phase of their lives, let them be. He'll be back. Did you have your breakfast?"

"No bhaiya, I thought..."

"Chup! Give me that phone and come with me. I'm having my breakfast and you're having it with me. That's it."

****

"Yes maa. Sona is better now. Resting," Dev said softly, making sure he didn't disturb Sonakshi. He had seen the missed calls from his maa and called back to explain the situation. "I have a meeting too so will be going directly to the office. I'll be back home in the evening maa. OK maa." Disconnecting the call, he made his way downstairs.

Asha peeped out from the kitchen, smiled and came out. Dev was standing in the middle of the hall, looking decidedly awkward. "Would you like to have some breakfast Dev Babu? I brought it up a while back but you'd been fast asleep."

Dev flushed like a guilty school boy with his hand caught in a cookie jar. For the life of him, he didn't know why or how he'd gone asleep. It wasn't for long. About half hour or so but still...It wasn't his house. It wasn't his bed. It was his woman, the voice inside him prompted. He silenced it. "I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't mean to..."

"Asha, breakfast ready?" Bijoy asked, making his way to the dining table. "Aren't you joining?" he asked Dev, pulling up the chair beside his own. "What time do you go to work Dev Babu?"

Dev checked his watch. "Normally I would be at work at this time but I thought I'll wait until Sonakshi's fever goes down." He took the seat. "Thank you sir."

"Don't you think you should stop with this sir and ma'am? I don't think there is any need to be so formal."

Dev smiled a little. Sona's baba wasn't effusive in his approval. But even the no-nonsense tone didn't hide the warmth. "Then can I hope that you are going to let go of that Dev Babu and start calling me Dev?"

Bijoy laid the newspaper aside. "My kids' friends address us as uncle and aunty. Sourav and Sona call us maa and baba. You can choose," he said, not replying to Dev's question.

Dev looked at Bijoy and then at Asha, who smiled back at him, with the same affection that she seemed to reserve for her kids. "Maa, baba," he decided.

"Asha, Dev and I, both are hungry. You are going to serve us breakfast any time soon or do we need to raid your kitchen and cook it ourselves?"

"Aaschi!" Coming, she replied. "Dev, can you pass the plate, please?"

Alice in wonderland! That's what Sona felt she'd landed in, when she came downstairs from her long, refreshing nap. Her temperature had gone down and she felt almost back to normal. No chills or body ache. She felt disappointed when she'd realised Dev had left while she'd been asleep. But it was after eleven in the morning. He would have gone to office. Then she came down the stairs to...well...this! Dev comfortably sitting in one of the dining chairs with her baba, maa and dadi almost surrounding him, happily chatting away.

"Dev beta," Dadi was saying, "You know, during my time, I didn't even get to see the man I was going to marry."

"Times have changed maa," Bijoy added. "Now everything is high-tech. These days I don't even understand what Sourav is doing. He says business, God knows what business!" he grumbled.

"Apana katha balabena na," Asha scowled, her hands efficiently slicing the vegetables. You don't talk. "You never trust Sourav!"

"If I don't understand..."

Dev waved his hands. "Maa! Baba! Baba, I saw Sourav's website. It really is good. Lots of scope..." his glance fell on Sona and he got up. "Hey, you are awake! How are you feeling now?"

"I'm fine," she mumbled distractedly, her eyes looking dazed. She barely noticed Dev touching her forehead and smiling his relief at the coolness. "Wh-what's going on here?"

Asha understood. "We're just getting to know each other. Want some tea?"

"Even I want," Bijoy piped. "Dev?"

"No baba. I need to leave now. I have a meeting."

"You can leave," Asha said, gently hustling him back towards the chair. "Have some tea and then go." The smile that lit up Sona's face was brighter than any of the ones that Asha had seen before.

****

"Sonakshi is feeling better now?" Ishwari asked, as she served him dinner that night.

"Yes maa. She's back to normal. But I told her to take an off tomorrow too. Your bahu is very stubborn, I tell you. She argued with me for ten minutes before finally agreeing."

"Good," Ishwari tried and succeeded in keeping her smile firmly in place.

"Maa, there is Durga puja at Sonakshi's house and they've invited us all."

"Yes, Asha ji did call me in the evening. But you don't believe in God and puja, do you?"

"So what?" Dev shrugged. "You believe and Sonakshi believes. I can always come along with you. I do take you to the mandir, don't I? And baba said it's nothing too formal. After the puja, we can catch up for a while too. It'll be nice."

"Sona di's house? Even we want to come," Nikki, who'd heard her maa, came running near the dining table, almost bouncing in her excitement. "These days she doesn't come here like before. Bhaiya, even we want to come. Please bhaiya, pretty please?"

"Shhh.. chup!" Ishwari snapped. "Why are you hounding him like that? Let him have his dinner in peace. And what will you come there and do?"

"Arre, we'll meet Sona di..." Nikki bit her lip. "I mean Sona bhabhi." Dev grinned, looking extremely pleased. "I have lots of stuff to share with her and Riya was saying..."

"Nikki..." Ishwari frowned in anger.

"Maa, let her be," Dev calmed her down before turning to his sister. "Fine, you and Riya can come too but you girls need to behave yourselves there. No yelling and screaming."

"I know, I know. I promise, I promise," Nikki swore before jumping up and hugging her brother. "Oh thank you bhaiya!"

"OK, now enough. Go to your room," Ishwari ordered. Nikki sulked but left them alone. "These girls!" Ishwari muttered, exasperated.

"Why are you so irritable maa?" Dev asked with a frown. "Everything OK?"

"What? Oh of course yes. They're just too mischievous," Ishwari cribbed.

"If they won't tease and make mischief, who will? I love to watch them play around," Dev said fondly. "So, we're going tomorrow? Decided?"

"Yes. I told bhaiya too. Bhabhi has to go to one of her relatives' place so she can't make it." Dev took out his phone and tapped. "Arre can't you forget that phone for once?"

"Hello baba? Dev here. We'll be there tomorrow evening." He waited for a few moments. "Yes maa. Lunch?" Ishwari opened her mouth to respond before realising he wasn't addressing her. Try as she might, she couldn't control the jolt that gave her. "Maa don't go to the trouble of lunch and all. Even Nikki and Riya want to come so it's going to be a huge gathering. And I have a meeting in the afternoon so we'll come in the evening, if that's OK with you all? Great. We'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight maa."

Ishwari waited until Dev disconnected the call and resumed eating before asking, "You call Sonakshi's parents maa and baba?"

"Haan," came his ultra-casual reply. "Sonakshi has started to address you as maa, you know that?" he imparted the news happily.

Ishwari nodded and smiled but nothing could hide the restlessness in her eyes. Maybe it was the circumstances that brought about the change in him, because it caught Dev's attention too and his frown deepened.

And the turbulence that rose in Ishwari that night was nothing compared to what she felt the next evening at the Bose's residence. Watching Dev, her Dev, mingling with Sonakshi's family like he already belonged to them. He was laughing at Sonakshi's grandmother's jovial comments, siding Sourav when the girls started to tease him, clicking pictures of his sisters along with Sonakshi and Elina... She looked on as Asha Bose treated him like her son, gently teasing, coaxing him to have more sweets, chiding Sonakshi when she started to grumble about fatty foods. Bijoy didn't speak much but it soon became obvious to Ishwari that her son shared a good rapport with him too.

Mamaji gave a contended sigh. "Wonderful that was, Bijoy da. I'd always wanted to be a part of a Bengali Durga puja. It really is special."

Bijoy smiled and left it at that. He still wasn't very comfortable with Ishwari Dixit. He didn't trust her. Something bothered him about the lady. But the boy was good and his daughter was in love with him. He was willing to set his misgivings aside and give Dev's maa one more chance. He only hoped he wasn't making a mistake.

"The next occasion should be Dev and Sonakshi's wedding," Mamaji stated happily.

Elina caught Dev's grin and couldn't resist. "But there is no hurry for that na? They can wait for a couple of years, I think. What say, jeeju?"

Dev paled. Nikki immediately came to his rescue. "Of course. My bhaiya has no problem with that, do you, bhaiya?"

"Yeah, yeah, he has no problem. He is not eager to get hitched at all, are you, jeeju? That's why you couldn't leave Sona yesterday and slept off in her room, right?" It was a toss-up who turned redder. Sonakshi or Dev. Sona looked like she wanted to throttle her cousin. Ishwari tried very hard to hold on to her smile but failed. No one paid any particular attention to. Except her son. That was the second time he caught that look of uneasiness cross his maa's face. He would have pressed on the issue the previous night but she had showed him the kangan she'd bought for Sonakshi; told him she was waiting for the time Sonakshi would enter this house as her bahu. Yeh kangan nahi, bandhan hain jo Sonakshi ko tujhse baandh denge, she'd said. And he'd set aside his misgivings. Was he thinking too much?

"Elina!" Asha shook her head.

"Sorry maashi," Elina immediately apologized and calmed down.

Ishwari gathered her control and her smile. "We'll make a move now bhai saab. Dev has some office work too so..." Farewells were quick but warm.

Settling Ishwari and Mamji in the car, Dev patted his pockets. "I forgot my phone maa. I'll be right back," he said and strode back inside. "Sonakshi?" he asked. Elina gestured towards the stairs. Taking them two at a time, he reached her room, grabbed her arm and dragged her into his arms.

"Dev!" she yelped in surprise.

"I don't want to leave you," he whispered, tightening his arms around her until they were plastered from chest to thigh. "I want to take you along with me." Sona's cheeks turned pink but she didn't shy away from his arms. Merely tightened hers around him. Pulling him deeper into her embrace. "Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?" his voice rumbled out. She nodded. Planting a hard kiss on her forehead and a whispered, I'll message you the details, he disappeared as suddenly as he'd come.

****

Elina stopped the scooty in front of Dev's house and waited for Sona to get down. "You know, you guys need to have a crash course on how to go on a date. The boy would be carrying a bunch of red roses and knocks on the girl's door..." she went on dreamily.

"All that stuff looks good in books and movies," Sona made a face. "And he did want to pick me up but he had to attend an urgent call so me coming down to his place and we leaving together from here makes sense. Practical. And the restaurant is closer to..."

"Sona, let it be," Elina shook her head and started the bike. "As the saying goes, romance goes out of the window when things like logic and practicalities knock on the door. Now go and have fun."

Sona waved her cousin and walked into the Ishwari mansion, adjusting her long blue-green anarkali dress, making sure her hair didn't look totally windblown. But when she entered the house, there was no one. She stood in the centre of the hall for a few moments looking this way and that but didn't find anyone. Not even Kichu bhaiya. Then she heard Dev's voice coming from upstairs. He was talking to someone. Looked like the call, well, whatever it was, was still going on, she thought, making her way up the stairs.

And she was right. He was talking on the phone. Something about share value and market strategy. It was all Greek and Latin for her. Phone stuck between his shoulder and ear, he was trying to button his shirt cuffs when he caught her standing by his door. His entire face lit up. Like he'd swallowed a lightbulb. With a happy grin, she placed her handbag on his bed, walked up to him and took over the job of buttoning and adjusting his cuffs. That done, he took her palms and placed them on his shirt. Trying to ignore how his eyes seemed to be devouring her, she obliged. Her fingers fumbled in their task of buttoning up his shirt.

"Huh?" he blinked, his mind trying to catch up with the fact that he was still holding his phone to his ear and the person on the other end had just repeated his question for the third time. "What? Yeah, that's fine. Listen, we've been at this for the last forty-five minutes. I'm done repeating myself. I need the complete report in my inbox by tonight. No excuses."

Disconnecting the call, he threw his phone on the bed and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her hair was getting in her way as she bent over the task in hand, and she paused to loop the tresses back behind her ear, meeting Dev's fingers as they arrived to do the same thing. She glanced up and caught the full power of his rapidly darkening eyes as the back of his fingers stroked against her warm cheek. Sensation erupted with a swirling coil of sensual heat low down in her belly.

"S-some-someone will c-come," she stuttered. "Maa..."

"Maa went out," he said, in a voice taking on a deep undertone.

"Mamaji, Mamiji..."

"Went out along with maa," his fingers started to glide over her waist. "Nikki and Riya went to a movie." Wrapping both arms around her tight, he pulled her into his body. "Look at me," he ordered. Her eyes met his. Shyness, delight, anticipation, love, passion, desire...he could read so many feelings in those eyes. He wanted to lose himself in them. Find himself in them. "You know what Sonakshi? It doesn't matter even if the house is streaming with people at this moment. Because we don't have to hide anymore. You can come to this house, this room, whenever you want. Haq se."

Her smile got a little brighter. If that was possible. And he couldn't hold back anymore. All these weeks of living in a hell, the days that had seemed like an unending nightmare, hours that had dragged like hot coals raking his body, minutes when he had suffocated...he wanted to erase them all. Push and shove them all into a deep, dark corner of his mind and lock them away forever. He wanted to replace them all with this moment. With her. Her love. Her smile. Her eyes. Her touch. Oh God, yes, her touch! Need turned to passion.

"Sona..." He did not finish the sentence; he just closed the gap between their mouths.

It was like taking flight without wings, she thought dazedly, moving closer until she felt her breasts crushed to his chest, parted her lips, sighing a helpless little sigh he caught with the sensual dip of his tongue. He kissed her until she melted against him, until she was mimicking his tongue with her own and feeling the rise of desire, taking it like some rare, delicious fruit you could only obtain from one source. As she let her hands drift upwards to stroke the firm muscles covering his arms she felt a fine tremor run through him. Her cheeks were flushed when eventually he eased back from her; a terrible shyness Sona had not experienced before kept her eyes fixed on the open collar of his shirt, and the feelings dancing around inside her made her feel quivery and weak.

"W-we're going to be late for the dinner," she heard herself mumble.

He tightened his arms around her waist, holding her prisoner. "I don't want to go," his voice was deep, drugged with passion. "I don't want to go to a place where I wouldn't be able to hold you like this," one hand reached up to cup her cheek while his lips kissed the other one. "Kiss you like this." He took her palm and guided it to his shoulder. "Have you touch me like this." Eyes dark with need, he added, "I don't want to make do with hand holding today."

"And if I want to go?" she asked.

"Do you want to?" he countered.

Fighting back her shyness, Sona tilted her head up and pecked his lips. Once, twice, thrice. The fourth one lasted longer. Deeper. Sweeter. Settling her head on his chest, she gave her answer. "No."

As if it's the most natural thing for them to do, their lips came together to embrace. She stepped in closer still, lifted her slender arms and slid them around his neck. As he buried his fingers in the loose, slightly curly flow of her hair he caught her soft whisper of his name just before he deepened the kiss, quenching their mutual thirst with his hungry passion.

Need for oxygen broke them apart. Struck by sudden mischievous impulse, Sona pushed him away from her and ran down the stairs. With a rough growl of, oh no, you don't, my Jungli Billi, he took off after her. Ishwari Mansion echoed with the sound of their mutual laughter as they chased and ran after each other like a couple of kids playing catch. Tired, they flopped onto the couch, cuddled, hugged, talked like there was no tomorrow, shared a few more kisses, talked some more, cuddled some more, until hunger pangs drove them to order a pizza and garlic bread. They watched some TV while they munched on it. It was nearing nine in the night when Sona glanced at her watch regretfully. Dev pretended to sulk, which earned him a couple of kisses. Quickly clearing up the leftovers, he drove her back to her house.

****

Next day morning Dev was on his way to work when he remembered he'd forgotten to get his pen drive. Swearing softly at the added delay, he quickly took a U turn to his house. Parking the car outside the gate to save time, he strode inside, collected the drive and would've left at the same speed if he hadn't heard Neha's voice. The anticipatory smile swiftly became a frown as he neared his maa's room and realised they were arguing. His feet slowed and halted. He didn't know why he did that because normally he would've just barged in.

"Neha, this is not right," his maa was saying.

"Why not maa? Why can't I tell bhai? I have a problem. A financial problem. I know bhai can help out. Why can't I ask him? He told me when I got married that I could come to him..." Neha's tone was angry and defiant.

"He would've said that but this is your family matter. You can't keep running to Dev for everything. What will Ranveer think?"

"I should've known you would say this. But stupid me had hoped...You will always find a reason to keep the whole world away from your son, maa. But tell me something. Now he loves Sona. One day soon he's going to marry her. What will you do then? Keep his wife also away from him so that you can have him always with you? Talk only to you? See the world through your eyes? For how long?"

"Neha!" The guilt rivalled with anger in Ishwari's tone.

"It's a waste of time talking to you maa." With a huff, Neha strode out of Ishwari's room, down the stairs and out of the house.

Not giving himself time to think, Dev strode after his sister and managed to catch up with her almost near his car. "Neha! Neha, wait!" Neha stopped. "What were you doing? Is that any way to talk to maa?"

"Don't preach about things you have no clue about bhai!"

"What do you mean by that?" Bewilderment turned to anger. "Do you realize what you are saying? She is our mother, she took care of us, brought us up..."

"You are telling me about maa, bhai?" Neha's voice had a sarcastic edge to it. "You? What do you know about maa? Do you know that she doesn't like you to have anyone in your life except her? Forget others, she doesn't like it even when I, Riya or Nikki spend time with you."

"Neha!" Dev yelled.

But Neha was in no mood to heed his fury. "You think she didn't like Sonakshi, didn't you? Let me tell you, it's nothing to do with Sonakshi. Even if you'd gotten an angel from heaven, she would still have not liked. She doesn't want anyone spending any time with you. She wants to keep you all to herself, all the time."

"Shut up Neha! You are angry, doesn't mean you get to talk all nonsense. That temper of yours is going to land you..." Dev's phone buzzed in his pocket. With a soft curse, he answered it. "Yes? No. No Tina. Just give me ten minutes and I'll be there." He glared at his sister one last time before unlocking his car. "We'll talk about this later. And you better apologize to maa for your behaviour."

****

It was late that night by the time Dev returned home. Try as he might, he couldn't get his sister's words out of his head. He was still angry but more bewildered than angry. He walked in and found his maa in the couch. She smiled. "You got late today," she said.

"Yes maa," he replied. "And I'm hungry too."

"Oh I thought you would've had your dinner. These days you hardly eat my food," she said, making her way to the kitchen.

Dev frowned. "These days meaning? When? Last night I was right here at home. You guys went out."

"Arre I didn't mean it like that..."

"Then what did you mean?" he persisted, following her. He was tired from a long day's work, angry from his morning conversation with Neha and his maa's strange comment just rubbed him the wrong way.

Ishwari floundered. "I just meant...anyway, leave it. Come sit, I'll serve you dinner."

"No. Why did you say that I don't eat your food? When did I not eat your food?"

"Arre Dev beta, it's nothing." The more he persisted, the more she fumbled. "I just meant you spend so much time with Sonakshi and go to her house..."

"When? I only went when she had been down with fever. After that all of us went together for that puja."

"I know that Dev, I just..." she sighed. "These days you don't spend time with me and I feel..."

"When did I not spend time with you?" His maa had served him dinner but he didn't start eating. "When did you ever want something and I said, maa, I don't have time to do it?"

"Dev!" Ishwari's uneasiness grew with his every probing question. "I just meant you work so hard and now what little time you have is being split."

"What do you mean by that?"

Ishwari lost it and snapped. "Why are you asking so many questions today? I just made one comment and you are after me like I said something..."

Dev sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Sorry maa. Guess I'm just tired." He quickly finished his dinner and spent some time pressing his maa's feet. He waited for her to mention Neha's visit. She didn't and he tried to shake off his uneasiness and got back to his room. Talking to Sona would help, he decided. He grabbed the phone and turned, only to find his maa in his room.

"Maa? What happened? Any problem?"

"No," Ishwari denied with a tired smile. "I just couldn't sleep and wanted to spend some time with you."

She wants to keep you all to herself, all the time. He couldn't ignore those words anymore. And he didn't want to. He wanted to get to the bottom of this. Ignoring or denying was not the answer. He never would've gotten his first contract if he had been the kind to ignore the dots that were quickly forming into a picture. Dev took an off from work the next day. He'd even messaged Sonakshi saying he wanted to spend some time with family. She'd replied with a clapping, thumbs up and kissing emoticons. Ishwari was overjoyed when her son announced the next morning that he was taking day off from work. She made his favourite breakfast and sent Kichu for shopping in preparation for lunch. He chatted with her, appreciating her breakfast and even asking for a second serving. She would ask him to take her to the mandir, she decided. And then probably some shopping and ice cream. But things didn't go that way.

Dev insisted Riya and Nikki take an off from their work and college too. He planned a movie at home and told Kichu to keep the lunch simple. He spent time with his sisters, talking to them, teasing them, arguing with them about what movie they should watch. Ishwari's disappointment turned to restlessness and progressed to irritability. She snapped at her daughters, told them not to hound their brother, even snapped at RR who had been about to suggest a movie of her choice. Even mamaji was confused at his sister's sudden downswing mood.

"What happened?" he asked Ishwari, watching Riya and Nikki try to snatch the TV remote from Dev's hand, with an indulgent smile. "Your son has taken an off today and you are so irritable! Any issue with your health?"

"No bhaiya, I'm fine," Ishwari denied, tying to smile but failing. "I thought he was taking time off so he could spend with me," she said softly.

And Dev had his answer.

****

It was after nine that night when Sonakshi's phone buzzed with Dev's message.

Come outside. Need to talk to you.

Frowning, she signalled Elina that she was going out and came outside, feeling a sense of dj vu. How many times had he come like this and how many times had she come out to meet him just like this! Smiling, she walked up to where he stood near his car, still and waiting.

"Ki halo?" What happened? "And how come today you called me out? These days you are all into barging into my house and my room na?" She grinned. "Had good time at home?"

"Sonakshi, do you trust me?"

Sona's smile slipped. "What happened Dev?"

"Just answer me. Do you trust me? Believe in my love?"

"Yes," came the unhesitant straight answer.

"I love you. I want to live my life with you. Have children with you. Grow old with you. But my mom...my family...they're equally important to me Sonakshi. Maa...she is my responsibility and I want to take care of her. I can't leave her. I won't leave her."

"Of course Dev.

He took her palms between his. "Sometimes things may get difficult but I want you to trust me. Trust our relationship. Give it and us time."

Sona frowned. "But why do you explicitly have to say it? You think I don't already love Nikki and Riya? They're my family too, Dev."

"I know," Dev insisted. "I know. But it's just that a thought came into my head and I wanted to share it. My family is different from yours. We love each other but we come with a lot of emotional baggage. I just...want you to be prepared for that." Sona listened intently, without interrupting. She didn't know why he was saying all this but if reassurance was what he wanted, she would gladly give it to him. "And it's not just Riya and Nikki. There is Neha, Ranveer, mama, mami, Vicky and maa of course. Sona, I want you to promise me that if you are uncomfortable with any situation, and I mean, any situation, you are to share it with me. You are not to hide it because you think I'll feel bad or brush it under the carpet. Even if it's something as small as Riya not listening or maa stopping you from doing something, Vicky saying or doing something he shouldn't...anything. Everything. We'll talk Sonakshi. Open. Honest. No stilted conversations. No awkward silences."

Sona smiled and cupped his cheeks. "Trust, honesty and openness. I can work with those, Mr Dixit."

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "It's Dev for you and you know why? Why I'm saying all this?" he asked. She waited. "Because you are a part of my family. Mine. My responsibility. My partner. My soulmate."

"Did you just propose?"

Something lightening in his expression and he relaxed for the first time since that morning. His eyes lit up, like he's just got a bright idea. Stepping back, he grabbed her arm and pulled her along with him. Into her house, ignoring her, Dev, what are you doing.

Asha was just cleaning up the kitchen after the dinner when Dev and Sona walked into the house. Or rather Dev pulled Sona into the house. Leaving her hand, he called out, "Maa? Baba?"

Asha came and stood beside Bijoy, who had been relaxing in the couch after the dinner but got up when Dev and Sona walked in. Dev walked up to them until he stood facing them. Taking a deep breath, he plunged. "Maa, baba, I know how precious your daughter is to you. She is your pride. Your joy. And I have fallen in love with her. I can't envision my life without her by my side. I want to marry her baba. I want to be a part of her life, a part of her family. Just as she would be part of mine. I will not let go maa, simply because that is not an option for me."

Asha blinked back her tears rapidly before nodding and touching his hair in a gesture of blessing. Bijoy's eyes too looked suspiciously damp as he too nodded and smiled. Turning towards Sona, who seemed to have turned into a statue, he smiled ruefully. "I know I said when I do propose it would be the world's most romantic proposal but..."

"I don't think there can be a more romantic proposal, Mr Dixit," came her tremulous reply. Then forgetting all decorum, she squealed and took a flying leap into his arms. He caught her with a huff of laughter.