SS - Can we talk? Part 6 pg 84 Feb 14 - Page 49

It was Monday evening before Sonakshi picked up the phone to call her parents. "But Sona..." Asha sounded worried as she heard Sona explain the situation. Not because she didn't trust her daughter but because she wasn't sure of her husband's reaction.

Understanding Asha's fears, Sona asked her to switch the phone on speaker mode so she could speak to her baba too. "Maa, baba, our manager here has resigned without giving prior notice. Things have gone haywire/ So I don't have a choice. I'm going to be staying in Delhi for the near future. I don't want Soha to miss her school so I got admission in a good school here. She starts tomorrow."

Soha piped up, "I got my uniform and books too, Asha!" loudly into the phone. Sona smiled, blew a kiss to her daughter and continued, "The interior designer said she can have the ground floor, kitchen and one bedroom ready by tomorrow morning so I'll move there with Suhana and Gunni. Once the rest of the house is ready, you all can come and join me."

"Shona, are you sure? You know I don't like that city for obvious reasons," Bijoy said, looking as if he wanted to pack his bags and take the next flight out to Delhi.

Sona took a deep breath. Now came the difficult part. "Baba, I have met Dev and so has Soha. He knows she is his daughter. I told you I shifted my office to another place. It's in the same building as Dev's office." And spent the next twenty minutes pacifying her agitated over-anxious baba. When none worked, she finally had to put her foot down. "Baba! Baba, do you trust me? Just say yes or no."

"I do trust you Shona. I really do. But..."

"No buts. Even if you two rush here, there isn't anything you can do at the moment. The house is not even ready, where will you stay? You get sick if you eat outside food and renovations are going on at the house. Maa has dust allergy. Give it a few days. I will call you once everything is set here." She paused, making sure Soha is busy with her drawing. "And baba, he is Soha's father. Accepting that doesn't mean I've started to trust him with anything more. OK?"

Her baba agreed, albeit reluctantly. After taking his promise that he wouldn't do anything rash or irrational, she ended the call. That was one major aspect handled, she thought, sighing, resting her head back on the couch and closing her eyes.

"Look mamma!" Soha came to stand beside the couch, displaying her drawing. The girl did have an eye for colours, Sona thought with a smile. "I drew it for papa. It's only the border. Should I draw animals inside or flowers?"

Sonakshi looked at the pale pink coloured sheet which had a little haphazard border filled with multi-coloured flowers, leaves and what she could only assume were, bees. Yellow and black. Yeah. Probably bees. "Mamma! Do you think papa would like it?"

"Yes Soha. He will like it. Why won't he? After all, it's my Soha who has drawn such a beautiful drawing!" He would go crazy with joy even if Soha had scribbled lines all over it, Sonakshi was sure. A guy who had tears rolling down his cheeks even as he hugged and twirled his daughter around his cabin because his daughter had asked him if she could call him papa...oh yes. He would treasure this one.

Sonakshi picked up the shopping bag and the envelope. "How about this Soha? Would you want to stick this one in the middle of your drawing?"

****

"Arre waah Ishwari! After ages I've seen you like this in the kitchen, going all out and cooking!" Mamaji commented, strolling into the kitchen.

Ishwari smiled. "Today I really did feel like cooking bhaiya. Dev came home from work and he looked so happy. Relaxed. Just thought I'll cook something for him."

"Did he get to meet his daughter? Did you ask him?"

Ishwari shook her head. "I didn't bhaiya. I know Sonakshi. I fear she is not going to allow Dev to meet her daughter so easily. And I don't want to ask anything now and spoil his mood. I'll wait for a day or two and then ask."

Soon everyone got to the dining table, including Dev. Dinner was completed in relative peace. Ishwari herself served her son, waited for him to appreciate or even notice. But although he had a hearty dinner, he seemed distracted, a little smile playing on his lips. Only to Golu's questions did he pay enough attention to reply. Ishwari wanted to ask him how the food was but his phone rang. One look at the caller id, his entire face lit up and he strode away from the dining table.

"Hello?"

"Hello papa?"

"Yes my Angel!" Damn! Would he ever stop going all soft on the inside whenever he heard his daughter addressing him that, he wondered.

She giggled. "I'm not angel, I'm..."

"I know. Miss Suhana Bose. But you are MY angel and my angel you will remain. So what are you doing? Had your dinner?"

"Yes. Papa, are you free now? Actually I have a present for you. I want to give it to you."

"I'm on my way."

"OK. Bye Papa."

"See you Angel!" And he ran in to grab his bike keys.

****

This time it was Soha herself who opened the hotel room door for him. With a happy grin, she pulled him in, instructed him to sit in the chair while she went and fetched the clumsily gift-wrapped square box. Dev took it with all the eagerness of a little boy getting his first ever Christmas present and tore it open to reveal a framed photograph. Of him and Suhana. From that morning when she'd been feeding him the oreo milkshake. His eyes quickly darted towards Sonakshi, who was standing a little away. She must've clicked it. And the photograph was surrounded on all four sides by his little girl's drawings. His eyes teared up again. Damn! He thought, running a hasty hand over them. He hadn't cried in seven years but seemed to be making it up in the last few days.

"You like it Papa?"

Holding the precious gift with one hand, he pulled Suhana into his lap with the other. First he kissed the gift and then another gentle kiss on her cheek. "This is the best gift I've ever got Angel! Thank you. Thank you so much."

Sonakshi waited for her daughter to protest with her typical I'm Miss Suhana Bose. But surprisingly, Soha didn't. Watching Soha explain in details what colours she'd used and why and Dev listen to it all with rapt attention, oohing and aahing in between, she smiled a little and left them both alone. There was another thing she needed to do.

"Papa, I have another surprise for you but I won't tell it now. If you get time to meet me tomorrow, I will show you."

"Tomorrow." He had an investors meet lined up in the afternoon.

"You have your work na," she said quickly. "I understand. Mamma says if we want people to respect us, we should succeed. And to succeed, we have to work. Hard. Very hard."

Dev looked at his daughter who seemed to think and talk beyond her age. Or was it because she was yet to get used to him that she doesn't want to demand his time as her right? He smiled and pulled her cheek. "You let me worry about that. Just tell me what time you want me to come."

"Evening after 4."

"OK!" They exchanged a high-five.

"Soha, time for bed."

Suhana immediately got down from her papa's lap but hugged him tight. "Goodnight Papa. See you tomorrow."

Dev hugged her back and brushed her wayward hair. "Goodnight Angel. Sleep tight." He didn't want to leave. He wanted to put her to sleep and stay with her. He dragged himself up to go and frowned when Sonakshi extended him a jump drive.

"Mamma copied all my pictures and videos into that." Suhana piped up.

Dev's eyes flew to Sonakshi. "Goodnight Dev," was all she said.

"Thank you Sonakshi." Carefully pocketing the jump drive, he picked up the photo frame and left. The minute his Harley halted in front of his house, he literally flew up to his room and booted his laptop. When he connected it to his laptop and clicked it open, his knees gave out on him. A tiny baby wrapped up in a thick pink blanket filled the screen. The jump drive was full of his daughter's pictures and videos. Starting from when she'd been a day old to the day she had boarded the flight in Kolkata to come to Delhi. Her first smile, when she'd first rolled on her tummy, when she'd crawled, stood, her first step...everything. With each picture and each video, he fell a little more in love. It was like that little baby had reached out, grabbed his heart and made it her own. He didn't know how long he spent watching them all, over and over again. He smiled, grinned, laughed and cried with every new image that flashed on the screen.

So much he'd missed out on. Why? Had his relationship with Sonakshi been doomed from day one or could it have been rescued? Why did it sink? They say an entire sea of water can't sink a ship unless you allow the water to get into it. Was that what happened? Had he drilled holes in it himself? He closed his eyes on those thoughts but it was those images of Suhana that filled his dreams.

"Bigcha! Bigcha! Bigcha!" Golu came running into Dev's room the next morning.

Dev, who was once again watching one of the videos from the jump drive, immediately closed his laptop. "Arre Golu, you haven't gone to school yet?" he asked, adjusting Golu's tie.

"I don't want to go to school!" he sulked.

"Why?"

"There's going to be a new girl in my class from today on. I met her yesterday when she'd come for admission. We just teased her a little and she went and complained to the Principal. The principal scolded me. Even that was fine. But the girl is so...girly Bigcha!" Golu made a face, making Dev grin. "Don't laugh. It's true. She tells so many rules. Even my teacher doesn't tell that many."

"OK...now I have to meet this new classmate of yours. Tell you what...I'll come along with you now and you show me who that is. I'll talk to her. What say?"

"Yo!" Golu exchanged a high-five with his Bigcha and ran to collect his bag.

Dev and Golu reached the school. "OK. Now show me where is this Miss Prim and Proper!" Dev said, parking his bike.

Golu looked around. And Dev hear, "Papa?" He whirled around in surprise and there she stood. His Suhana. In a cute uniform, hair tied in two pigtails, eyes wide with surprised delight. Instinctively he opened his arms and she ran into them.

"Papa, how did you know? This was the surprise I wanted to tell you. Mamma joined me in this school yesterday." She looked at Golu and scowled. "What are you doing here?"

"Bigcha, this is the girl I told you about. Why is she calling you papa?"

Just then the school bell rang. Dev managed to pacify the kids and send them to their classroom. They would all meet after school and talk. He assured to personally pick them up. The phrase "Saved by the bell" was probably coined specially for Dev. This was going to be tricky. How would the kids react knowing about each other? Would he be able to balance his time and attention between the two? This feeling was way too familiar and try as much Dev couldn't get it out of his system.

**

A lot had changed in the last 2 weeks. Sonakshi quietly sat in her cabin collecting her thoughts. She had dropped Soha off at school on her way to office. What was supposed to be a short trip for a couple of days, had completely changed the course of her life.

Dev was nowhere in the picture for 7 long years and suddenly he was everywhere. Here she was sharing her office with Dev, sharing Soha with Dev. This trip to Delhi had dispersed her life completely. Everything was all over the place and Sonakshi wasn't even sure if she was doing the right thing. It was definitely overwhelming seeing Dev every day. Soha had also warmed up to Dev. She actually seemed to like her papa. A lot.

Sonakshi tried to maintain a strong faade but try as much she couldn't shake the feeling - What if Dev ever tried to take Soha away from her. So far he hadn't mentioned Ishwari. Neither did she ask about her.

But she knew Ishwari wasn't the one to keep quite. She always wanted her grandchild. By now Sonakshi was sure, Ishwari would have known all about Soha.

Were they planning something? These thoughts just kept coming back. As much as she tried to dismiss them, they were haunting her. . It would have been so much easier if Dev just mentioned something. Spelled out Ishwari's expectations. At least things would be out in the open. Sonakshi could deal with them openly. This lying in wait for the first strike was nerve racking. Dev would after all try to follow and fulfil his mother's wishes.

The last 7 years were not easy. Leading the life of a single mother was definitely not easy. However, the most difficult part was to allow Dev to be a part of their lives again. They may not be together but they still were bound by Soha and if Dev Dixit ever attempted to take Soha from her then... She really didn't know how she would handle it. If she could handle it?

This fear that something would go wrong was eating her up inside, knotting her guts. Currently things were just too good to be true. Sonakshi thought Soha would take her time to know Dev and accept him. But the kid took to her dad like a fish to water. A bond was already formed and it definitely upset Sonakshi to some extent.

What was it that she was missing? This feeling was way too familiar and try as much Sonakshi couldn't get it out of her system.

She was still lost in thought, when someone knocked at her door.

"Sonakshi, Do you have a minute?"

"Dev, yes, yes tell me."

"You didn't tell me today was Soha's first day at her new school."

Sonakshi bewildered tried to gauge Dev's expression. Was he accusing her? Was he demanding to be a part of every decision of Soha's life. She was not ready to give him that as yet, share that part of their lives with Dev. But then she saw his twinkling eyes as he continued, "She looked so cute in her uniform."

"How did you.. I mean did Soha... She asked me not to tell you. Where did you..."

"Oh no the naughty one wanted to surprise me this afternoon. I was to meet her around 4. I had gone to school today with Golu. Did I ever mention Golu? Oh, he is the cutest little one. He has been my lifeline these 7 years. If it weren't for him, I think I would have gone insane. Well Golu and Soha are in the same class." Beamed Dev. His eyes attained a new softness that she saw only when he spoke about Soha. Whoever Golu was must be very dear to Dev for sure.

"Golu?"

Dev grinned "Golu, Elena's son. Vicky and Elena's son. Our Ele. Can you imagine they are also parents now?"

Sonakshi was taken aback. It had been such a while since she heard from Elena, heard about her. She meekly smiled. "How is she doing?"

"Doing good." And Dev was back to his own self. The softness in his eyes escaped and he was back to being "The Dev Dixit".

"Dev, if I may can I ask you something...? " Sonakshi hesitated. She wasn't even sure what she should say. Try as much she couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling and talking about Ele only brought back some memories but more than that all those nightmares.

"Sure"

"Dev, how come you never mentioned anyone before?" Sonakshi was a little hesitant to directly ask about Ishwari. Did Ishwari know? Will she influence Dev to take Soha from her? If each question could be represented by a wave, her mind was an ocean full of questions that needed to be answered.

"Just didn't get a chance." That was it. That was Dev Dixit and his explanation.

"Meaning? You didn't get a chance to talk about your family. About Golu about... " Sonakshi went silent but her eyes moistened.

Dev would have just dismissed her question but life taught him to read between the lines.

"Sonakshi, tell me what do you want to know? What is bothering you?"

"Soha loves you a lot. I don't want her to get hurt. Ever..."

"Sonakshi, what are you saying? Will I hurt my own daughter? My little Angel?" Dev just stood up and turned his face away from her. Dev was definitely angry. He panicked even.

Just last night she gave him a pen drive with all of Soha's pictures. Sonakshi definitely had been the better person of the two. Then what changed this morning. Why was she behaving like this? Soha just changed schools.

Dev thought Sonakshi had accepted him back in their lives. Obviously not as her husband but then at least as Soha's dad.

He thought they couldn't change the past but could at least accept their situation. They didn't need to get to mudslinging any more. Too much time had passed to account for who was wrong and who wasn't. But at least they could try and make peace now. Learn and avoid making the same mistakes again. Then why this? Why now?

Something was off. Sonakshi didn't say anything more. She was definitely worried and scared even. She couldn't really share her concerns. At this point she needed a friend. She needed to talk to someone and yet as usual she found herself all alone, bearing the consequences of her decisions. The fear of what if she was right had started haunting her. Would she lose Soha?

"Are you not going to let me see Soha again?" asked Dev with concern turning towards Sonakshi. This time he didn't miss the lone tear escape her eyes.

"Will I lose Soha?" she asked simultaneously.

"What! What on earth? Sonakshi, what is it? What is the matter? What is eating you up?"

Sonakshi just gulped a glass of water down and attempting to maintain a composed demeanour. She was always the strong one. She had to be.

Dev pulled his chair close to her and clasped her hands, "Sonakshi, what is the matter? We were friends once. In fact you were my only friend. My best friend. Tell me what happened. What is eating you up?

Sonakshi's dam burst. She could not be the strong one anymore. She just rattled on "It was a major decision Dev to let you see Soha. It wasn't easy. But I know how much kids mean to you and I couldn't really keep her away from you. I also took the decision to move here. Not only would it give me time to fix the Delhi office issue but I thought Soha would get to spend some time with her dad. I see her with you Dev. She is happy. I see her throw tantrums around you. She likes to be pampered. She doesn't let any of us have any sort of baby talk with her but she indulges you. Golu is the first of your family that she will see. Soon the rest will follow.. I cannot lose her Dev. She was my only support all these years. I cannot lose her Dev."

Dev was shocked. Here he thought he would not see his daughter while Sonakshi feared the same thing.

"Why would you think that? Why would you think I would uproot Soha from the only parent she had known so far. I love her Sonakshi. She is also a part of me. I could never hurt her like this. Did I say something that gave you that impression? Did I say anything to hint it?"

"That's just it Dev, you haven't said anything. Never once you mentioned your family. Your Maa. She always wanted a waaris. What if she decides she wants Soha to live with all of you at the Dixit Mansion. How come she didn't ask to meet Soha? Or you haven't told me so I don't get worried. Is that what it is? Will she insist on that whenever she meets Soha?"

"Shh... Shh... She hasn't met because I haven't told her anything about Soha as yet."

"What, come on Dev. How can that even be possible?"

"Sonakshi, Too many things have transpired after you left. Let's just say things are not the same. I don't know what I can say to convince you but let me just say this. Soha is our daughter. Your daughter first. I will never contest that. I know you don't trust me yet. But just this once trust me."

Sonakshi ruefully wiped her tears and smiled.

"I don't know how things will work in the future Sonakshi I don't have any answers today but again they don't need to be answered today. But I promise you we will figure it out."

Dev and Sonakshi were amused looking at both of them. A minute ago they pretended that they didn't even know each other. Now they were sharing the excitement and laughing away.

Ishwari had just lit the evening diya in her room when Golu came running, his face bright as a bulb. "Badi dadi, badi dadi! Guess what! Guess what! I have a sister now! I have a sister!"

Ishwari was puzzled. Was Elena pregnant again, she wondered. Nevertheless, she smiled and pulled him closer. "And how do you know that you have a sister?"

"Bigcha told me! She is bigcha's daughter. Her name is Suhana. She's in my class badi dadi. First I thought she was too girly but no. She's cool. We played at McDonalds and shared burgers and french-fries." His chest puffed up in pride. "Now I am her brother. If anyone teases her, I'm going to thrash them," he said, swinging his fist. And then suddenly laughed. "You know what? Today Bigcha was like PaCha! Suhana kept calling Papa, Papa while we were playing and I kept calling Bigcha, Bigcha! And when we shouted at the same time it looked like PaCha!" He laughed louder.

"Where is Dev now?" Ishwari tried to ask in a normal voice.

"He dropped me home and went to office."

"Golu!" Elena called out loudly.

"I think it's going to be fun badi dadi! Yuppie! I have a sister!" And dashed off to his room, leaving behind a stunned Ishwari.

Dev met his daughter? Dev met his daughter and didn't even tell me? And that girl knew her father, called her papa. When did he meet her? How often did he meet her? Not once, not even once did he mention any of this to his own mother! Angry and hurt, she didn't wait for Dev to come home. Instead she went to his office.

"Dev?"

Dev stopped shooting out instructions to his secretary. "Maa? You, here?"

Ishwari waited for the secretary to leave the cabin. "Why didn't you tell me?" She accused her son. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Tell you what maa?" Although he could guess, he asked. These days he was all into stating things specifically, leaving nothing to ambiguity.

"You met your daughter. My granddaughter."

"Yes."

"She knows about you, calls you papa, is in the same school as our Golu!"

"Yes."

"Were you ever going to tell me Dev? If Golu hadn't told me, would I have ever come to know? Ab itna bada hogaya hain, apni maa se itni door jaa chuka hain ki itni badi baat mujhe batani zaroori bhi nahi samjhi?"

"It was not something that could have been hidden maa. I would have told you."

"When?" Dev didn't answer. Ishwari took a deep breath. "Fine. Whatever has happened, happened. When are you going to bring her to our house? She knows about you now. It's time she met me. Her dadi. Her family. She belongs with us. In our house...with..."

"That's not going to happen." Dev's words cut through Ishwari's rant. He thought about the conversation he had with Sonakshi. No wonder she had been falling apart. She had been fearing just this.

"What do you mean? Why do you say that?"

"Because Suhana is my daughter. She is with her mother. And I will NOT separate my daughter from her mother, the only parent she's had until now."

"But..."

"Because of you, she didn't have a father for the first six years of her life. I will NOT do anything that would take her away from her mother. And I will not hurt Sonakshi like that. She may not my wife anymore but I can't hurt her like that."

Sonakshi stood just outside Dev's cabin, hearing every word of their conversation. Her internal antenna had gone up when she had glanced up casually and saw her ex-mother-in-law walking into Dev's cabin. She knew eavesdropping was rude and ill-mannered but she wanted...no...had to know what this was about. What brought Mrs Ishwari Dixit to her son's office. And now she knew! Too many things have transpired after you left, Dev had said. He hadn't been exaggerating, she thought, walking away as quietly as she had come.

And that's it for now. We have overlapped our respective parts in this so much that for a while even we were confused as to who was typing what!!

Hope you all LIKED it!! We'll be waiting to hear from you.

Love,

Suvika and Divya.