Dev slowly entered his house. Big and lonely : that's how life had been in it! Until of course, for the arrival of Her Highness, Miss Suhana Bose, he knew it was all dead and sluggish. He slipped into the upper Room to check whether his Maa was asleep. He clicked open the door softly and smiled dimly to see his mother well asleep. He no more waited for him to come back, whether it be late or early. It was nearing 10 but the house seemed deep into dark slumber.
He tip toed back into the dining area. Carefully uncovered the plates, microwaved them for 1 minute precise and sat down to eat. He jumped a bit in seeing Besan ka halwa on his platter. He grabbed it and thrusted a spoonful into his mouth. He slurped as the silky dish made its way down his throat. The same taste, not an inch here or there since the past twenty years and more. That's what consistency was. Though the love of affection wasn't the same but at least the taste hadn't been affected. He soon galloped into thoughts of the past, how this very house once chirped and flourished in love and happiness. How once the fiendish minded Mami had stealthily taken over his home. How he'd slipped into an era of ignorance and failure. How he'd been reprimanded by his lady love to change his lifestyle as well as keep a check on the parasites feeding in his prosperity. How he'd taken a call and restricted all luxuries for the Devil's Clan and how they'd stormed out of his life on the pretext of insults and he'd not bothered to stop them. The past it was.
He wrapped up with his silent dinner pretty soon and kept the dishes in the sink, to be washed by Kicchu Bhaiyya the next day. He pinned Dr. Bose's freshly designed menu on the wall for the cook to follow and rushed up to his room to catch up on mails and a surprise video chat with his adorable daughter.
He flipped open the device but it refused to start. He pressed on the button for quite a sometime but the stubborn gadget didn't budge. "Ah, the battery chord!", He recalled. But where it was?
"Dev, kitni baar bola Hai, aapka chord yeh study table waale drawer Mein hi rehta Hai!", Echoed a voice. He quickly got up and there it was! Of the many things Sonakshi had succeeded in doing was to nail this information in his head straight. She couldn't be wrong, could she?
After a few agonising moments of wait, it kick-started. He opened the chat website and turned on to her profile.
"Damn it! She's offline", he cursed. He checked the clock, it was 11 already. And Suha always slept before that. Why, the most difficult thing a seven year old had to do!
He giggled on remembering this line and his chuckle when he'd first heard it.
He quickly looked through the mails, summarised today's work, made an agenda for tomorrow and closed the cover. He kept it on the side table and slipped back under the sheet. Slowly, gradually, he embraced sleep and thus, another uneventful day had ended in peace.
Afternoon, 1
"No no no no no!", He shouted as he glared at the watch. He yet wasn't able to track time, specially through those never ending meetings. It was 1, half an hour past the time Suha's school time ended. Presently, he stood at the gate, nervous and trembling. Not able to predict the punishment he'd get for this unpardonable offence, he ran towards the reception. At the receptionist's table, a tiny girl was standing. In two pleats, neatly ironed uniform and endless energy, he felt beats of joy on merely seeing her.
"Ahem ahem, Miss Bose", he bended and gently tapped her shoulder.
She turned back and her eyes instantly narrowed on him. Needless to say he was terribly late and she was awfully angry.
"You're late Mr. Dixit", she told him sternly.
"I'm sorry Miss Bose", he caught his ears and sadly pouted, intending to melt her heart.
"Two double strawberry layered ice creams with chocofills", she announced the verdict.
"Aye aye!", He lifted her up in his arms and off they went, chattering and blabbering on their way.
Just as Suha had finished licking her sweet delight, they entered the big gates of the Dixit Mansion. The little chap was excited and all worked up for sure, coz she couldn't control her anxiety in meeting her Dadi and Golu.
But before that, they could see Sonakshi waiting for them, with her luggage.
She kissed her on her forehead and after handing over her luggage, Dev let Suha loose from his tight grip and she fled off to the house. As a result, Dev got to steal a few moments with her.
"Isko zyadaa ice creams mat khilaana, specially double layered strawberry waali", she instructed. Dev gulped a lump down his throat. "Yes, Dr. Bose", he mumbled.
"It's Miss Bose for you!", She giggled and left with him staring at her.
"Sonakshi!", He called out in a whisper. She stopped and turned.
And he quickly slipped an envelope in her hands and rushed back to his house, where Suha would be waiting for him.
Surprised, she left in the cab.
"Dev!", Called out Ishwari, with a smile. She loved to have her granddaughter around. She was vying to play the role of a doting granny and now finally, she got the chance to do it.
"Haan Maa!", Entered Dev, with her luggage.
Her face grew dim and solemn. "Use andar aane toh kaha hota Beta", she told.
"Woh nahi aayegi Maa", he replied. He knew she wouldn't step in and she was right in her stance. He didn't want to meddle in with her decisions now. He'd done enough if it in the past.
"Aree koi mujhe khaana dega ki nahi!", Shouted the little fluff, banging the fork and spoon on her empty plate. Both of them rushed to her. While daddy Dev sat beside her, Ishwari went to the kitchen to serve food. There was energy and a lovely spirit in the house after long as it woke up from its long slumber. People were talking, chatting and living, unlike the deadly atmosphere which prevailed for the majority of the time.
"Golu kahan Hai?", She asked after finishing off her lunch. Her dear Dadi had prepared all her favourite dishes like Besan ka halwa, rajma and Mishti dhoi.
Dev couldn't exactly explain how he was. The last time she came, everyone were residing in the house. Suha wasn't much concerned with her Chacha Chachi for they hardly talked to her but she was missing her Motu Bhaiyya Golu.
"Um, Woh..", he tried to come up with a reason. But thankfully, he was cut short with a familiar voice.
"Suhana!", He came running towards them, with Elena slowly entering the room. She smiled towards him who smiled back. This was surely going to be a treat this weekend!
~*~
See y'all awfully soon! *_*
Cheers.
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