Devakshi FF: Reaching Out (Updated Chapter 29 Epilogue AN- Pg 142) - Page 100

Devakshi FF: Reaching Out

Part 24

Ranveer was flipping through a case file when he heard a set of loud bangs on his door.

He wondered who it could be for a few seconds. The banging grew louder and quicker. He jumped up from his chair and made his way towards the main door. By now the banging was at such a point that if Ranveer didn't hurry up, the door might be broken down. And he knew exactly who was on the other side by the nature of the noise.

"Aar aha hoon, aa raha hoon! he yelled and the swung the door open before it could be removed from its hinges.

It revealed Dev on the other side, which Ranveer already knew. But what was surprising was the fact that Dev's eyes were rimmed with red. Ranveer sucked in a sharp breath to realise that his friend had been crying. And that was something, because Dev never broke down until the sadness was unbearable.

"Kya hua Dev? he asked worried.

Dev walked past him into the house without a word. Ranveer followed him. Dev had seated himself on Ranveer's couch. His friend joined him there.

"Bol na Dev, kya hua? Ranveer asked again.

Dev remained quiet. After a point when Ranveer thought he wouldn't answer, Dev took a deep breath and looked a Ranveer.

"Woh chali gayi Ranveer he told his friend.

Ranveer looked confused. "Kaun chali gayi?

Sonakshi ran past Asha into the bedroom, threw herself onto the bed and let her tears flow freely. She couldn't hold it in anymore. How could he have thought that she wouldn't be happy with him? Did he ever trust her love for him? And now she had asked him to stay away. But in reality, she wanted the exact opposite. She wanted to stay with him. But how could she? There was no relationship without trust, no matter which kind of trust it was.

Asha came into the room right behind her. "Shona! Kya hua beta? she sat beside her daughter on the bed.

"Sab khatam ho gaya Ma, sab khatam ho gaya! she cried putting her head on her mother's lap. Asha tried to sooth her daughter.

"Kya khatam ho gaya? Theek se bol Shona. Itna mat ro!

Sonakshi cried harder. It seemed like she couldn't control it. All the pent up emotions had broken through. Over and above that, the thought that she would have to spend her life away from Dev, was breaking her.

Asha was in greater distress, seeing her daughter hurting. She wanted to reduce the pain, but before that she would have to know what was wrong.

"Shona, please beta, batao na, ki hoyechhey*?

Sonakshi took deep breaths trying to calm down enough so that she could tell Asha. She needed to vent it. If she didn't her might just explode with all the pain.

"Woh-Woh Dev... she began.

Asha silently urged her on.

"Woh mujhsey duur gaye kyunki unhey lagta hai ki main unke saath khush nahin rahoongi. Unhey lagta hai unkey life me huye problems ke karan, woh mujhey khush nahin rakh payengey! she said, in disbelief, still trying to digest what Dev had told her an hour ago.

Asha took her words in. She realised what the problem was. But she didn't say anything. She let Sonakshi continue.

" Unsey Natasha ne kahan, aur unhoney vishwaas kar liya. Mujhsey poochey bina hi. Unhoney ek pal ke liye bhi mujhsey baat karne ke baarey me nahin socha! Sonakshi cried out, sitting up. Her anger was returning.

"Thoda sa bhi bharosa nahin kiya unhoney mere pyaar pe. He just decided to leave she said getting up from the bed.

"Aur phir jab unhoney mujhey Jatin ke saath dekha, he realised how thoughtless his actions were. Aur chaley aye mujhey batane ki main Jatin se duur rahoon! she said running her hand through her hair in frustration.

Asha wasn't surprised when Jatin was mentioned because Sonakshi had told her everything that morning when they were out shopping. She even told Asha about Dev's appearance outside her house the night before. So Asha didn't interrupt her here either.

"Jab chaha mujhey apney life se nikal diya, jab chaha wapas bulane aa gaye, aisa kaise ho sakta hai Ma? Main koi khilona hoon kya? she asked outraged now.

Asha quietly said, " Nahin.

Sonakshi wiped her tears, " Isiliye maine unsey duur rehne ko kahan Ma. Sab kuch khatam kar diya maine she said, and slumped onto the bed again.

Asha took that as her cue to begin. She moved towards Sonakshi and wrapped her into a warm embrace.

"Dekh beta, tuney jo kuch kahan ya kiya, sab theek kiya. Mujhey pata tha ki tu kabhi koi Galati nahin kar sakti. Itni samajhdaar jo hai meri beti she told Sonakshi, smiling down at her. Sonakshi only sobbed lightly in response.

"Par main Dev ko bhi poori tarah galat nahin keh sakti beta she told Sonakshi truthfully. Sonakshi's head snapped up.

"Kya? she asked her mother, stunned. Asha nodded solemnly before explaining what she meant.

" Haan, woh galat tha. Tujhsey bina baat kiye, woh chala gaya. Ki usneye tujhey poochna zaroori nahin samjha. Tu sahi hai, yeh sab galat hai she clarified.

Sonakshi furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. But before she could ask why, Asha continued.

"Par tujhey yeh samajhna hoga ki usneye aisa kyun kiya. Achha, tu hi bata, tujhey kya lagta hai, usneye aisa kyun kiya? Asha asked her daughter conversationally.

Sonakshi looked away, "Kyunki woh mere pyaar par bharosa nahin karte.

Asha nodded in disagreement, " Bilkul nahin. Woh toh tujhseye pyaar bhi karta hai, aur jahan se main dekh rahi hoon, usey tere pyaar pe poora bharosa hai.

Sonakshi grew more confused by the minute at her mother's words.

"Yeh aap kya keh rahi ho Ma? she asked, trying to understand.

"Haan. Sahi keh rahi hoon main. Ussey tujhpey bharosa hai. Usko agar kisi pe bharosa nahin hai, toh woh apney aap peye. Woh darta hai Asha explained taking Sonakshi's hand in hers.

"Tuney aaj tak uske barein me mujhey jo kuch bhi bataya ussey pata chalta hai ki usneye apni life me bohot saari cheezon ko leke struggle kiya hai. Isiliye jab ussey khushi ka ek mauka mila, usneye daar ke marey use bhi duur karna chaha, taaki uski wajah se, uski khushi ko kuch na ho. Samjhi?

Sonakshi stared in awe at her mother. Why did she never think of this? Now that she heard her mother say these words, she felt very stupid. This is exactly what Dev had been doing all his life, putting everyone else before him. And this time, he had done it again. And in her anger and pain, she had thought he didn't trust her enough. She wanted to smack herself.

Sonakshi was snapped back to reality when her mother said, " Ek baat bata?

Sonakshi blinked to focus, "Kya?

"Tune abhi jo kuch bhi kahan, usmeye tune yeh kyun nahin kahan ki shayad woh tujhseye utna pyaar nahin karta? Tu itni confident kyun thi ki issue bharosa hai, pyaar nahin? Asha asked looking curious, but she also had this knowing gleam in her eye.

Sonakshi answered without missing a beat, " Kyunki woh mujhsey utna hi pyaar karte hai, jitna ki main unseye. Yeh mujhey pehley se hi pata tha. Kisiko kehne ki zaroorat nahin thi. Par Dev ne aaj mujhsey kahan bhi ki woh mujhsey pyaar karte hai. Par unkey bina kahey bhi mujhey pata tha.

"Aur kya tu uspe bharosa karti hai? Asha asked in way as if she already knew the answer.

Sonakshi wiped away the remaining tears, " Bharose ke bina pyaar kaise hoga Ma? Main Dev se pyaar karti hoon, toh main unpar poora bharosa bhi karti hi hoongi.

Asha smiled knowingly, " Dekh tune khud hi keh diya. Bharose ke bina pyaar nahin hota. Toh agar Dev tujhsey pyaar karta hai, iska matlab woh tujhpey bharosa karta hi hai.

Sonakshi's eyes widened. How did her mother always do that? Solve a problem so easily? Sonakshi sat still in shock. She had interpreted everything wrong. The problem had never been his trust on her. It had been his trust on his own capabilities. He was scared. That is why he did what he did. Sonakshi didn't know what to say. She just stared at her mother.

"Ma, aap toh Dev se mile bhi nahin, aur Psychiatrist toh main hoon! Aapneye kaise keh diya yeh sab? she asked still in awe.

Asha laughed, " Kyunki main Ma hoon samjhi pagal?

Sonakshi laughed at that. But then she grew silent again.

"Kya hua ab? Asha asked concerned.

Sonakshi sighed deeply, " Par Dev khud yeh nahin samajhte Ma. Hum toh samajh gaye. Par jab tak woh in baton ko khud handle nahin karte kuch nahin badlega. Isiliye main unke paas wapas nahin ja sakti Ma. Ab kuch nahin ho sakta she said, dejected. Nothing seemed brighter though everything was clear now.

Asha couldn't see her daughter in pain. She sat quietly thinking what she could do to help Sonakshi. Suddenly her mobile phone rang. Asha picked it up. The moment her eyes landed on the caller Id, she smiled.

Dev groaned and rolled over. The bed seemed unfamiliar to him and he it felt like there was paper stuck in his throat. He heaved himself up and looked around. The room was dark, so was the sky outside, from what he could see through the window. He blindly reached for something on his right and his hand came in contact with something. He fumbled around and managed to switch the bedside lamp on, which his hand had hit.

He looked around and realised he was in Ranveer's bedroom. And the memories hit him like a ton of bricks. He reached for his phone when he spotted it on the same bedside table where the lamp sat. It was eight in the evening. This meant he had slept through the day, after having had a breakdown last night. And he was grateful to have Ranveer by his side.

The man had said nothing, but had let Dev rant and rave and had comforted him as best as he could. Having spent all his energy Dev had fallen into a fitful sleep in the morning. That was after Ranveer had left for work. He had wanted to stay back with his friend, but Dev had thrown him out at 11 AM. But Ranveer had not left without making Dev swear to rest and get some sleep. And Dev had kept his promise. Well he needed too, if he wanted to gain his spent strength back to go after Sonakshi.

Of course he would go after her. He had been an idiot to let things fall apart. But he wouldn't do that again. He had decided it last night. He would fix everything. Nobody needed to coax him into it. He had already known it when he had made his way to Ranveer's house after his horrible confrontation with Sonakshi. He just needed to sort everything out in his head and that he had done last night.

He forced himself to get out of bed. He needed a shower to feel better. And Ranveer would be back any moment. He needed to tell Ranveer his plans and then he would be off. As he put on a pair of Ranveer's jeans and T-shirt after his shower, he stuffed his dirty clothes into a bag. That is when he heard the front door open. As Dev made his way out to the drawing room, he heard two voices. He recognised the voices instantly.

Two seconds later he came face to face with them. Ranveer and Neha. It wasn't a surprise to see them together. And he knew Ranveer had told Neha everything, so that wasn't a surprise either. But when his eyes landed on their expressions he felt odd. They both looked very grave. It might have been out of worry for him. But something told him that wasn't the case. So he got straight to the point.

"Kya hua?

Ranveer motioned for Neha to tell him. Neha took a deep breath.

"Bhaiyya, Sonakshi...

Dev waited for Neha to continue. He got a bad feeling, but he suppressed it, waiting for Neha to finish. But the words that followed from Neha, extinguished any hope in his chest.

Sonakshi tightened the seat belt and looked out the window. She had this sudden urge to bawl her eyes out. But she felt a reassuring hand on her. She turned to look at Asha, who was sitting beside her. Her mother smiled at her.

Sonakshi returned the smiled and looked out the window again.

Asha was right. This was the best solution. She had to get the Dev out of her mind now.

And this Engagement was going to help her do it.

***********************************************************

So what did you think of this Chapter?

Do let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

I'll be replying to all pending comments after Sunday's update!

Lots of Love

Mishti ❤️