New Devakshi 3 shot - Love, Life and Second Chances - Page 2

Part 2: Mr. Dev Dixit (aka Dev)

At the very moment when Sona's flight landed on the Delhi soil, Dev Dixit was just trying to open his eyes on the luxurious bed of a suite in a plush five star hotel in Delhi. He opened his eyes and shut his eyes again as he had just woken up with a massive headache as a result of drinking too much the previous night. He sat up on the bed and realized that he had not even changed his clothes. He asked for some medication for his headache and some lemon juice from the ever helpful room service. He had the medicine and the lemon juice and decided to sleep for some more time. He woke up a little later feeling better. He took off his shirt and switched on his phone. There were many missed calls from his mother which he ignored. He then did something that he did every morning without fail. He opened the gallery of photos and spent a good five minutes looking at his favourite photo of his ex-wife Sona - one he had clicked of her on the day of the muh dikhai a couple of days after their wedding. She was dressed in a blue green banarasi saree and heavy traditional jewellery, her hair was in a low bun and she wearing a gajra made of jasmine flowers which he had got for her. The parting in her hair was filled with sindoor and she was wearing the mangalsutra around her neck. He used to always tell her "I am not a traditional man Sona but whenever I see the sindoor in your hair, the mangalsutra around your neck and the red and white bangles in your wrists I am so proud that its all for me!". Sona's response would always be her beautiful smile and a tight hug.

He sighed and said aloud to the photo "Do you know how much I love you and miss you and long to hold you in my arms? Do you even think of me or am I just a bad memory for you? I know I was wrong because I hid your medical condition from you. But how was I to know all that you had to face at home from Maa, from Neha and from Mamiji. You did not trust me enough to tell me your problems. Till it was too late. Maybe we could have done something Sona. Come back please. We deserve another chance at happiness. You had promised me that you would always stay by my side and yet you left me when I needed you the most." Dev was now bundle of contradictions. He was different from the Dev that Sona left behind and yet is some ways he was the same. Sona took away his childlike innocence with her. The man she left behind was bitter and had no place for any kind of love or softer emotions in his life anymore. He wouldn't stay at home and preferred to live in the impersonal suite of a five star hotel. More often than not he drank heavily in the lonely evenings till he passed out. He tried dating a couple of women but things never went beyond a few dates as he would eventually realize that no one could ever replace Sona. Once he even brought a poor girl back to the suite and she was even willing to go the whole hog but he couldn't get himself to do anything beyond getting her there. That day he decided he wouldn't do it again. When he was sober he would often question his decision of waiting for someone whose whereabouts he didn't have a clue about. Had she married again? All he knew is that till he knew for himself that Sona had indeed moved on with someone else he wouldn't be able to even consider someone else in his life. He wanted to meet Sona one more time.

His business flourished and though Vicky was officially the CEO of the Company Dev retained the decision making himself. As he earned more money the more dissatisfied he was with his life. Ishwari tried her best through emotional blackmail and tears to get Dev to marry again but he simply refused and never spoke about Sona to her and never allowed her to speak about Sona in front of him. He kept that part of his life to himself. He got Neha married to a rich businessman in USA and Rhea to an IT Specialist in Delhi. The guy Rhea married was Vinay and she was very happy as he kept her very well. He was at the end of the day, a salaried professional, but to Rhea money was never the major criterion and she was happy and continued to work in Dev's office. Nicky was studying at IIM Ahmedabad. After Sona left home, there was a change in Nicky and she was no longer the happy go lucky girl that she was. Other than Dev she was the one who was most impacted with Sona's departure from their house because she was very close to Sona and somehow always felt that her brother did not try hard enough to get Sona back.

Dev's phone rang disturbing his thoughts. It was Natasha - she said "Hey Dev. I want you to come to an event with me. You remember I spoke about that NGO which is doing phenomenal work on providing medical facilities for poor people. They are having a charity event today and we need to be there. I hope you will come with me". Dev agreed and kept the phone down. He bumped into Natasha two weeks back and they became friends again. She probably still liked him and he liked her but only as a friend. But he knew that she expected that this time the relationship could be something more.So her felt a little guilty about the whole thing and decided to speak to her and end this "friendship" after the dinner today.

He sighed and went in for a shower. He went to work and in the evening he picked up Natasha and they reached Taj Mansingh for the event. He was wearing a formal black suit and a stubble. Natasha was dressed in an offshoulder black gown with diamonds around her neck and ears. They made a very good looking couple. As they entered the ballroom he sighted Dr. Jatin Gupta an acquaintance and went upto him. After they shook hands Jatin said "Come this way Dev, Natasha. I want to introduce you to the person who looks after the work of our NGO at Kolkata. She is a very skilled pediatric surgeon and the head of surgery at a renowned hospital in Kolkata. Yet she manages to devote a lot of her time for this cause" They went upto a lady dressed in a pale pink saree with short hair who was talking to someone else, with her back to them. When Jatin called out to her, she turned around smiling and he was stunned to see Sona after so many years. She looked different with her glasses and short hair and yet so so pretty. Dev was stunned and continued to stare at her.

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Part 3: Its Dev and Sona once again!

Dev and Sona continued to just stare at each other silently for a few minutes till Natasha cleared her throat and said "Sona! Its so good to see you after so many years! You look so different and so pretty!" Sona tore her eyes from Dev and looked at Natasha and smiled as said "Yes Natasha! This is such a wonderful surprise and its really good to see you after so many years!" She moved forward and gave her a hug. They moved apart and Sona then spoke to a still silent Dev "Dev! How are you?" Dev heard her voice and was jolted out of his reverie. He said "I am good. How are you?" Sona only smiled and didn't reply.

Just then her mobile rang and she looked at the number and said "You guys must excuse me for a few minutes - I need to take this call" They all nodded and Sona smiled again and went to the balcony nearby to take the call. She said "Hello Bridget! Yes tell me!" Bridget was her favourite matron at the hospital and she had called about some patient. Sona responded to her queries and ended the call saying "I will be back tomorrow evening and will be at the hospital the day after. Yes you also take care. Bye!" She disconnected the call and took a deep breath and walked back in. Dev was waiting for her. JAtin and Natasha were not around. She went upto him and said "So..." Dev did not respond and both stood awkwardly. Dev was just drinking in her presence much like how a thirsty man behaves in a desert when he views an oasis. He noted everything about her - her short hair, her glasses, the simple yet elegant sari, the lack of jewellery and the simple make up - everything. He was about to speak when Jatin came there and said "There is someone else I needed you to meet. If we may" he said nodding at Dev. Dev nodded back and she left Dev felt irrationally jealous when he saw Jatin just touching her elbow and leading her to another group of persons.

Dev went to the bar and asked for a scotch on the rocks. When he took the first sip Natasha was by his side "Don't let her go this time Dev." Dev looked surprised at her and said "How did you know?" She said "I know Dev that your heart always belonged to Sona and that you would never look at me the way you look at her. That's why." Dev said "I am lucky to have a friend like you." Natasha smiled wryly and said "Yes ironically I couldn't be anything more than that. But go and talk to Sona now." He nodded and went looking for her. Just then there was an announcement and he saw Sona walk up to the dais and she spoke on the work being done and the projects undertaken during the year and ended it with a vote of thanks to all the people who had contributed generously for this work. She spoke very well and with a lot of passion and Dev was very proud and happy when people around him were also impressed. When she got off the dais there were people waiting to speak to her and she patiently answered all the questions. The event was finally over after an hour. Sona could feel Dev's eyes on her all evening and it was making her feel more uncomfortable. They finally finished and she was surprised to not find him around.

She was a little disappointed that he made no attempt to speak to her. She bid good bye to the others and went back to her room. She got in and switched on the lights and had just sat down on one of the chairs when the doorbell rang. Sighing her got up and opened the door and found Dev standing there. She was surprised but she moved aside and let him in. Dev walked in and she signaled him to sit on one of the chairs and she sat on the bed. Dev spoke first "Wont you ask me why am I here?"

She said "What brings you here Dev?" He came and sat next to her on the bed and looked into her eyes and asked her instead "How are you Sona?" and just stared into her eyes. His gaze was fixed and she felt his eyes were looking into her soul. His eyes always gave away his mind - they were light brown when he was happy, dark brown when aroused, a muddy brown when angry but today they were a shade she had never seen before and he was calm. After what seemed like an eternity, she cleared her throat and said "I am fine Dev. How about you?" Dev looked at her and said "I am not fine Sona. I have not been fine since that fateful day seven years back that you walked out of my life... I thought I would die without even meeting you again" Sona blinked away her tears and said "Don't speak like that Dev. I went away because you told me that night to go away from you life and I did that."

Dev murmured "but you promised me that you would never leave my side - that you would fight the world for me but you left me when I needed you the most in my life... I was at my lowest then..."

Sona got up from the bed and went and stood by the window overlooking the garden.. "What would have happened if I had stayed back Dev. We would have fought again and there would have been more unrest between our families" Dev's reply was philosophical "Sona, the only thing that kept me going in the last seven years was the hope that one day we would meet again."

Sona's response was "Why Dev? Everything is over between us"

Dev: Tell me Sona did you ever think of me in the last seven years. I have not spent a day without thinking of you. This is not fair. You never told me how much you suffered at home. How was I to know all the taunts that you had to bear from Maa and Mamiji. You never trusted me enough to tell me the problems that you were facing at home."

Sona: "You know the real reason why I never told you... it was because I was not sure whether you would have understood me or supported me. Somewhere deep down I felt that for you I was never important. I am and was never as strong as you thought I was Dev. I didn't want you to discard me."

Dev: "What do you mean you thought I will not support you. I always thought that you were a part of me. Yes I made a mistake. I never told you about your medical condition. But I was scared of losing you before marriage. I knew for sure that if you found out about your medical condition you wouldn't marry me. I didn't want to take that chance. You were the reason I was breathing and living Sona. After you went away I was breathing but I was not living."

Sona: "I have also been very lonely Dev. The last few years have been very tough for me. I have no one to stand by my side. When we were thrown out of our home in Delhi, Baba had a stroke and now he is better but still on a wheelchair. The first few months were terrible. Do you know how many months I waited for you to call me - if you had called me even once I would have back into your arms."

Dev: "And I waited for you to call me Sona. Was I so bad or did you hate me so much that you never turned back even once to see me."

Sona by now was very emotional and hot tears started flowing down her cheeks. Dev got up immediately and helped her sit on one of the sofas and he himself sat down on the floor. He leaned and wiped her tears and said "Sona please don't cry I still cant see your tears. They pierce my heart. I am sorry I probably shouldn't have come back." As he got up to leave, Sona held his hand and said "Please don't leave. I need to speak to you." Dev sat back on the floor and told her "Yes - tell me."

Sona cleared her throat and asked him "Are you married to Natasha?" Dev smiled sarcastically and counter questioned her "Why? Would that make a difference to you if I said yes?" Sona said "I need to know Dev. I couldn't bear to look at any man after you because you still had my heart. My mind and heart were always at war and finally I realized that I was better off alone because I wouldn't be doing justice to the other person. I stopped the nonsense more than 5 years back. Now my life revolves only around work and the NGO." Dev replied softly "I would be lying if I said that you didn't take away a part of me with you went away seven years ago. You took away my heart and that the child in me when you left Sona. Without you I lived and fulfilled my responsibilities- I got Neha married again to a rich guy in USA, Rhea is in Delhi and married and still works in my office, Nicky is studying in UK. Vicky is now the CEO of my Company and I manage to keep him away from all business decisions as he is hopeless. Yes my mother and mamaji and Mamiji - I have made sure they are well off. But in all this I am very lonely ... without you. I don't have anything to look forward. Did you know that most nights I stay in a hotel, in an impersonal room, stone drunk because the memories always haunt me at night on our bed at home. I tried dating girls - even a doctor or two but within the first two or three meetings I realise that I am looking for you in each of them and then I refuse to meet them again. And yes to answer your question, Natasha is my friend only and she knows that I am still madly in love with you and you only."

Sona hesitantly put her hand on Dev's head and said "Do you think we should give each other aother chance?" Dev looked up surprised and Sona noticed tears swimming in his eyes and said he said "Are you serious?" Sona got up and picked him up and made his stand and she said "Yes because we both made mistakes and we both are still where we were seven years back. We have not moved on emotionally. So I think we deserve another chance at happiness and love. What do you say?" Dev smiled and he said "This is why I love you Ms. Bose. I am ready for it. But I am scared too." Sona took his hands in hers and said "But Dev this time we are there for each other and we will be each others' strength. We will work it out. I am not saying lets get married tomorrow. But lets discover each other again and I am sure that we will find love."

Dev engulfed her in a tight hug and placing a kiss on her forehead he whispered "Thanks Sona... for this chance. Lets try and work it out this time. I promise you this time I wont make mistakes because you are there with me." Sona responded by resting her head against his shoulders and hugging him back. Tomorrow would be after all another day bringing with it new hopes and aspirations.