Assumption - Ishwari has a change of heart and wants to get her son married, and has completed all necessary talks with a prospective bride, and now wants to arrange a meeting of Dev and the girl, very much like how Sonakshi and Kushal met in the restaurant.
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OS - Dev's Impending Date
"Dev, tumhe use milna hi hoga, milne mein kya harz hai? Shaadi thodi na kar rahe ho?" Ishwari was trying to reason with Dev, just as Sonakshi walked in, as per her daily schedule.
Sonakshi stopped in the living room, greeted Ishwari, nodded to Dev, and said, "Aunty ji, I'll go tell Keechu Bhaiyya about your breakfast." [She says this in Hindi, I am too lazy to type it.]
"Ma, main office jaa raha hoon, main sochunga, I promise." Dev said, reassuring her, jus t so he could leave, before she continued her argument. His mother never showed any interest in getting him married earlier, what on earth caused a change of heart, he wondered.
"Dekha, nutrition, meri ek nahi sunta." Ishwari told Sonakshi who had just come with her beetroot juice.
"Auntyji, Mr. Dixit aapki bahut respect karte hain. I am sure he'll agree."
"Hain?"
"Mera matlab, mujhe yakeen hai, ki woh man jayenge. Waise, aap juice peete peete, yeh bataiye, ki Mr. Dixit ke liye, aapko kaisi biwi chahiye." Sonakshi said, diverting Ishwari's attention from the poorly tasting beetroot juice.
In The Afternoon
Tring Tring'
"Bahut khoob. Haan, main Nikki se kehkar Aaradhya ka number bhijwati hoon."
Ishwari was happy, that Dev had finally agreed to meet the girl, she was sure he would like her. She was perfect for her son and her family.
And then she remembered, "Nikki! Nikki! Jaldi aan. Pata nahi yeh ladki kahan chali jaati hai." Ishwari groaned, trying to look for Nikki.
"Auntyji, Nikki toh ghar par nahi hai, kuch books lene gayi hai college ke liye." Sonakshi walked in. Kuch kaam tha?"
"Arey, Bhagwan, yeh ladki bhi. Pura din woh phone par lagi rehti hai, jab kaam ho, toh college ka bahana banakar chali jaati hai." Ishwari's face fell.
"Kuch kaam ho, to bataiye na, Auntyji. I could try." Sonakshi interceded.
"Woh. Jo ladki, maine Dev ke liye dekhi hai, uska number Dev ko bhejna hai, ab main toh ye phone-wone mein kuch jaanti nahi..toh.."
"I'll send it, Auntyji. Don't worry. Main number bhej dungi, Dev, I mean, Mr. Dixit ko." Sonakshi volunteered to help, it wasn't a big deal for her.
Dev's phone beeped. "Gosh. I swear, I don't want to look at my phone again. Itne disturbance mein, how can anybody work?" He grabbed the phone to put it on silent.
1 Message from Ms. Bose
Curiosity taking the better part of him, he wondered why Sonakshi was messaging him.
Your Mom asked me to share this contact.
Aaradhya - 9XXX
Dev, internally groaned, looking at the message. He had agreed under duress to meet this girl, he wasn't even sure why his mother was subjecting him to such cruelty.
In The Evening
"Dev, itni der kar di aane mein. Tumhe nikalna nahi hai?" Ishwari seemed frantic.
"Ma, there is still time. Sirf 5 baj rahe hain. Meeting 6.30 ko hai. There is lots of time."
"Bhai, it isn't a meeting, it is a date. Finally, koi toh hai, to Bhai lo line mein layengi." Nikki was jumping around, exploiting the one opportunity of pulling her brother's leg.
Neha too chipped in, "Arey, Nikki. Woh toh already line mein hain. Dr. Bose haina, Bhai ko line mein lane ke liye." She gave a knowing smile to her brother.
"Haan, I mean, Bhai actually watched DDLJ because Dr. Bose asked him to. Can you imagine? Jab humne bulaya, toh Bhai ke paas time nahi tha." Riya wasn't one to be left behind, it was a novel experience for them all, to corner their big brother.
"Riya. It was a dare, for God's sake. And, I never back down from a challenge." Dev said, glancing at Sonakshi, trying to defend himself.
"Haan haan, dare aur challenge, jab humne diye, toh humein childish or bachkani kaha tha." Nikki chided him.
"Sach mein, jabse Dr. Bose aayi hain, aap robot kam, insaan zyaada lagne lage ho." Nikki said.
Dev and Sonakshi gave each other an uncomfortable stare.
Trying to mitigate the awkwardness, Dev said, "I think I should go get ready. Delhi traffic ka bharosa nahi."
"Keechu Bhaiyya, ek Black Coffee lana. Jaldi. I have to leave." Dev called out, to the kindly domestic help as he climbed the stairs.
As Keechu was preparing the coffee, Sonakshi stopped him, "Arey, nahi Keechu Bhaiyya. Not Coffee. Make juice for him, gajar ka. He's just come home, and will go out have something, coffee won't help. And, don't worry, I'll take it. Aap par nahi chillayenge." She added, when Keechu hesitated.
"Keechu Bhaiiya, coffee!" Dev yelled from his room, having finished buttoning his white shirt, he turned towards the door in surprise to find Sonakshi. He looked warily at the glass in her hand.
"Kis baat ka badla liya jaa raha hai mujhse?" He asked, not even bothering to argue with her.
"Drink this before you leave." She said, and turned around, but rethinking and turning towards Dev again.
"Mr. Dixit, when I bought this shirt, it didn't look as good as it does now." She said with a small smile.
Dev raised his eyebrows. "Are you complimenting me?" He looked at her with disbelief.
"Well, I was complimenting my choice." She defended.
"That is a very poor comeback. You just said when you bought it, it didn't look good, but now on me, it looks better. Which basically means, you need me to augment your choices." He finished smugly.
"Ahm, Mr. Dixit, if you have the habit to assume things, and assume them wrong, I cannot take the blame. All the best for today. You'll need more than my gift." Sonakshi couldn't just let Dev have the last word.
"Ms. Bose, I don't think I am going to achieve something, or crack a deal. I am going to meet her, because Ma wanted me to."
"So, you aren't interested in women?" She asked.
"Not particularly." Dev said, he didn't really have time for relationships, with his busy schedule and work commitments.
"And men?" Sonakshi prodded.
"Huh?" He didn't realise what she was hinting.
"Mr. Dixit, it is not wrong... I mean, alag hona, it isn't a crime. You are just different... I understand, it is inherent, and we must just be broadminded and accept it. But, you don't worry. I won't tell anyone, not even Auntyji, until you personally go tell her, she loves you so much, even she wouldn't mind." Sonakshi said, trying hard to hide her laughter.
Dev, who was searching for his wallet, stopped and looked up at her, "What are you saying Ms. Bose? Broadminded, different, accepting..." He was genuinely confused.
"Mr. Dixit, aapka aisa hona..." She said, her eyes wide with playfulness.
"Kaisa hona, Ms. Bose?" Dev asked her sternly.
"You not liking women."
"So what... Ms. Bose." Dev's eyes grew wide with realisation and he put the pieces together. "Jaisa aap soch rahin hain, waise kuch nahi hain, Ms. Bose. You... are.. wrong." Dev said, embarrassed and awkward.
"It is okay, you don't really have to hide. I told you, main kisi se kuch nahi kahungi. Rehne dijiye. But, please, aap kisi ladki se shaadi mat kariye. She deserves better." Saying so, Sonakshi turned around to leave, laughing when she suddenly stopped.
Sonakshi felt a tug on her hand, and turned to find Dev holding her hand.
Dev pulled her towards him, and Sonakshi came crashing into his arms, taken aback. His hand left hers and went around her back, joining his other hand, effectively caging her in his hold. Sonakshi's breathing became heavy, initially due to Dev's unanticipated reaction, and then, because of their proximity.
Dev pulled her closer still, looking directly into her eyes. Their noses weren't touching. Yet.
They could feel each other's breaths, deep and in pants. Sonakshi's hands automatically went up his chest, trying to balance herself. They stared at each other, their heart rates increasing, neither wanting to look away, sweat beads forming on their foreheads.
Dev had no idea, why he did it, but now, there was no backing off.
His hand, holding her on the small of her back, moved to her slender waist, and Sonakshi gasped.
"Do you really think, I am not interested in women?" Dev breathed against her mouth, to which Sonakshi's eyes widened, with realisation, and before she could come to her senses, Dev had released her and left the room.
The End
Note - There is a HINT for a future OS of mine, an idea that I will write as an OS later. The people who guess the right idea will be credited when I post that OS. 😉
All the talk about nutrition, is my own version of it with a zero iota of truth in it. 😆 But, if somebody knows about nutritive content etc. feel free to correct me. 😳
There MAY be a sequel to this story, depending on how things work.
More of DevAkshi -
OS: The Aftermath Of The Nikki Fiasco
DevAkshi Index - Flowing Thoughts - My Fiction Index
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
