CHAPTER-9
Sajde kiye hain laakhon,
Laakhon duaaein maangi,
Paaya hai maine phir tujhe...
Chaahat ki teri maine haqq mein hawaaein maangi,
Paaya hai maine phir tujhe...
Dev kept on holding a still Sonakshi in his arms in her room... He had proposed marriage to her, and after exuding her tired emotions Sonakshi had finally agreed to his proposal... Though both stood stand still after he had slipped a ring on her ring finger, and Dev kept her close to his heart quietly hugging each other in peace; a shudder ran through Dev's entire body that didn't go amiss with Sonakshi...
She looked up from her head resting on his chest... There was a certain kind of emotion that she was able to read as well something that she could not determine on his face... "Dev, aap theek toh hain? Kya baat hai?" Sonakshi pulled his hand and made him sit on her bed, she sat next to him, holding his palm in her hands... "Darr lag raha hai aapko?" Sonakshi could guess it... On his nod she asked- "Abhi toh aap keh rahe they ki aap mere hisse ka bhi duniya se ladd lenge, par mera saath kabhi nahi chodenge... Kya ho gaya Mr. Dixit, itni jaldi haar maan gaye? Itni jaldi humare future se darr gaye?" Sonakshi laughed... Though she had meant it in a jocular manner, she knew he wasn't lying...
This time he shook his head negatively- "Future se nahi Sonakshi, apne past se... Sach poocho toh mujhe aaj bhi nightmares aate hain uss scene ke jab maine tumhe Ritwick ke saath shaadi karke vida lete hue dekha tha... Har baar ek naya variation hota tha... Kabhi main tumse plead karta ki mat jaao, kabhi tumhare maa-baba se maafi maangta, kabhi maa se meri khushiyon ki request karta, aur kabhi gussa hoke sab kuch bigaad deta ki bas kisi tarah tum Ritwick ke saath na jaao... Jitne bhi tarah se iss nightmare ko dekha Sonakshi, it ended up me crying in my sleep, and I would eventually wake up with a wet face... Main jitna iss baat ko bhoolne ki koshish karta ki tum ab meri nahi ho, main utna hi zyada tumhe yaad karta... Glasses par glasses bharke alcohol consume karta ki bas sab kuch bhool jaaoon... Par Sonakshi mera dil ye bhoolne ko taiyyar hi nahi hota tha ki tum ab meri nahi ho... Kitna main wish karta tha ki kisi tarah tum meri ho jaati... Kaash humara rishta judd jaata... How I wish you could have been mine..." For the first time in many months of knowing this Dev Version 2.0 did he expressed his pains that probably no one knew... His eyes were leaking with liquid pain...
"Shhh... Dev, ab toh main aapki hoon na... See?" Sonakshi showed him the finger he had slipped the ring on... "I am yours, and that is the bottom line... Bas ab aur palat ke mat dekhiye Dev... Hum hain ek dusre ke saath, kaafi hai..." Sonakshi had cupped Dev's face that she had hugged to her bosom, to somehow relieve him out of his pain just an inch even how he had done wonders on her a few minutes ago...
Tujhse hi dil ye behla,
Tu jaise kalma pehla,
Chaahoon na phir kyu main tujhe...
Jis pal na chaaha tujhko,
Uss pal sazaayein maangi,
Paaya hai maine phir tujhe...
Sajde kiye hain laakhon,
Laakhon duaaein maangi,
Paaya hai maine phir tujhe...
"Sorry-sorry!!! Main ab tak call nahi utha paaya tha Sonakshi... The phone was in the room, and neeche kaafi kuch ho gaya itni deir mein..." Dev had finally come back to his room after the long day, at night... He had thought of calling her as soon as he reaches from his office, but the turn of events kept him super busy...
"Kya hua Dev? Everything all right?" Sonakshi was a tad worried for his family, even when nobody cared for her much over there... But nevertheless they were Dev's family and she will not keep on grudges with them, she had vowed and thus treated them well even now...
"Haan... Sab kuch theek hai... Actually when I was coming home, toh ghar pochochne se just pehle meri car ka engine off ho gaya... The driver had called a mechanic, and I walked back home since it was barely a walking distance... So there was no voice and noise of my entry at home... I don't usually consider what people are talking on phone, but something that Maamiji was talking on call made me intrigued... She had been muttering into the phone as if she was a thief... "Nahi Neha, tu pagal ho gayi hai kya? Tu chaahti hai ki ye Gareeb ki Beti ko bhi iss ghar se nikaal diya jaaye, jaise tujhe nikaal diya gaya tha? Haaye-haaye Neha, tu toh akeli hai, na toh tujhe apne pati ke saath rehna aur na tere koi bachhe hain... Tum toh mooh utaaye chali aati ho aur chali jaati ho, tumhara kya jaa raha hai... Par mere toh pati bhi hain aur Gareeb ki beti ka beta bhi hai, mujhe toh unka khayal rakhna padega na? Dev ne hum sabko bhi ghar se nikaal diya, jaise tujhe nikaala toh hum kahan jaayenge? Mere paas paise nahi hain, aur main jeeji ke kamre se ab chori nahi kar sakti... Dev ghar mein paise rakhta nahi hai zyada... Kahan se laake doon paise... Tu dekh le, tujhe kya karna hai, apne Dev bhaiyya ke pairon mein jaake gir jaa... Maafi maang le... Baad mein dikhaana apne rang... Main tere liye iss ghar se nahi jaaungi..." Dev tried narrating out the one side conversation he had heard Maamiji having with Neha...
"Phir Neha ghar laut ke aayi? Honestly Dev, you have been too much harsh on her... Ladki hai, Delhi mein aise akele, ghar se alag... Kuch ho jaata toh?" Sonakshi admonished Dev...
"Kuch nahi hota Sonakshi... Tumhe lagta hai ki main itna irresponsible bhai hoon ki Neha ghar ke baahar aise akele reh rahi ho, aur main uski safety ki fikar na karoon... Bunty ko 24x7 toh laga ke rakha tha uski safety ke liye... I was getting updates on her..." Dev told.
"What were her updates Dev? She was fine, she came home?" Sonakshi asked.
"She was probably running short of money to pay to the hotel authorities... She understood nothing what to do when she didn't even have money enough to pay for her room rent... That is why she had called Maamiji to provide her for some money to at least pay the pending room rent... When even Maamiji refused to help her, she was in tears... She couldn't understand where to go... Then is when she understood what I had meant her to understand when I had allowed her to leave the house... Sonakshi, can you believe, she didn't call me for the rescue, but to her husband... Ranveer met her, they both reconciled in the hotel lobby only. He paid all her pending bills, and took her home... Bunty told me..." Dev sounded satisfied this time... His sister was back with her husband, he was so happy.
"Par Dev, aapko Neha ko ek baar call toh kar lena chahiye tha na... I mean she must be feeling that her brother has disowned her..." Sonakshi explained... "Kya? Aap hans kyu rahe hain?" Sonakshi asked when she heard his soft laugh...
"Bunty ek dum gadha hai... Itne din Neha ki nazar mein nahi aaya, aaj neha ranveer mile, and wo bhi pakda gaya... Neha ne dekh liya tha usko, and she confronted... Toh that donkey told her everything... Now neha felt all the worse... So before going to their home, Neha and Ranveer visited us... Neha packed rest of her stuffs, and thanked me for saving her marriage... Pagli..." Dev had a fond smile on his face...
"I am happy for you Dev... Your family is being happy again... It's good to see... I hope Maamiji and Neha had no showdown..." Sonakshi asked the dreaded question...
"Of course, they were about to... Neha was furious on Maami for not helping... But on my shake of head she didn't put herself in the mud sledging... I have sent Maami and the family back to their home..." Dev told...
"Their home? The one that got burnt in an accident?" Sonakshi asked unsure.
"Sona, that house didn't burn on itself... The house was deliberately put on fire. The insurance company investigates before giving away compensation, and they found traces of fuels used deliberately. Well, they didn't give any compensation... I gave Maamaji that money myself without telling him that no insurance claim was received." Dev told.
"You mean, somebody had set fire into the house? Is there some enemy?" Sonakshi was horrified... She alone understood what a house means to a middle-class person, and somebody setting fire to their home is a huge thing.
"Yes! One enemy that is called greed had set fire to the house... Maamiji wanted to stay in our house and found no other way, so she burnt her house, a neighbor there confirmed that she saw Radha Rani buying Kerosene Oil..." Dev told.
"So, you finally got it reconstructed?" she asked.
"Yes, in a way lavish manner than maami ji earlier had... Just in case she is sated with her greed..." he told.
"Dev, what's the surety that she won't do this again? I mean, who can burn this house once, can't she do it again?" Sonakshi asked tiredly.
"No, I had made sure in solitude to convey to her about her lie known to me... I have warned her that this new house should not be damaged at any cost... Next time she won't come to Ishwari Niwas, she will have to turn to jail... And you know how scared she was... So yeah, Maamiji and family also gone..." Dev huffed a breath and told finally what all happened ever since he was back from office...
"Chaliye, jo hua achhe ke liye hua... Aap tired honge na, change and take rest na Mr. Dixit..." Sonakshi asked.
"Kya aisa nahi ho sakta ki aap mujhse tab tak baatein karein jab tak main so na jaaun?" Dev asked...
"Ho sakta hai na..." Sonakshi said, and both began talking until both were asleep at the respective ends with the deep breaths could be heard on both the speakers...
Jaane tu saara wo,
Dil mein jo mere ho,
Padh le tu aankhein har dafah,
Nakhre se naaji bhi,
Hote hain raazi bhi,
Tujhse hi hote hain khafaa...
Jaane tu baatein saari,
Kat ti hain raatein saari,
Jalte diye si unbujhe...
Uth uth ke raaton ko bhi,
Teri wafaaein maangi,
Paaya hai maine phir tujhe...
Sajde kiye hain laakhon,
Laakhon duaaein maangi,
Paaya hai maine phir tujhe...
"Ishwari ji, Namoshkaar, main Asha bol rahi hoon... Sonakshi ki maa..." Ishwari had a call from Asha... Ishwari knew that Dev had initiated the word for marriage and got their approval too... But since he asked no further step to be taken, she painstakingly waited for what happens next... Radha Rani Bhabhi and Bhaiyya weren't here anymore to consult; Neha was busy setting up her married life from the scratch and she didn't want to disturb her now... All she had Riya and Nikki to talk to, who advised Ishwari to take it slowly and act only when she is asked to, or Dev Bhaiyya might get angry... And so Ishwari waited...
"Ji Asha ji, Namaste..." Ishwari smiled hearing a cordial call for the first time in months...
"Ishwari ji, Dev babu hum sab ke saamne shaadi ki baat karke gaye they... Lekin hum chaahte hain ki aap aayein yahan... Hum aapse baat karna chaahte hain... Bijoy, main aur Shona ki daadi... Agar possible ho toh din mein hi... Hum shona ke absence mein baat kar lein toh achaa hain..." Asha told.
"Main ek ghante mein pohchu aapke ghar Asha ji?" Ishwari was ecstatic... After days and months, she is being asked a say into her son's life, and a decision as big as his wedding... Ishwari knew no bounds of happiness...
An hour later Ishwari wearing one of those silk sarees she wore on occasions was sitting in the hall of the Bose house... Sourabh served her fresh fruit juice that he knew Sona gave her too earlier... They all sat to talk... Asha began first.
"Ishwari ji, pichle ek-dedh saal mein bohot kuch ho gaya, zindagiyaan ulat-palat gayi... Unmein se ek bada sach ye ki Shona ka divorce hua hai... Hum Shona ko aur koi takleef mein nahi dekhna chaahte isliye saaf-saaf aapko bata rahe hain- "Shona ke uterus, matlab bachhedaani mein kuch problem hai... Wo maa nahi ban sakti... Aur isi wajah se uske pehle pati aur sasural walo ne usko chodh diya, talaaq de diya... Ye sach hum aapse chupaana nahi chaahte isliye koi bhi baat badhaane se pehle aapko iss baare mein bataana chaahte they..." Asha put the point politely... She had strictly asked Bijoy to keep his mouth shut, or she will send him back to Kolkata to his Sujata Maashi's house until Shona's marriage gets done...
"Asha ji, mujhe Sonakshi ne sab bataaya tha... Jis din uske talaaq ka pata chala tha, uske kuch din baad usne khud hi ye baat mujhe bata di thi... Par Asha ji, inn sab ke alaawa ek sach ye bhi hai ki main apne bete ko kahin kho diya hai... Kitni bhi koshish kar lo, wo laut ta hi nahi hai... Kuch ho na ho, bas mera beta pehle jaise hi kaam pe dhyaan de, ghar pe khush rahe, apni zindagi se khush rahe, mujhe aur kuch nahi chahiye... Aur meri ek lauti ummeed Sonakshi hai... Wo hi mere bete ko wapas laa sakti hai, warna jiss maa ko uske apne bete ke lautne ki ummeed na ho, wo pota ya poti ki kya ummeed lagaayegi? Aapse bas vinti hai ki aap iss shaadi ke liye haan kar deejiye" Ishwari joined her palms in request...
"Ishwari ji, humne apni haan bohot pehle kar di thi... Hum toh aapki haan ka intezaar kar rahe they..." Asha assured...
Ishwari nodded her head vehemently- "Mujhe ye rishta Manzoor hai... Shaadi ki baat karein?" Ishwari asked happy.
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"Sonakshi, sab theek hai? Tum kuch pareshaani lag rahi ho..." Dev asked Sonakshi... They had met in a restaurant after their works ended for the day.
"Dev, maa bata rahi thi ki aunty ji aayi thi aaj.. I mean, meri maa ne bulaaya tha unhe... Shaadi ki baat pakki karne ko..." Sonakshi told him...
"Achha... Phir?" Dev asked...
"Pandit ji told we can marry after three months..." Sona told
"Wow! I can't wait to make you mine, and be yours forever..." Dev was excited.
"Dev, I am happy too... But..." Sonakshi got away with her thoughts again...
"And you don't want a lot of pomp and show in the wedding... Is it? Nahi hoga... We will marry in whichever way you say..." Dev solemnly promised...
"Dev, I am constantly being in contact with Neha Riya and Nikki, they are so super excited, they can't wait for their bhaiyya's wedding..." Sona told...
Dev couldn't help but smile- "I know... They had always since childhood being dreaming about my wedding... pata nahi when will my youngest two mature..." Dev shook his head and smiled thinking of his sisters especially Riya and Nikki...
Sonakshi held on to his hand on the table firmly- "Dev, I appreciate the fact that you understood that since it is my second marriage, I may not like a lot of pomp and show... But another fact is, this is your first marriage, and there are lots of dreams in the eyes of your family too, and I want them to live those dreams as well... I was just thinking about that only..." Sonakshi spoke.
Dev had entwined his fingers in the spaces between her fingers and brought at his lips and lightly kissed her knuckles- "Whatever you say Dr. Bose..."
A sheen of red plastered Sonakshi's face when she was for the first time being publicly kissed by her future husband... He showed great sense of Public Display of Affection... "It's Sonakshi for you..." she reminded him...
And he smiled to the widest length his lips knew...
Chahat ke kaajal se,
Kismat ke kaagaz pe,
Apni wafaayein likh zara...
Bole zamaana yoon,
Main tere jaisi hoon,
Tu bhi toh mujhse dikh zara...
Mera hi saaya tu hai,
Mujh mein samaaya tu hai,
Har pal ye lagta hai mujhe...
Khud ko mitaaya maine,
Teri balaayein maangi,
Paaya hai maine phir tujhe...
Chaahe tu chaahe mujhko,
Aisi adaaein maangi,
Paaya hai maine phir tujhe...
Sonakshi wore a Tussar Silk Bengali Saree, but in a normal drape and not the Bengali drape that she would have done otherwise walked into a Magistrate's office... They were getting a court marriage done first... In the tussle in her mind, Sonakshi wanted a simple wedding to signify her new journey with his love Dev, and his family's unexpressed desire to have a lavish wedding because it was their only son's first marriage and they had their dreams too... Sonakshi had found a relative solution to have a court marriage consisting of her side, all the important people from her side to attend the court marriage they would do... And then a proper Brahmin wedding per all the rituals they wanted to have all their expectations from the wedding to be fulfilled...
She didn't know if it was her way to give the little of Dev back to them or what, but she found this the perfect balance in both the cases...
Signing the Marriage Papers, Sonakshi and Dev moved out from the court... They were legally married... And now awaited the wedding rituals from his side... A proper Hindu wedding...
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Sonakshi walked into the Dixit mansion with her feet dipped in Kumkum water leaving their traces behind... As much as she was happy to be finally Dev's, she knew the actual journey started from here and it wasn't easy... All she hoped that things would be moving...
She looked around the house... The entire mansion was lightening by the fairy lights and fresh flowers to the extent of showing their happiness... Their relatives had poured in from all over, but none asked her a single question about her previous marriage- Sonakshi wondered... Her eyes lifted to see her husband moving about in the house... His eyes at a strict vigilance, as if he controlled the entire crowd by the fit of his anger, and that probably was the reason she was not subjected to be faced by a wag of a single tongue...
Sonakshi smiled, her first time into the house is way more peaceful than she expected it to be... She hoped they can beat the demons of the past and move on in the future...
~~THANKS FOR READING~~
Real Estate
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