SS:Papa and his Pari(Dev-Soha Bonding)*COMPL* EPILOGUE pg124 26/3/2017 - Page 82

CHAPTER-5

Fifteen days passed by when the last time Dev had decided to interrogate Sonakshi about the reasons of his absence from Soha's life... All said and done, there were no solid grounds for either of them to fight upon... Just a consensus between both that they need to be for Soha... And in all these days Dev just tried to spend more and more time with Suhana, pamper her, n cherish each n every second of his with his daughter... After all he had no other solid reason other than Soha, to look forward so eagerly in life...

As promised by him, Dev did not delve into much conversation with Sonakshi, other than Soha's schedules, or her habits or anything that dealt with Soha... He maintained at his words, and kept the appropriate distance with his ex-wife... Sonakshi on the other hand, though didn't speak much herself, understanding the complexities in the relationships... But her eyes were observing everything with the eagle's eye... With quite precision, after all she needed to be so attentive to her kid, being a single mother... In mere 15 days, she could see drastic changes in Soha... It was as if a certain shine has found a permanent residence into those little eyes and a smile always plastered on her lips... Every time she looked at Soha's smiling eyes, she got reminded of Dev, post their love confession... They used to shine the same way seeing her... Soha's happiness was so evident... Ever since her birth, Soha was naturally a very cooperative, never too fussy or a demanding kid... But the Soha which Sonakshi was seeing for past few days is, as if she never knew anything about her daughter or it was as if she had learnt to mask her feelings so early... Her daughter so typically like Dev, grew up just like him all these years in a typically friendly environment of the Bose House... It felt, more like the upbringing, the genes of her father had a dominant trait on Soha... Sonakshi shuddered with this thought and tried her best to not think in this direction... She wanted to scrunch her eyes from this fact... Because if this is true by any chance, there is some serious damage control to be done... But the changes in Soha were too obvious to be brushed off... And Sonakshi felt really worried for what her daughter might have gone through until Dev entered the picture...

All these 15 days, the routine was set... Dev would meet Soha in morning while he came to drop Golu to school and then he would come home to Bose House in evening after Soha comes from her music classes and then what the rest of the evening went, was all different... Sonakshi never knew this Soha ever existed... She would have her evening snacks with Dev... She would want or rather demand Dev's help in homework... she would play all sort of games with Dev, including cricket that Golu played with his Bigcha... Soha would demand all the batting all to herself and Dev obliged for hours to keep bowling for her until she tells times up... She would throw tantrums and attitude, all before her father... She would make him run around like she is a princess and he her personal tender... She would have her dinner from Dev's hand while sitting on his lap... She would want Dev to carry her to room, and then read her a story to make her sleep and sleep she will while cuddling to her papa. What begun 15 days ago, as a way of fulfilling a day that was precious for a father and daughter, meeting for the first time, has now changed into routine... All this was so different and it never happened before Dev came into Soha's life. Dev could never complain even if he had to turn into a personal slave of his daughter, living at her mercies... He happily encouraged Suhana for whatever she asked... It was as if he was trying to give her love and attention which she missed in last 6 years... One couldn't deny, because it was ultimately a truth...

Breaking the routine, 15 days later; today everything was different... It was way past dinner time, and Dev didn't turn up yet... He hadn't been answering calls... Just a text message came from him that he was busy and will call as soon as possible... Soha has been waiting for him desperately... She denied all attempts to be fed because she wouldn't have dinner until her papa feeds her...

And with each passing moment Sona was getting restless... "This can't go on like this forever... We need to talk and come to agree to some arrangement so that such situations can be tackled." Sonakshi's thoughts were affirming as she sat quietly on the dining table, thinking about the past 15 days... She had tried to talk to Dev for all these days, but after that morning a fortnight ago, he didn't talk anything to her other than Suhana... Dev was never this way even when they were married... No matter what, he would always listen to her... Albeit late, but he never ignored her... But all these days he wasn't giving her any reason or opportunity to talk...

It was 10 pm when finally Dev came to her house... His face looked tired... The sleeves of his shirt were folded till his elbow... His hair were dishevelled, he looked tired... He immediately explained the situation... "We had an emergency at Karol Bagh branch with fire breaking out... I think it should be a short circuit... Things are under control now... But back then I was filled up with emergency that I could neither come home, nor could talk... I am sorry." Dev told in general to everyone, especially to his daughter, who looked miffed... She needed sleep, but her face told, she was hungry as well... Dev opened his arms for his daughter, who was in a full-blown mood to throw all tantrums at her father, who would gracefully take everything she does... He was ready for the blast... After all he could not expect a, 6 years old to understand the complications of an emergency...

After throwing whole lot of tantrums and getting pacified by her father, Suhana ate her dinner and then slept... Dev cuddled her to himself, as she sprawled her arms and legs over her father, making Dev sleep in the process, being tired after a super hectic day... And for the nth time in all these days, Sonakshi had tears seeing Dev and Soha sleeping cuddling up to each other making such a beautiful picture... Every time she saw them like this, she couldn't help think and cry each time that this could have been their reality for past 6 years... She silently cried yet again, leaning against the threshold of their room... She needs to talk to Dev regarding Soha and come to a common ground because Soha cannot go on like this, waiting each day for her father, sleeping holding to him to make sure he doesn't go away when she is asleep and then getting up disappointed to not find him beside her and then masking her disappointment before anyone notices... Soha thought no one notices, but her mother does, and she was highly pained seeing her daughter this way... This would harm her more than not having her father at all, it is as if she is living two different lives... She is something when she is with Dev and then shifts completely different when he is not around... It's too much for a little 6 years old...

It was the next morning when Sonakshi reached Dev's cabin... Requesting his Personal Assistant to not disturb them at any cost, she entered in... Locked the door behind her and drew blindfolds so that she can have undisturbed talk with him... Dev looked up from his laptop screen... He could see his old wife here, who had the guts to close everything he was doing and buy all his attention... Today was no different... He who was avoiding any sort of conversation with Sonakshi for a few days knew now there is no escape... Sonakshi knows exactly how to reach him when she really wants to talk... He wondered why he didn't know what had come over him that day two weeks ago, when he had bared his heart to her, the pain he had felt in the last 7 years, it was not something that he deemed it to be shared and he had done exactly that.

Without wasting another moment, Sonakshi was beside him walking around the table to have a close space between them as she said- "Dev I know Soha needs you as much as she needs me... And I..."

Sonakshi was interrupted by Dev... Without letting her complete her sentence Dev couldn't help hissing- "I am so glad Sonakshi that you realized it, but don't u think that you are 6 years late? Had you had thought about this earlier and make me a single call at least... But aapka ego jo itna bada hai... Kaise kiya tumne aisa? Kaise Sonakshi? Aakhir kaise? Conscience nahi pukaara tumhara?" Dev accused her...

Sonakshi who was silent until now lost it completely, there was an underlying fury in her eyes as she said- "I know you are super angry at me Dev... But you need to hear out something... I realised the other day that you do not know anything about my visit to Ishwari Niwas 6 years back... But you need to know now that I tried... I tried to give our daughter a father... I tried to give you Dev, your daughter... I tried communicate with people in the house, but I just could not..." She told Dev everything how she came to Ishwari Niwas and how guard sent her away saying she cannot go inside and never return back, as per the orders he received from inside...

Every fibre in Dev was shocked listening to it... He couldn't believe how all this could have happened right under his nose and he knew nothing about it... How could his family do so? But he knew his family, didn't he? Dev and Sonakshi both were in tears by then... Sonakshi continued after she was sure all the facts have sunk in his head- "I did not try to tell you about Suhana because I was scared... scared that what if maa wants her poti and not me? And what if you try to fulfil this wish of hers like other wishes that she demanded? What if Suhana is not welcome inside or is insulted like I was? How could I believe that you would go against your mother and not separate Suhana from me or would go against your family to safeguard her interests, her respect? I know Dev, what I did was selfish to some extent but I never had the intention to do it purposefully... Some part of me always knew that Suhana misses her father because no one can fill that place neither in her life nor in mine..." Dev's shocked face didn't make Sonakshi stop there... Today she would let him know whatever she was thing... Sona continued- "I missed you at every point Dev... Whether it was my pregnancy or Suhana's milestones or something as trivial as her vaccination... But still I never told you about her because I just could not let her go away from me... I could live away from you, without you... Because I had Suhana... I had already lost my love to your mother, I just could not lose my daughter too..."

Neither of them realized when from their standing positions they sat and when shifted so close to each other that right now they were sitting while holding each other as if giving their silent support and mourning for their 7 years of separation which cost them 6 years of their daughter's childhood... After what seemed like hours, Dev hesitantly asked- "Dev, what have you decided or rather where do we go from here? Can you stay with Suhana? I mean with us? You, me and Soha? She needs your presence around right now... Dev she needs the both of us..."

After thinking for a few moments Dev thoughtfully replied- "I will though not permanently shift to Bose house, but yes I will shift and keep shuffling between yours and my house, so that Golu also does not feel left out in all this... He is my kid Sonakshi... Though he is not my flesh and blood... Par apne baap se zyada wo meri baahon mein pala hai... Main usko chodh toh nahi sakta na?" Dev introduced her to his psyche as well...

After what seemed like eons Sona was feeling proud of the love this man is capable of giving... He never forgets anyone whom he previously loved, and those who loved him back... Both knew this is just a start, they have a long way to go... And in this ride they need to be parents first because it's their daughter's present and future which is at stake, their issues will be solved later or may be with time they will eventually fade...

It is usually said that husband and wife together give birth to their children and become parents... But these two were sure that being parents, they will eventually reincarnate the husband and wife that have been buried under the cold ashes of their marriage... The flames under which are very much alive...

~~THANKS FOR READING~~

Show mein aisa kyu nahi hota!!

How beautifully you explained soha and Dev's relationship and how this new found relationship change soha's life...she wants to spend time with her father...want to eat with his hand...to play with him...spend time with him.

And sona sensed all these changes in soha...how in past years she missed her father...