[This write up is based on the ongoing NUKSH track. But only the part where Dev gets angry on Vidhi because she touched his things. No Priya drama, personal Diary mystery whatsoever.]
It was twenty five minutes past nine, the once salmon and lavendar sky had transformed into a vast expense of jet-black, the night laid down a blanket of darkness. When Vidhi tilted her head skyward she could see the thick gloomy clouds shaded over the luminous moon covering its entirety.
Things weren't like this just the previous day. Last night when she saw the sky from her bedroom's window, she was in the safest place in the whole world…she was in Dev's arms. She had smiled looking at the sky and the millions of glistening stars dotted on the night sky seemed to smile back at her, acknowledging and applauding the closeness between these two lovers. Dev had dozed off holding his girl close to his heart.. But not Vidhi, she felt so full last night, so happy, so content.
"Khud ki hi nazar lag gayi hogi shayad", sighed Vidhi. At this moment, standing on the terrace of the Raichand Mansion, Vidhi felt something was missing from her life just like the moon and stars were missing from that night sky. She couldn't wrap her head over the fact that the same man who was so sweet and gentle with her even in the morning yelled at her so furiously in the evening and all for what…. Was it really her fault?
Tears rolled down as she remembered Dev's face when he was bawling at her. His outraged eyes were spitting arrows of anger like daggers past the point of reason. Any explanation made him flip out even more. Vidhi had to shut up.
"Mard aise hi hote hai mujhe pata tha… Maa bhi toh yehi kehti hai", Vidhi remembered her mother's words."Bahar ka gussa ghar pe aake dikhayenge… Apne kaam ka, office ka, dukan ka frustration biwi pe hi toh nikalenge…bura nahi maante iss baat ka, beta…maine toh samjhauta kar liya hai… Mujh pe chilla ke agar unka gussa shant hota hai, toh thik hai", Vimla had smiled infront of a teen Vidhi justifying Hariprasad shouting at her years back...
"Meri hi galti hogi", Vidhi started following her mother's footsteps. "Woh office se aagaye honge. Main hi jaake unse baat karti hoon.. Lekin… lekin nahi.." Her heart wasn't ready to be the 'ideal' wife society expects every woman to be, this time. Her self-respect was hurting to accept that it was totally her fault. Her soul was rebelling. This was not how she deserved to be treated. She knew this. Infact, it was Dev, in the first place, who had acquainted her with her worth and taught her not to settle for anything less. Why should she allow anyone to mistreat her? But what if it is Dev himself? ...No, not even him. Mistake was his so he should come and say Sorry. Vidhi's jaw stiffened as she said, "Bade hai mujhse, lekin har baar sahi nahi ho sakte aur iss baar toh bilkul nahi."
"Bilkul sahi kaha tumne, Vidhi", a husky tone interrupted her. Dev walked upto her and stood beside her. He held her shoulders, turning her towards him. "Aaj maine jo bhi kiya woh sahi nahi tha, I'm sorry Vidhi…Mujhe maaf kar do", Dev held his ears and stood infront of her.
Dev's emotive eyes now made Vidhi feel way more sad than she was feeling earlier...
Dilemma of lovers, you know… one can think that 'I'll never ever forgive them, never talk to them, I don't care about them' at a fit of rage but the moment their love stands in front of their eyes, truly regrets the wrong… nothing makes sense anymore, you can't help but open your arms for them. Maybe this is the reason people call love 'hopeless'.
But Vidhi decided not to give in as much as she wanted to. She maintained her stand as if she was still so mad at him….hiding the truth that the moment his voice broke and his eyes became moist indicating he was really apologetic, her man once again had become the king of her heart. She shrugged her shoulders and turned to the other side looking straight. The disappointment and pain in his eyes, when he saw her not even wanting to look at him, made her heart shriek with pain. Tears started rolling down her eyes.
Dev was heartbroken seeing Vidhi cry. He was supposed to hold her close, he was supposed to protect and love her and what did he do… He lost the chirpy, smiling Vidhi...
"Vidhi, Vidhi please…", Dev said moving close towards her. "Main janta hoon galti meri hai… sabke samne maine tumpe chillaya… nahi karna chahiye tha mujhe aisa..tum mujhe jo saza dogi woh manzoor hai mujhe par please, mat roh Vidhi..Main tumhe aisa nahi dekh sakta", Dev wiped the tears from Vidhi's cheeks. "Main koi explanation nahi dunga ki main pareshan tha, kaam ke wajah se stressed tha ya kuch aur main bas itna kahunga ki main galat tha aur main pure dil se maafi mangta hoon tumse, Vidhi..please mujhe maaf kar do", Dev couldn't hold back his tears either. What he had done was really eating him from inside now. Vidhi made him sit on the parapet, wiping his tears with her dupatta. "Kyun nahi denge explanation? Mujhe jawab chahiye.. Ki akhir aisa kiya kyun aapne…itni badi toh koi baat nahi huyi thi na?" Vidhi looked at Dev. Dev shamefully nodded his head in a 'No'. "Toh fir itna over react kyun kiya aapne?", Vidhi was instigating Dev to talk, to pour his heart out to her because she knew that their relation is already enough complex the way it is, given an almost generation gap between the two, the difference in their maturity and understanding levels… it would definitely deteriorate if they didn't communicate with each other. Yes, they had fought against the society and its age-old customs as a team and won against it but all of that was just the beginning in this difficult and yet the most adorable relationship…
Dev cleared his throat and started,"Vidhi, aaj shyam 5:30 baje ki meri bahut important meeting thi.. Maine pata nahi kaise uss meeting se related sabse important file aur mera ipad ghar pe hi bhool gaya. Mujhe yaad aaya bhi toh lunch ke baad. Maine jaldi jaldi ghar wapas aaya… tum kamre mein nahi thi. Mujhe yaad tha maine kahan rakhi thi meri cheezein par jab wahan mili nahi mera dimaag bahut garam ho gaya… Main hall mein aake tumpe chillane laga… saare gharwaalon ke samne", Dev stopped, he was embarrassed. "Wahin rakhi thi tumne Vidhi mera file sab kuch sajake.. Ulta mein hi bikra huya chorke gaya tha sab kuch.. Aur maine itna kuch sunaya tumhe....", Dev sighed. "Kya hai na.. mein itne saare saalon se aise hi tha.. Meri cheezein idhar udhar ho.. chahe saji huyi ho… jaisa main chorta tha waisa hi rehta tha… koi aaya nahi kabhi mere bikre cheezein sametne ke liye…aadat nahi…", Dev was overwhelmed… out of anger upon himself for misbehaving with Vidhi.. or was it out of this sudden realisation that finally he has someone in his life to clean after him, to take care of him and his things, to LOVE him.
Vidhi, on the other hand, now realised her mistake. She, no doubt, had the best intentions in her mind when she arranged his things but somehow she forgot that he was so used to being alone and taking care of his things on his own that her organizing his stuff may come off as 'meddling'. It appealed to her that she had to give him some more time with getting used to this married life of his, with sharing his materialistic belongings to his personal relations, with being taken care of, with being loved…. She now held his shoulders and slowly brought her hands towards his neck. She cupped his face in her hands and started caressing his cheeks. Guilt choked Dev's throat. "I am sorry Vidhi… Maine kahan tha tumse ki tum mera punching bag nahi ho lekin waisa ki behave kar raha hoon tumhare saath. Meeting ka stress bhi tum hi pe nikala maine uss waqt..maine bilkul sahi nahi kiya… mujhe maaf kar do". He tried to smile and said, "Main internet pe dekh raha tha biwi ko manane ke tareekein lekin pata nahi kya kya likha hai mujhe samaj nahi aaya...fir socha main old school hoon toh mera old school tareeka hi sahi". Dev was going to fold his hands in front of her. Vidhi stopped him, holding his hand and kissing them and said, "Aage se dhyaan rakhiyega Mr. Raichand…Mrs. Vidhi Devrut Raichand hoon main…koi nahi chilla sakta mujh pe aise warna main….", Vidhi turned her hands into a claw and acted like she was going to scratch him. Dev started, "Vidhi, tum kitni…." "Cute hoon…haina", Vidhi finished his sentence. Both of them shared a good laugh.
"Niche chale?", Dev asked standing up. "Haan, chalte hai…...ek...… ek minute", Vidhi stopped Dev. "Baarish ho rahi hai kya?", she looked up at the sky. A big drop fell from the sky on her cheeks. Dev rubbed it and said hurriedly, "Areh haan, baarish hone lagi hai…chalo chalo niche chalo Vidhi". Vidhi's mind hovered to some place else in no time. She felt something so heavenly about the rain, a tender moment that just won't wait. She held Dev's hand and said, "Thodi der rukte hai na yahin." "Nahi Vidhi, thanda lag gaya toh… kyun rukna hai yahan?", Dev retorted.
It had started to drizzle by now. The drops of the rain looked like tiny crystals. Dev was so perplexed as to why Vidhi was so bent upon them standing in the rain that he missed Vidhi's changing expressions. He now noticed her mouth already waiting like a question. She was drawing him towards her with her eyes. Vidhi wanted to kiss her man in the rain. It was a connection, that would show the strength of the feeling, the mutual need. It was a rebellion against the elements. As she looked at him, she felt warmth blossom in her chest, sparks igniting. Dev began to receive and reciprocate the feeling, a burst of love he wanted to express, not caring if the water soaks through to chill their skin.
He leaned in close, lips brushing together. Vidhi's lips were soft, almost silken and pillowy against Dev's. He could feel the soft tickle of her breath beneath his nose, fingers carding through her hair as they breathed each other in.
Nature can bring the rain but their inner sunshine came through just the same.