Part 11
As he was abt to dial the Number he cud hear the voice in his head
"Don't be ridiculous Dev! 😡😡😡 ...tum jante ho why u want to call her….Don't act like a love sick teenager…You are her boss Dev…who badi maa ki beti hai…you cant do this to her…You are too old for her…aur sabse important baat you are married for god sake….Behave ur self Mr.Dev Khanna… 😡😡😡
Sighing Dev kept his cell back…tried to concentrate on his work….
***
After few hours…Sid walked in a somewhat scared of how he would react on what he was going tell….he entered…Dev was busy in a call with a client he indicated him to sit…as Dev completed the call…Dev waited for Sid to speak…
Dev(raised his eyebrows)—kya hua?
Sid(said a silent prayer 😛 fumbled)—ermm who…main keh raha tha ki…ermm…Mr.Verma unki presentation…
Dev(interrupted)—yeahh I know my schedule its in 20mins…so ?
Sid(tried to smile)—toh who…I mean…a little blunder…who actually…Mr.Verma ke computer mein koi virus aagaya tha…toh guess unki presentation has been deleted accidently…& he…(Dev cooly continued working on file …here Sid was expecting a blast coz of what he was saying) Dev somehow the file is been removed his hard drive….(apprehensive) Toh kya hum meeting postpone(he closed his eyes)…kar sakte hai…Dev What should we do?...(getting no reaction he called again) Dev are you listening… He lost his presentation. The meeting is in 20 minutes….tell me can we…main tujhse kuch keh raha hoon aur tu file mein ghusa hai…
Dev(looked up)—Mr.Verma ki presentation ki copy hai mere pass… Pallavi had mailed it to me….along with her notes…Tell Mr.Verma to get ready…meeting postpone nahi hogi…its in 20mins… (Dev went back to his work.)
To say that Sid was shocked at Dev's reaction was an understatement….The Dev Khanna, the Raging Bull was not mad at his employee for deleting a file…uptill now Mr.Verma wud have been history with Dev's blasting…but here he is so cool…(to himself) Sid beta Something is defenitely wrong….😆😆
Sid(loudly)—ermm Dev are u alright…teri tabiyat theek hai?
Dev—haan!! Kyun? U have a problem with it ?
Sid (nodded in No)—main keh raha tha… ermm do u mind tere saath ghar chalu…massi ne dinner pe invite kiya hai… tu toh jayega hi…so I will come along…
Dev—ermm…I am not sure if I will make it…tu chala jana…don't wait for me… meri ek (his voice in head-- Come on Dev 😡😡…say why you really don't want to go…or do you want to go😛)
Kabir (who came to invite Dev entered heard the last word)—teri appointment…ek din ke liye appointment chod nahi sakta…
Dev—bhai who…
Kabir—come on Dev…after all ghar ki bahu pehli baar khana banaegi…Gosh I sound like typical Indian soap ….I mean aajana Dev…infact I came to invite u…Pallavi toh keh rahi thi usne tumhe bata rakha hai that dinner is with us…
Dev—haan who…
Kabir—humare liye na sahi Pallavi ke liye aaja…afterall we wud be celebrating her moving out …aur tu Rj ko janta hai…he will make it difficult for her… tu hi toh sahara hai uska…😆😆😆
Dev(heart sewelled at what kabir said…though Kabir had said in different context but Dev felt happy hearing it…he cudn't help but smile ..it was like music to his ears… )—ermm Main koshish karunga bhai…ab can I go we have a meeting cya later… Sid Chale…
Kabir—ek minute Dev…need to talk…
Sid—main Mr.Verma ko zara happy news dekar aata hoon…come soon…Sid left from there…
Dev(nodded)—aap kuch keh rahe the…
Kabir(apprehensive)—ermm who Dev…agar dinner tum Maya ko bhi…(he paused) I mean…its family occasion…Maya shadi pe bhi nahi aayi…aur…irrespective of situation afterally who Rj ki bhabhi hai…so it wud be nice…if she cud…
Dev(remained silent)—who nahi aaegi…aap jante hai….kyun? & main nahi chahta who aaye yeh aap logon ke liye khushi ka mauka hai…let it be a peaceful one…ermm meeting ke liye der ho rahi hai…I Gotta go…(he left from there)
Kabir saw him leaving & sighed…
***
Kabir…arrived around lunch to see Massi & prachi helping pack Pallavi's stuff in boxes… Pallavi also bringing her suitcase downstairs… she smiled at him…
Kabir—Packing hogayi…(pallavi nodded yes) good chalein to drop u…(looked around)ermm Rj aur khushi kaha hai…
Massi—abhi toh yahi the…pallo ki help kar rahe the packing mein…shayad upar honge…
Kabir nodded…& moved upstairs… to freshen up…when he heard some muffled voices coming out of his room…
Khushi—kya kar rahe ho Rj…di ko yaha asani se mil jayengi I will hide in bhaiyaa's wardrobe…di wont be able to guess
Rj—nahi…its not good idea yaha hi theek hai…itni upar Pallavi nahi dekhegi…
Kabir stepped in…He could see their backs when he shouted—Tum dono kya kar rahe ho?😲😲
Both of them slowly turned around. They looked like the got caught steeling… Actually they were exactly doing that…. Kabir saw that both of them had a few of Pallavi's stuff in their hands. her picture, her diary, a few her fav books and some of her fav perfumes, music CDs…DVDs 😆😆
Rj—who bhai Hum…hum toh…(smiled nervously)….hum kuch nahin, we were helping Pallavi move. Hai na Biwi…
Khushi—huh haan…hum ..Rj aur main… di ki help kar rahe the…packing her stuff…
Kabir smiled and turned around to leave the room….he turned back to them
Kabir—just make sure you return her stuff Rj…(paused) but not today…Roz eke k samaan dena…😛😉 so she has to come home every day the next week….😆😆😆
***
Pallavi's stuff got shifted in her new apartment….though it was small as Rj stated it "yeh toh bahut chotta hai" but it small & cozy with 2 bedrooms big enough since she wud be staying alone …Pallavi decorated it tastefully as she liked it with b'ful wall hangings…paintings even decorative pieces on the side corner… All the fabrics in her living area were white. The curtains, the sofa set and the chair seating….Most of the other furniture like the table and TV cabinet were a combination of silver metal and glass. The enormous windows in that room were actually the doors to the balcony that she loved so much…as it gave a nice sea view…
For the kitchen which was an open kitchen a part of the living room….she made a small wall constructed with a wooden surface so it looked like a caf counter…a nice dinning area dining table and chairs, next to the kitchen counter…
The whole apartment had Pallavi's touch …complete with the wind chime whose soft sounds made apartment look more accomadated…
As Rj & kabir helped her settling both cudn't help but be impressed the way she had decorated the apartment in such a short time… But as expected they did not show it… They were determined to find flaws and discussed every corner of the apartement amongst themselves. They were still pretending to be mad at her and were not talking to her… Pallavi smiled to herself made it a game to make them talk to her, and she won several times….
In the evening everyone gathered in Khanna house for dinner…it was first time khushi as daughter-in-law made a full course dinner...infact it was the first time she cooked at all….till now cooking had been Pallavi's department…that's the main reason when Pallavi was arranging her apartment…she called Pallavi several times that day to ask her how to know if the oil was hot enough…when to put salt, and what the hell is"au bain marie" to making brownies for dessert…Though Prachi & massi constantly helped khushi …but for every small item she called Pallavi…
After so much tele conferencing…dinner smelled great when the table was set for dinner…After a while even Dev also joined…as his heart again won battle against his brain…
As they were heading to dining area kabir whispered
Kabir—Maya ko le aate Dev massi was expecting her (Dev just shook his head in No)
Dev—main massi se baat karlunga(gave a smile) don't worry….
Dinner was really good…Pallavi was proud at her sister…being her first time she was good….though khushi was royally teased by Rj….for calling Pallavi so many times …
Rj(as he took second serving of kheer)—I guess Pallavi tum phone pe cooking class khol sakti ho…u are too good
Khushi (smacked him)—khana maine banaya tareef di ki…atleast appreciate my effort…
Rj—ofcourse biwi banana ka credit aapka…but telephone se cooking karna ka apna alag art hota hai…
& there bickering went on & on much to amusement of evry1…they just shook their head …marriage didn't changed the two… 😆😆😆
After the routine coffee after dinner…Pallavi hugged her sister…as she got ready to leave…she asked for Rj as he was supposed to drop her…she cud see Rj standing in the corner with an angry face…
Kabir(joined)—Rj ko apni biwi ke saath rehne do….main aur prachi tumhe drop karne chalte hai…come on…
Pallavi(nodded…as she was abt to go out she turned back)—Rj mera saman jo tumne chupaya hai who mujhe wapis chaiye before u leave for ur honeymoon this weekend …
Rj just just grinned back at her and left…😛😛mouthed "I am not talking to u"
Pallavi waved bye to massi
***
Next morning…
Pallavi was busy in her work…when Dev called her inside also asking for a coffee too…she was abt to go when Rj came up to her…
Rj—chalo mere saath…Dev bhai se kuch baat karni hai…
Pallavi (looking around)—Talking to me (raised her eyebrows)I thot kal tak koi mujhse baat nahi kar raha tha 😕
Rj—obviously tumhare alawa yaha aur koi dikh nahi raha…So, chalo…
Pallavi (could not help but smirk)—You started talking to me again…in dat case tum chalo main aati hoon…
Rj just showed his tongue…& entered Dev's cabin … a while later Pallavi came with two cups of coffee…and placed both cups one for him and one for Rj…
Rj childishly looked the other way…
Dev(seeing both looking in opposite direction)—ermm anything wrong…(pallavi nodded in No) ok then …Rj hume kuch batana chahta hai…wants to discuss something with us…
Pallavi (giggled)—does us includes me? (Dev gave a confused look) I mean…since Rj "sir" is not talking to me…toh maine socha….
Rj(shocked)-- Tum kabse mujhe SIR kehne lagi Pallavi…are u crazy…(pallavi cracked up) !! why are you laughing now?
Pallavi(controlling her best not to laugh but cracked up)—dekha maine kaha tha na I will make u talk to me …
Dev just looked at them and smiled… It took them a while to calm down and come to the actual point…😆😆😆😆
Dev—Rj…shayad tum kuch important discuss karne aaye the before u leave for honeymoon…
Rj—yeahh…who bhai actually wanted to discuss the PA issue with both of you…aapne mujhe Europe tour par jane se pehle kaha tha...us waqt koi finalise nahi hua tha…so Sid ne dobara interview liye the & he selected one… Sid ne jo candidates dhunde the unke interviews hogaye hai…& since the final decision gonna be yours…You can take an interview yourself….The new candidate said she can start immediately as your PA…and you wud actually need that…coz main chah raha tha Pallavi wud be joining me as a manager…😃😃 aaj tak who meri help karti aayi hai…& since I will be on leave toh peeche se who mera kaam manage kar legi…aur wapis aate hi I will get busy with London project once again toh Pallavi ki help ki zarut mujhe padti hi rahegi…😊😊 (seeing Dev just giving blank look to him…infact he had stopped listening the moment Rj had said that Sis selected new PA) bhai are u even listening?
Dev (came out of his thots)—huh! Yeahh I am listening…who… (took a deep breath) Pallavi se check karlena when I have time to take an interview…
The interview was scheduled for that afternoon…The candidate was qualified… disciplined and had really good references…professional there was no fault…after the interview Dev called Sid…just said "find another candidate…I won't hire this one." Before Sid cud ask anything Dev hung up the phone…
Sid cudn't understand wats wrong? This time he made sure the candidate was as per Dev's requirement there was no scope of refusing why Dev refused….? Does he want Pallavi to stay back as his PA but why ??
***
A few days had passed since Dev had turned down the candidate for the post… Pallavi was working full-time again... During these days it seemed like a world war was going on inside Dev It was a war between his head and his heart…Every time when he would be thinking about the PA-incident his heart would be giving him a standing ovation for not letting Pallavi go…his heart congratulated him on his success of keeping Pallavi with him… but his Mind would curse him with every bad word he knew…or ever heard for not hiring a perfectly capable PA and not being able to keep his promise of maintaining a distance... afterall he had accepted it long back that this whole relationship is wrong he shud not make it go further he shud stop himself & keep a distance from Pallavi…but his treacherous heart like always never gave him permission to do so…
One afternoon…around lunch time…Dev was busy in some work when …Pallavi knocked…
Pallavi—Mr.Khanna…(Dev looked up from his file…asking her to come in) just to inform u abt lunch meeting postpone hogayi hai it will be next week now (giving him the file she was carrying) & ur schedule for weekend's trip
Dev(going through)—Thank you…(seeing him still waiting as she was still holding an envelope) anything else?
Pallavi (handed him envelope)—ermm yeh subah aaya tha…after u left for the board meeting… bhejne wale ne naam nahi likha…but just had ur name…must be something important…
Dev (took the envelop he turned back to file he was earlier working on) --Thank you, main dekh lunga...
Pallavi was abt to leave when there was knock …delivery boy had come to deliver the lunch…Dev was surprised he hadn't ordered anything…seeing him confused…
Pallavi (smiled)—who…I had ordered the lunch…considering u were supposed to have lunch at the meeting & now its postponed isliye…(she kept lunch on the coffee table in the room)
Dev—you didn't had to bother…I wud
Pallavi(teased)—wud have easily skipped it…(Dev sheepishly smiled coz that wud have been the truth) ab lunch thanda karne ki zarut nahi hai…aapka pata nahi but mujhe thanda khana acha nahi lagta aur thodi der aur maine lunch nahi kiya toh I will faint …aur massi ne poocha ki main faint kaise hui...i will blame it on u 😆😆😆
Dev sighed closed his files & laptop…& joined her for lunch as she had started serving…He knew If he gives an excuse & skips lunch she will go on lecturing him…& the extreme she will complain to massi & he will not hear a end from her…as since his illness months back massi had asked Pallavi to make sure Dev has had lunch…if he refuses...she can complain to her… 😆😆
After finishing lunch Pallavi left for her cabin & Dev settled back on his desk his gaze fell on the envelope Pallavi gave him…he is yet to see it…
He opened it
***
After two hours Pallavi knocked again on dev's cabin she was there to remind him he has a meeting after an hour… She knocked two times… but did not get any response. She tried again but no success. Pallavi wondered where he was…because she did not leave her desk and she did not see Dev leave his cabin…if he had left…he always informs her …if anytime he leaves office…
Finally giving up after knocking for fifth time she entered his cabin cautiously and peeked inside He was sitting behind his desk…as if made of stone…with the envelop still in his left hand, & a letter sort of in another….He was staring at the paper continuously…with a ice cold look in his eyes. His facial expression was mixture of between shock and anger…
Pallavi walked up to his desk and carefully tapped on his shoulder…
Pallavi—Mr.khanna…U ok? (Finally he looked up) kya hua? Everything is fine na…
Dev came out of his thots hearing her same soft and concerned voice that once again send shivers down his spine like always… He felt a burning sensation on the part of his shoulder where she had touched him. Dev Composed himself…because more than the effect of the letter…it was her touch that effected him…
Dev—ermm yeahh sab theek hai…(back to his professional self) It's nothing… I'm fine…tumhe kuch aur kaam tha…
Dev absentmindedly looked at his computer screen and started punching some tabs on the keyboard. Pallavi kept the files which she had brought in
Pallavi—Mr.khanna in par aapke signatures chaiye the …since kal aap business trip pe ja rahe hain…so jane se pehle kar dijiyega…
Dev just nodded in yes & kept on working… Pallavi was abt to leave as she opened the door she turned back
Pallavi--Mr.khanna …I don't know kya problem hai…but I am sure something is troubling u… aur agar koi baat hai jo aapko lagta hai mujhse share kar sakte hai… You can talk to me…I am not promising to solve the problem…shayad main koi solution na de pau…par problems share karne se kum hojati hai…jab bhi aap share karna chahe just remember I'll always be there for you…😊😊.(with that she left)
Dev saw her back retreat… thought very hard about the meaning of her last phrase… It kept ringing in his head. "I'll always be there for you."
***
Whole weekend Pallavi could not stop thinking about Dev… and the letter he received on Friday… Why did he get so tense like that…She hated herself for bringing him bad news for the second time…The first time being in Delhi ..she remembered on Friday also he had same expression after reading the letter...
Pallavi spent her Sunday afternoon in Khanna house…since Rj-khushi suppose to leave for their honeymoon later in the day…massi suggested all can have lunch together… even Sid was invited along with her girlfriend Sneha...whom every1 had liked when they met her at the wedding…Pallavi had a wonderful time over the weekend…& for a while she forgot about the office.
***
Dev had a small business trip out of town on Friday night… He spent his weekend thinking about the letter… He had handled the letter like he did always, but nonetheless it still would bother him…him himself doesn't know for how long will he be able to handle all this…
But every time he would think about the letter he could hear Pallavi's soft voice load and clear..echoing… -- I'll always be there for you…
He knew…or rather convinced himself…she did not mean it…His heart wanted to believe that Pallavi meant it truly…but his mind opposed even if Pallavi meant it…Dev u shud be sensible enough to stop urself…
On Sunday he returned, tired as ever… but also mentally drained from the war going on inside him… Initially Dev decided to go to the office…coz going to Khanna house wud mean Massi fussing & worrying for him…as for his own home… He was not in the mood to face Maya, and frankly speaking he did not have the energy left to do so… Spending the night in the office would be the best option.
From airport Dev hailed a Taxi he did not inform his driver about his arrival, and specially now he did not want to see any familiar face… Dev gave taxi driver his office address…& sat back … taking his coat off and made himself comfortable…
Suddenly he noticed they were passing by a building... It was a know building to him…he had been here once…for the house warming pooja…He even had drove past by it a few times with Kabir… and he had cursed the whole building..& the builders as if they were the reason Pallavi moved out…It's the building where Pallavi lived…
As soon as he realized it…as if unconsciously words came out of his mouth--
Dev(to driver)—Gadi yahi rok do…
Driver looked at him…raising his eyebrows. This was not the address his passenger wanted to go but driver heeded the request and stopped the Taxi….
As Dev stepped out of the car… took his coat…gave the driver some money… and walked off. The amount was too much from the usual fare….but it seemed Dev did not care about anything anymore. He was walking like he was hypnotized….as if some1 is just taking him along…or his feet have mind of their own….
Taxi driver shouted from behind about him giving more money…but Dev didn't looked back…as he cudn't hear him… as he reached the gate… watchman asked him whom he wanted to meet…since it was almost 11pm watchman was surprised to see a visitor at this time…
Watchman—Kaunse number makaan mein jana hai saab(seeing him silent watchman repeated the question…he thot may be he doesn't know the house number….so he asked again) kiske ghar jana hai saab...aapko unka naam pata hai ?(seeing him silent)
Dev cud only whisper Pallavi's name…
Watchman gave the number—Saab 7th Floor…16 number…aap lift se chale jaiye…is taraf se…
Few minutes later Dev stood infront of the door of Pallavi's apartment, his hands raised, ready to knock, when retreated his hand…seeing her name at the door as if he realized what he was doing was wrong…or some part of conscious brain which was still working asked him to move back…so without knocking & waiting for another moment he turned around ready to go away…
only to come face to face to Pallavi…She just arrived from her visit to khanna house & along with kabir she had went to drop Rj-Khushi to airport…. Kabir just dropped her here…
Pallavi (smiled though she was naturally surprised to see her Boss here) –Mr.Khanna aap yaha? (he appered lost) Mr.khanna aap theek hai…hope not unwell again?...Aap waapas kab aye?
Dev(in a soft voice)—abhi aaya thodi der pehle…
Pallavi could sense something was wrong…His appearance… his being here…his mood….the way he looked lost …something was totally wrong…she did not dare to ask if something was wrong…Realising they were still standing in middle of corridor…
Pallavi—ermm Mr.khanna hum log bahar kyun khade hai…come on in…yaha ghar tak aye hai to…
Dev wanted to refuse but inside his heart was jumping that she has invited she wants him to come in…(seeing Pallavi opening the door & waiting for him…. He hesitantly walked through the door)
Pallavi taking off her shoes and put down her purse on the dining table…Dev just walked around in her living room it was different now…Apartment was different than last time he saw now with all furniture & TV & all stuff… it looks so different… Dev gave one glance to the photographs which he had noticed last time also …he slowly walked toward the mandir across the room and stared at the murti's…He blinked a few times and turn around to look… or rather stare at the view outside the window….
Pallavi was following his moves…Something was definitely wrong…
Pallavi(cleared her throat)—ermm Mr.khanna aap kuch lenege? (he did not respond) ermm some coffee something…aapne dinner kiya? (seeing no response…Pallavi left to make some coffee knowing he wud be needing one since he is just back from a trip)
Few minutes later she walked up to him and handed him the cup…seeing a cup in front of him taking the cup ….returned to stare out of the window.
Pallavi(seeing him still lost she dared to ask the question)--'Mr. Khanna kuch huwa hai kya? Do you want to talk?... (Again no response.)
Pallavi (thot to herself )--Maybe he doesn't want to talk…thank god at least he is here… instead of somewhere else …don't want to imagine what he might do to himself in this state….Maybe he will feel better with company around him…
She returned to kitchen and prepared a light dinner for both of them…though she had her dinner but she knew he will not eat alone…so she made for herself too… She ate sitting on her sofa…Dev nibbled some staring out of the window…
After dinner…she made him another cup of coffee. Again he drank everything in complete silence fixated on the emptiness he stared into…To Pallavi…he appeared to be in some sort of confusion…it seems he wants to say something…& same time doesn't want to say something…
To kill the silence Pallavi turned on the TV and was watching silently at the moving figures… not being able to concentrate…occassionaly she kept looking back at Dev still looking out of the window…lost in thoughts…
Pallavi pretended to watch the TV with her attention on Dev… he was still standing, staring and saying nothing…
***
Pallavi woke up the next morning in an uncomfortable position….Startled she looked around. The TV was still on…She fell asleep on the sofa…No one was standing near the window.
"My GOD…Mr.khanna…where did he go"😲😲
She jumped up from the sofa… opened the door to her bedroom... It was empty...Same as the bathroom, and the guestroom….His coat which was on sofa last night too gone… she checked the watch it was abt to be 5am… so early morning where he wud go…
***
Dev sat on the beach…seeing waves crashing on the rocks…wetting his feet…being early morning not many people around…there was calmness & silence all around…only noise was of the waves…after a while Dev dialed Sid's number...Sid who was in deep sleep…picked up the call lazily…Sid was surprised to see Dev calling so early in the morning…
Sid(sleepily)—Dev…tu itni jaldi trip se wapis aagaya…?😕😕 Aur subah subah kaise yaad kiya…its still 5am…don't tell me is waqt tu mujhse koi presentation ya koi official detail poochna chahta hai…
Dev(in a very serious but sad tone)—tu abhi milne aa sakta hai…
Sid(all his sleep vanished hearing such tone from Dev)—Dev, sab theek hai na…are u fine?
Dev—haan sab theek hai…bas needed to talk to u…but…sorry didn't realized its early morning bekaar mein…
Sid (interrupted)—apni bakwaas band kar …main 15min mein aa raha hoon...formality toh sahab se kitni hi karwa lo… 😡😡(hearing Dev is abt to say something) Dare u!! 😡😡 tu apni fav jagah se kahi gaya toh…stay right there…warna mujhe poori Mumbai mein dhundna padega tujhe…
…….to be continued….
...
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