TRUTH- AN ILLUSION

Chapter 6

"Papa car ki chabhi dijiye na"Said Dev sitting beside his father.

"kyu?" asked Mahesh folding newspaper and putting it on the table.

Dev"Ananya ko le kar Furniture shop jana hai"

Mahesh -"Kal shaadi hui hai teri aur aaj patni ke saath car me jayega.teri bike kya sirf ghar ke bahar khade rehne ke liye hai.

Dev-"Papa dhoop bahut hai . Bike per halat kharab ho jayegi."

"Hey bhagwan , kaise nalayak beta mila hai"Said Mahesh shaking his head "ye bhi baap ko samjhani paregi "He said sighing and look at him"Bewakoof, Car me seat 2 cm dur hota aur bike pe.."

"Kya papa aap bhi"He said looking away.
"Tere dost hote to ye gyan ki baate tujhe wahi batate"Said Mahesh.

"aap ho na mere best friend"He said side  hugging him.

"Kya baat chal rahi hai baap bete me"Said Smita coming there with Ananya.

"Papa mujhe bigar rahe hai"Said Dev breaking the hug bringing smile on face of Smita and Ananya.

Mahesh -"Ha,to meri Sarif jaade, jaana hai ya yahi rehna."

"Jaa raha hu,bye"He said standing up while picking up bike's key."Chale"He said to Ananya.She follow him as he move toward the door.

"Baitho"He said signalling Ananya to sit.
She sit behind him and put her hand on his shoulder gently ,keeping gap between them.
"2 cm ka gap to yaha bhi hai"He thinks looking at Ananya and starts the bike.

He applied brake on the bike in front of a furniture shop.
"tum yahi ruko ,mai bike parking me khada kar ke aara hu"He said as Ananya descend from the bike and stands in front of him.He goes toward the parking, thinking that all those daily shows is just rubbish as Ananya didn't bump in him despite of the speed breakers.

Ananya is standing in front of the shop looking at Dev who is talking with someone at parking.
"Haye garmi"A voice reached at  her ears .She looks toward the voice where three boys are sitting on the bike looking at her lustfully.She looks at Dev straightening her saree uncomfortably.He is still talking .

"Kab se soch raha tha garmi itni kyu badh rhi hai"Said a boy coming toward Ananya looking at her from toe to head whereas Ananya decided not to look at them.

"Ab pta chla ,kya raaz hai"He said standing near Ananya while looking at other boys who are smiling.

"Aur ab to pyas bhi lagne lagi hai"Said another boy coming toward her looking at Ananya.

Meanwhile Dev looks toward Ananya while talking and found her standing besides two boys .Her body language told that she is uncomfortable.He immediately come toward her taking big steps.

Ananya feel a grip on her wrist ,she looks up immediately and found Dev is standing there looking at those boys who pretends to look away , still smiling cheaply.

"chale"He said softly looking at her .She nodded and walk with him inside the shop but not before noticing signals which those boys gave to each other to follow them.

"Uncle, mummy ne wardrobe ka order Diya tha"He said to elder looking  shopkeeper.
"Ha,ha bas ready hi hai"Said Shopkeeper signalling someone to come."Dev ke wardrobe ki delivery ke liye ready karo."He told to a man, who is of Dev's age, come toward him.He looks at Dev and then at Ananya and ask something from his eyes which Dev replies blinking

"Kya bhai, shaadi ke baad patni ko pehle baar furniture shop le kar kaun aata hai"said the boy.

"hum jaise middle class log .Jinke room me furniture ke naam per ek study table aur saalo se  papa ka purana wardrobe rehta hai"Said Dev leaning on the counter."Achcha ek dressing table bhi chahiye."