Devakshi FF: Reaching Out

Chapter 11

Hi, Guys!

It's Wednesday and I'm FINALLY here!

As many of you have been commenting since morning, no, I absolutely haven't forgotten about the double update!

But before I go on to it, let me tell you that these two chapters may be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for you all. 

So here it is!

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Sonakshi observed Dev very carefully as he took a deep breath and begun talking again.

"Main 7 saal ka tha jab mere papa ko business problems hona shuru hua. Tab main bohot chota tha, zyada samajh nahin thi mujhey business ki, par itna janta tha ki problem jo bhi thi serious thi." Dev got up from the couch and started pacing while Sonakshi observed his every move and listened to his every word. Her therapist senses had kicked in the moment Dev had expressed his wish to tell her about his problem. From his body language she realised that he was apprehensive. Dev continued, " Tab Neha 6 saal ki thi and Riya aur Nikki 4 aur 3 saal ke, respectively." He paused again and looked at Sonakshi, " Oh, aap Riya aur Neha se toh mil chuki hongi. Meri ek choti behen bhi hai Nikki. Iss waqt Mumbai me hai, studying." Sonakshi smiled a little, " Pata hai. Neha ne bataya tha." Dev nodded. "Toh uss waqt humey sab kuch bechna padh raha tha. Humari cars, sab luxurious items aur bhi bohot kuch." He looked up at the ceiling wistfully, " In fact humey toh apna ghar bhi bechna padha, mere dadaji ne jo pai pai jodhke banaya tha."

He came back and sat down again. " Neha, Riya, Nikki aur main, chaaro Delhi ke ek bohot hi expensive school me padhte the. Toh humey apni school bhi change karna padha. Main tabhi thoda samajhta tha, par Neha aur Riya bohot naraz the. Woh samajh nahin pa rahe the ki unke favourite cheezon se unhey duur kyun rakha ja raha tha." Dev laughed a little remembering something, "Riya ne toh yeh bhi kahan tha ki agar uske favourite doll ko kisine sell karna chaha toh who uske haath tod degi." Sonakshi smiled thinking back to the Riya she had met. "Haan" she thought, "Bilkul tod deti."

Dev seemed to go back to that impassive expression again. "Hum sab ek saath rehkar ek dusre ka hosla badhate, par papa iss situation me kuch zyada hi affected ho gaye the. Dheerey dheerey, woh har roz ghar late aaney lagey." Dev sighed deeply, " Kehte the losses ka dhakka sambhalna easy nahin hai, isiliye kaam zyada hota hai. Par phir baad me ma hume papa ke ghar aaney se pehley hi sula deti thi. Kehti thi ki agar papa dekhengey ki hum jaag rahey hai toh woh bohot naraz hongey." Dev looked at Sonakshi directly again and said, " Par baat yeh thi ki papa ko pasand tha, ghar aakey humse khelna. Toh mujhey tab yeh samajh nahin aya ki ma aisa kyun kehti thi."

Abruptly Dev clenched his fists and stood up, " Mujhey tabhi samajh jana chahiye tha ki kuch theek nahin tha. Ki ma mujhsey kuch toh zaroor chupa rahi thi." Sonakshi knew that they were approaching the harsh truth. So she quietly asked him, " Dev...aap poolside chalna chahengey? Wahan khuli hawa me shayad aap better bol paye." Dev looked at her for a long moment and then nodded. He started walking out to the poolside, while Sonakshi scurried after him. There was a long bench on one end of the pool and a series of relaxing chairs on the other side. Dev walked towards the bench telling Sonakshi, " Aap wahan baithiye." Sonakshi went ahead and placed herself on the bench while Dev remained standing in front of her, at the edge of the pool. Keeping his back to her, Dev said, " Papa se milna toh humara band hi ho gaya tha. Jab hum sote uske baad hi who lauttey aur humare uthne se pehley hi woh nikal jaatey." Sonakshi questioned, " Aap aunty ji se nahin poochtey the, ki woh kyun aisa kartey the?" Dev nodded, " Haan poochta tha, par woh kisina kisi baat se iss baat ko taal deti thi, aur phir main bhool jata tha, afterall meri beheno ki responsibility thi mujhpar. Unhey iss garibi se protect karke rakhna tha humein." Sonakshi nodded understandly. After pause she said, " Phir kya hua?"