So close yet so far

Part 16

Dev and Sonakshi got ready for the lunch at Bose house. Dev wore formals as usual while Sonakshi wore a green anarkali. Dev sat on the couch while Sonakshi was getting ready. 'Sonakshi yaaarrr.....jaldi karo, hume gift bhi lena hai'. ' bas do minute dev'. Sonakshi came out of the room wearing a jhumka in the ear'. 'Finally....chalo ab' dev sighed and stood up from the couch. As he began to walk towards the door, Sonakshi called him 'arey Dev....rukho mujhe chappal toh pahanane do'. She opened the shoe rack and took out a pair of sandals. She sat on the couch to wear them, but she couldn't bend down. Her baby bump was too big now and it restricted her to bend. Dev saw how cute she was looking while try to wear the chappal. He slowly bent down on his knees to make her wear them. The sight was just like the last scene from Cinderella, where the prince makes his princess wear the glass shoe, here the footwear was not definitely not made up of glass but yes, Dev definitely did not look any less than a prince. He held Sonakshi's hand to help her stand up from the couch. They reached the basement. Dev made Sonakshi sit on the passenger seat. They drove towards the mall. They were waiting at the signal. 'Tum ne kuch socha ki Maa ko kya gift dena hai? I mean, you know better'. Sonakshi thought for a moment and said 'hmm...Dev Maa really likes jewellery. I think ki we can gift her a necklace or a bracelet what do you think?' Dev liked her suggestion and they decided to go to Tanishq to buy the gift. The entered the showroom and a salesman came to assist them. 'Hello sir, ma'am how may I help you?' 'Hello, actually we are looking for a gift for my mother'. Said Sonakshi. 'Sure ma'am, please come this way'. They followed the salesman. He made them sit on the chairs and began to show them according to their preference. Dev was extremely bored at the showroom. He could see other men at the showroom who were accompanying their wives and they were equally bored. After spending around half an hour, Sonakshi liked a necklace and so did Dev . They decided to buy it. Dev asked the salesman for the bill but before proceeding with the billing, the salesman opened a shelf and took out a tray of beautiful diamond rings. Devs phone buzzed and he want in the corner to attend it. As Dev left, the salesman said to Sonakshi 'Ma'am, this is our latest and exclusive collection. They are limited edition'. Sonakshi loved them but then she said 'they are really beautiful, but I don't wish to buy one. Thank you'. 'I understand ma'am but ek baar aap dekh toh lo'. As it is said that diamonds are a girls weakness, Sonakshi couldn't resist herself. She began to have a look. She saw a few and soon her eyes fell on a shiny beautiful diamond ring. She took it in her hand and tried it on her finger. Dev was done with the call and he was walking towards Sonakshi while he heard Sonakshi say something to the salesman. She said 'this ring is gorgeous. Kitne carat ka hai?' It was not that She intended to buy it but she just asked. 'Ma'am, this is 18 carat 100% diamond. Aur iss ki khaas baat yeah hai ki all the rings that you saw are single piece. Market mein aap ko kahi bhi yeh design Nahi milega. By now Sonakshi had fallen in love with it. Dev walked up to her and kept his hand around her shoulder. 'Thume yeh ring pasand aai?' Sonakshi nodded looking at the ring. 'Theek hai, aap isse bhi pack kar do'. He said to the salesman. Sonakshi looked at Dev with a shocking expression. 'Arey Dev....mad or what? I don't want it' Dev looked at her and said 'tumhe pasand aai na? Toh bas'. He indicated the salesman to follow his orders. Sonakshi didn't like it that Dev spent so much on her for no reason. 'Dev aap ko itni expensive ring leni ki koi jarurat
Nahi thi'. Dev held her hand and said 'Arey? Kya main apni wife ko gift bhi nahi de sakta? Haq hai mera ki main apni wife ko ek gift du. The salesman handed Dev a bag containing both the gifts. With that they drove towards the bose house. They were already an hour late. Sonakshi rang the bell. Before someone came to open the door, Dev said to her 'dekha Sonakshi...hum ek ghanta late hai. Sonakshi held his arms and said 'Dev it's okay, sab gharwale log hi hai'. Bijoy opened the door and welcomed them in. Sonakshi hugged her baba while Dev bent down to seek his blessing. 'Maa....' Sonakshi rushed towards the dining table where Asha was standing. 'Araam se Sona, aise bhag mat. It's not right'. Sonakshi hugged Asha tightly. Dev came forward to seek her blessing. Sonakshi took the gift box from Dev and opened the box. A beautiful shining rose gold necklace. 'Dev, sona...iss ki kya jarurat thi bhala?' Dev smiled to himself thinking about how Sonakshi and his mother in law both refused to take gifts willingly. Dev looked at asha and said ' Maa, aap apne bete ko mana Nahi kar sakte. Aap ko yeh gift accepted Karin hi hogi'. 'Accha baba....jamai ji ka order hai, mana Nahi kar sakte'. Asha said jokingly. All the other guests began to laugh. A few relatives and family friends were invited. All began to chit chat and the door bell rang. Asha opened the door and saw elena. 'Kitna time laga dia?' All the guests wondered who was at the door. Asha got her in. Sonakshi and Elena excitedly exchanged a side hug because now, they both had baby bumps. Elena greeted everyone and Bijoy asked 'beta, Vicky kaha hai? Woh Nahi aaya? Elena hesitated and said'voh actually Vicky ko thoda kaam tha toh woh Nahi aa paya'. The reality was that Vicky did not come because he did not like the bose family. Maybe he hated them more because he had failed to throw Sonakshi out of dev's life. Vicky was a jerk and so he did not accompany Elena. The maid came and announced that lunch was ready. All stood up to serve themselves. Sonakshi was about to get up to serve her self but Dev asked her to sit. He decided to have lunch after feeding Sonakshi. He filled the plate for Sonakshi. He sat next to her and fed her properly making sure she ate everything because since last night she was unwell and had not had food properly. Bijoy had been noticing Dev since the past few hours, somewhere deep within he had understood that Dev was a good man. After Sonakshi finished her lunch, Dev went to the kitchen to keep her plate. Bijoy came and stood next to him. 'Baba...aap yaha? Kuch kaam hai? 'Dev beta, kafi time se dekh raha hu ki tum sona ka bhaut khayal rakh rahe ho'. Dev blushed a little as Bijoy continued 'beta, mujhe maaf kar do ki maine tum humesha galat samjha'. Out of guilt, Bijoy joined his hands. Dev immediately stopped him from joining his hands 'baba aap kya kar rahe ho? Aap mujse bade ho. Aap ka koi Haq Nahi hai ki aap mujse mafi mange. Baba, aap ki koi galti Nahi hai. Kal agar meri ek beti hogi aur koi usse hurt karega, to main bhi apni beti ko protect karunga, jaise aap ne Sonakshi ko kia, aur humesha kareinge'. Dev and Bijoy had a man to man talk. Bijoy hugged Dev. Things were getting better with time. 'Ab chalo, tum bhi lunch kar lo, kab se dekh raha tha ki tum Sona ka khayal rahe the, ab khud bhi kha lo. They walked out of the kitchen laughing, Sonakshi noticed it and had realised that things were getting better between the important men in her life.
Soon everyone began to leave. Elena was about to leave she greeted everyone. ' elena rukho, hum thume ghar chod dete hai, ghar raste mein padta hai'. Elena agreed to go with them. Dev Sonakshi and Elena left the bose house after a memorable lunch. It was definitely memorable for Dev.