Judwaa

35. 'Out in Open'

Hello!!!

Am back again with the next update....

Tysm for voting and commenting!!

Target- 130 votes
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Dev and Samaira drove towards Marine drive, in search of a place to dine.

"Dev.....dinner se pehle ek jagah le jaana chaahti hoon tumhein," Samaira quipped

"Kahan? Aren't you hungry?" Dev asked

"Wo...wo building dekh rahe ho?.....Wahan thoda kaam hai," Samaira pointed to a multistory building which looked like a luxury apartment complex.

Dev turned into the parking lot and halted, "yahan kya karna hai?"

"I just want to check this building out.....shaadi ke baad yahan ek flat lena chaahiye.....come Dev.....let's go and check it out....aao na!" she insisted as a reluctant Dev got out of the car.

As Dev got off, he looked at the building and felt a strange familiarity with the exterior, "yahan main pehle aa chukka hoon shayad," he looked at Samaira with a puzzled expression.

Samaira muttered to herself, "of course you have!" She just held his arm and walked towards the main lobby.

"Shayad koi friend rehta ho yahan par.....ya phir kisi meeting ke liye aaya tha....ya phir...." Dev scratched his head but could not recall when he had come here.

They stood in front of the elevator and Samaira pressed 12.

"Twelfth floor?" Dev felt that floor was a little too familiar, "why 12th floor?"

"Meri ek friend rehti hai wahan....I want you to meet her....she can tell us more about these apartments," Samaira studied Dev's confused expression with the corner of her eyes.

They arrived on the 12th floor. Samaira got off the elevator and looked around, 'hmm....I forgot her apartment number.....well...." she walked by a few doors and stopped at apartment # 1211, "let me check with them and ask."

Dev followed her and felt his head spin a little when he saw apt# 1211! He knew that door.....that apt #......he had been there before......leki kab aaya main yahan? Kaun rehta hai yahan?"

Samaira's plan was working; she smiled to herself as she rang the doorbell.

A middle aged lady opened the door and smiled at Samaira. Samaira stepped aside and let Dev lead the way. As soon as he saw the lady, Dev felt as if he had been hit by a boulder. He FROZE! The lady was Fareeda; Samaira had met her earlier in the day and told her that she would bring Dev with her that evening. She had not told Sonakshi about the plan, and had requested Fareeda to not reveal this plan to anyone, especially Iqbal. Samaira was still not sure about Iqbal's intentions.

"Aao beta.....main kab se tera wait kar rahi hoon.....kitne saal ho gaye," Fareeda invited them inside. Dev stared at Fareeda intently and just followed her in a trance. He saw flashes of himself as a child in this lady'a lap, she was singing to him.....then he saw a boy playing the guitar while the same lady clapped and sang with the beat. Dev gradually lifted his finger at the lady; his voice cracked with the vortex of emotions whirling inside him, "DADI?"

Fareeda smiled through her tears, "D...Dev...mera bachha!" She touched his face and cried, "apni dadi ko pehchaan liya tune?"

Dev touched her hand and held it in his hand, "dadi.......aap kahan chali gayi thi? Main kab se....kab se," his voice choked with emotions as his head started pounding. Dev felt as if he was going to lose his balance; he held his head with his hands and sat down on the couch. He was trembling fiercely, as if he had become possessed with something. Was Rehaan trying surface again? Samaira and dadi were a little frightened to see Dev in that state. Samaira ran to the kitchen and came back with a glass of water. She sat down beside him, "Dev...please drink this water....you will feel better." Dev refused to look up; dadi sat down and caressed his back, "beta.....le lo paani.....thodi shaanti milegi."