Truly, Madly, Deeply- a Devakshi story.

Between the rock and a hard place

A few days earlier

Ishwari's dining table was laden with delicacies she had cooked for the dinner. Dev had informed her that they had managed to ward off the takeover bid and the collaboration with the Norwegian group had received the Competition Commission's approval. Which meant that finally the clouds of danger were dispelled. Ishwari did not understand all these details much; but all that mattered to her was that her son was victorious. She had the greatest belief in her son's invincibility and through him, her own infallibility. She had decided that her entire family would have dinner that night and had called over Mamiji for helping her prepare the elaborate dinner.

This evening all her children, Dev, Riya and her husband, Nikki , Mama ji and Mamiji, everyone was sitting around the dining table. It was a celebratory evening. She basked at everyone's compliments with the food, lading Dev's plate with food. She noticed that Dev seemed happy and relaxed as he hadn't been for years, in fact never could she recall Dev be so spontaneous and ready to laugh at silly things, his sisters said. Being a father had brought out a new side to him, Ishwari thought. She wished Suhana was there too. She would have loved to be able to feed her something with her own hands. She said this to Dev instructing him to bring Suhana over that weekend. To her surprise, she noted Dev became a little tense and both her daughters rushed in to fill up the gaps in the conversation. She saw Dev glance at them with thanks. Ishwari's sixth sense about Dev started beeping its warning tone in her head.

She carefully watched Dev. He was always well groomed but today he looked as though he was taking special care in his appearance. He wore a Banana Republic dark indigo linen shirt with a lighter indigo motif, with a casual, band collar and Ishwari realized that it was completely unlike the type of shirts Dev usually wore. She considered his relaxed happy expression and wondered if he was looking too happy for his work success. Normally he never celebrated his success like this. And there had been many successes in the past. She knew of his struggles with insomnia, but it looked like he was sleeping well because gone was the gaunt look of sleeplessness and he didn't look as though he was taking any sleeping aid too.

Ishwari prided herself on knowing her son very well. Without being told, she had understood when Dev had started going out with other girls after Sonakshi had left him. She had understood how he felt bored and trapped with any girl after a few days and she knew when he dropped a girl-friend by the relief that used to appear on his face. Her observation was minute and she wondered if lately she had been sidetracked by his business issues, and she should have focused on something else. She observed him very closely now. He was light-hearted, teasing his sisters, but there was an alertness in him. 

Dev had his mobile next to his table mat and he kept looking at it increasingly keenly as the evening advanced. She saw a message, evidently the one he was waiting for show up on the screen and he had a smile on his face while he read it. He kept the phone down and the way he ran his thumb caressingly over the screen as he shut the mobile, she knew, just knew, this was to do with a girl. Her warning radar started clanging incessantly and she was not surprised when he announced he had to go.

She pumped her daughters for information and though no one confirmed anything, their guilty expressions confirmed that they knew and approved of whatever Dev was doing. Mamji and Mama ji had been observing Ishwari's increasing anxiety and Mamiji with her usual logic has immediately surmised it had something to do with their old enemy Sonakshi. She was elated that here was a chance to poison Ishwari's mind and pay back Dev for turning them out of Ishwari Niwas. Mama ji tried to stop her but as usual he was not effective against the evil machinations of his wife. Mamiji stopped over that night and the next two days to slow work her poison on Ishwari. Ishwari had not been keeping well since the past few months and this fear cleverly planted by Mmaiji in her mind served like oil on flames. After conferring with Mamiji Ishwari decided to shift into Dev's apartment and reach unannounced after a few days. In her mind, Ishwari wanted to prove Mamiji wrong because though Dev might be involved with a girl, she didn't think he would ever get involved with his ex-wife.