An Affair In Summer

14. 'Reasons'

"Dev, stop." Sonakshi jerked her arm away and looked at him, pulled him closer.
"What were you doing inside, Dev? Do you any idea how this is going to affect Shivani, Sia, Sanjana, and even your business."

"I can't believe you're saying this Sonakshi." He looked away and then back at her, more calm. "Did you not hear what he said?"

"Yes I did but he said that to me, you shouldn't have turned violent." She looked at him, searching his eyes for an answer but all she saw was emptiness.

"Right, but its a fact that I'm married to you, it might be fake, but I'm married to you Sonakshi. I vowed to take care of you. I don't care if your happy with this married, or if this relationship is going to break tomorrow. I care about you right now, and right now you're my wife." He looked and was extremely hurt. At that moment he hugged her tightly and it wasn't the types of hugs he had given her before, it was different.

"I'm sorry Dev, I didn't mean to hurt you." She raked her fingers through his hair trying to comfort him. Unable to know what he was feeling. "I'll drive back." She took the keys out of his coat pocket while he still stood there holding her. "Dev it's, over." She pulled away and looked at him. "It's over and I'm fine, forget it. Come on lets go home."
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Shivani sat beside Sonakshi in shock to hear what happened at the party. "Dev is still very upset Shivani and he hasn't said a word since we left."

She placed a hand on Sonakshi's shoulder sadly, "you should go talk to him Sonakshi. I don't think I should be the one talking to him right now." She laid her head on her shoulder and hugged her.
"Even I was shocked when I read Mom's diary and found out that Neil was her brother. And, somewhere I think he's responsible for Mom's accident."

"I don't know what to say Shivani, I was to shocked to respond when I found out and after that Dev was quiet so I couldn't ask or say anything to him."

"Go see him Sonakshi," Shivani told her again. "He needs someone right now and it's you not me."

"But he doesn't want to talk to me," she stood up and walked to the window sadly. "Is Sia asleep?"

"Yes I put her to sleep a few hours ago. Don't avoid the topic Sonakshi, please."

"Alright, I'll go see him. You should to go bed as well now." She walked back and kissed her. "We have a lot of press to face tomorrow." She sighed as Shivani hugged her.

"Are you okay?" She asked her rubbing her hand on her back.

"I am, now off to bed." She pulled away and watched her leave the room.
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Dev was sitting on his bed, his head laid back against the backboard of the bed, and his eyes closed. Thinking it was Shivani, he didn't move. Sonakshi closed the door behind her and sat down under the blanket beside him.

"Dev." She placed her hand on his arm and his eyes opened.

He looked at her, she was still dressed in her sari but her jewelry was gone and her hair was tied up.

She didn't know what to say or do next. She shifted awkwardly and then sat on her knees, perpendicular to him. "You can talk to me, Dev."

He looked back at her when she placed her hand on his shoulder. Slowly he pressed his face into his shoulder and hugged her again, this time crying. Sonakshi held him back tightly, like a wife instead of a friend.

"I didn't kill her, Sonakshi. I didn't kill her." He repeated again and again.

"I know you didn't." She replied rubbing her hand on his back. "Would you like to tell me what happened?" She lifted his face and wiped his eyes. "You look like Sia right now, stop crying." Then she pulled her face down and kissed his forehead, followed by another embrace that was going to last the entire night.