Silent Love Part: 25
Dev parked the bike in a corner and waited for Radhika, while Pari stood along with him. Soon Radhika showed up with Renuka teacher. Radhika tried to pass a smile, Dev and Pari had a little talk with Radhika and he left. It was little difficult for her to get adjust, but she was able to make it, and the teachers mostly concentrated on subjects and pending assignments. She had so much to do that Radhika naturaly got engaged in her studies. Once in a while her eyes filled up but she learned to wipe it off and move on by herself. Nani made her calls and Radhika was able to say something. Dev made sure to pass that smile to Radhika in the morning while dropping Pari at college, her reflection of walking in to the campus at the exct time of his drop off, made it easier to look more natural.
One weekend Nani came and took her back to the mansion for a week, she took the notes with her and mostly spend the time inside that room, studying. Health wise she was improving well, so did her smile slowly coming back. But she was more of introvert, and was always caught with a book, and nodding was her best response to most of the questions. The book became her new companion while going to bed.
One another weekend, Mahi expressed her wish to bring Radhika to their home. But Radhika got busy with one or the other thing, and she promised to be there on next weekend. Renuka teacher gave permission for her to go.
Santhi came on that way and picked Radhika, and on her way home she dropped Radhika in front of Dev’s house. Radhika felt little heavy as she was walking down the lane towards the house entrance, her eyes were cornering to see the pathetic situation on front of her house, but to her surprise all the plants were alive, green and with few flowers. Radhika stood there for some time looking at their hosue front.
She jerked listening to the bike sound
Radhiksa wiped her tears off quick and looked at Dev who was trying to park his bike on the side "So finally you are here!”
Radhika tried to give a smile, but couldn’t force it well.
Dev coming near, brushed his hair with his hand, and then grabbing his bag , he came near : why you are standing here, not went in
“no, I just came”
“um, come”
He went and rang the bell, no one answered
“looks like no one here, let me call”
He took his cell out and called, and then said “ok mom’
He went near one of the pot and put his hand in and took the key : Radhika they just went out, they thought to pick you up on their way back, so anyway, come inside.
“dev”
While trying to open the lock , Dev : hu?
“who is taking care of those plants”
Dev gave a smile as if for her to guess it herself
“but you never told me” Radhika said softly
“you never asked me”
“but still”
Dev entering the house “ ha Radhika, I told you I made a promise, so I should keep it na”
“but”
Turning to face her he just blinked his both eyes once telling her this is nothing
“so Radhika, come on in, um, you are coming here after a long time , right, let me make a tea for you”
“no, it’s ok, I am fine”
“no , not ok, I know how to make a tea”
Saying that throwing the bag on the sofa, he went to the kitchen
Radhika went near the window of their main hallway and looked at her house, time ticked by, she came back to reality. She thought of Dev and went to the kitchen to check, and found him still standing with opening the cupboards, and the water in the pan was boiling to almost getting dried.
“what are you doing?’
“trying to make a tea”
She just tied the duppatta to one side, and pulled him back: let me do it
“no Radhika, I can”
“um, now go and change, I will make the tea”
“but do you know where the things are kept”
“Dev, go and get freshen up, I can take care of this”
Dev moved back and just watched her doing it, she is changing slowly, but still there is a shade of loss in her eyes. He just watched every movement of her. Finally she poured that tea in one cup and turned to give to him
Dev jerked his head slightly to take away his eyes.
“you didn’t go to freshen up?’
“ha, I was about to, but “
Radhika extended the tea cup
“where is yours?”
“I am fine”
“Radhika, I am asking where is your cup of tea”
“actually I had one already, and that is enough”
‘that is not fair, ok, let’s share this one then”
Dev moved to get another cup, but Radhika held his hand stopping him. Dev turned to look at her,
“please no Dev, I am fine”
He looked at her in question
“you have it, I am fine”
He heard his shivering throat and wetting eyes,which dried quick with her try of hiding her eyes from him.
He remembered how she used to make tea and how they used to sit and drink it, especially Padma auntie who loved it so much, and even with her turns, she refused to make tea and made Radhika to do it.
He looked at the tea cup, and he felt sorry “ Radhika, I am sorry, I never thought of it”
“Radhika walking down to the hall: it s ok Dev, and to change the subject she only asked : so when auntie will be here?
He realized it, holding the cup in his hand he followed her , and stood behind her looking at her home.
With a deep sigh Radhika turned, and almost bumped on to Dev, he called her softly
“Radhika”
“I am fine Dev, you drink the tea”
“not that, but”
“see now you are going weaker, come on Dev, its true that I didn’t make tea for long but that doesn’t mean that it should taste that bad"
Dev understood the way she changed the subject, but he also was not in a mood to give up
“um, let me check”
He took a sip and suddenly shook his head
Radhika’s eyebrows arched up and asked : what?
“Radhika, did you put “ but then knowingly he stopped it
“what” she akse dagain
“nothing”
“tell me”
“I said nothing , ok”
“please”
Muhum”
Then why you are not drinking the tea
“I will, let me go and change, ok”
He kept the tea cup over the table, grabbing the bag in his hand he climbed those stairs. Radhika’s eyes followed him, and once she saw him disappearing into his room, she moved near to the tea cup, she tried to smell it, she didn’t feel anything bad. She looked up one more time and picked the tea cup in her hand and slowly getting it near to her lips, she took a small sip, she didn’t feel anything bad, she tried one more time with little more, and there was no problem with the taste.
Dev smiled seeing her action standing behind that wall . But then called out
“Radhika you can put the TV on, they will be acak soon”
Radhika kept the tea cup on the table and sat steadily
Dev controlled his smile and quickly changed his office shirt, and came down.
Sitting near the sofa chair , he picked his tea cup.
Radhika tried to stop him, and he looked at her : what
Radhika just nodded her head saying “ nothing”
Dev was about to sip on the cup, she forwaded hier hand to stop him, Dev paused and asked her : what is it Radhika?
Radhika with little effort said: I can make another tea,
“why ? this is fine for me”
“no, not like that, “
“then?’
“maybe it is cold now, I can make a hot one”
She stood from the sofa trying to take the cup away from Dev
“Radhika, this is totally fine for me, even if it is cold, I just don’t care, ok, ha, if you want one , you can make a fresh one, or may be we can share this, just grab another cup, or else if it is just for me, then don’t worry this is fine for me… so what you want?’
Radhika didn’t get anything and simply said : nothing
“um”
Saying that he sipped the tea
“Radhika, did you put”
“sugar only” suddenly she completed the sentence
“I know sugar only, who said it is salt, what I am saying is how many teaspoon full of sugar you added”
‘half teaspoon’
“um, are you sure, this taste sweeter than that”
“I added only half teaspoon”
“I think you added one more”
“no, I put only half spoon only
“you don’t believe me right, try some”
“no, I am fine”
“no . let me grab another cup, and you taste and tell me”
He went in and grabbed another cup and poured little bit of tea into it and gave to her
“no Dev”
Radhika, please, just give me a company, please, at least taste it, for me”
She was unable to resist more, that extended her hand and picked the cup, and then rolled in her hand
“Radhika, try, and tell me how much sugar you added”
Radhika with much difficulty took a small gulp and looked at him as it was not tasting that sweeter
“for me it is ok”
“then you might have done some magic in this cup, otherwise why should I feel that much sweetness”
Radhika just looked at him with her corner eyes and then finished her tea. He with more smile sipped on to the rest of the tea too.
He talked about her college, and then he mentioned about his upcoming trip to London
“it’s a short term one , for two months, they were trying to send me earlier too, but I refused but now there is no more excuses and that was one of the condition with the hiring agreement, so I need to go”
Radhika just sat and listen to him about it
“so what you want me to get from there?’
“ for me!!!, nothing”
“I am sure you are going to miss me this time”
“dev, you started again”
“um, we will see, anyway leave that, tell me do you want to go see your house”
But then they heard the door bell followed by Mahi walked in with a a big packet in her hand
“finally you are here Radhika’ then looking at the two cups “ so who made the tea, I know Dev don’t know anything, so you made Radhika to do it, right”
“whatever it is mom, I had a good tea”
“um , I know” Mahi looking at Radhika “ beta, one minute let me change and I will be right back ok”
“ji”
Pari: Radhika, come , let’s go to my room, I need to talk to you something urgent, come come
Seeing that Mahi : she see Radhika everyday at college, but still looks like she is meeting her after ages
By then Pari pulled on RAdhika’s hand and Radhika just followed her , climbing the stairs.
Radhika spend few more hours there , and after dinner they all went to drop her back in the hostel. Mahi got the permission from Renuka for the next weekend for Radhika to stay at their house.
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