Silent Love Part : 29

Silent Love Part : 29

Aap hi se hai judi yeh zindagi meri,
Par kahe na saka, tadap yeh meri

Tumhari aankho me bhi chupi hai jo baat
Najane kab yeh keh paogi tum bhi yeh baat

Ansso tere en palkon ki chilman se
Hassen palo ki ahat dilati hai mujhe

Raste mein aye kitni mushkile, phir bhi
Saath nahi chondenge hum kabhi…Yehi hai mera vishwas mujhpar….
Aur jaanta hu tumhe, ...ki tum ho meri 

Dev was looking at her closed eyes, her eyes lids are swollen, she is resting her head over his right upper arm, and  he is resting his back onto the wall.  He was unable to close his eyes, his eyes again got stuck on Padma’s room door. Radhika was so enthusiastic to show him the cupboard, and all those lovely photos of her dad and mom, and  those letters which was just meant for her mom, her eyes were widening as she was telling about their love, and with wet eyes she said ‘mom is so lucky, she always kept these close to her heart, and she used to read one or two from her collections.' She with a small grin mentioned that  'but papa never left anything for me '…   Radhika never tried to peek in those, sometimes auntie read few lines for her and Radhika  used to listen to it with a smile ….sometimes to make her feel jealous, sometimes just to share that lovely memory with her daughter…

    Looking at her closed eyes he asked in his mind.. :  but then why tried to hide your love for me Radhika, i have seen it in you, but then why you tried to close this window to avoid my eyes, to block those music which I kept for you to listen..  why you tried to hide in that shell where you wanted to see only your mom, why didn’t you see my yearn, my achy heart…  I love you Radhika, I love you so much, I can’t see you in pain, I can’t see you  alone, I can’t bear it when you gaze away from me, when will you realize it?.. for now, at least you accepted my friendship, and I hope one day you will realize my love too..  and till then I will wait as a true friend….

  The minute you stepped into this hall, where you lost your vision to see the lifeless body of auntie, you went weak on your leags and  you went in silence. And I don’t want to break that silence, you need that time,.... you need to start again from where you left, and you need to go back to those times where you danced with the changing emotions on your face, where your eyes and your expression once confused  me too, thinking it is your love for me that is showing on your face.  It may take some more time, but you will, because   deep down in your heart you love me, let you try to block it, but still it is there and one day it will come out to the surface, and that time you won’t be able to block it, you won’t be able to close those windows, you won’t be able to gaze away from me..

The sunrays spread the natural light inside the closed house. Radhika slowly opened her eyes, her head was still resting over his upper arm, and Dev’s head slightly tilted to rest on the wall and his one arm was holding her shoulder to keep her still. She moved slightly, and sat straight, and then looked at him.

A small chirpy smile appeared on her corner lip seeing him sleeping sound, she looked at the clock, the time was past 7. Widening her eyes she came back to reality, she is in her house, she didn’t go back,  and she was able to rest in her own home,  she was able to make it., she looked at the hall , she remembered the moment when  the image of her mom flashed in her eyes and feeling weak she sat down, and here he is still giving her support, not leaving her alone,..  she looked at him one more time and thought “how do I give it back Dev, I don’t know, but at any time, if you need anything from me, just ask me, I know you won’t , but will I be able to recognize it just like the way you realize for me,  but then will I be able to support you the way you are supporting me? I don’t know Dev, but you are right, this time when you go away, I will really miss my friend, but that’s your career and you need to go.

Radhika slowly tapped on his shoulder : Dev

He opened his eyes to see Radhika, with that sleepy tone he said : good morning

Passing a smile, he tried to curl down to continue his sleep

Radhika smiled and called loud: Dev, its morning, and we are still here!

Dev woke up and then asked : what?

Radhika lowered her voice: no Dev, its morning and

Dev looked around and then looked at her : oh, I am sorry, I just slept

“I know, why sorry, actually I should say THANKS to you”

“thanks for what Radhika?’

“”for being with me, and and bringing me here, I don’t know what else to say Dev, at least for few moments I lived here with my mom and her memory, I feel like I want to hear more about her from you, as if you know her more than me now,  just tell me everything about her”

“ha, I will, but later, now get up and start your day, ok”

He got up and gave her a hand to get up too.

“but I didn’t bring any of my stuff, I thought to go back today morning only, but now after spending this much time here, I want to stay here for long, I don’t want to go back soon, I don’t want to go back to hostel, I don’t want to go back to Nani’s place, this is where I want to spend my life Dev.”

“Radhika, for today, it is ok, but tomorrow you need to go back to your hostel,  for now you should give importance to your studies, you cannot live alone here, and no one will let you.  If you need to come back here, I can help you, but that may take some time, and you need to follow what I tell you, but till then, you are going back  to hostel , ok.”

“no, I am not going to go back”

For a moment she spoke herr wish in a stern voice

“um, ok, live here alone, and then let everyone knows about it, and you think it will be safe, hu?”

“but you all are here na”

“Radhika, try to understand it , ok, you are still a student, and you have certain limitations”

“so once a get a job, I can live here na”

“maybe even prior to that, but for that you need to change your attitude”

“what attitude?”

“that , I will tell you later, now all I want is a hot tea”

“that I make”

“ok then, go make one fast, like a  good girl”

She ran to the kitchen and try to get everything, but there was no milk. She came back to the hall where Dev was peeking out to the road

Radhika followed his eyes and moved softly to his side profile, and then peeking out, she asked softly: what are you looking at?

Dev got shocked and he jerked to find Radhika by his side, very close: Hu?

In turn Radhika got shocked too and looked at Dev surprisingly

“Radhika, you frightened me?’

“did I? but I just asked, what you are looking at so secretly?’

Dev sat back,  and looked at Radhika who is still trying to find out what is happening outside

Dev taking a deep sigh: Radhika,

Radhika still looking out : um

“Radhika”

“um”

“look here”

She sat near to him and turned her head back slightly, still wanting to know what is going on outside

“Radhikaaa”

‘um”

“look at me?’

“what?’ she sat  staright looking at him curiously

“you know where we are now?’

“ha, in my house”

“ha, in your house, which is locked all the way from gate to backdoor, and we are inside”

“so what?, its our house”

“ha baba, but now we are in by breaking the lock, actually we are equal to thief now, got it”

“how can it be Dev, this is my house”

“oh dear, someone help me, Radhika, who will think it is you inside, hu?, if they find any suspicion here, they will call the police and we will be in trouble”

“Dev, but this is my house na, who are they to call the police”

“omg " he folded his ahnds together and rolled up his eyes  " Padma auntie, I never thought she is this buddu. " then looking at Radhika, he said  " Ok baba, this is your house, but please don’t let anyone know that you are inside, ok, if someone come to know then that is it, your Nani may take the next step?’

“what next step?”

“what if she comes to know that you came here without her knowledge, she will surely try to block it, she may even try to sell it”

“Dev, you are so bad”

“um, now I am bad, but if I think of your Nani’s way, then that is the only possibility”

“can you read everyone’s mind”

“ha, if it goes this way, then I may surely become an astrologer”

“then you tell me what you want me to do now?’

“let’s go to my house now and we will come back later, ok”

‘dev, please”

“Radhika, there is no other way, what if something happens, then all the doors will close in front of you”

“ok baba, let’s go”

“but then do you want to take anything from here”

“maybe a dress”

“ok, then take quick and let’s go”

She went to her room and picked one of her dress and soon they took their exit thru the back door, and with little difficulty RAdhika made her jump out

“next time you better keep some  huge rock here’  she said looking back at the fence height

Dev : I think it is better to break  it down at one corner

“nice idea , Dev, let’s do that today”

“Radhikaaa”

“um”

She kept quiet, but then: but then you think nobody watched you watering the plants or anything till now.

“Radhika, that is outside, and usually I won’t take much time, I have my own way of getting things done, you know”

But then as if remembering : where is my tea, did you left that in your house?

“no, I didn’t make it, there is no milk, I came to tell you that only and found you peeking out”

“um, that’s good, now make a nice tea, ok, by then I will freshen up quick”

Dev turned the knob to open their house

“Dev, you didn’t lock the house!!!”

“did I ever thought that you are going to sleep there?’

“so, you also can’t see everything ,right?”

‘Radhikaa”

“ok baba, let me make  the tea, you go wash your face and come, ok

Saying that she went to the kitchen.

When Dev came back, she gave him the tea cup

“where is yours?’

“let me freshen up too, but where can I?’

“Use my room, or else, your Mahi auntie will get heart attack”  his voice trailed off towards the latter part

“what?’

“nothing, use my washroom ok, and there should a towel somewhere around”

Radhika smiled saying: don’t worry, I brought mine

Dev picked the newspaper in hand , with a smile

She went up to his room.

The home phone made its sound and Dev went and took it: Hello

“Ha Dev, you woke up already!”

“good morning mom,, yap,”

“ I thought you might be sleeping, so only I called, you need to go to office na”

“ha mom” but then after a thought “ mom, why dadaji called everyone”

Mahi with a soft voice: what to say Dev, your dadaji sometimes act so childish, it seems like he had a  bad dream, and he felt like seeing everyone near and was telling about you only all the time”

Dev controlled his smile ”so when  will you be abck?’

“tomorrow morning we will start, ok”

“ha mom”

“ha beta, then you get ready ok”

“ha mom, bye”

Saying that he kept the phone down and smiled , he thought to call Dadaji but thought not to. He turned to get back to sofa...  he looked up to see his room and thought  " why she is taking so long?'

he climbed the stairs and went in,  she was still inside, but the sitution of his room warrented his attention.  Did she see this mees already??? um, may not be.. but still that's ok, i am a working man,  so i can be excused.. right?

"not right"

 He turned to meet  the sound and there she was ,  Radhika, who was coming out from the shower, wearing her black Capri and cream color T shirt.  the old Radhika, whom he is familiar with.....