Silent Love PArt: 22

Silent Love Part : 22

Radhika was heading back towards her room, the phone rang at the mansion. She looked around for someone to pick,  but then she heard her Nani’s voice “ Radhika, pick the phone, maybe it is Mohini, I asked her to call me, tell her I will call back in few minutes ok”

RAdhika turned and took the phone and said a soft : hello

“hello, can I talk to Radhika please”

She smiled as she realized the sound , she looked around once and then continued softly: why?

“I got a call from Sunanda madam telling me that Radhika is returning to college next week, I am going to be her computer teacher, I need to ask her something”

“really, and what is this computer teacher’s name?”

“vo” Dev thought for a moment, while Radhika thought how well he is playing the prang to get her.

“so you don’t know your name?” she asked sarcastically

“its not that, I am new, so she may not be knowing my name, so  anwyay ,I am Mr. Purohith, ”

“but I think I know you well”

Dev gulped once to wet his throat : ji?

“um, Dev, tell me, its me only”

“Radhika!!!! , thank God, why you didn’t tell me early”  with a big relief tone

“all the time, you give the surprises ,right?, thought I should give back sometimes too”

“um, so you knew it is me?’

“ha.”

“how?’ he asked curiously

“um, I don’t know, maybe   becauuse you told me that you will try to make that call, or who else calls here and ask for me.”

“Radhika”

“so, today all the madams came and I am coming  back to continue my studies”

“ha Radhika, and I am so happy to hear about it, so only I called”

“but Nani said in hostel, I wish to spend time in my house”

Dev understood the narrowing of her tone

“no Radhika, for now this is the best choice, you can concentrate on your studies, to maintain a home is not that easy, and I think for now this is the best decision”

“but then I need to depend on nani , who is going to pay all the fee and all, I don’t want her to”

Intervening her talk ;:Radhika, don’t worry about that for now, maybe i can arrange some loan for you, payback when you get a job..  is that sound good to you.'

Radhika; Dev

Dev with a smile: um, now don't worry about all that ok,  pack your things to come, ok, only three more days left

“but Dev, I don’t have anything else to pack, I didn’t bring anything from home,, and I don’t have anything to take from here either, my stuff are back in home, and I only need those”

“give me the list, I can get it”

“but Nani has the key, she is not going to give it to me”

“Radhika, just give me the list, maybe I can buy you new ones, and don’t worry,  I know there is enough money in your bank balance, you give that back to me when ever your time permits”

“how, I forgot that”

“um, do you remember anything now”

“I think, I don’t “

“I know, so only I called, so give me the list”

“Radhika, are you talking to Mohini, that is good, give it to me now I am here”

Dev’s heart stopped for a moment hearing Nani’s voice,

Radhika: its not Mohini deedi

Dev prayed hard .... Radhika, don’t tell my name please, please please

“then who is it Radhika, you were talking !”

“ha, vo"  but suddenly as if listening to his inner call, she said : my computer teacher’

“why your computer teacher needs to call you?’

“he is new, so Principal madam asked him to call and check with me, so that he can get my notes ready”

“um”

Dev took a deep sigh

Radhika: ok, goodnight Sir, saying that she kept the receiver down

Dev looked at his cell number and thought : at least she was able to open up, um, three more days Radhika

Radhika went to her room, she took her parents photo frame: Mom, Dev asked me to pack everything,  when I came here i had only this with me, and I leave this place too with this only in my hand, I don’t need anything . I also wanted to go back mom, I want to be near you, I saw your big house, I spend time in your room, but I couldn’t feel you here anywhere mom, Dev is right mom, I need to continue my study, I need to stand on my foot, then I can break that lock and get into our house, and be with you mom,  and I will wait for you over there to come and take me. She stood silently looking at her parents picture, she tried to give a smile but her eyes started filling up,  she felt like crying loud, but she kept those sound in her mind only, holding her tears was the hardest part, but the sound echoed insdie her all the time ....her tears filled up and  escaped thru the corner making her vision clear again.

Nani made her entry with a glass of milk, RAdhika wiped off those tears and keeping the frame back she try to go to washroom. They made quick move, Nani kept the glass and walked away.

Radhika came back drying her face. She felt little better. she looked at that milk glass , and cornered her lips, but then she found the diary laying next to it.

She picked it up in his hand, remembered the moment he gave that to her. His words started echoing asking her to take care of her health.  She picked that milk glass and able to gulp down half of it, keeping it on the stand, she slowly  opened the diary and looked at those empty lines. She doesn’t have anything to write on them, her mind is blank, she kept that diary next to her while closing her eyes , trying  to find letters that can make her to move on..

****

The rays of hope from the sunshine pierced thru the windows, Radhika, slowly opened her eyes. As she tried to sit up, her hand touched the diary. She looked at it, and smiled simply. Keeping that on the  side she got up to get ready for the day…

   the days passed  holding onto the  wings of a wind.

Radhika refused to go for any shopping, but Nani insisted that she got  two new suitcase full of dress. She was thinking of her list to get from home, but she didn’t get Dev’s call.

As she was going to bed, she saw the diary resting on the night stand. She picked it up and holding a pen in her hand she wrote , I thought you will call me Dev, but you didn’t. we are starting tomorrow, I need few of the text books, and my old notes, I thought you may call me, but you didn’t, or is it that I didn’t get it, I don’t know. But now how will I meet you?, I am going to be at the hostel, maybe I can tell santhi madam. I don’t know, what do I do now?  She  closed the diary and kept that on the side.

****

She packed the diary in one of the bags, and carried the photo frame with her,  she didn’t turn back to see the mansion behind as the car drove away.  Radhika just listen to Nani’s instructions blindly, but then she closed her eyes telling that she is tired. Nani sat silently, but then again started her preach to Sekhar who was just saying “yes “ to all her concerns.

They reached the hostel, Santhi madam was waiting there along with Renuka teacher. Nani looked at all the facilities, and then again affirmed all the regulations, she wanted to give a cell phone to Radhika, but Renuka teacher refused as it can be against hostel rules.

Nani left after spending some more time around checking on Radhika’s safety and more than anything the limitations, and reminded Santhi about Maheswari’s line, and  then slowly  drove out from the hostel premises.

********

Santhi and Renuka helped Radhika to settle herself in the room.  Within an hour Maheswari, Pari and Gopal showed up. Santhi introduced them to Renuka,  Pari controlled her tears. But still it just rolled down.

Santhi looked for Dev, so did Renuka

“so where is he?”

Santhi: that’s what I am also thinking, maybe waiting outside, this is girl’s hostel right?

But then , “let’s check outside”

Santhi and Renuka went out and found Dev sitting patiently on the driver’s side.

Santhi smiled at Renuka and they both came near the car, seeing Santhi madam Dev got down: hello madam

“what happened Dev, you are not coming in?’

“no madam,  its fine, mom went to meet her na, so”

“um, so now she is here, but I am really worried about Monday, by tomorrow evening other students will be back and mostly everyone knows Radhika, and then college”

“Don’t worry madam, leave that onto me, but I need your help”

“any time Dev, and you met Renuka teacher already, right?'

Dev: ha we did.

Santhi: good

Dev looking at Santhi: Madam, is it ok if I make a call to Radhika later,

Santhi looked at Renuka: ha it’s ok Dev, Santhi madam knows you well, and  Padma madam was my friend too, so anything for her daughter.

“can you please note down my cell number, if you need any help, please don’t hesitate to call me, I know now she may be acting well, showing that she is adjusting well with everything, but in case”

“sure”

They exchanged their cell numbers

“you want to come in?”

‘not now Madam, ..... Santhi madam, can you bring  her to the college tomorrow, I can meet her over there, if you are free”

Santhi thought for a moment “but Dev, tomorrow there won’t be anyone at college and “

“I know madam, that’s how I want her to  feel the atmosphere, or she may breakdown in front of all, that  time I wont be able to help her out, so if you can bring her tomorrow ,that will be great”

Santhi looked at Renuka and nodded her head and said : ok, but I have other things to do too,

“thank you madam,  that's fine, i can drop her back, I really need your help, I know what Padma auntie wished, and I am taking Radhika’s responsibility, if there is anything at any point please let me know, let it be anything , even money matters, don’t ask Nani at this point of time, Radhika may not like it, Radhika  knew how to manage her account, and I can help her with everything, so that itself will give her confidence, so anything should go thru me to her, please, because I don’t want her to feel that she is depending on me, I can manage it  well if I knew ahead, so”

“however you want  Dev, for now her Nani has given me the next two months fees, and I  will put that in Radhika’s account which santhi madam opened’

“thank you madam, I really appreciate your help”

“any time Dev, we know it will be hard, but we are with you”

“thank you’

“There he is” 

Dev raised his head up and found his family coming near along with Radhika

Dev acted normally : hi Radhika, so finally you are here

“um”

“so you like your room, see if there is any complaint , you need to tell now itself, santhi madam is here, Renuka madam is here, we can solve any issue right away”

“nothing , I am fine”

Mahi: see we told him to come inside, and he only refused saying it is ladies hostel, and see now standing outside and

“mom, that’s because i saw santhi madam and renuka madam talking to each other, so

“um um, don’t try to hide it Dev”

Mahi: Renuka teacher, can we take Radhika today with us

Renuka looked at Santhi and then Dev, Dev nodded his head in disagreement

Renuka: maybe later, today let her get into things, and I think Santhi madam  brought notes and all for Radhika, so maybe she needs to go thru everything.

“I am sorry , I totally forgot all that, Radhika might have to catch up on so many things , right, ok beta, then we take leave, you call me whenever you are free, I can come and pick you up too, ok”

Radhika nodded her head

They all got back into the car, Renuka and santhi moved little behind, Dev was about to get in, but  then looking at Radhika

“ha, so do you have the list?’

“I thought you may call me, and” Radhika paused

“don’t worry, Radhika, I will contact you in one hour, so get the list, ok”

Radhika didn’t get anything while he sat back on the driver’s seat, and saying bye to the teachers he drove out.

Santhi: Radhika come, let me get you everything

Renuka and Santhi grabbed a big box to Radhika’s room. This is few new text books and notebooks, Dev didn’t buy the supplies as you may already have it, so make a list what all you need, ok.  that is why he said he will clal you in one hour, So that you can be ready for Monday”

“dev got all these!”

“’Ha Radhika, he asked me for the list and I got it from your in charge, and few books are the last years continuation and few are not, so Dev maybe able to get those for you, ok”

RAdhika just looked at her  silently for a moment, and then dig her head into the pile in front of her....