Silent Love Part :6
Padma and Radhika came back after their weekly shopping. Radhika was seriously discussing on one of the debate subject that she is going to participate for the interuniversity college competition. Pari was listening to it and giving her input too.
Padma: Pari, why didn’t you go with Dev ?
Pari: you don’t know auntie, for Bro there is good company, and I will left alone, I feel bore.
Padma: why?
Berka: chacha has only one son, and he is also grown up like Bro, so they will have their own things to do, and more than anyone he is Dadaji’s dearest potha, Bro doesn’t need anyone else, he just need dadaji there.
Then getting closer, she said secretly: he even carried a bottle for dadaji , you know
Padma: Pari
"um, only I know their secrets"
Padma tried to control her smile
***
Meanwhile back in village, on the second story balcony. Dadaji was sitting on a wooden swing and dev was slowly pushing it
"But Dev, you promised me"
"I know pops, but what to do, none of them were good enough to bring with me na"
"what is it Dev, when I was of your age, you know, how many girls were behind me, and you are so weak in this matter"
"not like that dadaji, there were many"
"then what is the problem? chose one"
"Dadaji, I don’t know, I really don’t know, I didn’t feel like, i couldn't chose one , i mean a special one yet"
"choo, anyway, now you have to agree with my demand, ok"
"what?’
"I am going to select one from this village, and you are going to say Ok, that was your promise’
"ha dadaji, a promise is a promise, but not now, give me some more time, I will show her to you, you know what, when she come in front of you , I don’t need to tell you anything, without my finger pointing at her, you will recognize her"
"but when Dev, you said that many times to me already’
"soon pops, very soon’
"whatever is it Dev, I will give you one more year, that is it, don’t ask me for more, ok’
"I promise"
"Um, tell me is there anyone in your mind yet"
Dev stood silent for a minute, as if after a thought ‘not really’
"sure?’
"um"
"ok then , only one more year, or I will point at a girl, and you need to agree"
"sure, and I promise"
"what about your job hunting?"
Joining his dadaji on the swing.." ‘I applied with few companies prior to shifting, now waiting for the results.
"um, a job is necessary beta, you don’t know , it is all your dad’s hard work that you are seeing here, how many years, I am glad at least he is nearby now, so be like your dad ok"
Dev resting his head over his dadaji’s shoulder: I know dadaji, and I will
"um"
Time passed by and night gave way to the light to see the beauty of nature, and again the light hide as the clouds took over.. Dev spend almost a week back in village with his dadaji and then set back to his family.
***
While taking the turn towards the house line road, he saw Radhika walking with a garden seller, who was strolling his big cart of flower beds along with her, and she was pushing one end giving him a hand. Dev looked at her,.... hearing the slowing of a bike sound, she turned to look too, she smiled . Dev rode on first, and as he was taking his helmet off, he saw Radhika bringing this man passing their house gate.
" she coming to here!"
"hi beta, so, on time"
Asked Maheswari
"um"
Maheswari looked at Radhika who is coming in with the cart and mumbled : she won’t leave it
Dev: what?
Maheswari: see looking at her collection, I said I like roses, and she waited for this man as he takes his round once in a month thru here, and somehow he escaped her eyes, and she went behind him to get him back..
Dev: that means, now you need to buy at least one
Maheswari: I think so,
Dev: umm.
Radhika: so, auntie, tell me which one you like
Maheswari looked at the whole collection, so did Dev. She pointed at two colors , a big bargaining went on between Radhika and the seller, and finally she made maheswari to buy four, and made the seller to get his penny too.
Dev: nice, so mom lost her money so easily
Radhika: what?
Dev: what else, see she was thinking of buying only one, you made her to take four.
Radhika; but this way it is cheaper
Dev: Radhika, this is called business
Maheswari: devv
"um"
Radhika looked at both of them and then to the seller, "come, I can help you to be out
Seller: next time, don’t call me back like this ok, see its my lose
Radhika: don’t worry kaka, see you sold four , right, next time when you come I will also buy one
Seeler : no baba, I will be fine without stopping here
They were walking out pushing the cart, while dev and Maheswari stood smiling at them. Maheswari was arranging the pots in a corner, and Dev helped with picking one.
Radhika ran to her house, but then paused for a second.
Dev turned to look at Radhika, who was coming near to the fence "auntie, mom made some pickle, one minute let me bring it too"
"Radhika, come home with it, ok"
"ji"
"so how are you Radhika?"
"oh as if he is seeing her just now.’ Maheswari said with a smile, plucking on one of the dry leaf.
Radhika "good"
"Missed me?’ saying that he winked his eye
Radhika paused for a second and looked blindly at Dev
Maheswari gave whack on Dev’s head: what is this Dev, poor Radhika, why you need to embarrass her ,
"no mom, I was just joking’
"what joke, look at her face, poor her"
Then looking at Radhika "don’t mind beta, he is like this only, ok"
Radhika just nodded her head and walked in quickly
"is this the way you act with Radhika?, not fair Dev"
"why, what’s the problem?"
"didn’t you see how she reacted when she got a gift from dad, and now slowly she started opening up , and then your naughty behavior, don't behave with her like your other friends , ok"
as they were walking in..
‘what mom, I was just joking only’
"um joking, I know , maybe advice from your dadaji only"
"mom, my poor dadaji, don’t crawl him into this ok"
"I know , I know,"
"what you know?"
"um, everything’
Few minutes later, Padma showed up with a pickle bottle
"I told Radika to come and where is she?’
"She was about to come, but then she told me Dev is back, so I thought to meet him, that’s it."
"Ya, he went to freshen up, you come"
" I can’t believe Padma , you still make pickles by your own."
"healthy and cheaper, how is it?, you know what, that’s one big problem with these lady lecturers, we all share our recipes, and this one is exclusively by me"
Mahi took the pickle bottle from Padma. Padma was talking to Dev, while Mahi thought "what a change, now she is so practical in every way" she sighed deep and joined their talk…
.
It was night time. Dev was doing things in his room, picking a new CD, he played that in the music system. He lowered the voice as he got the scolding from Maheswari. Sitting in a relaxed chair, he was checking his emails, checking the response back to his applications and found two notifications for interviews, he closed the laptop and sighed deep ‘oh God , time to get ready for this new change’..
He stretched his arms out, and then went to turn off the light, suddenly as if remembering something, he went near the window side, he saw the window on her side closed tight. He stroked over his hair once and then went to bed...
****
Dev witnessed mother and daughter fight and masti thru the window doors, from morning , to evenings, inside out the house. Either he got a glance of Radhika reading her books walking on the terrace, or the duo may be picking on the flower pots, and doing gardening, sometimes wetting each other from the hose water, one time Pari got wet too, she came home with coughing … he smiled thru watching them and continued his passion for music during nights till he get to bed, and made those peeks to see the open window, but it remained shut only...
Mahi invited Padma and Radhika that evening to share the good news that Dev got a job with Global networking. Wearing a casual tee shirt and greyCapri , Radhika went along with Padma to Mahi's house.
Padma handed a small gift in Dev’s hand congratulating him
"what ‘s the need for this auntie?’
"just for my happiness’
"oh really, so what is in it?’
"check it out, hopefully you will like it"
Dev unwrapped the gift and found a collection of gazals "wow! This is amazing, love it, thanks auntie’
"not to me, it is Radhika’s choice"
"really, wow Radhika, thanks’
Padma: ha, it is she who said that you love music, so she only selected this for you"
"that’s nice, but how she knew about my passion for music?’
Padma with a smile: every night she is hearing it from here only right. Anyway Mahi, now Radhika won’t keep her window door open, she learned to close it tight now, earlier it was suffocating her to be inside in a closed room, now she learned to live inside it..
"what!" dev said surprisingly
"see I told you Dev, you never listen to me" Mahi raised her voice
"no no, it is ok, she is fine, when she hear music, her attention get diverted and she cannot concentrate on her studies, now the mid term exam is coming na, so she is just need to control herself, that’s all. You are totally fine Dev beta"
Dev in mind "no wonder now a days she is keeping her windows closed, um’
Dev: "but then you should have told me na"
Radhika: it’s ok, mom is simply saying it
"I don’t think so, but now what I will do with this CD’s?’ looking at the CD’s in his hand
"…. Dev, you listen beta, Radhika is fine’
"No auntie, now there is no music till Radhika’s exam gets over ok, but after that no excuse, I love to listen to music"
"that also in high volume" Mahi added
Radhika: not a problem, you can listen to it at anytime, I will be totally fine, mom is simply saying all these, she only asked me to close the window, so that I can concentrate on my studies"
"Radhika"
"um, did I say anything wrong" Radhika asked her mom "you don't know auntie, when it comes to study mom become that old strict school teacher, i don't think any college lecturer will act like this,"
"ok baba, now no more quarrels, I know both of you very well, …. Dev, no more music ok, use your iPod for now, ok,… I mean use the ear phone… issue is solved, now come let’s have dinner"
while having dinner , Padma: so how is the business going now?
Gopal: good, catching up, you know it’s a partnership business, they are still in Gulf, we do exporting, so learning the deals from here too.
Padma: anyway I’s good that you are not alone
Gopal: ha, and I am loving it too, so
That night, Dev was about to put the music on, he saw the CD pack, remebering their talk, Dev went near the window and looked down, and found her window till shut, he smiled to self looking at the CD...
***
Two days passed , Dev got ready to go to office, He looked into the mirror few times, and heard Pari’s teasing tone many times. Ignoring her words, he looked into the mirror few more times "did I gain weight, ye no, maybe," he trned to few times to check sideways, and back adn front.. he again combed his hair, and was rubbing over his chin
"enough beta, come, my son looks handsome only"
Dev turned to look at Maheswari and said: I know mom, but still, have a doubt, did I gain some weight, um?
Mahi: leave that, come , Padma is waiting for you, come quick, she needs to go to college too
Dev grabbing his office bag: why she is waiting for me?
Mahi : you come, then only you will know.
Dev climbed down along with mahi and saw Padma and Radhika waiting down stairs in main hall
Seeing Dev, Padma went near and extended the Prasad : here, start your day with God’s blessings ok
She applied holy ash on his foreahed, and then gave him Prasad, he munched onto it
"thanks auntie"
Padma smiling: no need for any thanks and all ok, if possible do me a favor
Dev: what?
Padma: when you get there na, find a nice guy
Dev casually: guy! Why
Padma cornering her eyes on Radhika: for my Radhika
Dev met the shocked face of radhika
Padma and Radhika came back after their weekly shopping. Radhika was seriously discussing on one of the debate subject that she is going to participate for the interuniversity college competition. Pari was listening to it and giving her input too.
Padma: Pari, why didn’t you go with Dev ?
Pari: you don’t know auntie, for Bro there is good company, and I will left alone, I feel bore.
Padma: why?
Berka: chacha has only one son, and he is also grown up like Bro, so they will have their own things to do, and more than anyone he is Dadaji’s dearest potha, Bro doesn’t need anyone else, he just need dadaji there.
Then getting closer, she said secretly: he even carried a bottle for dadaji , you know
Padma: Pari
"um, only I know their secrets"
Padma tried to control her smile
***
Meanwhile back in village, on the second story balcony. Dadaji was sitting on a wooden swing and dev was slowly pushing it
"But Dev, you promised me"
"I know pops, but what to do, none of them were good enough to bring with me na"
"what is it Dev, when I was of your age, you know, how many girls were behind me, and you are so weak in this matter"
"not like that dadaji, there were many"
"then what is the problem? chose one"
"Dadaji, I don’t know, I really don’t know, I didn’t feel like, i couldn't chose one , i mean a special one yet"
"choo, anyway, now you have to agree with my demand, ok"
"what?’
"I am going to select one from this village, and you are going to say Ok, that was your promise’
"ha dadaji, a promise is a promise, but not now, give me some more time, I will show her to you, you know what, when she come in front of you , I don’t need to tell you anything, without my finger pointing at her, you will recognize her"
"but when Dev, you said that many times to me already’
"soon pops, very soon’
"whatever is it Dev, I will give you one more year, that is it, don’t ask me for more, ok’
"I promise"
"Um, tell me is there anyone in your mind yet"
Dev stood silent for a minute, as if after a thought ‘not really’
"sure?’
"um"
"ok then , only one more year, or I will point at a girl, and you need to agree"
"sure, and I promise"
"what about your job hunting?"
Joining his dadaji on the swing.." ‘I applied with few companies prior to shifting, now waiting for the results.
"um, a job is necessary beta, you don’t know , it is all your dad’s hard work that you are seeing here, how many years, I am glad at least he is nearby now, so be like your dad ok"
Dev resting his head over his dadaji’s shoulder: I know dadaji, and I will
"um"
Time passed by and night gave way to the light to see the beauty of nature, and again the light hide as the clouds took over.. Dev spend almost a week back in village with his dadaji and then set back to his family.
***
While taking the turn towards the house line road, he saw Radhika walking with a garden seller, who was strolling his big cart of flower beds along with her, and she was pushing one end giving him a hand. Dev looked at her,.... hearing the slowing of a bike sound, she turned to look too, she smiled . Dev rode on first, and as he was taking his helmet off, he saw Radhika bringing this man passing their house gate.
" she coming to here!"
"hi beta, so, on time"
Asked Maheswari
"um"
Maheswari looked at Radhika who is coming in with the cart and mumbled : she won’t leave it
Dev: what?
Maheswari: see looking at her collection, I said I like roses, and she waited for this man as he takes his round once in a month thru here, and somehow he escaped her eyes, and she went behind him to get him back..
Dev: that means, now you need to buy at least one
Maheswari: I think so,
Dev: umm.
Radhika: so, auntie, tell me which one you like
Maheswari looked at the whole collection, so did Dev. She pointed at two colors , a big bargaining went on between Radhika and the seller, and finally she made maheswari to buy four, and made the seller to get his penny too.
Dev: nice, so mom lost her money so easily
Radhika: what?
Dev: what else, see she was thinking of buying only one, you made her to take four.
Radhika; but this way it is cheaper
Dev: Radhika, this is called business
Maheswari: devv
"um"
Radhika looked at both of them and then to the seller, "come, I can help you to be out
Seller: next time, don’t call me back like this ok, see its my lose
Radhika: don’t worry kaka, see you sold four , right, next time when you come I will also buy one
Seeler : no baba, I will be fine without stopping here
They were walking out pushing the cart, while dev and Maheswari stood smiling at them. Maheswari was arranging the pots in a corner, and Dev helped with picking one.
Radhika ran to her house, but then paused for a second.
Dev turned to look at Radhika, who was coming near to the fence "auntie, mom made some pickle, one minute let me bring it too"
"Radhika, come home with it, ok"
"ji"
"so how are you Radhika?"
"oh as if he is seeing her just now.’ Maheswari said with a smile, plucking on one of the dry leaf.
Radhika "good"
"Missed me?’ saying that he winked his eye
Radhika paused for a second and looked blindly at Dev
Maheswari gave whack on Dev’s head: what is this Dev, poor Radhika, why you need to embarrass her ,
"no mom, I was just joking’
"what joke, look at her face, poor her"
Then looking at Radhika "don’t mind beta, he is like this only, ok"
Radhika just nodded her head and walked in quickly
"is this the way you act with Radhika?, not fair Dev"
"why, what’s the problem?"
"didn’t you see how she reacted when she got a gift from dad, and now slowly she started opening up , and then your naughty behavior, don't behave with her like your other friends , ok"
as they were walking in..
‘what mom, I was just joking only’
"um joking, I know , maybe advice from your dadaji only"
"mom, my poor dadaji, don’t crawl him into this ok"
"I know , I know,"
"what you know?"
"um, everything’
Few minutes later, Padma showed up with a pickle bottle
"I told Radika to come and where is she?’
"She was about to come, but then she told me Dev is back, so I thought to meet him, that’s it."
"Ya, he went to freshen up, you come"
" I can’t believe Padma , you still make pickles by your own."
"healthy and cheaper, how is it?, you know what, that’s one big problem with these lady lecturers, we all share our recipes, and this one is exclusively by me"
Mahi took the pickle bottle from Padma. Padma was talking to Dev, while Mahi thought "what a change, now she is so practical in every way" she sighed deep and joined their talk…
.
It was night time. Dev was doing things in his room, picking a new CD, he played that in the music system. He lowered the voice as he got the scolding from Maheswari. Sitting in a relaxed chair, he was checking his emails, checking the response back to his applications and found two notifications for interviews, he closed the laptop and sighed deep ‘oh God , time to get ready for this new change’..
He stretched his arms out, and then went to turn off the light, suddenly as if remembering something, he went near the window side, he saw the window on her side closed tight. He stroked over his hair once and then went to bed...
****
Dev witnessed mother and daughter fight and masti thru the window doors, from morning , to evenings, inside out the house. Either he got a glance of Radhika reading her books walking on the terrace, or the duo may be picking on the flower pots, and doing gardening, sometimes wetting each other from the hose water, one time Pari got wet too, she came home with coughing … he smiled thru watching them and continued his passion for music during nights till he get to bed, and made those peeks to see the open window, but it remained shut only...
Mahi invited Padma and Radhika that evening to share the good news that Dev got a job with Global networking. Wearing a casual tee shirt and grey
Padma handed a small gift in Dev’s hand congratulating him
"what ‘s the need for this auntie?’
"just for my happiness’
"oh really, so what is in it?’
"check it out, hopefully you will like it"
Dev unwrapped the gift and found a collection of gazals "wow! This is amazing, love it, thanks auntie’
"not to me, it is Radhika’s choice"
"really, wow Radhika, thanks’
Padma: ha, it is she who said that you love music, so she only selected this for you"
"that’s nice, but how she knew about my passion for music?’
Padma with a smile: every night she is hearing it from here only right. Anyway Mahi, now Radhika won’t keep her window door open, she learned to close it tight now, earlier it was suffocating her to be inside in a closed room, now she learned to live inside it..
"what!" dev said surprisingly
"see I told you Dev, you never listen to me" Mahi raised her voice
"no no, it is ok, she is fine, when she hear music, her attention get diverted and she cannot concentrate on her studies, now the mid term exam is coming na, so she is just need to control herself, that’s all. You are totally fine Dev beta"
Dev in mind "no wonder now a days she is keeping her windows closed, um’
Dev: "but then you should have told me na"
Radhika: it’s ok, mom is simply saying it
"I don’t think so, but now what I will do with this CD’s?’ looking at the CD’s in his hand
"…. Dev, you listen beta, Radhika is fine’
"No auntie, now there is no music till Radhika’s exam gets over ok, but after that no excuse, I love to listen to music"
"that also in high volume" Mahi added
Radhika: not a problem, you can listen to it at anytime, I will be totally fine, mom is simply saying all these, she only asked me to close the window, so that I can concentrate on my studies"
"Radhika"
"um, did I say anything wrong" Radhika asked her mom "you don't know auntie, when it comes to study mom become that old strict school teacher, i don't think any college lecturer will act like this,"
"ok baba, now no more quarrels, I know both of you very well, …. Dev, no more music ok, use your iPod for now, ok,… I mean use the ear phone… issue is solved, now come let’s have dinner"
while having dinner , Padma: so how is the business going now?
Gopal: good, catching up, you know it’s a partnership business, they are still in Gulf, we do exporting, so learning the deals from here too.
Padma: anyway I’s good that you are not alone
Gopal: ha, and I am loving it too, so
That night, Dev was about to put the music on, he saw the CD pack, remebering their talk, Dev went near the window and looked down, and found her window till shut, he smiled to self looking at the CD...
***
Two days passed , Dev got ready to go to office, He looked into the mirror few times, and heard Pari’s teasing tone many times. Ignoring her words, he looked into the mirror few more times "did I gain weight, ye no, maybe," he trned to few times to check sideways, and back adn front.. he again combed his hair, and was rubbing over his chin
"enough beta, come, my son looks handsome only"
Dev turned to look at Maheswari and said: I know mom, but still, have a doubt, did I gain some weight, um?
Mahi: leave that, come , Padma is waiting for you, come quick, she needs to go to college too
Dev grabbing his office bag: why she is waiting for me?
Mahi : you come, then only you will know.
Dev climbed down along with mahi and saw Padma and Radhika waiting down stairs in main hall
Seeing Dev, Padma went near and extended the Prasad : here, start your day with God’s blessings ok
She applied holy ash on his foreahed, and then gave him Prasad, he munched onto it
"thanks auntie"
Padma smiling: no need for any thanks and all ok, if possible do me a favor
Dev: what?
Padma: when you get there na, find a nice guy
Dev casually: guy! Why
Padma cornering her eyes on Radhika: for my Radhika
Dev met the shocked face of radhika
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