Devakshi One-shots/Drabbles/Short stories

From hurt to healing (Part 4)

Hello! I am finally back with an update! My apologies for making you all wait so long. I hope you all will enjoy this chapter and I hope I will be able to come back with the next one sooner. Once again, please leave your comments if you did enjoy my writing, I love seeing your thoughts! 

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Has there ever been a person in the world who hasn't gone through starting troubles? Dev wondered, as he tried to think of something to say. Coffee with Sonakshi wasn't a new event, he had done it many times amid hours long conversations in the past. In the past. And there lay the issue. Right now, this moment appeared to be like Page 1 of the book all over again and not a story that was already several chapters in.

"How's Auntyji?" Sonakshi's voice reached him, a little tentative and definitely formal.

"She is fine, no major health scares so far. How are your parents? Elena, Saurabh?"

"They are doing fine. Elena's course is almost ending, so she is excited about that."

"That's great."

"How are your sisters? Nikki's exams go well?"

"Yes. I think yes. Okay, I don't know, but I think yes. Maybe. I really don't know." Dev finally conceded.

"What is this? You don't know how Nikki did in her exams?" The admonishment in her tone came through involuntarily.

"She says it was all good, but now she wants to take a year off and travel. T.R.A.V.E.L. What does that even mean? She wants to take time off to travel? Who does that? Especially if she did well as she claims? I think she may be failing her exams and that is why she has come up with this." He looked and sounded so baffled at the prospect of Nikki and travel that Sonakshi burst out laughing, forgetting their weird situation for a minute.

He watched her, mesmerized. The sound of her laughter was like music to his ears, like violins playing softly in the background. What was it about her laughing wholeheartedly? It always felt like all of his problems would just melt away at that, and if not, there was a ray of hope that eventually it will.

Sonakshi laughed until she had tears in her eyes. She wiped them and started, "Mr. Dixit, so what if she feels like traveling? Maybe it will be good for her. People do take a year or two off to explore other interests. It doesn't mean she is going to fail! One doesn't have to be in the rat race all the time." She stated her support for Nikki and her wishes in front of him, gently pushing him to be accepting of his sister's desires.

"It's Dev for you." This time, he corrected her quietly and watched the mirth immediately disappear from her eyes.

"Ahem." She cleared her throat, but not bringing his name to her lips. "What I am saying is it might not be a bad thing for her. She would gain exposure and some worldly experience, making her better prepared for the next phase of her life. This is just my opinion, of course. You know what is better for her, being her family, her older......" She was starting to back away now, he could see.

"If I didn't want to hear what you thought of it, I wouldn't have mentioned it." He quickly cut in before she made it too awkward.

Silence loomed for a few minutes, as they sipped their coffees. Dev dived into the big question on his mind. "Why did your engagement get postponed, Sonakshi?"

She was quiet for a long moment, staring at her coffee, running her finger lightly on the rim. He waited with bated breath, wondering if she would say what he wanted to hear. But as much as his heart wanted, his brain knew she wouldn't. But doesn't the saying go, 'hope is such a bait, it covers any hook'? His heart was certainly hooked on that bait.