Truly, Madly, Deeply- a Devakshi story.

The Charmed Circle Revisited

Hi folks, here are the two chapters. I have provided an English translation of the dialogues wherever needed as some of the non-Hindi readers wanted it.

The early morning sun peeped in, surpised that Sonakshi was still not up. Sonakshi's internal clock had been urging her to wake up since long, and now she woke up to an unaccustomed weight across her mid-riff, an unaccustomed presence at her back and a heavy leg over her thighs. As she gained wakefulness, she thought, "Oh I could easily get used to all this." She felt so happy – this beautiful morning. She shifted herself out very carefully from his embrace and was really amused to see how he was sandwiched between Soha and herself. The two women in his life.....But that thought sobered her down because the main woman in his life was his mother. And she didn't know if his mother would be happy with the turn of events. She sighed but refused to allow her spirits to go down. She quietly woke up Soha and started getting her ready for her school. She got both of themselves ready and then peeped in to wake up Dev, to find Soha had beaten her to it. She trudged in a little shyly; what seemed okay in the light of the night, seemed a little shameless and wanton now. She felt even more embarrassed when she found that Soha exclaiming over red marks over her father's throat and neck. Dev of course couldn't lose that opportunity to rub it in.

Dev: " Kal raat ko ek jangali bhooki sherni ne mujhe attack kiya tha, Soha. Usi se ladne mein mujhe chot lag gayi. Aur dikhaaoon kahan kahan kataa hai, Soha? ( Translation—Yesterday I was attacked by a wild, hungry lioness. That is how I got injured. Do you want to see where else she bit me Soha.) ?"

As Soha nodded with big-eyed wonder, her mother immdediately sat down next to her father who was calmly taking off his T-shirt and tugged the cover back on him. She dragged the cover back to his neck so he was completely covered, all the while frowning at him not to say anything stupid before Soha.

Sona: " Soha, Papa funny hai na? Koi lioness 15th floor pe aa sakti hai kya? Papa ke dreams mein aayi hogi." (T-Soha, isn't Baba funny? Can a lioness climb till 15th floor? She must have come in your father's dreams)

Dev's arm sneaked out around her waist, holding her close drawing her close till she was next to him.

Dev:" Dreams mein toh kal ke pehle aati thi. Kal toh real mein aayi thi Soha. " ( T- She used to come in my dreams till before yesterday; yesterday she was for real)

By this time Soha had seen that her mother was slowly getting closer and closer to Dev and started crying as she still wasn't used to her mother sitting so close to anyone. She immediately ran to wriggle in between her mother and father victoriously. Dev and Sona exchanged a look as Dev whispered " Ye great wall of China school jaa rahi ya nahi? (t-Is the great wall of China goingto school or not?)

Sona: "Woh bhi jaa rahi aur uski Maa bhi. Ab aap bhi uthe. Aap ko bhi jaana hai na?"(T- Soha and her mother both are going now)

Dev: " Arre yaar maine toh socha tha aaram se tumhare saath subah ka lutf uthaaoonga, tum toh bhaagne ko taiyar ho.. (T- I had though I will have a leisurly morning wih you but you are all ready to run off)

He watched as she put together her handbag and fished out her car keys, feeling a bit forlorn. He caught her with his arms folded around her waist and nuzzled his face into her neck, breathing in the scent of her shampooed hair. He felt rested and fresh and ready to take on the world.He loved how she leaned back into him even though her brain told her it was getting late for Suhana'a school.

Dev:" Shaam ko waapis aa jaaogi na?" (T- You will come back in the evening, wont you?")

Sona: " Agar tum kahoge toh." (T-If you say so)

Dev: " Main keh raha hoon, please aa jaana." He turned her head towards himself and kissed her mouth quickly before Soha came back .Sona laughed and wiped away the lip color now staining his lips with her handkerchief. 

Sona: " Arre bas itni si minnat, aapko lagta hai itne mein main maan jaaoongi?" ( T- You think I will agree with such little convincing?)

Dev: " Nahin maanogi toh main aa jaaoonga tumhe lene ke liye tumhare ghar. Tumhare Baba se phir se daant khaneke liye. Par tumhe duur nahi rehne doonga." (T- If you don't agree then I will come home to bring you here. At the most I will get scolded by your Baba but wont let you stay away.)

Sona grew a little serious. She was not ready to place her and Dev's nascent relationship before the scrutiny of anyone. She and Dev had just got swept away before they had a chance to have a conversation. But she was sure about one thing, they needed to protect the relationship and keep it to themselves before taking it to the scrutiny of others, especially people who were all stakeholders in their marriage.

Sona: " Dev tum mat aana. Main khud aa jaaoongi. Aur abhi toh mujhe dopahar ko Soha ko ghar bhejna padega." (T- Dev you need not come. I will come on my own. And I have to send Soha to my home after school too)

Then she caught sight of the time and bundled out Soha and started off out for the day. Dev watched them go and wished he could have grabbed one more hug. Till yesterday when he used to part from her, he never used to feel as bereft and loath to let go. He ruefully shook his head and started getting ready for work. He found himself whistling as he got dressed; he just felt happy, no reason, come-on-world- I'm-ready-happy.

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In the evening, he went home to meet his mother and spend the evening because she was also quite tense. His Mama and Mami were also home. He found that with the general happiness he was feeling, he felt kinder and happier with everyone. Even when his Mami passed unsalutory remarks about how his current misfortune was thanks to the entry of Sonakshi back into his life, he didn't get annoyed. It was almost like he had a secret armor which didn't let anything reach him, any trouble, any insult or any injury. 

His mother fussed around him a lot. As usual she had taken the entire incident at his company as if it was a personal attack on him and he had to sit her down and holding her hands explain everything to her. Just like old times.

 As the evening became darker, he started feeling a very unfamiliar restlessness. He remembered this was how he used to feel when he was dating Sonakshi. The entire day had passed without a word from her and truth to tell, he longer was used to non-work phone calls or messages during the day. He was quite amused at his restlessness—just one day of domesticity and here he was wanting to get back to her. He hurried up the dinner, mostly spending his time in making sure his mother ate adequately. Lately she was looking older and weaker and he resolved to take better care of her. She wanted him to stay over the night and he felt very guilty as he looked into the trusting face of his mother and gently promised to stay over another night soon. While he helped her to bed for a moment he wanted to share the change in his life with her... but something did not let him say a thing. 

-----continued next chapter