Raah mein unse mulaaqaat ho gayi,
Jisse darte they, wohi baat ho gayi...
"Mumma, let me hold this... You come and take the rest of the things to the car..." Suhana Bose, Sonakshi's daughter took the small packet holding the groceries in her hand... She and her mother had recently come to Delhi from Kolkata to re-purchase the old house that belonged to her maternal grandfather... They needed to set the house, and so they needed to stay there... They had come for a grocery shopping from a departmental store and were moving out... Sonakshi nodded at her daughter, and went to pick the rest of the things...
The little girl moved towards their car- "Which one was ours?" Soha was confused looking at the line of cars... She looked back at her mother who had gone to fetch the remaining things, Soha moved forwards and- BANG!!! She bumped into someone and both fell on the ground...
"Hello! Aap dekhke nahi chal sakte? Chalne ki tameez nahi hai na toh ghar pe rehna seekhiye..." Soha was fuming seeing the brown paper packet of flour bursting with the collision, and the shower of the powdered flour bestowed on both...
The boy in front was angry too... Holding a huge bar of chocolate in one hand, and a cellphone in another, the boy's face was twisted- "Hello! Baat karne ki tameez nahi hai toh chup rehna seekhiye... How dare you talk to me like that?" the little boy was trying to rub his bum with the chocolate holding hand...
"Haww! Main tumse big hoon... see, my height is more than you... Tum mujhse aise baat nahi kar sakte..." Sona accused the little boy!
"Height badi hone se kya hota hai... Aankhein bhi honi chahiye na... Pata nahi kahan dekhke chal rahi thi..." the little fluffy boy retorted...
"Hello, ye front facing accident tha, maine tumhe peeche se takkar nahi maari... Ek toh chori...? Emmm? Kya kehti hain mumma... Ek toh chori?" Soha was swinging holding her anger and being confused... The round little boy was looking confused and angry as well... "Ek toh chori?" Soha was trying yet again...
"Upar se seenazori...!" sat a man on his knees picking both the kids up... He dusted his boy, and saw the little girl angrily dusting herself...
"Thank you... Par ab mujhe ye use nahi karna" Soha said haughtily...
An unmistakable grin plastered on the kneeling man's face, He was reminded of someone so special once upon a time...
"Sorry bolo!" the girl rounded on the chubby boy...
"Galti tumhari thi..." the chubby boy retorted...
"Golu-golu! Chill junior! It's okay... Chodo..." the kneeled man pacified the boy.
"Golu? Ye koi naam hota hai?" Sona snickered...
"Kyu? Tumse poochke naam rakhenge mera?" this round boy Golu was getting angrier...
"No! But kuch toh dhang ka naam ho, jaise... Miss. Bose?" Soha adjusted her knitted cap on her head...
Ishq ke naam se darr lagta tha,
Dil ke anjaam se darr lagta tha...
Aashiqui wohi mere saath ho gayi,
Jisse darte they, wohi baat ho gayi...
The man looked stunned hearing this addressal... Eerily familiar... He didn't need mill his brains much, he heard the voice that was etched in his mind forever...
"Soha... Where are you baby?" Sonakshi came to her daughter, not finding her by their car, and rushed towards her powdered daughter...
"Soha? Like Loha-Poha?" Golu snickered this time, making this little girl livid...
"Soha, beta what have you done to yourself?" Sonakshi dusted her daughter's fringes that still had flour...
"Mumma, this badtameez ladka collided on to me... sab flour gir gaya..." Soha complained to her mother pointing at Golu...
"Main call kar raha tha..." Golu defended himself... "Bigcha...!" the boy needed someone to protect him...
Both the adult set of parent/guardians looked at each other in an almost stunned expression... Both were on their feet...
"Mr. Dixit?" Sona voiced...
Dev was still mouthing the word Mumma... Lots were going through his brain right now...
The background was still scored by the kids- "Ab tum apne papa ke peeche kyu chup rahe ho? Call karte hue baat nahi karna chahiye..." Soha admonished...
"Wo mere papa nahi, Chachu hain..." Golu clarified angrily...
"Mumma... Kuch bolo na..." Soha wanted her mother to speak...
Tere bin kuch nahi bhaata hai mujhe,
Har taraf tu nazar aata hai mujhe...
Zindagi taaron ki baaraat ho gayi,
Jisse darte they, wohi baat ho gayi...
"Dev? Dev Dixit!" Sonakshi looked up and down at this man... Of course, he held the same face, but what was this demeanor? Shades, a vest and a leather jacket, rugged-ripped denims, boots, untamed hair, and a styled stubble... She wouldn't notice hadn't she looked carefully in his face... No doubt he looked younger, but this wasn't the man who was her husband...
Dev hadn't uttered a word, but his eyes told he felt great seeing her so changed, glasses, classy hairstyle, and a total wardrobe change... Was she the same? But mumma? Is he missing something here?
"Dev Dixit? Mumma?" there was surprise held in Suhana's eyes... She was asking her mother a question, with no question asked... She wanted her mother's affirmation... Sonakshi nodded slightly with a small smile for her daughter...
Suhana looked at her father carefully and then asked seriously- "Papa? Dev Dixit? The rude frog?" Suhana looked surprised at her father...
Dev looked up a split second at Sonakshi after his daughter called him a rude frog, she had crossed her arms in adamancy but he didn't want to talk to her... He looked back at the little girl... Oh my God! Yes! The same tiny petite figure, the same attitude that he had found so familiar... And the twinkling eyes that were looking at him, weren't they like he was watching himself in the mirror? Of course, they are his eyes, and the same complexion, and obviously, the same anger... Dev was back on his knees before this tiny princess...
"Yes, your Papa...!" Dev had opened his arms to the little girl who stood a foot away from him with her mother... And the girl launched herself flying in her father's arms with a jump... Oh God, can this get so ironically similar? She hugs like her mother as well... Dev caught her timely in his arms without a waver... He was practiced in this... What kind of warmth he felt? he did not know... But he had a baby all through, and he had no knowledge? Like really? He was cuddling his daughter, the tiny Sona that he had always thought of... His child... The one he couldn't get enough of...
Aankh roye naam pe tere saawan ki tarah,
Tu samaayi dil mein mere, dhadkan ki tarah,
Har taraf pyaar ki barsaat ho gayi,
Jisse darte they, wohi baat ho gayi...
"Aap iski mumma ho?" Golu had walked to a quietly standing Sona who was wishfully looking at the father-daughter duo, while the boy tugged at Sonakshi's skirt...
Sona bent to him, pulling his cheek a little- "Yes! Main Suhana ki mumma hoon... Aap kaun ho?"
"Main Golu!" Golu introduced himself... And Sonakshi giggled at the boy's innocence...
"Ye Elena-Vicky ka beta hai..." Dev broke his hug a little still keeping Soha in his arms and gave Sonakshi the bare minimum introduction of this new entrant in the family...
"Toh aap hi ho meri Bigcha, matlab mere Big Chachu wali Chachi?" Golu asked her innocently...
A smile lessened on Sona's face, but she maintained it- "Nahi beta, main aapki Chachi nahi, Maashi hoon... Aapki mumma ki sister..."
"Aayin? Ye kaise hua? Dadi ne toh kaha tha..." Golu looked at her Bigcha for clarification...
Dev ruffled the boy's hair- "Never mind Junior... Meet her, she is your sister..." Dev reintroduced the cousins... this time both shook their hands cordially... Dev relieved his breath... At least they are not fighting with each other...
Dev stood on his feet again and walked towards Sonakshi, and talked in as low a tone as it could be audible only for her- "Aapne mujhe bataaya kyu nahin, that humari ek beti hai?" Dev accused her...
Sonakshi crossed her arms on her chest- "Because I got to know myself after we separated and then we weren't talking, we weren't anybody to each other... And Soha was too small to understand back then... But she knows everything about you now... I have told her everything..."
"Yeah! The rude frog! I see..." Dev gave unbelievable expressions...
Sonakshi didn't bother answering him...
"You should not demean me before the kid, Sonakshi... Bachhi hai wo!" Dev pleaded...
"I did not demean you... I just told her the truth... I never told your daughter that you are a bad man, or she should hate you... She is given her liberties to choose you or not... I haven't forced..." Sonakshi defended herself.
"Yeah, that is why she never came to me or contacted..." Dev was sarcastic.
"Look Mr. Dixit, I had an open option for her... She could choose you or not... But guess, as much as she is my daughter, she is your child too; too much love for the mother..." Sonakshi slapped a sarcasm that she knew Dev had no answer for...
"You need not get personal Sonakshi..." Dev retorted...
"It is personal Mr. Dixit, and it is Miss. Bose for you!" Sonakshi challenged.
"Don't be so sure of relationships... Even the shadows leave in the dark, love and relationships are humane things..." Dev philosophized.
Sonakshi looked at him unsure... She understood nothing he said...
"Anyway, would you mind if I spend some time with my daughter?" Dev asked.
"Ask her, why asking me?" Sonakshi pointed at her daughter...
"No Papa... I am helping Mumma in the afternoon... Can we meet in the evening?" Suhana gave her verdict.
"Sure, anytime you say Princess Suhana..." Dev shrugged his shoulder... And bent down to kiss her again on her cheek...
"You can call me Soha... And, I don't usually like Baby talks, but you can call me a princess too..." the girl again ordered...
Sonakshi shook her head unbelievably... Her daughter was such a nautanki at times, as good as her father was... "All right, I will leave her outside your house in the evening Mr. Dixit" Sonakshi had put an end to the conversation.
"No! I will text you the venue... Can I have your number?" Dev told.
Pulling out her visiting card, Sonakshi handed it to Dev, and off she went holding her daughter's hand...
Raah mein unse mulaaqaat ho gayi,
Jisse darte they, wohi baat ho gayi...
Sonakshi walked into the decorated area of a posh play area of the Hyatt where Dev had texted her the venue... The entire area was decorated as if it was a grand birthday party there...
Soha wearing her midthigh one piece dress and a classy hair band walked hand in hand with her mother...
A bow tied Golu met them on the way, who told them the way, Dev stood in his rugged look smiling at his baby... He opened his arms for her, and she went flying in them... He had arranged all this keeping his daughter in mind, which obviously, she loved... It wasn't difficult for him to select, she was much like her mother, and he knew exactly how to impress his young lady, who was happier to have her father right now...
Sonakshi handed a huge box of chocolate to Golu reminding him not to eat all of them all together, since it's not that good... The boy nodded...
"Hmmm... Toh ye idea aapka tha play area mein bulaane ka Golu?" Sonakshi asked...
"Unhuh! Bigcha ka idea tha..." Golu shook his head negatively...
"Par Soha bhi dadi se mil leti... Dadi khush hoti na?" Sona asked...
"Dadi? Kaun si dadi? Meri, ya big dadi?" Golu was already nibbling at his first chocolate...
"Big dadi? Aapke Bigcha ki mummy?" Sona hinted...
"Big dadi toh kabhi happy hoti hi nahi... Big cha ab unke haath nahi aatey na!" Golu revealed like a secret...
"Aise nahi bolte..." Sonakshi patted Golu's back as she got up...
"Arre, sachhi maashi... Bigcha ghar mein bohot bohot saare days baad aate hain..." he opened his arms wide to show how many days... "And he talks to nobody but Golu..." boy told...
Dev walked upto them, and saw Sonakshi leaving... "Miss. Bose, aap rukengi nahi apni beti ke saath?"
"Nahi, I am sure she is safe with her father... Jab ho jaaye aapka get together, toh give me a text, main pick kar lungi apni beti ko..." Sona announced...
"Let it be, I will drop her... Where?" Dev told and asked...
"My baba's old house, that you guys bought from the mortgaging company, and threw us out of..." Sonakshi never looked back at him, and left!
~~THANKS FOR READING~~
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