Vidhi and Dev - Snippets of Love

The Earing

Vidhi is getting ready for the office in her bubbly mood. After Dev's confession, it's difficult for her not to be happy all the time, though she tries to. Although she knows her mother might be already suspecting something, what more can the poor girl do, she tries her best to be normal around everyone, especially at home, but the thought of "Dev being in love with her" makes her out of the world happy in fraction of a second. And she thinks of Dev every second of the day, how can she not, it's the season of love.

While looking for the earings to wear for the day, her eyes stop at one - the one that Dev prevented her from stepping on, the earing he put in her hands, the earing that she then wore and danced. She had seen that earing many times before but today it was special, because today she is coloured with Dev's love, that earing is coloured with his love. It's like a gift from him, more than a gift actually, it's a sign that he cares, that he always cared. Yes, it's hers and he returned it, but it's not the same earing anyone.

Vidhi is engrossed reliving the happy memories, unaware of Bimla's multiple calls as it's getting late for office. An irritated Bimla hurries into Vidhi's room, only to see her daughter looking at a pair of earings as if they were the most precious things on the earth. Bimla is taken aback for a moment, she has been seeing such behaviour so often now. She calls Vidhi, still no response, finally she shrugs Vidhi. Vidhi comes out of her trance and the earings fall from her hand. Quickly she gathers them as Bimla says, "Kya ho gaya hai tujhe Vidhu? Kis duniya mein rehti hai tu aaj kal?" Hurriedly Vidhi puts them in her office bag, knowing very well what Bimla's next question will be. "Maa woh office ke liye late ho raha hai, main chalti hun, wahin kha lungi", saying this Vidhi rushes out with making eye contact with her mother, fearing what Bimla might read in her eyes. 

All the way to the office and even in office, she keeps thinking about what just happened at home, what had happened multiple times before. Days of guilt of lying and "luka-chipi" with her mother was now taking its toll on her. She was silent and down the whole time in the office that day, something that didn't go unnoticed from Dev. He tried to ask her multiple times but she kept saying she is fine and that everything is fine.

Burdened with worry and guilt, unable to go home at the end of office hours, she goes to Baalghar. And indeed it helps, seeing the kids makes her forget everything for a second. But as if destiny had decided to send her on a series of gulit trips today. One of kids pulls her bag while playing with her and the bag falls, everything inside it scattered on the ground, including that pair of earings. Vidhi picks up all the things one by one and then her sight stops at the earing. The smile on her face vanishes, guilt taking its place, eyes ready to pour down. "Tum log khelo, main aati hun", and she rushes inside before anyone sees her crying. What on earth would she say to these kids, what on earth would she explain to anyone as to why she was crying, who would understand? She rushes inside the only room that seemed empty, instinctively without thinking twice or noticing which room she is entering. It was Dev's mother's room. And seeing the old photographs of Dev and his family all around her made her cry even more, she didn't know why, she just felt like crying more.

"Vidhi", a familiar voice echos in the room. She turns back with reddened eyes, face drenched with tears. It was Dev standing at the door. He knew she would be at Balghar, he knew something was weighing her down, he has noticed it throughout the day. He rushes towards her, even more worried now, unable to see her crying like this with red swollen eyes, "Kya hua hai Vidhi. Bolo please". At this point, Vidhi is unable to stop her tears, she keeps on crying, looking down. He holds her shoulder and asks pleadingly, trying to look into her eyes, trying to guess what happened, "Vidhi please bolo, kuch toh bolo, hua kya hai". The warmth of his voice, the warmth of his touch melts her down completely. She clutches his shirt and cries even harder, almost wailing now. Instinctively, Dev wraps his hand around her, embracing her into his arms, tears on the verge of escaping his eyes unable to see her in so much pain. Still he holds back his tears and embraces her tighter, one hand on stroking her head, another wrapped around her back, "Shhhhh......... Shhhhh........ Shhhhhh...... Chup ho jao please....... Jo bhi problem hai, solve ho jayega Vidhi...... Main hun na...... Hmmm?  Main hun....... Yahin hun....... Jo bhi hua hai, main thik kar dunga....... Chup ho jao please........."