Paradise ~ A Devdutt Padikkal Story

15.

A/N: are you guys liking the little flashback snippets I've been adding in occasionally? Also a very important realization takes place now.

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"Congratulations sweetheart!" Dr. Rajan hugged his daughter as she came running to them.
"Thankyou Achan!" Disha smiled as she hugged her father back.
She turned to her mother only to see her eyes glistening with tears.
"Amma! Why are you crying?" Disha embraced her mother as she wiped the tears off.
"You're now a graduate! That's what makes your mother cry. Seeing her little baby all grown up." Dr. Rajan explained.
Disha rolled her eyes, "Amma, I'm still your baby."
"Graduation is a milestone darling and I cried when you passed your tenth and twelfth!" Prerna Rajan laughed.
"C'mon now hurry up! Lunch is on me! We're going to celebrate, so Achan forget Jehangir Hospital for today, there are other gynaecs." Disha urged as she folded her graduation coat.
"When will you stop hating my workplace?" Dr. Rajan asked jokingly.
"Never." Disha replied as she proceeded to the gate.

Despite struggling for a few matches in the IPL, Devdutt was selected for the T20 squad against Australia. The news had come as a shocker for him because he wasn't expecting it.
His phone pinged with a notification and he looked down to see a message from his colleague Shreyas Iyer.

'They have faith in you. Now it's your turn to slay. International cricket is bigger than the IPL so gear up Dev.'

Smiling to himself, Devdutt opened the screenshot he had taken two and a half years back. It was a message from Disha when he was selected for the national team the very first time.

'Oh my god Dev! I'm so happy and so proud! Keep slaying and all the best!'

He was only left with screenshots now that he did not have her number anymore. He had deleted it in a fit of rage when she left but it was too late.

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Devdutt was overjoyed and the cake on his cheeks made it evident. The India A team had just won their ODI series against West Indies. It was Dev's third international tour with the India A team and he had scored a brilliant knock of 174 runs.

Entering his room, Dev had a long shower. Anticipating a message from Disha, Dev stepped out of the bathroom eagerly. He pulled out his phone from the kitbag only to see twenty missed calls from Disha's friend, Nitya.

Finding it strange enough, Devdutt dialed Nitya. His thoughts were lurking towards a bad news but he caught hold of them, waiting for Nitya to answer his call.
"Hello Dev finally!" Nitya's voice sounded impatient and panicky.
"Nitya, are you okay? Is Disha okay?" Devdutt asked worriedly.
"No Dev!" Nitya started crying.
"Nitya! Tell me what happened!" Devdutt demanded impatiently.
"Dev, Disha left!" Nitya broke the news and Dev's heart sunk.
"Left? Where? When did she go?" Devdutt's voice quivered slightly as he tried to maintain his composure.
"I don't know when. Her phone was unreachable since yesterday night so I called her again but now they're saying the number is nonexistent!" Nitya told Dev.
"Wait I'll try!" Devdutt cut the call in seconds and dialed Disha's number. To his dismay, it said that her number didn't exist.
Devdutt kicked the stool harshly, resulting it in falling down with a thud.