The Life Changing Bet

12. 'Changes and Leap'

Dev and Mishti stayed back in Nainital to help out with Bijoy's surgery. His surgery was successful and he made good progress. He was home in a week and was advised bed rest and minimal stress by the doctors. Mishti stayed with Asha and helped her like a real daughter would. Dev did the entire running around and was the main pillar of support for Asha. Ritwik spent a lot of time with Bijoy and gave him company. Dev stayed out of Bijoy's way, as he did not want him to get upset at this crucial recovery phase. Riya would visit regularly and realized that Dev was repenting sincerely for his deeds.

"Dev...kaash hum sab ney tumhey ek chance diya hota...toh aaj yeh sab kuch nahin hota..." Riya said to him one day

"Riya...ho sakta hai agar main bhi tumhari jagah hota, toh main bhi apne friend ke liye wohi karta... insaan se zyada uska naam...uska reputation bolta hai...mera naam hi mera sab se bada dushman ban gaya..." Dev reflected sadly.

Dev had put out ads with Sonakshi's pictures in the missing persons columns of major newspapers and dailies. So far, they had no luck. He even visited the site of the train accident, but found no clues.

When Dev and Mishti were leaving for Mumbai, Dev came to Asha, "mamma...wo Sonakshi ka bag jo mila tha... Kya main usey dekh sakta hoon?"

"beta...ismey poonchney ki kya baat hai? Jao abhi uncle so rahe hain...Sonakshi ke room se le lo..."

Dev entered Sonakshi's room and looked around. The room was still arranged the way it used to be when Sonakshi was there. He could feel her presence in every corner of the room. He saw the window overlooking Ritwik's house. He remembered their romantic moments they had shared gazing at each other from those windows. His eyes could not stop the tears from flowing. He saw her bag at the bedside; he picked it up and caressed it.

Her bag had just a few things inside- her wallet, the cell phone he had given her, her notebook and a few essentials. He took the notebook and started reading. Looked like she had written quite a few poems and songs during her last few days. Her pain from Dev's betrayal was evident in the last few poems. Dev held the notebook close to his heart and took it with him. He remembered how he had teased her with the notebook and demanded she gave him the "haq" to read the book- "aaj main yeh haq khud lekar jaa raha hoon Sonakshi...," and he left for Mumbai with Sonakshi's notebook close to his heart.

Dev maintained close contact with Asha and Ritwik even after reaching Mumbai. He paid for all the medical expenses incurred due to Bijoy's surgery. He even arranged for the heart specialist to fly in from Delhi to check on Bijoy at regular intervals. Bijoy was told that some of his old students were helping him with the medical expenses out of respect for their former principal.

Dev had left no stone unturned in trying to find Sonakshi, but was unsuccessful. He still believed that Sonakshi would appear from nowhere one day. Everyone else had resigned to the fact that she was dead and was gone forever!

Dev and Raghuwar were finally cleared of all the IT charges against them.

Ishwari decided to have a party in celebration of their success in the case. She made sure they had invited the who's who in town.

Dev was in no mood of partying.

"Dev...tumhe kya ho gaya hai? Yeh case bhi khatam ho gaya, par tum abhi bhi itne sad kyon rehte ho.?." Ishwari finally asked him one day.

"kuch nahin mom...bas mera mann nahin hai..." Dev sounded irritated. During the past few months, since Sonakshi's death, Dev had become closer to Asha than to his own mother. He would talk to Asha for hours on the phone, but could hardly find anything to talk with his own mother.

Ishwari left him alone as usual, but decided to ask Mishti.

"Haan aunty...Dev ki life mein bahut changes aa gaye hain...ab usney betting, alcohol, girls sab chhod diya hai..." Mishti told Ishwari.