'Will you be our son's godmother?' asks Ekta to Mahi. Ekta looks at Mahi who looks back at her with a surprised look.
'Please don't say no. I am not asking you this because you are married to Dev. Or this jerk is the Godfather to my son,' says Ekta pointing towards Dev. She continues,' You know it better. I never had a girlfriend. You are the first girlfriend I want to keep for life. And after today, I wouldn't trust our son's life with anyone but you. Of course, other than him,' glancing at Dev on the last sentence.
Mahi becomes overwhelmed at Ekta's insistence and looks at the baby to say,' You mom just used you by placing you in my hands.'
'Was I successful?' asks Ekta softly.
Mahi looks at her and narrows her eyes and nods as she smiles at her.
Ekta breaks into a loud cheer. Everyone laughs at her reaction.
Mahi and Dev stand outside the hospital entrance after they were thrown out by their friends. So that the new parents can have some privacy. Both stood there quietly as they waited for Shankar to get Dev his car.
The car arrives as Shankar gets down to give the keys to Dev. Dev asks Mahi for Ekta's car keys. She fishes them from her jeans pocket and hands him the keys. Dev passes the same to Shankar telling him to take Ekta's car to pick Rohit's mother from the airport and later in the evening Ekta's mother too. He instructs him to stay near the hospital as whenever Rohit needs him for anything else.
After giving Shankar all the necessary instructions, he moves to the driver's side door. He sees Mahi not moving towards the passenger side door.
'Mahi! Aren't you gonna sit?' asks Dev softly.
'No. I am gonna take the cab,' replies Mahi keeping a straight face.
'Don't be silly. I am not going to eat you,' says Dev frowning at her response of taking the cab.
Mahi glares back at his snapping.
'Sorry,' says Dev seeing her pissed off.
'Are you going home?' asks Mahi after looking around in an attempt to look for a valid excuse. So that she doesn't have to sit next to Dev.
'Yes'
'I am not. I have to be back at the office,' Mahi says hoping that she can find an excuse. To end the discussion.
'It's Sunday,' says Dev immediately realising Mahi is just looking for any excuse not to be alone with him.
Mahi closes her eyes in failure. Seeing her struggle so much to avoid him, Dev loses all hope and says,' Please. I'll drop you, office or home. I promise I won't say anything to you. Not a word.' He continues after a small pause,' I won't even breathe if you want.'
Mahi looks at him on his last sentence. What shook her from the inside was that reading from his eyes, he meant it. Without further torturing him, she opens the passenger side door and sits in. Dev lets out a deep sigh after Mahi sits in the car. He closes his eyes in exhaustion and puts his hand on them as he moves it through his hair before he opens the door and sits in.
As promised, Dev didn't say a word on their whole way. Mahi could not shake herself off from his last sentence. It struck her hard. She couldn't put the finger on what bothered her more. Dev's strained face from her tantrums or his willingness to comply with anything for her comfort. As far as not breathing. Mahi unconsciously sank in her seat as she looks out of the car, but flashing only Dev's face with his most sincere eyes. They were unfeigned enough to render Mahi questioned her anger towards him. Is it worth his life? She thinks to herself sending a chill down her spine. She suddenly becomes concerned for Dev. She feels an urge to look at him. To steal a glance at him, she looks at the clock on the dashboard. He glances at her as she turns her head back towards the window.
Dev senses her anxiousness. He was sure something was bothering her. Then it suddenly struck him that it's him. His remorse sinks him deep. Since that night Dev wishes every day that he could somehow take those words back or turn back time to take that hurt from her. Nothing ever bothered him this much but her being hurt. In these past days, the guilt of hurting her has eaten him more than anything. Maybe more than the hurt Yashika has caused him. Mahi has become his centre more than Yashika ever was for him. For him, not a single day goes by that doesn't involve a fragment of her in his thoughts.
After reaching home, both quietly resign to their respective rooms. With their own bothering thoughts, both just lie down on their beds with wide-open eyes. Thinking about each other, eventually, both drift into sleep.
Mahi wakes up after an hour and sees the setting sun. She freshens up and picks up some files from the table as she finds her way to back gardens. Not to lose herself in thinking about Dev anymore, she attempts to focus on her work. She seemed almost successful at doing so but realises Dev's presence behind her. She becomes still keeping her eyes on the opened file in her laps.
Dev bends down and places the small piece of paper on the table in front of Mahi as he says,' I can't accept this.'
Mahi raises her eyes to look at the cheque she wrote to Dev in front of her.
Dev doesn't wait for her to respond as he says,' I am aware that I have done something unspeakable and unforgivable. And every day I find myself looking for ways to apologise to you. Believe me.' He takes a pause and continues,' I am sorry but, I just can't accept this from you.'
Mahi doesn't move or turn her head on his words. But, she stays still. She intently listens to each of his words. She listens to his voice, drained out of energy. She feels his sincerity in his voice and in his words, even without looking directly at him.
'I cannot justify what I did...what I said. It should never be. I won't be giving you any reason for it because it won't be fair to you. So I am okay as long as you want to hate me but, know this. I didn't mean a single word. I regret it every day and I always will,' says Dev keeping his pain inside. Not getting any response from Mahi, Dev turns away to go.
Mahi hears him moving away and says,' You know that I don't need that cheque to give that amount to you.'
Dev turns back to her and sees her not moving from her place. She was speaking to him but without facing him. He says,' you don't know my bank account details.'
'I have the means.'
'I'll ask my accountant to return the amount back to you,' replies Dev.
'It doesn't work that way. You don't have my account details,' say Mahi looking straight ahead.
'And you think I don't have means to find that out,' replies Dev.
Mahi inhales sharply and straightens up. She closes the file in her hand and puts it on the table. She gets up picking up the cheque and walks up to Dev.
'You have to accept this,' says Mahi softly standing inches away from Dev.
'I can't. I...I just..,' Dev struggles to come up with words as he looks directly to Mahi. He thinks it was easy when she wasn't facing him like this.
Mahi sees him struggling and stops him by saying,' Listen to me. This cheque...is the only way I can keep my self-respect.'
She swallows her emotions and says,' You didn't just hurt me with your words but hurt my self-respect. And for a very long time, this is the only thing I have been living for.'
'I am terribly sorry. I didn't mean to. And I regret it from the moment those came out of my mouth,' says Dev with a little break in his voice.
'I know. I know,' says Mahi softly seeing him on the verge of breaking. She continues,' But, they are still there. You can't take them back.'
'I wish I could,' says Dev closing his eyes for a second.
'I know,' says Mahi almost in a whisper as she attempts to push back her emotions.
Dev sees her struggling with her emotions as she tries to keep them in check. It hurts him to see Mahi like that. He couldn't understand something when he sees Mahi right now. She is hurt by his words. But, she is still trying here to understand him. He couldn't fathom the kind of emotions Mahi keeps within her that she was still standing here in front of him, talking to him as politely as she could.
Mahi takes few seconds to gather herself and say,' Let's do this. If you accept this cheque, I'll take that as your apology.'
'You can't be serious,' says Dev little astonished at her suggestion.
'I am. This way, you get to apologise to me. And I get to keep my self-esteem,' replies Mahi with a beat of energy in her voice.
'And you will accept my apology?' asks Dev becoming little hopeful.
Mahi simply nods to his question as she says softly,' I will.'
'Why?' asks Dev involuntarily as he becomes curious behind the reason for Mahi to forgive him this easily.
Mahi sees the question in Dev's eyes. She couldn't come with an answer to Dev's question without disclosing her confused feelings. So she resorts to her diplomatic tactics.
'I am giving you a solution. You can't be choosy,' replies Mahi keeping a straight face.
'Yes. I get it,' replies Dev realising he cannot push Mahi to answer his curiosity without losing his chance to get her forgiveness. In anticipation, he continues,' So that means, we can go back to being friends again?'
Mahi couldn't help but notice a hint of hope in Dev's eyes. She has to be honest with him at this moment.
'No,' says Mahi crushing Dev's hope. She continues,' See. After what happened, it is already difficult for me to comprehend all of this. You weren't wrong when you said that I have forgotten the very reason why we got married in the first place. I did. We did. And I'll be stupid to repeat my mistake.'
'You didn't do anything wrong. I did,' says Dev realising how his one mistake has led Mahi to believe that she committed some grave mistake being friends with him.
'We both did. Let's accept that and move forward,' says Mahi softening her eyes on Dev. She continues,' I can't really say that we'll be friends like before. I don't know if we'll ever be. But, one thing I can say is that it will take some time for me to be normal again.'
Dev simply nods understanding Mahi's dilemma of forgiving him for hurting her self respect and still living with him in the same house. She had already given up a lot for Dev. Even her reason for doing so is something else. Dev knew he is in no position to ask Mahi for more.
A week goes by after Mahi and Dev reconciled cordially. They became cordial in each other's presence. No one was avoiding or ignoring the other. However, they kept the needed distance from each other to ensure they don't cross over into the friend zone.
It is Sunday. Dev and Rohit were sitting in front lawns. They were discussing the upcoming project and few legal variables in the project. Suddenly they hear a commotion at the main gate. After a few seconds, two men enter the premises dragging the watchman with them. They had roughed up the watchman. One who was holding the watchman from his collar had a small knife in his other hand. Another man with a medium built and rather more gruesome looks were walking in front of them. They looked more like hired goons. Dev and Rohit get up in shock as they see what was happening. Dev and Rohit attempt to move towards them to get Bahadur from their grip. However, the man in front takes out a Glock from behind and points at Rohit and Dev stopping them in their tracks.
'Dekh Bhai, apne ko lafda nahi chahiye. Bahut shaanti aur araam se samjhane aaya hu. Samajha. Highway wali Zameen pe kaam nahi chalega (Listen brother, I don't want any conflict. I have come here to make you understand very calmly. No work would be done on Highway property),' says the man waving the gun in front of Dev.
'Kyun? Kiske kehne pe? (Why? On whose command?)' asks Dev keeping his anger in check by tightening his jaws.
'Abhi kaha na lafda nahi chahiye. Kaiko pange le raha hai baap (I just said. I don't want any conflict. Why are you messing around?)' replies the same man, getting little irritated.
Mahi was sitting in the living room when she hears the disturbance outside and walks out to see what is causing it. She witnesses the scenario outside and walks towards them.
'Kya ho raha hai yahan? (What's going on here?)' asks Mahi stepping on the lawns.
Dev turns his head towards the voice and becomes worried instantly as he loudly says,' Mahi, get back inside.'
Mahi ignores Dev's direct order and keeps walking. The man also turns his head towards Mahi and says,' Nahi nahi. Aane do madam ko. Aaiye Madam (No no. Let the madam come. Please join us madam),' says waving the gun to tell Mahi to move towards Dev.
As Mahi reaches them, Dev holds her hand and lightly pushes her behind himself. He does that to shield Mahi away from harm's way. Mahi hides completely behind Dev's shoulder.
The goon, standing in front finds it amusing, seeing Dev protectively shielding Mahi. He says,' Jaan se jyada pyaari lagti hai Missus. Isliye aakhri baar bata raha hu. Highway wali Zameen pe se boriya bistar baandh lo apna (Seems like she is important more than life. That's why I am telling you for the last time. Pack up your bags from the Highway Property).'
Mahi looks up to Dev facing his back as he keeps a protective hand around her, pulling her closer. Then she looks at the goon and sighs heavily, as she could not take this nonsense anymore. She says,' Safety on hai (Safety is on).'
Dev turns his head towards Mahi in confusion. So does Rohit. The man with the gun becomes puzzled and asks,' Kya? (What?)'
Mahi softly puts her hand on Dev's arms and whispers,' Trust me. Don't interfere.' She comes out of Dev's protective shield in front of the man with a gun. She stands centimetres away from the barrel. Dev becomes overly worried and says,' Mahi,' reaching for her hand.
She nods at him assuring she is okay and sending a silent signal to let her handle this.
'Madam sunlo apne Pati ki. Khilona nahi hai yeh (Madam, listen to your husband. It's not a toy),' says the man waving the Glock in the face of Mahi.
'Malum hai. Yahi batane ki koshish kar rahi hu. Safety on hai (I know. That's what I am trying to tell you. Safety is on),' says Mahi standing fearlessly in front of the gun.
'Kya? Kya safety. Kya bole...(What! What safety? What you keep saying....),' says the man in utter confusion. Before he could complete his sentence, he feels his hand twist with sharp pain and in next second an excruciating pain in his groin. He falls down on the ground holding his legs near to his chest to control the unbearable pain. As he opens his eyes to see what happened, he sees Mahi standing couple of feet away holding the same gun he had earlier.
To be continued...