It is the middle of the night. Dev wakes up from the noise he unable to discern. He hears soft sobs with sniffles. He opens his eyes, struggling to keep them open. It's still dark outside. He turns his head to his left, where Mahi is supposed to be sleeping. However, he sees Mahi seated, still on the bed. Dev sits up to see what's wrong. He sees it is her sobs which woke him. She is sitting, holding up her left-hand wrist tightly with her right hand. She is crying softly.
'Mahi! What's wrong?' asks Dev in a hoarse voice.
'I can't stop it. It keeps bleeding,' says Mahi while crying softly and holding her wrist.
Dev gets worried. He takes her hand to look what she means that she is bleeding. He couldn't see clearly. So he quickly bends back to turns on the sidelights. He sees her hand. He doesn't see any blood but, he sees Mahi still holding her wrist tightly.
'Let me see,' says Dev softly, asking her to remove her hand. She does. He doesn't see any blood but an old scar. He gets confused. Mahi wraps her hand again on her wrist as she says, whimpering,' I didn't have a choice. I didn't know what to do. I don't want to die. Please help me stop this.'
Dev looks at her, crying for real. He suddenly realises that she seems awake but, she isn't. She is sleepwalking. Or Sleeptalking.
'Mahi. Look here. It's not real,' says Dev wiping her tears from her face, trying to wake her up.
She doesn't respond to him. So he holds her from her arms and gives her a firm jerk to wake her up. Mahi wakes up from the jolt, becoming confused. Her eyes are wide open in bewilderment.
'What happened?' asks Mahi seeing Dev next to her. She sees outside. It is dark as she sees the clock on the wall to confirm.
'Nothing. You were just having a nightmare,' says Dev trying to calm her.
She feels her face wet, and so her eyes. She asks,' Was I crying?'
'Yeah! I guess,' says Dev.
'Was I talking as well?' asks Mahi looking at Dev becoming tensed.
Dev recalls what exactly happened moments ago. He says,' Just mumbling. Couldn't understand.' He makes her lie back and tucks her in, asking her to try sleeping again.
He switches off the sidelights and lies down, turning towards Mahi. He sees Mahi still wide awake with concern on her face.
'Can't sleep?' asks Dev seeing her wide awake.
She turns her head in his direction with worried eyes. She shakes her head in a no.
Dev opens his left arm as he reaches for her arm with his right hand. He says,' Come here.'
Mahi slides closer to Dev, placing her head on his arm, closer to his shoulder. She puts her hand on his chest as Dev lies on his back and closing Mahi in his arms in a cuddle. Mahi, now resting her head on his chest closer to his neck. Dev feels her stress while holding her close to him. He starts moving his left hand in soft rubs on her back to soothe her as he places his right hand on her left arm.
'Don't worry. It was just a bad dream,' says Dev as he places a soft kiss on top of her head. Mahi relaxes in his arms as she closes her eyes. Listening to Dev's heart beneath her ears, she drifts to sleep, hugging him.
Dev feels her heavy and steady breathing as he realises that she is finally sleeping. On the other hand, Dev couldn't sleep for some time. He thinks about the events, happened today. First, meeting that man in the hotel lobby, then a sudden panic attack on the terrace and now this. He thinks, was this really just a nightmare or fragment of reality. He doesn't want to think much about it but, everything he witnessed so far seems to point him in some unknown direction. Dev looks down at her hand on his chest. He softly picks it up and turns it slightly to see the scar on her wrist. He caresses it as he thinks back to the story Mahi told her how she got it. Then his mind runs the flashes of Mahi moments ago, talking in her sleep. He places her hand back on his chest, softly rubbing the back of it. He then caresses her head softly as he plants a kiss on her forehead, holding her. He presses her gently to him. He eventually, still holding her protectively in his arms, falls asleep.
The alarm goes off, waking Mahi up. Reflexively she turns half and slides it off. She turns back to her earlier comfortable position. She feels a warm breath on her face. Last night flashes in front of her eyes, making her open her eyes. She sees Dev's face.
Dev is fast asleep an inch away from hers. She looks down at his arm around her. And feels another of his arm under her head. She pulls her hand close to her mouth, becoming still for a second. Then she sees the quiet face of Dev. He looks amazingly calm as he breathes uniformly. Mahi recalls the last night on the hotel terrace and then his words in that cafe. Mahi feels an urge to touch his face. She feels like she got an opportunity to admire his feature this close without him realising. She lets out a smile as she traces his profile with her fingers, close enough to almost touching him. She stops her tracing on his lips, trailing there longer. She touches his lower lip softly. Then, she slowly pulls back the hand to her chest. She moves her head up, closing in, planting a soft kiss on his nose. She smiles, seeing him still asleep.
She tries to get up from his hold slowly without waking him up. As she slowly half gets up, sliding away from him, she feels the arm coming alive. She gets pulled back in Dev's arms.
''It's very early. Sleep some more,' says Dev gruffly while keeping his eyes closed.
Mahi becomes still in his arms. Dev feels her becoming stiff. He opens his eyes as he says,' I am not ready to say good morning yet.'
'How long have you been awake?' asks Mahi in a faint voice.
'Since your alarm went off,' says Dev closing his eyes back as he tightens his arms around Mahi, pulling her closer. Their foreheads, now touching each other. The whole night, he was subconsciously aware of Mahi next to him. However, she slept peacefully in his arms without making any movements or any bad dreams. When her alarm went off, waking her up, Dev also wakes up with her moving in his arms. Yet, he keeps pretending to sleep as he was anyways too lazy to open his eyes. He then feels her becoming still as he waits for her to make some movement. Then he faintly feels her fingers on his face and a soft touch on his lips. He continues to pretend to sleep as he lets her do something desirable for once. It gets difficult for him to stay like that when he felt her warm lips on his nose.
He sees her getting nervous as she realises that he was awake this whole time. He leans back a little as he says,' How did you sleep? Any bad dreams after that?'
Mahi shakes her head slowly, stealing her eyes from him.
'Good,' replies Dev, leaning in again, closing his eyes, placing his forehead close to hers.
Mahi starts moving, trying to leave from his hold, saying,' I have to go.'
Dev doesn't loosen his grip as he asks,' Where? It's too early to go anywhere.'
'Today is Anu's engagement. There is a lot to be done,' says Mahi, still protesting against his hold.
'The event doesn't start before 8 in the evening. And there are a lot of other people to manage things without you being there. Why don't we sleep for some more? We'll join the rest on breakfast,' says Dev.
'We can't,' says Mahi, to which Dev open his eyes, looking straight in Mahi with questions. She immediately continues, answering them,' I can't. I promised Bua to take her to temple early in the morning.'
Dev closes his eyes again, saying,' Nobody is awake this early. You can just relax.'
'I can't,' says Mahi, trying to leave his hold.
Dev frowns as he says,' It'll keep getting tighter unless you stop moving.'
Mahi stops, becoming still, giving up. Dev smiles, still keeping his eyes closed. He pulls her closer as he shifts her head on his shoulder, her nose closer to his neck. Dev rests his jaws on her forehead. Mahi stays quiet, breathing in his closeness. She thinks to herself, how can someone smell pleasant, even in the morning. Dev feels her getting relaxed under her hold. He thinks to himself, this feels nice, her in my arms. He silently makes a wish that he gets to spend every morning with her like this.
Mahi's feels comfortable lying in his arms. Suddenly a thought crosses her mind. She can't let this happen for long. She has to set a boundary between her and Dev. Dev feels her getting tensed up again. He starts caressing her arms with his thumb in a repetitive motion. Both stay like that for the next couple of minutes. Until a knock on the door ends their comfortable embrace. Both hear Anu shouting on their door, calling Mahi urgently. Mahi looks at Dev silently, waiting for his response. Dev sighs heavily, loosening his hold over Mahi. She amusingly looks at Dev's frustrated look as he can't protest against her younger sister's tantrums. She loses the smile, thinking about what she just decided to do. She quickly gets up before he changes his mind.
Later that morning, Dev catches Mahi in the garage looking for something in stored boxes of hers. He stands quietly with hands folded against his chest as he watches Mahi getting worked up searching for something. She picks one of the boxes and turns to place it down but drops it when she gets startled seeing Dev standing there.
'What are you doing here?' asks Mahi with a tinge of annoyance in her voice.
Dev smiles amusingly at her habit of being jumpy whenever she sees him. He sees her sitting down on her feet as she puts the books on the floor back in the box. Dev quickly walks up to her, sitting down across her helping her put the books back in the box.
He says,' I was looking at you,' with a flirtation laced in his tone.
Mahi ignores him. Dev notices her getting tensed as she doesn't respond to him. She continues to focus on knocked over stuff in front of her. He holds her hand,' Hey! What's wrong?'
Mahi pulls her hand back with a jerk saying,' No! Nothing's wrong! It doesn't have to be something wrong every time for you to sweep in to ask me what's wrong.'
'Fine. Don't have to be rude about it. I was just concerned. You look tensed,' says Dev trying to understand her mood.
'You don't have to be concerned about me every time. It's not your job. And, I am not some damsel in need who would be glad every fucking time you interfere in my damn business,' says Mahi standing up. She gets more upset with Dev's presence.
Dev scoffs in disbelief, looking at her, snapping at him as he stands up too. He says,' You think I am interfering in your life?'
'Then what you are doing here right now?' asking Dev rhetorically.
'Wow! You are really trying hard to push me away this time,' says Dev sarcastically.
Mahi sighs off in frustration as she says,' I am not pushing you away. I am simply saying thank you for your help so far. I don't need it any more. So just move on. You don't have to wait for me. I am not gonna change my mind.'
'Clear enough,' says Dev with a smirk on his face.
Mahi feels exasperated at his reaction as she runs her fingers in her hair, grunting and moving back and forth. Dev notices her getting all furious.
'Anything else?' asks Dev putting his hands in track pant's pocket.
'Yes, please. Don't stand here on top of my head waiting for my command. Do whatever pleases you. Find someone else to entertain you,' says Mahi fuming and trying to be as rude as she can.
'Good to know that you think that I am around you only for entertainment purpose,' says Dev with a straight, attempting to see her limits.
'Aren't you?' says Mahi with a scoff. She continues, with the same tone,' In the past 48 hours, I have encountered enough drama to entertain you. But, unfortunately for you, I am not left with any more.'
'Don't count this one out,' says Dev as a passing comment.
'Yes! I am probably being dramatic right now. Why? Not entertaining enough!' replies Mahi with not pretending to fume this time.
She continues,' Why don't you try with Kate? Maybe she has better entertaining drama for you than me.'
'So we are playing Push and Pull now?' says Dev with an unfounded calm voice, irritating enough for Mahi. He continues,' Great! That's what you wanna do? Let's play this properly then.'
'What do you mean?' asks Mahi with an irritated tone.
'I'll tell you what I meant,' says Dev as he takes a step closer. He says,' Well, I have been interested in the Pull part of the game. But, as of now, you are insisting on the Push part of the game. Desperately.' He continues to take another step and stand exactly in front of Mahi, only a couple of feet away. He leans down close to her height as he says,' So let's give it a try to your part. You want me to try again with Kate. And it's perfectly okay with you since you are not jealous of her.'
'I am not jealous of anyone,' says Mahi, keeping her teeth clenched.
'And you don't mind if I cheat on you as well,' says Dev, keeping his voice as steady as possible to incite Mahi.
Mahi takes a small calming breath. She continues in a low voice,' We are married on paper. Nothing is going on between us. And noth-'
'Nothing will ever happen,' Dev completes her sentence with a smirk. He says,' Heard it before.'
He leans back, straightening up as he continues,' So it is decided then. I'll try my best with Kate before she leaves the city. And it will have nothing to do with you.'
Mahi tightens her jaws, controlling her anger as she says,' Thank god for that.'
Dev smiles slyly at Mahi's replies as he could clearly see her anger almost surfacing. Mahi feels the heat as she sees Dev smiling confidently. She feels as if Dev is possessed by his evil twin, who has arisen only to trigger Mahi. Dev inclines closer to Mahi's ear as he softly says,' Anyways, I am sure Kate will be much less stiff than you. Oh, wait. I already know so.'
He straightens up as he steps back, turning around, leaves Mahi standing alone in the garage. Mahi stays in the same place fuming with anger and disappointment at the same time. She is breathing fast as she becomes furious with passing seconds thinking about what just happened. She kicks the box hard when she fails to contain her rage.
She takes the support of the boxes stacked behind as she hangs her head in exhaustion from getting angry. She thinks to herself, that's what I wanted. To draw the line. I better start getting used to this.
In that afternoon, Mahi stood beside the sofa where Savitri, Bua and one more extended relative are seated. Below them on the carpet sat the young cousins of Dev, along with Nivi and Anu. They all were arguing on how to decorate the plates which will be carrying the rings. A silver plate, along with laces, some fancy items spread across the centre table. In all this chaos, Mahi's attention was focussed somewhere else. On the pair of humans who stood across the room. Away from the chaos, enjoying among themselves. Nivi asks for Mahi'a suggestion in between the very high pitched conversation among the cousins and ladies on the sofa. When she doesn't get a response, she turns her head behind to see Mahi, burning holes somewhere far with her eyes. When Nivi follows her gaze, she sees Dev and Kate engaged in some serious discussion across the room as if they are planning something. In between those discussions, Nivi could see Dev being friendly with her as she laughs out loud at Dev's silly jokes. Nobody else notices Mahi's irritated expression. Nivi signals Anu towards the ongoing situation. Both slyly gets up and stands next to Mahi. Discussion on decorating plate continues even when both the sisters get up, leaving the place. Mahi feels the sisters standing next to her but, she doesn't give up on her glare.
'Tell me something? Does every man who studies abroad had a foreigner fling,' asks Mahi with an annoyed tone.
'Sam never had one. None I know of,' says Nivi chuckling a little and then losing the smile when Anu gives her a glare.
'Amit had one. He told me while we dated. But, it's okay. He is marrying me,' interjects Anu, emphasising the last statement.
Mahi sighs without looking at them as she says,' Does his fling also have an amazing ass like hers?' She said this, looking at Kate.
Both the sisters look at each other first, and then both lean back a little to look at Mahi from behind. Nivi places a slap on Mahi's arm.
'Oww Oww!' exclaims Mahi a little loudly, simultaneously twice as she gets one from Anu too.
'Do you have any idea how envious we have been growing up with you?' says Nivi in a low voice.
'What! Why? What did I do?'
'Because you are born with an amazing ass. Hers is nothing in front of yours,' replies Anu getting agitated.
'So amazing that even your kurta can't hide that,' says Nivi hitting her again at the same spot.
Mahi frowns, rubbing her arms. She says,' Okay! You are making me conscious now.'
'Well, you asked for it,' says Anu.
'And anyway, Dev is not like any other men. I am not saying this because he is my brother. I am saying this because he looks at you differently,' interjects Nivi thoughtfully.
'Right! Differently,' scoffs Mahi sarcastically.
'He never looked at Yashika like that,' says Nivi drawing Mahi's attention.
'Because he loved her,' says Mahi, again countering Nivi, whatever she is trying to point.
'Because he never did,' replies Nivi. She takes a pause as she continues,' Men has a look when they are in love. One can tell when they look at their partners or whomsoever they love. I never saw that look on Dev, even though he almost married her. But, I see that when he looks at you. Trust me. I am not just saying this because you are married now.'
Mahi sighs off, thinking that she is already aware of it. But, her concern is that she can't do anything about it.
'And this is not the first time I have seen this. Concerning you,' continues Nivi in a low voice, looking away.
Before Mahi could ask, Anu prompts,' What do you mean? You are seeing Bhai here for the first time after they got married.'
'It was at my wedding,' says Nivi in a voice as low as possible.
'What?'
'My wedding. It was the happiest day of my life but, one thing about it disturbed me a lot,' says Nivi, opening up to Mahi and Anu. She continues,' Apart from the fact that Dev got his girlfriend in the most outrageous attire at my wedding. It didn't matter to me as much as the way he kept looking at you. Even when he was with his girlfriend. Then'
'After that, I kind of hoped that he'd soon approach you and get over Yashika. But, one fine day, I hear that my brother has decided to marry her. I thought maybe I saw it wrong. But in these past 2 days, I knew it. I was never wrong,' says Nivi with a pleasing voice. She continues,' So stop worrying about any foreigner fling or her not so amazing ass. You are all he sees.'
Mahi turns her head in Dev's direction after listening to Nivi. She sees Dev looking at her. When he meets her eyes, he stays there for a couple of seconds and then looks away.
'Didi ye kahan rakhna hain? (Where should I keep this?)' asks Karim standing behind them, breaking the three's ladies conversation. When they turn around, they see Karim carrying a heavy box half-opened. Mahi opens it to see what is in it. She sees lots of small candles and some decorative stuff in them.
'Ye kis liye hain? (Whom this is for?)' asks Anu standing next to it, eying the stuff.
'It's mine,' says Dev as he closes the box and takes it from Karim as he leaves with it.
Ladies are left with confusion as Dev disappears with the box. Without giving any explanation to them. They look at each other puzzled and shrug their shoulders. They return to the chaos in the living regarding the plates for rings.
After lunch, everyone has already left for the venue with their belongings. No one else was in the house. While Mahi is about to leave the place to pick Anu from the salon. When she opens the door, the guard appears on the stairs with buckets of flowers behind him. He says some delivery guy left them in the name of Dev. There are a lot of red roses and white carnations. She thinks maybe the decoration guys mistakenly delivered them to the house address. Within the next second, Dev appears next to her, asking the guard to take them into the house.
'Are these for decoration? Why have they delivered here?' asks Mahi, thinking that the flowers must be for the engagement function.
'You must be getting late. Be on your way,' replies Dev ignoring her query. Before she could counter, he leaves to get inside.
To be continued...