I know the target for the last two chapters has yet to be achieved, but it doesn't matter coz we all know, board exams are going on and people have taken a much-needed break from Wattpad.................so I guess I will forego the targets right now with a hope that they will be all completed once the exams are over............
so all the best to all those who will be appearing for the boards, rock the world champs!!!!!!!
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Chapter Nineteen
DEV'S P.O.V.
We were driving back to Shona's apartment when a thought struck me, what if Elena had been lying to us all this while, what if there was another side to the story she had been feeding Shona all this years............I couldn't speak aloud my doubts infront of Shona, she was very much disturbed right now, telling her something against her bestie could further worsen the matter..........
Shona, can I ask you something?..........ofcourse, if you don't mind!!!!!!
She turned her head towards me as she blinked her eyes in response to urge me to go ahead..........gulping my saliva, I hesitantly put forth my question........
Have you seen Pia atleast once?...........I mean you just told me that she has been kept away from you since birth, that Elena had been taking care of her all this while and that till yesterday you weren't even aware that Sameer had her with him............I was just curious to know if you know how she looks or if you have a pic of hers, so that it'll be easier for the cops to find her.........
She looked taken aback by my sudden query, seemed like she was thinking hard about it, or rather she hadn't ever thought about it till now.............
I have seen her when she was born, I have held in my arms, my child was so tiny, I can still remember her faint cries...........God, why did I even leave her alone.........
She sobbed silently as my heart went out to her, if only the fate hadn't been as cruel as it had been, our child would have been with us today, and we three would have made a happy family.............
Sshh..........quite baby, I know you are saddened by what has been happening around us for a while.............I know you have gone through a lot...........but then this is not the time get emotional and break down..........we have to be strong if we have to find our Pia............now common calm down and tell me, have you seen her even once after Elena took her away?
I wiped her tears and held her close to my chest.............she snuggled into my hold, letting out all our worries into the thin of the air............
I have heard her voice, once when I had called Elena..........she was crying and Ele's Mom was trying to put her to sleep............I asked Ele to pass on the phone to her.............I sang a lullaby to my baby and she slept after that........apart from that I have never seen her, however much I wished to, I was always scared of Sameer harming her..............if only I knew this was going to happen sooner or later..........
She broke into wails again as I let her weep her heart out............her tears dampened my shirt as she dozed off weeping against my chest............people will probably call her a uncaring mother for not even trying to meet her child once after her birth...........but if you ask me, I see a selfless lady who took the pain of staying away from her child years after giving birth to her, just in order to protect her from that demon............the child ofcourse doesn't know who was her mother, but Shona definitely knew her child.............a known separation is much bitter than an unknown one.............
I pulled out my phone while holding Shona to myself, careful not to break her sleep.............it looked as if she hadn't slept for days together, the dark circles below her doe shaped eyes were quite visible now............I can only imagine how many sleepless nights she must have spent worrying about her child's whereabouts, the days must have been spent in recollecting the time we spent together during the short span of our togetherness and how I supposedly betrayed her and left her alone.............
Hello Ved.............I need a favor.............I know it's too late to disturb but, I was just thinking if you could allow Avni to come with me here, Shona would feel a little better with her being around...........you know how fond she is of Avni..........only if you and Elena have no problem with it...........
I heard Ved curse me under his breath on the other side.............of course why wouldn't he?.............I have always been told by him that I shouldn't be seeking approval while asking him anything.............he would definitely mind it............
What do I do with you idiot?...........should I come there and beat up till the time your wife starts crying out for help to her neighbors?.............from when did we become so formal?............Avni is as much your child as she's mine, you can take her along anytime, you need not ask me, you get that?............the next time I hear that tone of yours, I swear I will beat you black and blue..........
I couldn't help but chuckle at his audacity.............how can this man be so selfless.........he knew what I have been going through all these days..........he knows I'm high on emotions these days............and he tries his level best to keep me sane, if it wasn't for him then I would have definitely had a nervous break down...........
I'll be there in 30 minutes, I also need to speak to your wife.........hope you don't mind..........
His tone all of a sudden changed into a serious one, as I wondered what was he actually thinking about...........
Ofcourse you can talk to my wife, I won't mind until and unless you decide you ditch your wife and Aaru decides to kick my ass and you both elope together.........
What the hell............how can this man be this hilarious in situations like these?............I guess this is how a person should live his life, try to find humor in small situations when people around you are busy messing up your life.......
I carry Shona to her bedroom and place her down carefully on the bed, she whimpers a bit at the lost of contact in our entwined fingers............placing a chaste kiss on her forehead, I pull over the blanket so that she could sleep soundly..........giving her a longing look, I switch of the lamp and shut the door behind me............
I reach Ved's place within 30 minutes as promised, Elena is up, waiting for me to arrive..........being around her alone has always been awkward...........
Err.........hey...........I just spoke to Ved about taking Avni along..........is he not at home?
I looked around the place to find Ved, astonishingly he wasn't anywhere to be seen around...........
Actually Avni was coaxing him for a long time, she said she wants to meet her Naani............so he said he would drop her at your place after taking her to her Naani's house...........he left his phone here so I guess he couldn't inform you......
I nodded my head understandingly as she stood there leaning against the book shelf.............she avoided any sort of eye contact with me, I had this nagging urge to questions her about Pia...........I was scared if doubting her would lead me a to a better place of make me bad in Shona's eyes...........
Errm..........Elena............actually I just want to know a few things about.............Pia........look don't get me wrong, I just want to know all the details you know.............look I'm not blaming you for what happened, I can never do that............it's just that I want to know what happened after Pia was born..........
Her posture straightened all of a sudden, inkling my doubts even more.............what was she trying to hide exactly............
Elena I know this is difficult for you as well............but see I need to find my child........and form what happened today, one thing I feel is she's not with Sameer...........he's just lying, he's trying to fool Shona...........he wants to play with her emotions and I can't let that happen............please Elena, I know you hate me, kind off.............we two have never been on good terms exactly...........but can't we just forget about our rivalry and concentrate on getting Pia back with us...............safely.............
She turned her head away indicating she was least interested in striking a mature conversation with me...........hurt, I decided to leave the place immediately............maybe I could come back with Shona someday and get an answer to all my questions............
I got up to leave when my eyes fell upon a portrait hung up on the adjacent wall............my eyes widened as I took in the intricate details of the portrait............how can this be possible..........no this is just so impossible............how will I tell Shona that.............
My phone rang at that very moment as my tears trickled down my eyes...........with vision blurred, I picked up my phone with my shivering hands...........
Hey Dev............I'm so sorry yaar.............I just forgot to inform you............Avni has become too difficult to handle these days...........anyways, I'm leaving for your place now, where are you?
I composed myself as my eyes refused to tear themselves apart from the portrait which was now mirrored in my eyes............
I'm on my way...........I'll be there in a while...........see you...........
Was this just the end of my search or was it just the beginning..............guess only time will tell!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Precap : mystery.............mystery.............mystery continues............
with a few cute Devakshi Moments ofcourse............
lemme see who manages to guess what did Dev come across at Elena's place........the one who guesses it correctly first, gets a dedication in my next chapter............
Target : 200 Votes