Hola Everyone

Thank you everyone for the votes & comments, Thank you for encouraging me, really means a lot.

******************

"Good Morning BigCha, how are you today?" said Golu as he bent down to touch his feet while he continued "Bless me BigCha, it's a big day today" he said as he felt Dev blessing him as a new positive energy filled him, just as he got up and turned someone spoke.

"Done with your daily talk Golu, now it's my turn" said the person as she moved forward and repeating Golu's action she touched his feet as she spoke "Good morning Papa, Bless us. Today is a big day" she said, the person was none other than Suhana, getting up she turned towards Golu and asked, "Where is she?" she said as Golu replied "I guess in her room" he said as both proceeded to meet the person.

As they entered the room they could see the person sitting on the chair busy with her work as Golu slowly tiptoed behind her making sure she does not hear he closed her eyes from behind and said, "Guess who?" as a smile formed on her face, she said "Golu, you have been doing this for the past 15 years, What makes you think that I will not identify that it's you" she said as Golu pouted disappointedly as he replied "Choti Maa, How do you know every time it's me?" while the person just smiled while Golu knew the answer as a tear escaped his eyes, some relations were made from the heart not blood, just like his relationship with Dev was from the heart so was his relationship with the person standing in front of him.

"Choti Maa, Even I am here" said Suhana frowning as the person who was none other than Misha chuckled, she moved towards Suhana and warmly hugged her "How can I not see you Suhana" she said as both smiled at each other.

"So, big day today for you guys. All the best" she said as both bent down to touch her feet, but she refrained them from doing so, she hugged them and blessed them, coming out of the hug she asked, "Did you guys talk to Dev and take his blessing?" she asked as both nodded in a yes smiling at her as she smiled back.

They were about to leave when Misha said "By the way return early in the evening you guys know what it's today" she said as both said in unison "Of course Choti Maa, how can we forget, we will reach early" they said as Misha nodded in agreement, bidding her a goodbye both left as Misha made her way towards Dev.

"You must be very proud of them Dev, right?" she said looking at him and continued "It's a big day for them today, after all if they succeed in the acquisition today then it will make Ishwari Communications the biggest firm in Asia, your kids have taken Ishwari Communications to new heights in the last five years Dev, you must be super proud and happy for them today. If only you were there with us today, if only" she said as tears glistened her eyes looking at the Statue of a smiling Dev, it was 20 years to the day since Dev had left his mortal body and though he was not physically present with them his essence was always there with them, protecting them, guiding them, helping them move forward as Misha's thoughts went back to the day 20yrs ago......

******************

As soon as Dev's grip loosened from Sonakshi's the EKG monitor beeped into a flat line as for a moment Sonakshi's breathe hitched seeing the scene unfold, the next moment she screamed "Doctor, Doctor" and ran out of the ICU. As she came out Misha and Badi Maa were left shocked seeing her while the Doctor with a couple of nurses made their way into the room while Misha and Badi Maa held Sonakshi who was trembling in fear as they asked her about the matter, but she just could not respond, but seeing her they could make out something was seriously wrong. They waited with bated breath for the Doctor to come out with Badi Maa praying fervently for his well-being.

Fifteen minutes later the Doctor came out with a morose look on his face, making his way before the trio he slowly said, "I AM SORRY, WE COULD NOT SAVE HIM".

The world stopped for them as Misha and Badi Maa broke into a loud cry unable to digest the news but the situation with Sonakshi was completely different, the expression on her face changed in fact it was expressionless. She slumped on to the floor, but she had turned deathly quiet, her hands going cold and the next moment she fainted as the Doctor quickly held her and with the help of the ward boys shifted her to a ward as Misha and Badi Maa held each other grieving in their misery, it was the worst day of their lives.

Sonakshi gained consciousness half an hour later but the moment she woke she detached the saline drip attached to her hand as the nurse in the room tried to stop her, but nothing could stop her today. she made her way towards the ICU where Dev was kept but entering it she could not find him as she ran out of their searching for him when she faced Misha who had a broken look on their face.

"Where's Dev?" she asked but Misha did not respond "I asked you where's Dev?" she shouted as Misha slowly gestured her towards a room and the next moment she ran, pushing the door hurriedly she entered it and was stunned into silence.

Lying before her draped in a white sheet with cotton inserted in his nostrils and eyes was DEV. A faint smiled seemed to be playing on his lips which had turned white as his head was bandaged, sitting besides him was Badi Maa, her vision never leaving his face as tears flowed unabashedly from her eyes, she slowly moved towards him and settled on the stool kept besides the bed.

"Dev" she called out in a low tone so that he was not disturbed from his slumber and next moment she ripped out the cotton in his nose and turned towards the nurse present in the room "Are you guys Mad? How can he breathe if you close his nose with cotton" she shouted at her but before the nurse could react Badi Maa held her as she said.

"Sonakshi beta, Apney aap ko sambhalo, Dev nahi raha" she said as Sonakshi looked sonorously at Badi Maa and said "Ye aap kya keh rahi hai Badi Maa, aap aisa kaisey keh sakti hai" turning towards Dev and caressing his cheeks she said "Dev bass so raha hai. Abhi kuch der main wo uth jayega" she said as Badi Maa's heart wrenched seeing the girl before her, it seemed her senses had completely abandoned her, of course it would after all she had lost the love of her life rendering her soulless.

"Badi Maa, it's time for us to leave. I have informed Ranveer. He is going back to Delhi to make the arrangements" she said in a flat voice, she wanted to cry her heart out but was keeping her composure, she was only one present who seemed to be in her senses.

15 minutes later they were in an ambulance on their way to Delhi, all through the journey Badi Maa was silently crying while Misha held her tears, she had to stay strong. Sonakshi on the other hand never left Dev's hand as she kept talking to him, talking about them, their daughter, trying to wake him up from his sleep unable to comprehend the fact that he had slept forever, never to wake up again. After what seemed a longer journey than usual the ambulance came to a halt...

******************

Misha was jerked out of her thoughts as she felt a hand on her shoulders "You are thinking about it once again?" asked the person turning her face as Misha turned her face away to hide the tears while the person continued " Every year since he left on this day you think about that day Misha, Don't do this, even he will be sad seeing you sad" said the person who was none other than Ranveer as Misha wiped her tears and smiled.

"Now happy?" she said as Ranveer smiled while Misha continued "Where's Tina?" she asked as Ranveer replied "She's coming with Elena, both have gone to the temple to feed the poor as they do every year" he said as Misha nodded in agreement.

"By the way make yourself comfortable, I will go and check on Badi Maa" she said as Ranveer nodded while Misha left for Badi Maa's room. Ranveer on the other hand made his way towards Dev's Statue "Aur Bhai kaisa hai tu? Dekh raha hai tu kitni taiyariyan chal rahi hai aaj?" he said in a friendly tone while his thoughts went back to the day 20 yrs ago......

******************

As soon as Misha informed Ranveer about Dev he was left shattered, his friend, his brother for the last seven years had left the world, Tina who had heard the news as well was equally shattered, but they could not afford to cry for they had so many people to take care off. Dev's sisters, Mamaji, Elena but most important of them all the kids and Ishwari. They knew they could let the kids go through the trauma. Ranveer quickly dialled Elena's number and asked her to reach the office along with Mamaji as soon as possible.

Half an hour later Elena and Mamaji were at Dev's office where Ranveer broke the news to them devastating them to the core. Ranveer asked Elena to take the kids along with her to Kolkata as soon as possible as he did not want them to face the truth, Elena would not agree to it first as she wanted to see Dev for one last time but on second thoughts what Ranveer said made sense as well, along with the kids she left for Kolkata who were excited for the unexpected trip but little did they know that they were being kept away from a truth which would be revealed to them only years later.

Mamaji on the other hand was completely devastated, he did not know how to reveal the news to Ishwari, Ranveer meanwhile had asked the sisters to reach Ishwari Niwas who were taken by surprise at his sudden request and enquired about the same, but he did not reveal anything, he had sent Tina to the Bose house to inform them who were equally shattered, Asha was a crying mess and was being composed by Jatin while Bijoy felt sad if not equally devastated by the news.

It was late in the night when the ambulance finally arrived at Ishwari Niwas, the sisters by now were informed about Dev's death leaving them completely shattered, as soon as they Dev's body Nikki shouted "Bhaiya" as the sisters hugged him and broke down.

Listening to Nikki Ishwari came down hurriedly in elation that Dev had come back but the moment she came down and saw the scene unfolding before her she stopped dead in her tracks "Dev" she screamed as she stumbled towards him as Mamaji ran to her to support her.

Holding on to Dev she wept loudly as the cry of a mother shattered the quietness of the night, Sonakshi who was still holding on to Dev's hand made her way towards her and said "Maa, Aa pro kyun rahi hai? Dev bass so raha hai, dekhiyega wo bass thodi dare main uth jayega" as Ishwari's heart wrenched in pain seeing the girl before her.

"Dev, dekh mazaak matt kar beta. Uth jaa, Dekh main abhi teri pasand ki cheezein banvati hoon. Tu apni Maa ki baat nahi manega? Dekh bohot ho gaya abhi, abb uth jaa" she said losing her sanity as everyone's heart suppurated seeing the two women whom Dev loved the most in the world. Ishwari went towards the kitchen and started preparing Dev's favourite food but stopped by Mamaji who kept telling her that Dev had left them, but she was not ready to listen seeing no other way he slapped her which had the desired affect as she broke down completely.

The next morning after all the rituals Dev's body was about to be taken for cremation but Sonakshi would not allow it and it was then that Asha stepped in and slapped her "Sona, Hosh main Sona. Hosh main aa, Dev nahi raha, Wo chala gaya hai, humesha humesha ke liye" she said shaking her vigorously as Sonakshi broke down completely "Wo Chala maa, wo chala gaya. Main usey bol bhi nahi payi ki main uss sey kitna pyar karti hoon. Wo phir se mujhey akela chodkey chala gaya" she said as she broke down shattered while Bijoy for the first time since the news came to support his daughter but was rebuked off by her "Haat matt lagaiye mujhey Baba, Ab toh aap khush hai naa" she said as Bijoy stopped in his track shattered that his daughter could think so low of her.

Dev was taken away amidst the wails of the everyone, it was Ranveer who lighted his pyre as Mamaji refrained from doing it for he was ashamed that he could support his nephew when he needed him the most. The days after Dev's cremation were the toughest for everyone. Sonakshi had turned completely quiet only talking to her mother or Suhana and kept working cutting herself off from the world.

While guilt was completely gnawing Ishwari, she had lost her son and she could apologize to him once, the only persons she would talk to were Golu and Suhana as her health deteriorated day by day and after two years one fine day she was liberated from the mortal world, she had gone away in her sleep itself in the hope of meeting her son in the other world and hopefully apologize for her mistakes, if not when alive at least death could reunite the mother-son duo.

Life moved  on for everyone but ever since Ishwari was dead Golu blamed himself for not taking care of her as requested by his BigCha and it was then that Dev's death was revealed to him and Suhana 4 yrs after his death, they had grown up maturing day by day and handled the news with a lot of maturity rarely seen in 12 yr olds but then they had taken the characteristics of Dev who himself had matured at an early age.

Six years after Dev's death Sonakshi had finally moved on, in these six years she was supported a lot by Jatin to come out of her grief and misery just like he had helped her earlier and they decided to tie the knot in a simple court marriage, though both knew that they never love the other like their first love, but they knew with time everything would be fine. In all this Bijoy was the happiest seeing his daughter's life resurrect once again though his own relation with is daughter had soured over time. His mother had left for heavenly abode 8 yrs. after Dev's death. Three years after their marriage they had adopted a boy given Sonakshi's complications with bearing a child. They had named him Advait.

Right after they came to know about Dev Suhana and Golu had become close to Misha and Badi Maa as they listened to Dev's past and take inspiration from it. They came to know about his dream of setting up NGOs across India which they were determined to realize as well as take Ishwari communications to new heights. While Golu chose to handle the technical side of things making him take up Engineering Suhana decided to handle the finances leading her to chose MBA after her graduation in commerce much to the dismay of Bijoy who wanted her to take medicine. But ever since the revelation of Dev's death even Suhana's relationship with him soured as well.

******************

Ranveer was brought out of his thoughts by the commotion outside as he realized the kids of the Orphanage had returned from the school, Ishwari Niwas was turned into an orphanage after Ishwari's death, Misha handled it and made it her permanent residence while she remained unmarried. Golu and Suhana would everyday visit her as they felt Dev's presence in this place and talked with his statue for hours speaking about their day.

Elena had become one of the top most photographers in India and opened her own firm where people were trained for the job, Vicky was released from the Jail six years after Dev's death and no where to go which prompted him to go back at his maternal house where Mamiji stayed along with Mamaji who visited Golu from time to time. So angry was Golu with his father that he decided to drop his surname and just took the name of RAUNAK.

******************

It was evening when everyone had gathered at the venue of the latest NGO which was to be inaugurated today, it was Dev's death anniversary. Suhana and Golu had returned from their meeting which was successful making the occasion a happy one. Everyone was gathered at the venue Sonakshi, Jatin, Bose family, Dev's sisters, Mamaji & Elena. Badi Maa, the octogenarian who was on the last leg of her life inaugurated the NGO as Misha looked at everyone's smiling faces as she looked towards the sky and thought "I HOPE YOU ARE HAPPY DEV" as she smiled.

While far away in the splendour of the empyrean he smiled, happy that finally he could "UNCOMPLICATE THEIR COMPLICATED LIFE"

************************************************************************

And So here it ends, I know everyone has many questions maybe disappointments, sadness or anger as well the way this has ended but please read the Author's note which I will post tomorrow, hopefully it will answer your questions.

All I can say right now is that Saturdays are never going to be the same for me again😢😭😢😭