Dev Cries

By Karthik Lakkimsetty 

 

2nd Sep 2018, 04:00 PM

--DEV cries--

“It hurts,” Dev says
Falling to his knees, crying,
“I know, dear,” his mother sobs.
“I don’t know why she did this,” Dev says.
“Me neither,” his helpless mother, still crying, says.

“I will never love again,” Dev, heartbroken, declares.
“I love you, dear,” his mother consoles.
“Thank you, Mother,” Dev,
voice trembling, a millennia later says,
“I always will,” his relieved mother hugs.

2nd Sep 2018 06:30 PM

--DEVI lies--

“I’m alright,” Devi lies.
“No, you’re not,” her father sighs.
“Yes, I am not,” a shivering Devi agrees.
“Are you sure about this?” her worried father asks.
“Yes, I am,” a sad-smiley-faced Devi says.

“Why’d you lie?” Devi’s mother asks,
“I did not lie,” Again, Devi lies,
“You don’t like him?” mother doubts,
“I don’t. I love him,” Devi wails.

--DEV speaks--

“You alright?” Dev’s father asks,
“I’ll be fine,” Dev convinces (both).
“You really liked her,” his father understands,
“I hate myself for still doing so,” Dev agrees.

“Your mother was not my first love,” his father says,
“What? I always thought so?” confuses Dev.
“She’s the one that saved me”, his father explains,
“Work was my first and only love”,
“When I failed, my heart broke”,
“I shut myself off the world for 15 months,”

“I know it feels like the end of everything,”
“But it’s not. You’ll learn and you’ll find love again,” Father asserts.
“I don’t know, father,” doubts Dev,
“All I hope is that you don’t close your heart permanently.”
Can you do that for me, son?” the hopeful father asks,
“Whatever you say, father,” away, Dev walks.
—-----------------------------------------------------

1st Dec 2023

--Dev meets--

“It has been a while,” Dev says.
“Yes, indeed.” Raj agrees,
“How are you? How is Devi?”, Dev checks,
“I am fine, just coming from visiting my sister,” smiles Raj,
“Oh, nice. I wanted to come visit her, you know, as a friend,” explains Dev.
“I know, She did not want to see you, right?”,
“My father told me,” clarifies Raj.

(They sit down in the cafeteria, facing each other.
Finding out that neither has changed a bit, but also a lot at the same time.)

“I always wanted to meet you again.”
“Here I am, right after my studies abroad,” smiles Raj.
“Is there a particular reason?” inquires Dev,
“Are you done for the day?”
“I am hoping you would like to meet my sister again,” explains Raj.

--Dev sees---

“Sure, why not?”
“It sure feels nostalgic thinking about the old days,” laughs Dev, gently.
“We’re here,” Raj steps out.
“What? I don’t see any houses here,” confuses Dev,
“She’s right here.”
Points to a graveyard right in front of them.
“What are you talking about?” asks Dev,

Fear gripping his heart, Dev walks.


DEVI
1st Sep 1997- 1st Dec 2020
A wonderful daughter,
An amazing sister,
A kind friend,
A beautiful soul,
May you rest in peace.

“She wanted me to give this to you,” hands Raj,
to Dev, a letter written by Devi,

“Dear Dev,
I hope you are doing fine.
I am sorry for how I acted earlier.
I never thought I’d ever say this to you
But my stupid brother insisted I do,
So that I do not have any regrets,
I am ill,
Doctors said there is a 40–60 chance of surviving.
That too, if we find a donor with the right specifications,
You always say right: Always expect the worst
So that your expectations don’t hurt you.
I expected the worst.
But guess what?? I survived!!
I was so afraid to leave you behind with only a letter,
So I came running to meet you like this.
To tell you that I love you too.
I know you find it hard to forgive me.
But I am sorry for not telling you early.”

--Raj says--

“What happened to her? Where is she?” asks Dev

(Despite doubting the worst might have already happened.)

“She met with a flight accident,
while coming back home,
From the hospital after treatment,” Raj explains,
Tears streamed down his face.
Thinking about how excited his sister was to meet Dev,
The man, whom even he finds kind, lovely, and wonderful,

“I wish you were here like you said you would, sister.
I really do,” bawls Raj.


--Dev understands--

“Thank you, Raj,” hugs Dev,
“For coming all the way here to tell me”,
“Fate works in ways we can never comprehend”,
“One moment you are so happy,
Only to see it get taken away in the next”,

“Through many failures in my career,
I have come to terms with the fact that,
not everything happens as we wish.
So we must live with what we have.
Instead of thinking about what we don’t,” Dev walks.

--Dev leaves--

“He took it better than I expected,” Raj assumes.
“I guess it has been too long to still be sad about.”
“Let me drop you off,” suggests Raj.
“It’s alright. I live down the street,” politely, Dev refuses.

It was a hot, sunny day.
But to Dev, it felt like a heavy storm.
Every step took his all.


--Dev Cries, again--

“Welcome home, dear,” Dev’s mother greets.
“How did the day go, son?” his father asks.
“I am fine.” Dev smiles weakly.
Falling on the floor,
his knees finally giving up,
Crying his heart out for the whole world to hear, once again.

-That day, Dev understood that fate was not yet done being cruel to him--





.


Leave a comment