Half way in Love (Chapter 20)
Chapter 20
Dev returned with family on Friday night.
His heart was bouncing with joy. He had received message from Revathy.
"I am coming on Saturday Dev. Hope you will be there."
Dev had waited for that message, seemingly, all his life. How he passed two days, he alone knew. Tossing on bed all night, he slept badly on both days.
"I will be there Revathy. You will be my guest. What time you are planning to come?"
Another bland message, though he was erupting with happiness inside.
"We bankers are tuned to 10 A.M. will it be convenient to you?"
Even 2 AM was convenient to him. Dev sent another bland message though.
" Nothing important at that time Revathy. No meetings scheduled for tomorrow. 10 AM is perfectly ok for me."
Can't she make it earlier? He wanted to ask her. Why stick to banking hours even tomorrow?
" Thanks Dev. See you at 10 then."
" See you too"
Dev didn't feel like sleeping that night. He switched on TV. Flipped through English Movie channels. Ten minutes later, he tried History and National Geographic channels. Few minutes later, he switched off the TV.
What next?
He found few Architectural magazines on tea poy. He flipped through pages for next one hour. The designs and narrations didn't stick in his mind.
It was around 11.30 night. An incoming message notification. It was Revathy.
"Dev, slept?"
How can he. " No" he replied.
"Meeting for the first time. Nervous?"
His heart was thundering inside.
"No Revathy. Why should I? What about you?"
He acted normal.
"A bit. But it is ok. I know I am safe. A girl knows."
Smileys.
He sent few in reply.
"Good night Dev. Be in time."
I will open the Mall myself tomorrow. He joked to himself.
"Good night Revathy".
Morning he called Vasu. "Take leave today. You have worked hard for past few months. Take rest. "
"But sir, I am already on the way."
"Then turn back. You are sacked for today."
Dev laughed.
Vasu turned back, scratching his head. Something wrong with the boss these days. He thought.
"I will have breakfast from Mall mom. I am starting early. Got some work."
He replied to Sarada's questioning looks as he descended stairs to the porch.
By 9.15 he was inside Mall. Security staff saluted with some kind of shock. Too early for the boss.
Cleaning staff were on the job, in all floors. He took a look on all floors and went inside his office. There he sat for next 30 minutes, alone. He didn't want to display his nervousness.
Phone rang at 9.45. Revathy.
The first time she was calling, after they were on messaging terms.
"Hi Dev, am starting from here. Coming on my scooty. Will it be trouble for you, if you come to the parking space? I feel nervous to walk alone into the Mall. "
"I will be there Revathy. Don't worry."
"See you then, I am starting now" she fixed it, with her sweet voice.
Dev walked down from his office. He had not thought about what others may think, if they see their boss walking with a girl. Certainly he would draw questionable looks.
Hell with the world. He thought. Let me not suck up this day.
He reached parking space for two wheelers and waited.
Few people who passed him, and few staff, who recognised him, wished him. Dev was getting nervous now. He raised his hand in a wish every time he got one.
He wished Revathy would come soon.
A pink colour scooty was now visible at a distance. It was coming to the parking space. Slowly, the figure of the girl got visible.
She was wearing a black floral long frock. The smiling lips under the visor, announced Revathy.
Dev was going weak now.
She came near and parked her scooty. She had removed her helmet, by the time Dev reached near her, walking. She got down from her scooty and smiled at him.
God.
Dev missed few heart beats. She was so beautiful.
She walked towards him, gracefully. Swaying beautifully to both sides, with delicate foot placements. Beaming at him. Hair flowing around her shoulders in layers. A slight wind unsettling them, and she pulling it back, with a nice movement of hand.
"Hi Dev"
She reached near him. She smelt of roses.
Her skin complexion. She appeared to be made of 50 kilograms of butter.
Dev even felt she may melt away in sun light now.
"Revathy, I am happy that you came."
And they started walking towards the Mall entrance.
"Nice shirt. You are looking handsome"
Dev was wearing a black casual shirt and a light blue jeans.
Dev smiled at her. His nervousness was now slowly getting better.
"Thanks Revathy. You look beautiful too. You have any Punjabi connection?"
Revathy laughed. "No Dev, am a proper mallu."
Others were looking at them now.
They walked silently for some time. They got into the floor.
Dev could feel her warmth, even when she walked at a comfortable distance.
She was walking with the exuberance of a child, looking in all directions, eyes wide open.
"This is huge and grand Dev. I can't believe it’s boss is walking by my side now".
Dev just smiled.
It was he, who couldn't believe, she was walking by his side.
"Where do you live Revathy?"
"And parents?"
"Presently we are put up at Hitech Avenue. Flat 12 A. Easy for me to commute to office and back. And only mom Dev. Father expired long back. He was from the Army."
Then the defence connection accounted for her looks, if not Punjabi. Dev made a hopeless guess.
"Hitech Avenue? So we live very close by. Along border of this highway"
Dev smiled at her.
"I live inside this campus. I will show you my home, when we get to the top floor".
She smiled. In the mood lightings of the Mall, she looked even more beautiful.
"Want to purchase something?"
Dev asked.
"One of the wisdom which my mom gave me is that you never shop with a man. He will never have that patience. He gets you hurry with your decisions and you end up with a wrong shade or size that doesn't fit you well"
She laughed.
Dev took that insult just for the way she laughed.
They were walking. They had reached the food court.
"Can I buy you something? Size and shade doesn’t apply here." Dev asked.
She laughed again. They went in.
She ordered some fancy snack, which Dev doubted, it existed. He ordered a coffee.
Dev was wrong. The cafe boy brought what Revathy had ordered. It looked like a fancy sandwich to Dev. With many colourful layers. He felt proud of his food court.
"Nice food Dev. And ambience too. You designed it all yourself?"
"Thanks Revathy. It is impossible to design everything yourself. We leave it to the best architects. "
He was wondering now who had designed her. Such perfect eyes and eyelashes; that made his Mall look horrible.
They walked out again.
They had reached his office entrance. She looked at his name board.
"Impressive. Won't you invite me in?"
Dev hesitated.
"Nobody is in there Revathy".
"Don't worry. You will be safe."
She giggled.
He opened the door for her.
She walked in, taking in the ambience of the huge office. It even had a mini golf court, a game Dev was recently learning.
" Our chairman's office will look pale in front of this Dev. You big people live like kings"
Dev remembered those slaps. And Sukanya. Two things that made him reach here.
"A selfie, Dev? For loving memory of this day with you?"
"Ok" Dev stammered.
She came to stand by his right. She was dangerously close to him now. His heart beats fluctuated badly.
She lifted her right hand for that selfie shot. Revathy smiled widely, at an unbelievable angle. Dev smiled too.
Click.
"Thanks Dev. It has been a wonderful day."
Dev was finding it difficult to talk, with overwhelming emotions.
They walked to the parking space and to her scooty. It was past lunch time.
It was a nice feeling. She walking by his side. How beautifully she walked.
"Won't forget this day. See you again Dev"
"Bye Revathy" Dev said involuntarily.
She flew out in her scooty.
Dev stood, as if some organs have been plucked out through his mouth.
What a day. What an amazing girl.
Dev could not stop smiling, whole day.
cont - chapter 21
