Half way in Love (Chapter 16)

Chapter 16

That evening, Dev was too lazy to hit the Gym. A kind of laziness, that gets you out the next ball, after you have scored a century; after you have done the last shades of the painting; after the last words of a poem has been written to perfection.

Instead he chose to take a cool walk. He had dismissed Vasu and Baby to their homes, an hour before. For months they were regularly going home late, sometimes even past midnight too. The Mall was taxing on their time too. But now Dev decided that, he will send them off at proper time. They too have their families to look after. Poor guys.

Many were taking a walk inside the Emerald campus. And some kids were cycling. It was a well laid out gated community housing project. Wide roads, shade trees on either side of the roads, park for the kids and some small shopping centers. Most recently the Mall. Everything inside.

Few of them who recognised Dev, smiled at him. He smiled and waved back. May be they were seeing him for the first time. Though he lived inside the campus, he was rarely out on foot inside the campus. They all knew Dev lived there. But they never saw him going out or coming in.

He decided to take a long walk. Today he had plenty of time. He liked the feeling of walking alone. It ensured some time for himself.

He walked out of the campus into the National Highway. Traffic was flowing left and right vehemently. He kept to the foot path. Dev liked the cool breeze. He took in the faces that crossed him; some smiling, some unfamiliar, and some in deep thoughts. He kept going away from the hustle and bustle of traffic winding into Emerald Mall. His own baby. He wanted to be away from all the noise. He walked silently.

Few of them who saw him walking as they passed in their vehicles, and who were close enough to him, called him on phone.

"There is nothing serious. I am just taking my evening walk" he laughed and replied to each enquiring calls.

He must have come five kilometers towards the centre of the town. Traffic was getting uncomfortably heavy to walk. He saw the Hitech Towers defining the night sky. All luxury flats. He knew the developer personally. Many times he had sought Dev's partnership in building flats. But somehow, Dev didn't like flats. He never liked the idea of living in nests in air. And so he never built flats himself. And Dev, always excused him out of Flat projects with Hitech.

Now he turned and started walking towards his home.

Almost 7.30PM now. Mom must be worried. He realised how less time he was getting to spend time with his father and mother.

How business isolates you from the rest of the world. You end talking with the people who matter most in business. Not those people who actually matter in your lives. Not even your parents. You live some kind of avatar life. Transported to a different world altogether. Coming back to the real world only once a while. Emotionally too drained out, to respond in your real world.

Dev felt his father's comforting hands on his cheeks, the day he was slapped. And his mother's tears. He suddenly wished to be among them. He started walking fast.

And his phone rang now. Someone saw me again? He took out his mobile from the pocket of his jeans.

A new number was flashing on the screen.

Dev thought for a second whether to pick it up or not.

Another call for funds? from one of the political reps? He used to get calls regularly for funds from political parties. A procession to be organised, a meeting to be arranged, a mass wedding to be conducted, etc, etc.

"Dev sir, you know it is difficult to run a party with membership fees alone. We depend on favours from people like you. And you know that there are not many like you in Palakkad to whom we can turn to."

They would grin.

Dev had no option but to satisfy their requirements. With some limits though. You need all kind of support when you are doing real estate. Everything works here on political tie ups.

The call had died out. Dev left a sigh of relief. After a moment of pause, the phone rang again. Same number again. Probably the caller hesitated for a second before deciding to call again.

Something convinced Dev to attend that call now.

"Hello.."

A sweet voice came out from the other side. Dev felt it was somehow familiar.

"Hello, Dev sir?"

The girl on the other side, asked again, when Dev didn't respond for a second.

"Yes, Dev here" he answered now.

"Sir, it is me, Revathy. From State Bank. We met in the morning."

Dev now understood why the voice sounded familiar.

"Yes, Revathy mam, it is a surprise actually. Please tell me, anything needed from our side?"

Dev suspected that they again left out something in connection with Colonel's documentation.

"Dev sir, I am really sorry. I was rude to you when you came in the morning. I didn't know that it was you." Her voice was now sweeter than the morning.

He had forgotten about the morning. He had not even taken it as an insult. He was just enjoying his off day. An ordinary person living his life. Waiting for everything came by their nature. Nothing big for a commoner. They were kept waiting, for everything, all their lives.

Dev felt happy though. Somehow, this girl had stayed in his mind, since this morning.

It was her eyes. He remembered now.

"Revathy mam, that is fine. I know your work pressures. Excess Volumes of work sometimes make you behave rude. It is quite understandable. If this is of any consolation to you, I didn't feel bad at all."

"But I felt guilty even after you left sir. Colonel was telling me how nice a person you are. Even our AGM, when he knew about it was somewhat angry on me. I am really sorry again, Dev sir."

"That was not at all a problem Revathy mam. Please don't worry. But how did you get my personal number? I don't think I have given my personal number to Colonel or even your AGM sir."

" Trade secret, Dev sir."

She giggled. Dev laughed too.

" Well, Won't hide it from you. Lifted it from the visitors book" she laughed heartily.

Dev now remembered that the security person had taken down his details in Visitors book, when he went there in the morning. Somehow, inadvertently, he may have given his personal number then.

"You are smart Revathy Mam" Dev laughed now.

"Revathy. Just Revathy is enough sir. And I know I am smart. Thank you anyway Dev sir. I didn't know that you big people attended calls. I was expecting some proud PA asking me to wait."

Dev felt touched.

"Is it ok if I save your number Revathy? I don't have the luxury of a visitor’s book" Somehow, he felt brave enough to ask her.

"Yes"...she said after a pause. "And thanks once again. Good night Dev sir."

" Dev, just Dev. Don't make me so feel so old Revathy. I am just twenty six."

"Oh ok, Good night Dev.." she wished, giggling. And the other side fell silent.

Dev never felt this much better. Smiling, he started walking back at a faster pace.

Cont - chapter 17 ...