Dev frequently visited CK the next few days.It took around 10 days for her to be back on her feet.Micheal was itching to tell everything to Dev.He did not want Dev to repeat the same mistake he once did.But Dev looked happier than ever.He had forgotten about his own desperation.In those 10 days,Dev made a trusting friend in Poppy and got attached to those two women.He could heal around 70% of CK's wounds.There were few burns on her arm and back.Old wounds stopped bleeding
She didn't have to cover herself in heavy bandages.After a long long time CK could breathe without hurting...sleep without the fear of soaking her sheets in blood.She could fight without being weak.....

She was feeling eternally grateful to the existence of Dev.
She smiled more,till Micheal confronted her.

Micheal felt responsible as he was the one who made them meet.Dev was assigned to him by heavens later.He wanted to keep him safe.
'Why will you keep him close knowing everything?'Micheal asked CK.

'Excuse me?HE CAME to me...I didnot drag him into this...Besides I have figured out a way to make him wake up.'
CK went defensive.

'You do know that he is Bhola's reincarnation,don't you?'
Micheal asked,to which CK replied
'Don't be so sure...he might look like bhola...but he..he may not be Bhola...All these years I never saw Bhola....Why would our paths cross now?'

Bhola was a very important memory to CK..He is someone she wished to protect at every births he would take.

'Dev deserves to know...You can't keep him in dark anymore...We both know he is Bhola only..I even confirmed it from the book of rebirths.'
Just like the name suggests, its a record of reincarnated souls.

'What shall I tell him,Micheal?How shall I tell him..how stupid he was?He looks happy now..... '

'Then let me tell him...Eventhough it is your story to tell...'
Micheal insisted.
CK didn't say a word.She knew Dev might never trust her if he getsbto know that CK wasn't completly honest with him.

But you shouldn't bury truth.It will only burst out at the wrong time.

So Micheal decided to be the one who will drop the bomb.

CK had no right to keep it from Dev.
But,this was Her story to tell.
'No,I will tell him...tomorrow'CK promised Micheal.

      *************

Dev saw CK sit under a banyan tree.She looked much younger but chubbier,a green plain saree was loosely draped on her...her hair was untied and messed up..lips pale and bruised,eyes teared up,there was blood oozing between her legs....

What happened to her?Dev couldn't resist his urge to protect..he ran towards her and asked
'What happened CK?Who did this to you..'
But she gave him no response.She was just staring towards the horizon.Dev tried but he couldn't touch her.She was holding back tears.

'Chandra....'
Suddenly he heard someone call her name desperately.

He was shocked to find the source of that voice

'why...w..why...
Why does this boy look like me when I was 17?Who is he?'

Dev was dumbfounded.

That boy ran to her and touched her shoulder...

'Aaaaaaacccccccckkkkkk'

She screamed at that gentle male touch...She screamed like a traumatised young girl...She was one though....

'Chandra...Its me...Bhola...You have to put yourself together...'
The boy tried consoling her...But she crawled away at the sight of him and just screamed..

'Dev saab...Dev saab'

Someone started tapping his shoulder.
When he turned back..there was noone...Suddenly someone splashed water on him.

'Aaaaawww'
He got up.
It was all a dream.

But why did CK look hurt...
But what scared him most was the next site...
A pair of eyes was staring at him...
She was one who was calling out for him...she smiled,he SCREAMed..

Who is she...what is she doing here.

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

'Hi,I am Sureeli.'That woman introduced herself.
'Its rude to enter someone's room like this and wake them up early morning  by splashing water like this.'Dev made it clear.
'I  am sorry.As you can see,I am dead.So I couldn't care less about timing as my angel might drag me back anytime.Also you were sleep talking about CK.'
'Why are you here,Sureeli?'

'Help me,Dev.I can't leave like this.'
'How may I help you??'

'Can you take me to her?That witch???'

Precisely speaking,Sureeli needed CK.

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

Dev was puzzled.Apparently Dev was now famous among angels as the witch's assistant.Since CK had a scarier reputation,the spirits consider Dev as an approachable medium.
He is the man who tamed the witch,as they say.
Little did they know that she wasn't a witch to tame but just a wounded lioness.

Sureeli was a soul of a recently dead woman.Eventough her soul looks young,she died in her 50s.
She had cancer.
'Im sorry,Sureeli.'Dev said.

'Don't be...I am glad I got heads up before dying.I could express my farewell to my family before death.At least,I knews I would die.'

Sympathy was the last thing she wanted.Sureeli had a favour to ask.She wanted to protect her 16 year old daughter,from,herself.She was killing herself.

We live in a society where obesity is a serious problem,right?Its hard to not eat some food...The chocolates...pizzas..burgers...noodles...icecreams....How hard it could be,to eat,right?For most people,its the most natural thing to do.

But this was hardest thing for Sureeli's 16 year old daugher Suhana.She just couldn't eat.She wasn't always like that though.It all started as a diet to loose extra weight .For Suhana,food scared her.It terrified her...Her brain constantly kept counting calories and reminded her of it..To make it worse,people complimented her for loosing weight as if they were encouraging her.But deep down it was hurting her...she just couldn't bring herself to swallow food.When they are in the public,she pretends to eat...if she ends up eating or most often binging she will purge it all out....How can a mother leave when her daughter can't even bring herself to eat a morsel of rice peacefully?

Dev felt sorry for her.He decided to convince CK.

Luckily,Sureeli and Suhana were in CK's list too.Its a given that CK has to help her.

But how is this woman going to approach a 16 year old and help her overcome her eating disorder,something which she is reluctant to seek help from!!

This was an intresting experience for Dev.As usual,they spied on her.

After loosing her mother,Suhana had lost even more weight.
That teenager was hardly keeping herself together.She had even joined her sports club and was sprinting 2hours a day.

They had to find a way to bring back this kid to enjoy her meals.

'Do you have a plan that doesn't involve anyone getting hurt?'
Dev asked.
'Well...no one shall get hurt if  it goes well'
She replied.
'HUH???'

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

'You are asking me to possess that kid's PT teacher?'
Dev asked to a CK who was grinning hard.

'Yes'Both Poppy and CK replied.
'We need to approach her somehow..We need to get her talking.Its a psychological issue.So we need to create a contact with her'

No way.

Micheal opposed
'A spirit who possess a human shall be subject to harsher judgement.You are not allowed to claim what is not yours.That includes another human's body as well'

'Well...if noone reports this,the heaven shall not know...plus its for a noble cause...They might let slide.'
Poppy said

'Oh..Poppy..I don't like not following protocols.If you are gonna do this,I will report this'Micheal protested.

'You are right,Poppy.Lets look for some other way.'CK smiled......very cunningly.

Her logic was simple.Micheal can't report something he is not aware of.

So this whole mission-feeding-Suhana has to be done without including Micheal.

And thats how the angel got tricked.

CK got hold of Dev that day when he went back to his hospital bed.
Dev wasn't easy to convince for this.
But when she bribed him with food from afterlife,Dev went weak.

Suhana's PT teacher Ramesh went to sleep,only to open his eyes as Dev.Eventhough they were doing illegal things,they had a principle.They will only take over   Ramesh when he is with Suhana.

Eventhough he was scared to death,it will be a lie to say,Dev didn't like being back in a human form.He could touch door handles,drink water,shake hands,smell flowers,touch real food and enjoy all those little things which he took for granted.

First day of possession went unproductive.Dev got a bit busy enjoying this phase.

They got into the business secnd day onwards.

This mission was as clueless as it could be.Wanting to help someone is easy...but how do you actually reach out?
How do you actually be that helping hand that is going to literally pull someone up from the gutters they themselves are digging?

Wish we all knew.....

His mission for the second day was to just engage in a conversation with Suhana.Just talk....that was all that CK wanted from Dev..

Everyday from 3-5 pm Suhana reported for her PT session.
That place was her way of forgetting her mother.She would just run.As fast as she could..till her legs give up.
There is nothing painful that having an unhealthy parent.Rather than a rich or successful parent,a healthy parent is the one a child needs the most.Health should be both physical and mental.

Eventhough she was just 16yrs old..in fact all of those students he had to coach was quite young,but they freaked the hell out of the couch potato that Dev was.

Someone said it right,teenagers are really scary.

Finally,he mustered up courage and approached Suhana and said
'You'he pointed at her

She asked'Me?'

'Yes..you..come here..'
Dev tried really hard to enact that scary PT teacher vibe.

Dev deflated like a flat tire when Suhana looked at him with confidence  and asked'Yes sir?Did you have something to tell me?'

'Weell..I wante..I am going to tell
...Did you lunch the eat???'

Thats it...CK couldn't hold back.
She took of the ring and made her presence visible.She marched towards Dev and cried out loud.
'Eeeeee......'
It was the most disgusting performance she put out in her lifetime of impersonation.

'Baby......dont leave me.....'

Dev really went red when she called him baby.
'Huh?'
CK looked around and after hesitating for a while...she just..
Hugged him tight...so tight that she could hear his racing heart rate.
She then carried on with her obsessive girlfriend performance.But she didn't realise how wierd it looked..

Dev was technically not Dev....he was just Brijesh...The 35yr old PT teacher of Suhana who was single all his life.
He flaunted a thick mustache,double chin,chubby cheeks and a belly big enough to make CK struggle a bit to get that hug.
While she looked clearly like a model in that georgette black gown she wore.

The students went crazy confused.

How the hell did this man get this woman like him so much that she is crying for him?

'Baby...look at me Baby...I even lost all my weight for you.How can you leave me just because I don't eat food?Baby...my rockstar baby....look at me baby..'
CK cupped his big confused red face and said
'I love you to the moon and back baby'

Aaa...It stings...
A shooting pain pierced Dev's head....

I love you to the moon and back....

Her words were echoing in his mind...As if he has lived this moment before....He was getting flashes of something he lived, but had no clue about....
Something so beautiful and personal that it seems to be carved in his soul...
He fell down like a paperdoll in a storm...into her arms.....