Chapter 3

IshqKaRang

@IshqKaRang

Warnings: Talk about periods, menstruation and cramps. Also, painfully long update.

Confession: I love this Shiva 

Chapter 3

These cramps were going to kill her someday, Raavi thought as she tossed and turned in bed. Forcing herself out of bed, she made her way to the bathroom. After she freshened up, she decided to head down to ask Maasimaa to make her some methi waala paani and a hot water bag. 

“Maasimaa,” she called out weakly as she headed down the stairs. Shiva had been pacing around in just a towel in his room for over half an hour for the Chipkali to wake up so she could feast her eyes on him. But she’d completely ignored him and headed downstairs. He quickly changed and followed her. 

“Maasimaa,” she stood by the door to the kitchen looking around for her Maasimaa. Her face was pale and her forehead crinkled like she was in pain. “Woh..” Shiva said, coming up right behind her. She was surprised and as she turned to face him, she stumbled and would have fallen. But his hand came up instinctively to rest on her belly and lower back to stop her from falling. 

The warmth of his palm pressed up against her lower belly, even over her kurti, was such a welcome relief for her cramps, she almost sighed in relief. “Tu theek hai?” He asked, worry creasing his forehead. “Haan.. woh.. main Maasimaa ko dhoond rahi thi,” she said as she straightened, but kept her hold on his hand that was placed on her belly. “Woh.. woh sab Jamnagar gaye hain. Woh teri Naani ke padosi guzar gaye. Aaj subah hi phone aaya tho woh nikal gaye. Tu abhi travel karne ki haalath mein nahi hai tho Maine kaha main tujhe yahan sambhaal loonga,” Shiva explained. 

Raavi’s face fell. Nani’s neighbor had been a kind hearted older lady who’d gotten her into eating ripe mangoes with chili on them. She also realized that that meant she’d have to get her own methi ka paani and hot water bag. Since Shiva was here, she’d have to think about cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner and cleaning up after those meals too.. when all she wanted to do was to cuddle with the hot water bag and lay in bed all day. She burst into tears, unable to control her disappointment. 

“Ay Chipkali! Tu.. Tu ro kyun rahi hai? Dekh, agar tu Nani ke padosi ke guzar jaane se dukhi hai, tho yeh Soch le abhi unki umar bhi itni ho gayi hogi. Unhone bhari poori zindagi jee li. Ab bas unko aaraam chahiye tha. Hai na?” He said, gently guiding her to sit on a chair. 

Raavi shook her head vigorously, still crying. 

“Unhe aaraam nahi chahiye tha?” Shiva asked, confused as to why she was shaking her head. 

“Nahi.. Main.. Main woh.. Uss liye nahi ro rahi..” she said between copious tears. 

“Tho phir kyun? Maami tujhe bina bathaye chali gayi issliye? Arey Maine hi kaha tha ki tujhe sone de.” 

She still shook her head.

“Yeh bhi nahi? Tho.. kya tu iss baath se pareshaan hai ki tujhe yahan mere saath rukna padega?” A heavy feeling settled atop his chest at the thought. “Dekh Chipkali, main tujhe yahan akela chhodke Tho Bilkul nahi jaoonga. Agar tujhe mere saath yahan nahi rehna tho phir chal, Pandya Nivas chal. Pann main tujhe akele..” Shiva started off on a rant with 101 ways to convince the Chipkali. 

Raavi kept shaking her head in denial but the Bhootnath had gone off on a tangent. Frustrated, emotional and in pain, she yelled, “I’m on my period, dammit! And I’m having cramps that feel like someone has taken a vacuum cleaner to my inside! And all I want to do is to lay down! Now leave me alone!” 

Shiva stopped the verbal diarrhea he had let loose abruptly. He watched her curiously for a moment before he turned on his heels and left. 

“Gadheda! Bhootnath! Idiot!” She cursed at his retreating form. “Maine bola mujhe akela chhod do Aur yeh chhodkar chala bhi gaya! Yeh bhi nahi poocha ki Raavi, tujhe kuch chahiye?” She let out more tears as she got up and made her way back to bed.

***

It was a while before the Bhootnath made his way into her room where she lay curled up in a fetal position on her bed. 

“Raavi..” his voice was soft as he called out to her. 

She wiped off angry tears as she turned to face him. 

“Yeh le..” he handed her a hot water bag and Raavi was surprised. When she did not take it from him, he rather awkwardly went ahead to place it on her belly. “Aur yeh..” he brought a steaming cup to her. She looked into it and found methi ka paani. “Tujhe.. Yeh.. Matlab..” Raavi did not know how to frame the question. “Woh jab tujhe discharge kar rahe the.. Matlab tere doctor ne kaha tha.. Ki tera itna blood loss hua hai tho tu anemic hai.. Aur iss wajah se tujhe aise time pe zyada takleef ho sakti hai. Woh doctor kuch davaayi dene waali thi par Maami ne kaha tha ki tujhe methi ke paani se aaram milta hai,” he shifted on his feet uncomfortably. “Aur tu ne yeh sab yaad rakha tha?” she asked incredulously. He shrugged his shoulders. 

“Main yeh bhi leke aaya hoon,” he extended his hand out and handed her sanitary napkins - the type and brand she used. “Yeh bhi?” she was surprised. “Woh tu hamesha Dhara Bhabhi se kehkar Pandya Store se hi tho leti hai. Tho bas maine socha.. I mean.. Patha nahi tere paas yahan hoga, ya phir wahin Pandya Nivas mein reh gaya.. Aur tu tho saamne se maangegi nahi.. Tho bas.. Maine.. Aise hi.. Matlab.. Tere liye..” His words stumbled over one another and Raavi wondered if there had been another moment in her life ever where she had felt so in love with him. “Tu yeh methi paani pee le aur change kar le.. Agar kisi cheez ki zaroorath ho tho mujhe awaz dena,” he turned away to leave the room. 

“Shiva..” Her voice came out husky as she fought back her tears.

He turned around to look at her. 

“Thank you,” she said, overwhelmed at his caring gesture. He could have just as easily said he’d call over Dhara Bhabhi to help her. He didn’t have to pay attention to or remember her doctor’s and Maasimaa’s conversation. He didn’t have to do any of this. But he did. For her.

He smiled in response and turned away.

“Shiva..” It was like she didn’t want him to leave just yet. 

“Bol,” he responded, patiently. 

“Sorry..” Fresh tears pooled in her eyes as she apologized. 

“Sorry kis liye?” he asked, confused. 

“Wo.. Tu ne.. Tu ne mujhe kal poocha tha na.. Wo date ke liye.. Pann meri tabiyath.. Matlab.. tho phir aaj nahi ho paayega na.. Tho..” she felt color and warmth steal into her cheeks as she flushed under his gaze.

He smiled bright, “Kisne kaha nahi ho paayega?”

“Matlab?”

“Tu bas yahan aaram kar,” he said cryptically as he headed out the door and closed the door behind him. 

***

Just as he entered the kitchen, his phone started to ring.

“Bol Maami!”

“Shiva.. Raavi kaisi hai?”

“Woh theek hai. Aaram kar rahi hai.”

“Achchi baath hai. Tu usse thang tho nahi kar raha na?”

Shiva had been trying to open the lid of the pressure cooker and it slipped from his hands and fell with a loud thud. 

“Yeh kaisi aawaz thi?”

“Kuch nahi. Mere haath se woh pressure cooker gir gaya.”

“Tu rasode mein kya kar raha hai?”

“Cricket khel raha hoon! Rasode mein koi kyun aata hai? Khaana banane hi na?”

“Tu khana kyun bana raha hai?”

“Woh Raavi ki.. Raavi ki tabiyath thodi kharab hai. Tho maine socha main uske liye khana bana doon.”

“Kya hua Raavi ki tabiyath ko? Kahin tu ne tho usse kuch kiya nahi na? Mujhe patha tha mujhe usse tere saath akela chhodke nahi aana chahiye tha..” 

“Ay Maami! Chup kar na! Kuch nahi hua hai usse.”

“Abhi tho tu ne kaha uski tabiyath kharab hai?”

“Matlab tabiyath kharab hai par usse kuch aise hua nahi hai.”

“Saaf saaf batha usse hua kya hai?”

Shiva let out a sigh, “uska period chal raha hai.” 

“Oh..”

After a long moment of awkward silence, Maami finally spoke up. 

“Dekh, usse na aise time pe thodi takleef hoti hai. Tu nahi samjhega. Main ek kaam karti hoon, Dhara ko bolti hoon. Wo aake methi paani bana degi uske liye.”

“Maine de diya usse already.”

“Tu ne? Methi waala paani? Pann..” 

“Ab zyada sawaal jawab math  kar. Yeh batha Raavi ko khaane mein kya pasand hai?”

There was a long pause on the other end and Shiva wondered if she’d hung up on him. But the truth was, for the very first time since she’d known Shiva, Prafulla was genuinely impressed with and touched by Shiva’s care for Raavi. He’d made her methi waala paani and was now cooking food for her? For the first time in her life, Prafulla momentarily questioned her judgment about Shiva not being a good fit for Raavi. 

“Ay! So gayi kya?” Shiva’s voice cut through her thoughts. 

“Moong dal ki khichdi aur aam ka achaar,” Prafulla replied. 

“Iss baar tu sach bol rahi hai na? Ya phir se gende ke phool ki tarah mujhe phasane ki koshish kar rahi hai?” 

“Apni Dhara bhabhi se pooch le agar yakeen nahi aata tho.”

Shiva didn’t need to ask Dhara Bhabhi. Even before he had asked Maami, he’d already rinsed and put the moong dal and rice into the cooker. He remembered how every single time she didn't feel well, she would annoyingly turn up at Pandya Nivas and tell Dhara di that only moong dal khichdi with aam ka achar could ever make her feel better. She would complain how Maasimaa didn’t make it because Anita di hated it. And then give her lost puppy look to Dhara bhabhi to get her to make some for her. Gadhedi! 

***

Raavi was feeling a lot better. The cramps were much more manageable now, after drinking the hot concoction. She’d taken a shower, changed into clean clothes and was about to go check on what the Bhootnath was up to when the smell of desi ghee and what suspiciously smelled like moong dal khichdi reached her nostrils. Before she could follow her nose to the kitchen, Shiva walked in with a tray.

“Food for my lady,” he curtsied and her heart did a flip-flop at the way he called her my lady. 

“I was going to come downstairs,” she said. 

“Tere pair bade nazuk hain. Isko zameen pe math rakh. Gande ho jaayenge,” he recited his own version of the classic dialogue with dramatic flair and Raavi couldn’t help but burst out laughing. 

He watched her laugh and felt like the sun had shone down on him after months and weeks of darkness. His own lips curved into a smile as he walked over to her side of the bed and placed the tray on the side table. 

She cautiously placed the first bite of the khichdi in her mouth, unsure of the Bhootnath’s culinary skills. But that first bite seemed to melt in her mouth. She couldn’t help the moan that escaped her mouth as the perfectly spiced, ghee filled bite tickled her tastebuds. Shiva smiled looking at her. Making the Chipkali happy was such an easy task. She found happiness in small things. Like the way her face lit up right now eating her favorite moong dal khichdi. 

“Tu nahi khaayega?” She asked. Shiva shook his head, “Main theek hoon.” She patted the spot next to her on the bed and asked him to sit. When he sat down, she started feeding him, alternating bites between them both. Shiva was reminded of the time she’d fed him kheer on Dhara di’s insistence. What a journey they’d traversed from then to now. 

When they were done with the khichdi, Shiva cleared out the dishes before bringing her her favorite strawberry flavored icecream - not a scoop, but the whole tub of it. Raavi giggled gleefully. But he wasn’t done yet, he actually hauled the TV up to her room and set it up for her. She patted the spot next to her on the bed, asking him to join her in watching TV. He complied, slipping in next to her. 

Some time while watching the TV, she’d scooted closer to his warmth. His hand had somehow landed over her shoulder and her head was somehow tucked under his chin as his fingers played carelessly with her hair. 

“Tho madam.. kaisa laga date?” He asked her. 

“Date?” she looked up at him, unmindful of the proximity between them. 

“Khaana, ice cream aur movie. Yeh date nahi tho kya hai?” He asked, smiling. 

“Agar tujhe lagta hai main itne saste mein maan jaaoongi, tho tu galat hai,” she said, moving away from him, suddenly remembering that she was supposed to be angry, hurt and upset. But honestly, the way he was caring for her, she’d already forgiven him. Right in the morning when he’d gotten her the hot water bag, methi paani and her brand of pads. His warmth was where her home was. The periods, cramps, nothing seemed to bother her anymore. And she’d gotten to spend the whole day in bed, holding not just the hot water bag but cuddling with her Bhootnath. It had quite possibly been the best day of her life so far. But there was no way she was letting him know any of this. He couldn’t know that she’d given in so easily. She was going to enjoy this. 

Shiva rolled his eyes. The drama queen he had to fall in love with, he thought to himself. 

“Waise, date complete karne ke liye ek aur cheez baaki hai,” he said, his eyes sparkling in mischief. 

“Kya?” She asked. 

He said nothing, but his gaze dropped suggestively to her lips. He could bet his life that she’d taste of the strawberry ice cream she’d gorged on and he was dying to find out. Raavi held her breath as his fingers crept into her tresses, pulling her closer. He tilted her head up with his other hand and looked deeply into her eyes. Looking for any signs of hesitation or reluctance but he only find pure adoration. He lowered his lips onto hers, moving his lips over hers in a gentle cajoling manner. 

Her fingers on his shirtfront tightened and she felt the gentle, sensual touch of his lips on hers. His lips moved over hers slowly, as if he was taking his time to memories every line, every indent, the fullness and the contour of her lips. The shockwaves pooled in her belly and she groaned as she felt a cramp. Though much milder than how it’d been in the morning, it was still annoying enough to break their moment. 

He adjusted the pillows so she could rest her back against them and refilled her hot water bag for her. 

“Waise Raavi.. maine na kuch suna hai..”

“Kya?”

“Yeh jo teri takleef hai na? Usse door karne ke tareeke main internet pe dhoond raha tha aur maine kuch padha..”

“Ab bolega bhi ya aise hi baath ko ghumatha rahega?”

“I read on the internet that there is one thing that really helps women with painful periods.” 

“And that is?”

“Getting pregnant!” 

Raavi’s eyes widened in shock at his statement. 

“Dekh, main yeh sirf aur sirf tere bhale ke liye keh raha hoon, gadhedi! Iss mein tera itna fayda hai. We should give it a shot!” He winked at her. 

Blushing and mortified, Raavi grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. Shiva dodged her attack neatly before grabbing her arms and pulling her towards him. His gaze momentarily strayed down to her lips before he looked back up and said, “Achche se soch le, Raavi. I think that is a great idea.” He pecked her lips a few dozen times, like he couldn’t stop himself before he pushed himself off her bed and headed to the door. 

“Good night, Chipkali! And dream about the soft, squishy, adorable babies we are going to make together as soon as you say yes,” he smiled as he walked out. 

***