So I started writing this chapter on popular demand and then, I don’t know.. I just kept writing and writing and writing. So, fair warning.. it’s horribly long. But I hope it meets up to all of your expectations!
Cheers,
Neet
Chapter 2
When Shiva opened the door to their room, the entire Pandya family was gathered in the aangan, waiting anxiously. He intertwined his fingers with Raavi’s cold ones and held them firmly. When she saw that the whole family was gathered, she placed her other hand on his elbow and clutched him tightly. He placed his hand over hers, giving her his warmth while silently reassuring her that he was there for her.
“Aye Raavi! Kya hua hai tujhe? Dhara batha rahi thi teri tabiyath bahut kharab hai?” Suman asked, genuinely worried.
Raavi looked at Shiva and he felt her tremble. He looked at her and nodded his head as a reassurance that everything would be fine.
“Yeh kya ek doosre ko dekhe jaa rahe ho? Batha na, Shiva? Kya hua Raavi ko?” Dhara asked, impatiently.
Raavi let go of Shiva’s hand and ran to Dhara, engulfing her in a bear hug and promptly bursting into tears. “I am sorry, Dhara di! I am sorry!” She said as she cried.
“Ay Shiva! Batha na! Kya hua hai? Mera dil aise zor zor se dhadak raha hai! Baath kya hai? Yeh Dhara se maafi kyun maang rahi hai?” Suman asked Shiva.
“Kya hua Raavi bachche? Aise ro kyun rahi hai? Aur kis baath ki maafi? Shiva ne tujhse kuch kaha kya? Tujhe dikhaayi nahi deta kya Shiva? Iski tabiyath itni kharab hai aur tu ab bhi isse pareshaan kar raha hai? Tu ruk! Main abhi teri khabar leti hoon!” Dhara said, moving Raavi away so she could talk to Shiva.
“Nahi Dhara di! Shiva ne kuch nahi kiya!” Raavi stopped her.
Shiva quirked an eyebrow at her, amused.
“Matlab.. Shiva ne kiya.. par kuch galath nahi kiya..” she fumbled, blushing.
“Tho phir tu ro kyun rahi hai?” Gaumbi asked.
“Woh.. woh.. main..” she looked around at their anxious faces and ran back to hold Shiva’s arm. “Tu kuch bol na! Aise Bhootnath ki tarah kyun khada hai? Andar tho badi badi baatein kar raha tha ki sab sambhal lenge.. ab bol na!”
“Tu bolne ka mauka degi tho main kuch bolunga na?” Shiva asked.
“Tujhe? Aur mauka chahiye bolne ka? Aise tho hamesha meri baath kaattha rehta hai tho phir ab ky…” Raavi started rambling.
“Raavi pregnant hai!” Shiva blurted out.
There was pin drop silence following Shiva’s declaration. They were all staring at Shiva and Raavi with their jaws about to hit the floor.
“Raavi pregnant hai,” Shiva said again, this time a little slower to make sure everyone heard him right.
Everyone looked at each other, still shocked beyond words.
When they got no response from anyone, Shiva brought Raavi with him to Suman and bent to touch her feet.
Suman burst into happy tears, hugging Shiva and kissing him on the forehead before engulfing Raavi in a warm, motherly hug.
“Khush raho mere bachchon! Doodho nahao pootho phalo! Aaj tum dono ne dil khush kar diya! Ab tho tum dono ko saath khoon bhi maaf! Dekha Bhagodi ki beti! Main na kehti thi? Ladthe ladthe yeh dono 7-8 bachche tho paida kar hi lenge?” Suman laughed and Dhara nodded her head happily.
“Lekin kaaki.. aapko kaise patha chala humne ladthe ladthe..?” Raavi asked in wide eyed wonder.
“Raavi.. Maa ka aisa koi matlab nahi tha. Tu zara chup baithegi,” Shiva whispered into her ear urgently before the Dobi announced to the whole family the when and hows of their coming together.
Realizing her blunder, Raavi blushed and looked down.
One by one, all the family members congratulated the couple.
“Tum dono tho chupe rustam nikle,” Krish teased them and Raavi blushed prettily. “Haaye! My chachu banne waala hoon! Finally koi mujhse bhi chota aayega iss ghar mein!” He started to dance.
“Acha suno! Aaj se Raavi koi kaam nahi karegi. Yeh sabki zimmedari hai ki mujhe iss ladki ke chehre par hamesha muskaan chahiye. Main nahi chahthi mera potha ya pothi rotlu paida ho. Aur haan, Raavi, ab se tere khaane peene ka poora menu main bathaoongi. Aakhir maine chaar-chaar bachche jane hain. Mera experience kab kaam aayega?” Suman announced to everyone gathered.
“Koi kaam nahi karegi? Yeh tho kaafi achcha offer hai! Dev, humme bhi bachche ke baare mein sochna chahiye!” Rishita said excitedly. “Ay patrani! Tu ne apna chance miss kar diya,” Suman replied. “Yeh sirf sabse pehle bachche ke liye hai.” “Par yeh tho partiality hai na, Maa?” Rishita complained. “Le! Phir se shuru ho gayi. Patrani, chayn se thodi khushi manaane de bina andolan nikale! Jab tera number aayega, tab dekh lenge!” Suman replied.
“Dhara di, aap mujhse naaraz tho nahi?” Raavi asked. “Naaraz? Kyun?” Dhara asked, baffled. “Woh main.. aap.. aur Gaumbi itne saal se.. matlab..” Raavi stuttered along.
“Tu na ek number ki dobi hai!! Main naaraz kyun hongi? Yeh bachcha mera nahi hai kya? Arey yeh tho mere dil ka tukda hoga! Mere Shiva ka ansh hai,” Dhara said, hugging Raavi tightly. “Aur sun le, Shiva. Ab se isse zara sa bhi pareshaan kiya na, tho mujhse bura koi nahi hoga,” she warned Shiva, before hugging him warmly.
Raavi felt overwhelmed with the love and joy that surrounded her. She almost felt guilty for having hid the news from everyone for so long.
“Chal, ab kamre mein chal. Aaram kar le,” Shiva said, pulling her into his side. “Tu ne kuch khaya?” He asked her. She shook her head. “Main kuch bhi khaati hoon, ulti kar deti hoon,” she complained. “Arey! Iska ilaaj hai mere paas,” Suman said. “Dhara! Chal! Rasode mein chal. Iske liye mast adrak ki chutney banathe hain. Kuch bhi khaane se pehle thodi adrak chutney khaa lena. Sab theek ho jaayega!”
“Shiva..” Raavi tugged at Shiva’s shirt sleeve. He looked at her. “Woh.. mera.. chaat khaane ka mann kar raha hai,” she confessed softly. Shiva smiled.
“Maa.. bhabhi.. aap log chutney bana lo. Hum zara bahar hawa khaake aate hain,” he said. Everyone nodded and smiled.
When Raavi and Shiva were out the door, Suman called out, “Ay Shiva!” Shiva turned around and went back to her. “Hawa khilane le hi jaa raha hai tho ek kaam kar, yeh rakh,” she placed a piece of dry ginger in his hand. “Aur yeh bhi,” she placed some money in his hand. “Jab tu mere pet mein tha na, tho mujhe hamesha chaat aur ice cream khaane ka bada mann hota tha. Pehle Raavi ko adrak khilana phir usse khoob chaat aur ice cream khilana. Theek hai? Aur koi achchi si jagah le jaake khilana. Yahan wahan se math khilana. Uska pet kharaab ho jaayega,” Suman said, holding onto Shiva’s hand. Shiva smiled at his mom and nodded his head before going back to Raavi.
“Kaaki kya keh rahi thi?” Raavi asked. “Yehi ki jab main unke pet mein tha tho unhe hamesha chaat aur ice cream khaane ka mann kartha tha tho main tujhe bhi chaat aur ice cream khilaoon,” Shiva smiled. Raavi looked at him in wide eyed amusement. “Matlab hamara Jr. Shiva Pandya hone waala hai?” She asked. “Patha nahi..” Shiva laughed and Raavi felt her heart leap with joy. “Tujhe beta chahiye ya beti?” Raavi asked, putting her arm around his and clinging onto him. A smile broke out on Shiva’s face, her action filling him with a strange sense of joy. “Koi bhi..” he replied. “Lekin tu ne kuch tho socha hoga, na? Kabhi tho apne future ke baare mein socha hoga.. ki tujhe kaisi ladki chahiye, kitne bachche chahiye?” She asked, genuinely curious.
“Patha nahi. Bachpan se mera sirf ek hi sapna tha ki main Gaumbi ki madad karoon. Iss liye padhai bhi chod di. Aur phir tag lag gaya - junglee, gawar, jaahil. Ab kaunsi ladki ko ek junglee, gawar, jaahil mein interest hoga? Iss liye kabhi aise koi faltu ke sapne dekhe hi nahi. Pan haan.. Dhara bhabhi ko dekhke hamesha lagtha tha ki jaise unhone hamare poore parivaar ko apnaya, sambhala.. agar kabhi koi meri zindagi mein aayi tho woh bhi waise hi mere parivaar ko apnaye aur sambhale,” Shiva said.
Raavi felt a sting in her chest at the way he commented on people calling him names. She had done that too. Her eyes filled up and she sniffled.
“Raavi.. Raavi.. Tu theek tho hai na? Ro kyun rahi hai? Thabiyath kharab ho rahi hai kya? Kya hua?” Shiva asked, concerned as he made her sit down on a chair nearby and got her some water.
Raavi hiccuped and sobbed, “Main.. I.. I am sorry, Shiva! Maine bhi tho tujhe itni baar junglee, jaahil, gawaar.. Patha nahi kya kya kehke dil dhukhaya hai tera. I’m sorry. Mujhe maaf kar de.”
“Arey Gadhedi! Tu ro kyun rahi hai? Main bhi tho tujhe chipkali, dinosaur, gadhedi, sab bulata hoon na? Main teri baath nahi kar raha tha,” Shiva tried to calm her down but she kept sobbing. “Dekh, yaad nahi Maa ne kya kaha tha? Agar teri aankh se ek bhi aansoo aaya tho woh meri khabar le lengi. Aur Dhara bhabhi.. woh tho phir we Danda Pandya se meri aarti utar dengi.”
Raavi immediately shook her head and hugged him tight. Shiva was taken aback for a minute before he hugged her back. “Patha nahi kyun, choti choti baath pe rona aa jaatha hai,” she said, sniffling into his chest. He smiled as he stroked her hair, “kuch nahi. Pregnancy mein hota hai. Aise hormones ka locha. Tu ne school mein nahi padha?”
She pulled away from him and looked at him curiously. Then she started searching pockets and in his vest. “Kya dhund rahi hai?” He asked. “Chattan Pandya dhoond rahi hoon. Is Softie Pandya ko main nahi jaanthi. Batha kahan chupake rakha hai mere asli Bhootnath ko?” She asked.
“Aye Chipkali! Ab zyada ho raha hai. Main.. main koi.. softie toffee nahi hoon.. woh tho bas.. woh..” Shiva fumbled. “Woh woh kya?” She asked teasing him. “Woh Maa ne kaha na ki unhe Rotlu Pandya nahi chahiye.. Iss liye.. woh tere aano hon ka nall band karne ke liye.. warna main abhi bhi wohi Bhootnath Shiva hoon aur tu wohi paagal Gadhedi Chipkali,” Shiva said.
Raavi laughed at that before sliding her hand down his hand and intertwining their fingers. They walked hand-in-hand to the chaat waala. Shiva made sure she ate the dried ginger before she devoured the chaat like she’d been starving for 2 decades or something. He then bought her 4 cones of ice cream because she couldn’t decide which flavor she wanted to eat, chuckling at her innocent pouty face.
“Thank you, Shiva!” She said, stopping on their way back home. The sun was setting and the sky was colored in all hues of pink, red, orange and gold. “Kis liye?” He asked. “Mujhe sambhalne ke liye. Iss situation ko samajhne ke liye aur..” Shiva placed a finger on her lips to shush her. “Yeh hamara bachcha hai. Jitna tera, utna mera. Yahan koi thank you, samajhna-samjhaana, compromise, adjustment, kuch nahi. Yeh hamari duniya hai. Tu maane ya na maane pyaar se hi bani hai yeh. Tu ne aur maine milkar banaya hai aur ab isse saath mein sawarenge.” He placed his warm hand on her belly.
Raavi felt so overwhelmed that she hugged him tight.
“Hey mhara Bhogilal! Yeh tu kya kar rahi hai, Raavi? Aise beech sadak iss rakshas se kyun chipki hai? Chhod usse!” Prafulla came up to her and tried to separate them. Shiva only cuddled Raavi closer in response.
“Maasimaa, pehli baath, main beech sadak kisi gair mard ko nahi, apne pati ko hug kar rahi hoon. Aur doosri aur sabse important baath, Shiva koi rakshas nahi! Mera pati hai! Aur mere hone waale bachche ka pita bhi!” Raavi exclaimed, her nose turning red in anger, filling Shiva with an overwhelming urge to kiss her nose.
“Aye! Yeh jo..” Prafulla stopped as Raavi’s words sunk in. “Kya kaha tu ne? Bachcha? Tera bachcha? Matlab.. tera.. aur.. iska.. bachcha?” Prafulla stammered. “Haan Maasimaa.. mera aur Shiva ka bachcha. Main maa banne waali hoon,” saying that out loud made Raavi smile bright and wide.
In a rare moment of genuine tender affection, Prafulla’s eyes filled up and she pulled Raavi into a warm embrace. “Teri Maa aaj hamare saath hoti tho bahut khush hoti tujhe aise khush dekhkar. Nazar na lage,” Prafulla dabbed some kajal from her eye behind Raavi’s ear to ward off evil eyes.
She turned to Shiva, “dekh.. tera aur mera jo bhi hai, woh chalta rahega. Meri beti ne tujhe apna liya hai, tere saath khush hai, tho ab uss ke liye main tujhe she loongi aur tu bhi mujhe thoda seh le.” “Zindagi mein pehli baar tu ne koi dhang ki baath boli hai, Maami,” Shiva replied.
Prafulla hugged Raavi again and Raavi and Shiva started to head back home. Prafulla called Shiva back, “Ay Shiva. Ek minute!” Shiva went back to Prafulla. “Tere ghar mein imli hai kya? Nahi tho main thodi der mein lekar aathi hoon,” she said. Shiva looked at her confused. “Arey jab Raavi ki Maa pet se thi tho usse hamesha aadhi raath ko kuch chatpata khaane ka mann kartha tha tho uske bistar ke aise bagal mein hi hum imli ki bharni rakha karthe hai. Tu bhi rakh le. Kya patha kaam aa jaaye?” For the first time in his entire life, he genuinely smiled at Maami and thanked her before heading home.
When Raavi settled into bed at night, Shiva was missing. She sat up waiting for him when he walked in with a bharni. “Yeh kya hai?” She asked. “Imli,” he responded. “Tujhe kaise patha mera imli khaane ka mann tha?” She asked, surprised. “Maami ne bathaya ki teri maa ko bhi raath mein imli khaane ka mann kartha tha,” Shiva replied, placing the bharni by her nightstand and settling into the bed next to her.
A look of melancholy passed over her features when he mentioned her mom, “Agar Maa Papa hote tho kitna achcha hota.” “Woh hain tere saath hamesha. Tujhe kya lagta hai? Tujhe aise hi Somnath ka sabse hot ladka mil gaya? Zaroor unhone sifaarish lagayi hogi Baba Somnath ko,” Shiva said, chuckling.
Raavi leaned into his chest as he gathered her close, kissing her forehead. “Woh tho hai,” she agreed, tracing patterns on his chest where his shirt button was open and placing soft kisses. “Raavi..” Shiva whispered, finding it hard to concentrate under her ministrations. “Yeh.. tu.. yeh sab.. kya hai,” he stuttered as she nuzzled the column of his neck, placing soft kisses.
“Hormones ka locha, Bhootnath.. Hormones ka locha..” she whispered in his ear as she got on top of him.
***
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