" agar aaj tere saath kuch jayega na to woh hai meri beti raavi ,aur kuch Nahin" maami smirked showing him the kangan.
" Agar aaj mere Saath yeh kangan nahi jayenge na to raavi bhi nahi jayegi, Rakh apni beti ko Apne paas" shiva replied with rage in his eyes.
Raavi stood rooted to her spot hearing them.what was she? Some object that they were dealing with? She was a living human for gods sake. She had feelings.of course no one cares about them!
" Shiva! Yeh tu kya bol raha hai? " Dhara interfered
Shiva raised his hand to stop her.
" Plzzz bhabi, maine aapki har Baat maani hai.bina koi sawal puche, Bina koi shikayat kiye. Par aaj nahi " he said folding his hands.
" Aree... tujhe kya Lagta hai? Mai apni beti ko Apne paas nahi Rakh Sakti? Khusi se rakhungi.are Mai to yehi chahti thi ki meri bacchi ko tujh jaise jahil , gawar se chutkara mil jaye.tune to Mera kaam aasan Kar Diya .ab yeh kangan aur raavi, dono meri amanat hai." maami said smiling victoriously.
Shiva Clenched his fists hearing her. His eyes fixed on the kangan. He wished to wipe that victory smirk off her face.the audacity of this woman!how can someone be so shameless? Steal something and then proudly show them off.
He went and pulled raavis hands harshly.
" Shiva...kya Kar Raha hai? Chod Mera haath." She said trying to loosen his iron grip on her hands.it was so different than the firm but soft grip with which he held her yesterday.
He brought her in front of maami and pushed her forward.
" Yeh chori ke kangan aur teri beti ,dono tujhe Mubarak ho." He said and walked away trying to control his emotions.
Dhara looked at raavi Sadly who was going on crying.she felt helpless seeing the condition of the poor girl.but what could she do? Shiva has never stopped her like that.she knew that this was a matter in Which she couldn't interfere.
They all left from there.
Maasi held raavis hands to take her, but she pushed her hands back.
" BAS....bahut ho gaya.samajh ke kya rakha hai aap dono me mujhe? Koi cheez hu kyaa Mai? Jab mann Kiya kisise bhi Shaadi karwado, phir Shaadi Tod do, Ghar se Nikal do, wapas le AAO...hu kya Mai? " Raavi screamed at her maasi.she had had enough of this nonsense.
" Ae... mujhpe kya chilla rahi hai Tu? Ek din na Tu mujhe shukriya bolegi, us rakshas se Teri Jaan chudane ke liye " maasi said
" Baat to mere baare Mai hai hi nahi maasi.aapko to bas Apne kangan ki Padi hai.raavi chahe Ghar PE rahe ya na rahe, par yeh kangan Aapke kalayi par hamesha rehne Chahiye. Agar Mai aapki khud ki beti hoti, kya tab bhi aap Aisa hi karti ? "She asked with tears in her eyes.ahe had never known a mothers love but she had heard it's selfless.a mother can give up anything for her childs happiness. She had always seen maasi as her mother figure, but was she wrong?
Maasi' eyes welled up hearing her. She loved raavi, how can she doubt her love like that?
" Meri bacchi..." She said trying to hold her face but raavi stepped back.
" Ma mujhe aapke paas rehna hai, na shiva ke paas.mai apna thikana khud dhund lungi." She said broken and ran away from there.
Maasi let her go thinking she needs some alone time after all that has happened.
HAVELI
Shiva was trying to calm himself down, but nothing was working.he punched the wall in frustration. Maamis taunts, raavs Hurt face was playing in his mind .
He needed one person now who could calm him down.
He went inside the room sat down in front of his mother hugging her tightly and letting his tears flow.
Suman instinctively put his hands around him and caressed his hair.
" Shiva...kya hua bacche? Tu aise to kyu Raha hai?" She asked tensed. She is the person in front of whom shiva lets his guard down, but he seldom cried.
" Mujhe maaf karde maa. Mai haar gaya.mujhe maaf karde." He said
" Kya bol raha hai Tu? Kis baat ki maafi maang Raha hai ? She asked confused.
Shiva held her hands.
" Maine Apne aap se waada Kiya tha ki Somnath jaane se pehle tere kangan wapas tere hathon mai honge, par woh maami..." He scoffed
" Papa ne tujhe woh diye the na? Kaisa nalayak beta hu Mai? Jo apni maa me liye itna bhi nahi Kar saka. " He said feeling helpless.
" Shivaa...mere liye Mera Sona tum charo Bhai ho.yeh kya kam hai Jo tum log mujhe itna pyar dete ho, itna maante ho.mujhe aur kuch nahi chahiye.tere papa ki yaadein to mere Dil Mai hai, Uske liye mujhe Kisi kangan ki zaroorat nahi hai,aur Tu bhi yeh zidd chod de. Tujhe ISS Tarah andar hi andar ghutte nahi dekh Sakti mai" suman said caressing shivas head.she felt proud of her son.she always had a soft corner for shiva.she knew people underestimated his goodness.he was a man whose love and devotion towards his family was unmatched.
" Aur yeh kya baccho ki Tarah ro raha hai? Teri Shaadi ho gayi hai ab.raavi dekhegi to kya sochegi? Kaise rotlu ke Saath phas gayi Mai? Waise woh hai Kahan? " Suman asked wiping his tears.
" Maami ke paas. Nahi leke Aya use Mai, aur leke bhi nahi aunga . " shiva said defiantly
" Nahi layega matlab? ISS ghar ki bahu hai woh.yeh Ghar jitna tera hai utna uska bhi hai. Mere hote huye Tu kaun Hoga hai itna BADA Faisla Lene wala? " Suman questioned him
Shiva looked down not knowing what to say.
Suman signed and made shiva look up at him.
" Dekh shiva, agar mere bas Mai Hota to Mai kabhi us Ghar ki beti ko apni bahu nahi banati. Par ab jaise bhi halaat Mai ho, rishta to jud chukka hai. Yeh Baat Tu bhi jaanta hai ki raavi Ka Mann kitna saaf hai, kitni Masoom hai woh. Use in Sab Mai mat uljha.nahi Seh payegi woh bacchi " she said softly
Shiva felt guilty for his actions.his mother was right.in all this if someone is getting affected the most, it's his chipkali.
They heard a commotion outside and shiva took suman and went out to see what happened.
" Ae kaagri, Tu haveli ke andar kaise ghus gayi? Mana Kiya tha na tujhe ." Suman said to prafulla.
" Suman behen...woh raavi.." she said breathless.
Shivas heart stiffened hearing raavis name.what happened? Was she all right?
" Raavi Kahi chali gayi hai. Phone bhi nahi utha rahi.maine Sab jagah dekh liya,Kahi nahi mil rahi hai." Maami said tensed.
" Chali gayi matlab? Tere paas chodke Aya tha na Mai, aise kaise jaane Diya use? Tu jaanti hai na Shaadi ke din Jo hua Uske baad hum use kabhi Akela nahi chodte " shiva said cursing himself for trusting maami with her. His heart shuddered when the happenings of the wedding day flashed before his eyes.what if she took some stupid step?
He ran to find her.he searched the entire premises of the haveli first.he then took his bike and searched her on the streets.the entire time his heart thudding in his chest.he prayed to lord somnath for her safety.his eyes fell on a lake.she always found solace in water like he found under his tree.hoping that she would be around somewhere here he kept his bike and went in search of her.his heart sinking with every step he took.
Then he saw her.she was looking ahead with a blank facee.her tears had dried up.
He felt relieved for a moment seeing her safe, but her sadness bothered him. Perhaps he was always affected by her tears, he just didn't admit it.he meant every word of when he had said Jaan se maar dunga if anyone else other than him caused her pain.
He went and sat besides her silently.
Raavi sensed his presence.
" Ab kyu aaya hai? Itne se tera Mann nahi bhara Jo meri aur bezzati Karne Aya hai? " She said
He closed his eyes letting her complain.he deserved it.
" Mujhse nahi ho Raha shiva. Bahut takleef Hoti hai.jab Dev se meri Shaadi tooti aur tujhse hui, main Teri nafrat ki dor ko thamkar ISS Ghar Mai aa gayi.bahut mushkil se khudko sambhala, phirse jeene ki chahat ko jagaya, apni hisse ki khusiyan dhundne ki koisish ki.par ab Aisa Lagta hai ki Mai do kadam age badhti hu aur kismat mujhe dus kadam peeche kheench leti hai.thak gayi hu Mai." She sighed feeling defeated and a sob broke out.
Shivas heart broke seeing her like that.he can see her shouting at him, insulting him, fighting with him but not like this.
He held her by the waist and brought her closer to make her sit on his lap.raavi felt startled at the sudden proximity but she made herself comfortable and put her head on his shoulder.she was too tired to protest.shiva hugged her, trying to stop her tears
They stayed like that for sometime, finding peace in each others arms.
" apni nafrat ki aag Mai Maine hamesha tujhe takleef Di hai. Tune hamesha Mera aur nafrat chup chap Saha hai, par Mai aaj se waada karta hu ki mere aur maami ke beech Jo kuch bhi hai, us beech tujhe Kabhi nahi ane dunga " he said sincerely.
" Mujhe maaf karde raavi." He genuinely apologised
Raavi broke the hug and looked at him surprised.did he just apologise to her?
" Mai yeh vaada to nahi Kar sakta ki Mai maami ki izzat karunga, par hann itna zaroor keh sakta hu ki unki bezzati nahi karunga. Jitna ho sake unse door rahunga." He said not making any false promises.
This assurance was enough for raavi.she knew what maasi did with the pandya family cant be forgiven easily.
She smiled a bit at shiva.
" Ghar chalein? " He asked
" Par rasam Ka muhrat to Nikal gaya."she said pouting.
" Ae chipkali...Mai tujhe ek aur din us maami ke Saath nahi chod sakta.ek ghante ke liye to tera khayal nahi Rakh payi woh, dobara aisi harkat mat Karna samjhi? .tujhe pata hai Mai Kitna darr Gaya tha? " He said
Raavi knew seeing her hanging had a deep impact on him.something had changed in shiva since then, he always kept a watchful eye upon her after that.she needed to assure him that she will never harm herself again.
She kept her hands in his cheek.
" Mai bhi tujhse aaj ek vaada karti hu. Mai dobara Kabhi apni Jaan lene ki koisish nahi karungi, chahe kuch bhi ho Jaye. Samjha? " She said
Shiva smiled at her words nodding his head.the thought of losing him was too much for him to bear.
He came closer to her and gave a light kiss on her forehead.she blushed, suddenly aware of how close they were to each other. She stood slowly from his lap and shiva also stood up.
Shiva held her hand firmly, and they walked slowly towards the bike.
They reached the haveli and maasi came running to raavi and hugged her.
" Mujhe maaf karde meri bacchi..mujhe maaf karde.dobara Kabhi yeh mat sochna ki Teri koi Nahi maa Nahi hai, samjhi ? Mai Teri maa hu aur teri khusi se badhkar mere liye kuch bhi nahi hai"she said teary eyed.the thought of losing raavi terrified her.yes, she hated shiva but her hatred for shiva was far less compared to her love for her daughter. She saw today a different side of him, be was concerned about raavi.somwhere she realised that her junglee damad will protect her daughter, no matter what.
She took out the kangan and placed it on shivas hands.
" Yeh le Apne maa ke kangan, par iske badle hamesha meri bacchi ko khush rakhna.samhja? Uska khayal rakhna." She said to him
Raavi was overwhelmed by seeing this.shiva was surprised.today he understood one thing, no matter how his and maamis equation was, when it came to his chipkali they were on the same page.
This drabble came to my mind after watching the precap.i saw in EDT that many wanted raavi to take a stand for herself.do comment and let me know how you guys feel about it đ¤
Mangal Lakshmi
