Special thanks to @barbieflora who helped me with ideas whenever I got stuck and didn’t let me get too sad while writing this. Also, I’ve not watched the show for quite some time now. This current track is too unbearable. So apologies if you find the characters a little OTT. Also sending some really angry vibes to the PCs for making us suffer so much. Can’t bear this track anymore 😭 Bechara my shona baby is so sad.
Shiva was sitting near the lake. These days he didn’t like to be at home. His Dhara bhabhi was pregnant. He was so happy for her, but he could see his presence upset everyone, especially his bhabhi. They were all mad at him. So he had decided to spend as much time away from his house as possible. He didn’t want to spoil their celebration. Nowadays he had begun to feel like a liability in his own family. No one was happy because of him.
His own sorrow didn’t matter, but he would rather die than become the cause of unhappiness for his family. Unfortunately, that was what happened. To do justice with Raavi, he had to alienate his own family from himself. It was fine. Anything for her. He only hoped now she would get what she wants. A better man than her, a gentleman like Dev. Raavi deserved the best. Unfortunately her destiny got tied to him. Her God didn’t save her, so he stepped in and intervened. He wouldn’t let her lead a life of compromise.
“Shiva, tune meri beti ke saath achha nahi kiya.” Prafulla came to the spot where Shiva was sitting. “Kyu kiya tune aisa? Kya galti ki thi usne?”
Shiva sighed. The last person he wanted to talk to was Maami. “Tujhe toh khush hona chahiye Maami. Teri beti ko ab ek jaahil, jangli naukar ke saath nahi rehna parega.”
“Jab meri bachhi royi ja rahi hai tab main khush kaise ho sakti hu? Mujhe tu pasand nahi. Seedhi baat. Par tu itni ghinoni harkat karega maine socha nahi tha. Kya galti hui thi meri Raavi se? Kyu dukh de raha tu use itna?”
Shiva fought hard against his own tears threatening to roll out. He wiped one lone tear on his sleeve. How could he be happy if Raavi was upset? She had accepted their relationship as a compromise but slowly she would see that their separation was best for her. Her freedom and her happiness was worth more than this sham of a marriage. She would eventually forget that this marriage ever happened.
“Ae Shiva, main tujhse baat kar rahi hu!” Prafulla shouted. “Bol tune yeh kyu kiya?”
“Raavi ke liye.” Shiva shouted back. He was tired of Maami and her questions. He just wanted some peace.
“Raavi waha ro rahi hai. Khana nahi khaa rahi, thik se so nahi pa rahi. Aur tu keh raha hai Raavi ke liye?”
“Tu nahi samjhegi Maami. Tu jaa yaha se. Mujhe shaitan, jangli, haiwaan jo samajhna hai samajh le.”
“Main kahi nahi jaungi tera jawab sune bagair Shiva. Tu samjha mujhe. Kya chal raha tha tere iss tedhe dimag mein jo tune meri beti ko divorce de diya.”
Shiva glared at Maami. She could truly test his patience. If she wanted answers then fine. “Raavi ko mere saath compromise karne ki koi zaroorat nahi. Majboori mein ki gayi iss shaadi ko nibhane ki zaroorat nahi. Woh ek achha ladka deserve karti hai. Main toh uske saamne… Agar Raavi heera hai toh main koyla hu. Somnath ki sabse khubsurat ladki ka tel masalo ki dukan se koi mel nahi. Use toh koi English bolne wala gentleman chahiye. Mere jaise dukan pe baithne wala, bore uthane wala nahi.” Shiva couldn’t stop his tears.
Prafulla was a little taken back by Shiva’s confession and his tears. Could it be that he was equally pained by their separation?
“Raavi ko maine bhi bola tha tujhe divorce dene. Usne mana kar diya tha.” Prafulla said. “Use rishta todna hota toh kab ka tod deti.”
“Raavi todne walo mein se nahi hai. Tu bhi janti hai yeh Maami. Mujhe todna pada kyuki main nahi chahta woh compromise kare. Uske bhale ke liye.”
Prafulla always knew Shiva was adamant and stubborn. Right now he was doing what he thought was right, and she knew it was difficult to convince him otherwise. But what Prafulla hadn’t expected was the plethora of insecurities Shiva stored in himself. It wasn’t his fault exactly. It was his family’s. She had told Dhara to make the other brothers do the labour work sometimes, an advice which Dhara chose to ignore. Now Shiva’s self worth was tied to the kind of work he did and the comments people passed on him because of it. The family didn’t treat Shiva like an equal, no matter what they said.
“Shayad tu thik keh raha hai Shiva. Par kya uska haq nahi banta apne rishte ko leke khud faisla lene ka? Bachhi nahi hai woh. Uss waqt jab tum dono ki kidnapping hui thi tab bhi rishte todne ki baat ki thi. Tune faisla uspe chora tha tab. Toh ab kya badal gaya? Ab kyu tune khud faisla leke usse yeh haq cheen liya?”
“Ab sab badal gaya hai Maami. Raavi shayad iss rishte ke liye apni khushi pe compromise kare par ab main yeh hone nahi dunga.” Shiva said.
“Kya badla hai bata mujhe.”
Shiva closed his eyes and let himself say it. “Pyaar ho gaya tha mujhe Raavi se. Par phir apni aukat yaad aa gayi. Uska sapna dekhne ka haq nahi hai mujhe.”
Prafulla got the shock of her life when she heard him say that. Who knew Shaitan had a heart too? She considered her daughter to be much better than Shiva and she believed that Raavi deserved better. But Raavi was in her room crying for Shiva, so it didn’t really matter what she thought.
“Agar woh compromise kar rahi hoti toh itna ro nahi rahi hoti.” Prafulla said. “Aur khana khana bhi nahi chodti. Do dino se khana peena sab chod diya hai usne. Main jitne time bhi haveli mein thi, maine Raavi ko khush dekha. Ek second ke liye bhi nahi laga ki woh compromise kar rahi thi. Tujhe samajhna hai toh samajh. Iske aage teri marzi.”
***
Shiva’s resolve had almost broken after speaking to Maami. He reached till her door but couldn’t ring the doorbell. It was a difficult decision. He just wanted to make sure she was eating, but going there might ruin it. Shiva got off the porch and started pacing the doorway. He couldn’t decide. On one hand, he knew he had to let her go and for that he needed to cut off all ties with her, and on the other hand, he didn’t want to let her go. Till now the logical part of him which decided to let her go was winning, but after talking to Maami, his emotions were overtaking his rational mind.
“Shiva?”
Shiva froze when he heard that voice. How much he missed that voice! He turned around and saw the girl before him. She looked tired, like she hadn’t slept for days. Shiva wondered if he also looked the same. She seemed thinner. Dark circles were surrounding those beautiful eyes which looked dim now. Had he done that to her? Shiva’s heart ached. He thought he was doing it for her good, but she looked much worse.
“Tu yaha kya kar raha hai?” She didn’t ask it accusingly. She just sounded tired.
“Woh…” Shiva had trouble thinking of an excuse. “Bas aise hi.”
“Tujhe khidki se dekha. Dus minute se darwaze pe khada tha phir ab aadhe ghante se mere ghar ke saamne ghum raha hai.”
Shiva had nothing to say to that. He didn’t even want to talk.
“Aaj tere ghar pe Dhara di ke liye jashn rakha tha maa ne aur tu hi nahi tha waha.”
“Mere rehne se toh ab jashn bhi maatam lagta hai. Apna saya bhi nahi padne dena chahta main bhabhi ki khushi mein.” Shiva said.
“Tujhe ho kya gaya hai Shiva?” Raavi started crying. “Aisa kabse sochne laga hai tu? Kya yeh sab meri wajah se? Mujhe laga main tujhse dur jaungi toh tu khush rahega. Par tu ab bhi khush nahi hai. Ulta aise ulti seedhi baatein soch raha hai.”
Shiva couldn’t believe she was still thinking about him. How could he be happy when she was away from him? He couldn’t bear her tears anymore. Without thinking, Shiva pulled her into his arms. Raavi wrapped her arms around his shoulders and sobbed into his chest.
“Tere bina main khush kaise reh sakta hu?”
Raavi stopped crying and pulled away from him. “Toh dur kyu kiya? Kyu Shiva? Main kya khush hu tere bina?” She shouted.
“Kyuki main selfish nahi hu Raavi. Tujhe apne saath baandh kar nahi rakh sakti. Tu better deserve karti hai.”
“Par main chahti toh tujhe hu na! I don’t care main kya deserve karti hu kya nahi.” Raavi shouted. She pulled his collar. “Tu kaun hota hai yeh decide karne wala ki main kya deserve karti hu?”
“Raavi main-“
Raavi hugged him again. “Nahi. Bilkul nahi. I don’t care tu kya sochta hai. Ab main tere bina nahi rahungi. Tujhe nahi chodungi. Tujhe jo karna hai kar le.”
Shiva tried to control himself and pull away but she didn’t let go. She kept holding onto him. Any resistance he had was gone now. He put his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly. They didn’t let go of each other this time.
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Bindi
