Chapter 5
It didn't make sense, right?
The next time Shiva met Raavi was in her office. Her company had given her a cute office space for all her designing work.. And Raavi had decorated it just like her.. Beautiful!! It had an aattached room with with kitchen appliances and a single bed and a bathroom.. It made him wonder just how much time his chipkali spend here... Another two rooms were outside for workers and artisans for sewing and designing stuff. It was a cute place. Raavi was sitting on her chair glaring at him... They had to go meet workers and he was late.
"You're late," she said, glaring at him.
"Ha..wo..sorry" Shiva said,scratching the back of his head...his nervous habit. "Wo Tara ko thoda ghumane le gaya tha.. Aaj subah se hi ro rahi thi.. Aur bhabhi bhi pareshan ho rahi thi.. Sorry.. Aage se nhi hoga.. "
Hearing Tara's name, a small smile appeared on Raavi's face.. Her Dhara di finally got her khushiyaan.. She was so happy for her.
Shiva looked at Raavi.. She seemed happy hearing Dhara bhabhi and Tara's name.. He was thinking about this for quite some time now... She was a changed girl. Puraani Raavi would have forgotten about everything and gone to meet his family especially Dhara bhabhi and Tara.. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "Mene kabhi nhi socha tha tujh me ego aa jayega.."
"Matlab?? " Raavi asked him surprised.
"Matlab.. Itna time ho gya tu mili nhi dhara bhabhi se ab tak... Na hi ghar aayi?" Shiva just wanted to get it off his chest..
"Ghar me sab jaante h na ki me wapas aa gai hu.. Me jaanti hu mera ghar aana kisi ko pasand nhi aayega, kyunki agar aisi baat hoti to mujhse milna to chhodo koi to mujh se phone pe baat hi kar leta.. Tara jab hui thi to mene Dhara di ko call kiya tha par unhone thanks bol ke bas ye kaha ki me to sab chhod ke chali gai ab kis haq se phone kar rahi hu? Kya galti meri thi Shiva? Me jaanti hu unhein Humare rishta tootne ka dukh h.. Par humse zyada to nhi. Kayi baar ek tarfa rishto ki koshish kadwahat paida kar deti h... Me dhara di aur mere beech koi kadwahat nhi lana chahti... Rishte ki koshish dono taraf se ho to hi unme apnapan rehta h.. Aur respect bhi.. Nahi to na change hue bhi saamne wala aapko for granted le leta h aur ye kisi bhi relation ke liye sahi nhi h.. . " Raavi said after a moment of silence... It was good to get it off her chest too.
Shiva gave a small nod. If he was the Shiva of two years back, he would have reacted badly... But today he understood what Raavi was trying to say, though may be his family had good intentions, especially Dhara bhabhi and Gaumbi but they're often took him and Raavi for granted.. And if he was being honest.. It was not right. So he decided to change the subject, "Workers ko bol diya h mene.. Phone kar diya tha.. Hum unse 7 baje milenge.. Pass ki hi basti me rehte h.. Tu kahe to chal ke ja sakte h... Unki karigari bhi dekh legi.. "
Saying she was surprised seeing Shiva behaving so cool after hearing all that would be an understatement. She thought he would surely react but she was glad and decided to go with the flow, "Chal ke ja sakte h.. Me art work bhi dekh lungi.. "
Walk to the basti was quite but peaceful. Both of them were quite, didn't know what to say but silence didn't feel uncomfortable.. Soon they reached at worker's basti and Raavi got busy talking to them.. She looked like an excited kid in a candy shop after seeing different kinds of handiwork and karigari.. She truly loved her work. Shiva saw all this with a smile on his face. He was really proud of her and happy that she found her happiness. He suddenly got nostalgia of all the time He just used to observe his chipkali from distance... Those were one of the most happy and peaceful moment's of their marriage for him. Raavi revived him from his trance and told him that she talked to workers and they would be starting their project soon and it was time to go back to her office.
"So," Raavi tried talking as they walked back, "ye factory..ye sab kab hua, kaise?" She was genuinely curious.
"Rishi factory open kar raha tha Surat me, use worker ki jaroorat thi, to me Surat chala gya." Shiva said, putting his hands in his pocket. "Pata chala itne saal Pandya Store me kaam karna kaam aa gya, thodi business ki samjh ho gyi thi, kuch kismat se deals achhi ho gayi thi.. Rishi ne business partner bana diya.. Jab humne Somnaath me factory kholne ka socha to me yaha aa gya."
"Kismat se zyada teri mehnat aur dimag se pahucha he tu yahan.. Mujhe poora vishwas h."
Shiva looked at her in surprise, "Tujhe sach me Vishwas tha mujh pe."
She shrugged. He said like she never believed him... She did.. It was he who didn't... Maybe they didn't get enough time and will to talk to each other last time.. It seemed like an unfinished business and it stung.
He glanced over his shoulder, she was in some deep thoughts,not noticing that they reached their office and he felt like they reached too soon, talking to her like this felt so harmonious and peaceful. "Tera office aa gya." He said unwillingly.
Raavi came out of her thought and saw they arrived their destination. "Okay.. Thanks aaj ke liye.. You were a big help.. Tu chal me thodi der me nikalti hu."
"Matlab?" he asked. " 9 baj rahe h...tu ghar kab jayegi aur khana kab khayegi?"
"Thoda sa kaam h," she replied opening her door noisily. "Socha tha workers se milke thoda sketch bana lungi, project ke liye.. Tune bhi to late kar diya mujhe."
When he didn't reply immediately, she looked up. He looked concerned. "Tu sach me abhi aur kaam karegi?"
"Ha..bas thodi si der aur..and dont worry me aise hi mazak kar rahi thi...teri wajah se nhi me waise bhi late tak kaam karti hu yaha...kabhi kabhi khana bhi yahi kha leti hu aur so bhi jaati hu..but dont worry aaj to jaungi ghar" He didn't feel like leaving her there and she would be so late going home.
"Theek hai..tu kaam kar le...me waise bhi free hu... Yahi rukta hu...baad me chhod dunga tujhe," he said cautiously, thinking she would tell him to go.
She wants to say it would be unprofessional but before her mind would try to speak sense, she opened her mouth. "Theek hai...andar kuch khane ka saaman rakha h...kuch kha le, mujhe thoda time lagega."
Shiva ate his favorite biscuits (he didn't know Raavi liked it too) while she worked. It felt strangely comforting and domestic.
When she completed her work, Shiva left her at her home. It felt so strange yet so normal.
"Thanks."
"Thanks ki kya baat hai.. Tujhe akela aane deta kya... Mere rehte bhi tu akeli aayegi to mere hone ka kya matlab." He said this and left.
Raavi stared at his back as he left, wondering how it was possible, how he could say it so casually and in what world it was normal for him to say this. Why was this man so confusing? Because it didn't make sense. It didn't. Right?
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Okay so next update. Please tell me how do you like it. I'll try to update sooner.