In Your Arms - A ShiVi TS (Complete) - Page 3

Part 2

"Kaise kiya?" She curtly asked, eyes raging in anger.

"...."

"Maine pucha KAISE KIYA?"

Raavi sat in front of the man, awaiting his answer. After giving her written statement in the case, she was allowed special permission of an unsupervised meeting, under commissioner's orders, but only for a few minutes.

"Woh..." The man before her faltered, before continuing, "Mujhe phone aaya tha, 2 logon ka contract. Ghar ka address, aur left kamre mein 2 log honge, unhe maarna hai, aise bola gaya tha. Hum ghar ka taala kholke andar aaye, aur chaku se...."

"Phir?" Her eyes went red and throat went dry at the details. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear ahead of this. But she buckled up and clenched her fists.

"Unke bags leke gaayab kar diye. Phir body leke hum jaa hi rahe the, ki hume message aaya. Ek teesre insaan ko maarne ka. Par, woh ek bacchi thi. Chain se so rahi thi. Toh maine mana kar diya. Aur bodies ko beech samundar..."

Her eyes burned with unshed tears. She shut her eyes, not wanting to imagine any vivid imagery of the account he just gave.

Raavi felt like strangling the person who started this, with her own bare hands, until they were gasping and struggling for breath, at her mercy, like her parents would have been-

"Ky-kyu kiya?" She asked, boring holes into his head, confidence shaking in this closed room, where light entered through a tiny window.

"Contract killer hoon. Ek aadmi ne paise diye the, toh..."

"Kaun? KAUN THA WOH?!" She yelled, slamming her palms on the table, standing up in the momentum, scaring the living shit out of the man sitting in front of her.

"Sarvesh Desai. Businessman."

Raavi slumped back into her seat as soon as she heard the name. Sarvesh Desai. No, it couldn't be. It's not possible. Sarvesh Uncle?

Her parent's closest friend. So many times, he has brought gifts for her, and even called her home to take care of her, when her parents were out of town. He was the chacha equivalent in her life. He was so nice to her and her parents. Why?

Business rivalry. His business, which he had started much before her parents, wasn't succeeding as much as the Joshi's did, in the short span of time. She was sure it was this. There was no other reason.

She had wanted to strangle the person who started this. But it was not necessary. God had punished him, himself. Sarvesh Desai had died in a case of reckless car driving, resulting in a crash that totaled his car and the people inside it, killing them on the spot.

Raavi took a deep breath, and looked at the time. 2 minutes. She had 2 minutes left.

"Ek bacchi se uske maa baap ko door kar diya, sharam nahi aayi? Ek baar bhi nahi socha, ki uska kya hoga? Choti si thi woh, duniya bhi nahi dekhi thi usne!" She asked, wanting to know if he had any conscience at all. She had got what she wanted, and she didn't want to know, more or less.

"Aayi. Woh bacchi mein mujhe meri beti dikhi. Isliye uss din ke baad ye sab chod diya tha maine." The man looked down, somewhat ashamed.

"Par aap ho kaun, aur ye sab kyu jaanna chahti ho?"

"Wahi ladki jiske maa baap usse cheen liye gaye the, 10 saal ki umar mein, kisi contract ke naam pe. Par aap nahi jaante mujhe. Hai na?"

The man looked at her in shock, his trance breaking with a loud rap on the metal door, indicating for her to leave. Raavi stood up and breathed deeply once more, before heading out.

Just before she stepped out, she turned back towards him, having one thing to say.

"Ek 10 saal ki nanhi bacchi se uska parivaar cheen liya tumne. Tumhare karmo ki saza bhagwaan ne tumhe khud di hai. Agle janam mein kuch acche karam kar lena."

And with that, she stepped out, getting the closure she wanted.

As she stepped out into the sunlight, he came into her vision. Shiva Pandya.

He told her he'd wait outside for her, wanting her to take this up alone. She needed this. And he didn't want to cloud any of her emotions by his presence.

Raavi stepped out of the police station and in front of him, staring blankly at him.

Family. He was her family. Yes, she had a family even before this, every step of the way. But, he was her immediate family. Had her parents been here, they would have loved him. No matter how they knew him as a kid.

Yes, Maasi was her family. But there were times when she had heard her say the darndest things, something a 10 year old kid shouldn't be hearing. Yes, the Pandya family was her family, a family she always wanted to be a part of. But not everyone was likeable, and they had flaws.

Even Shiva does. But that's okay. The warmth and comfort she felt around him, she'd never felt anywhere before. It was different, new. And she had known this many months ago, when they had expressed their love for each other in the most comical way possible.

She didn't want him to leave, ever. He was her home. Just like he felt at home with her, as he proudly said this so many times, sometimes even embarrassing her in front of her friends.

And he'd never leave her. He had promised. Shiva doesn't break promises-

"Raavi, tu theek hai? Andar kya hua, tu aise kyu khadi hai? Kuch bol kyu nahi rahi hai?" Shiva asked, worried as she stood next to him, not uttering a word, just looking at him.

Almost immediately, her hands wrapped around his torso, as she placed her head on his chest, where she could hear his heartbeat.

A heart that beat only for her. Shiva was very cheesy and filmy at times. He definitely picked up these lines from movies. But it made her melt nevertheless.

"Shiva. Tu mujhe kabhi chodke mat jaana. Tu hi meri family hai. Mera sab kuch hai. Please don't leave me." Raavi mumbled, as he put his arms around her.

"Kabhi nahi." came his reply, with a soft kiss on her head.

....

Raavi folded her date night clothes and kept them back in the cupboard, changing into her regular clothes, deciding to take full class of Shiva for missing date night.

She hadn't seen him in 3 weeks. She did, but not properly. He was always running around, either managing something in the store or travelling off the neighboring city. Whenever he came home, she was sleeping and he'd leave before she was up.

Sometimes, she wanted to just irritate him and irk him like he used to annoy her, and ask him if he was having an 'affair', but that joke would backfire, and she was not taking that chance.

A few days after visiting the police station, family game night had them discussing about their childhood stories. And Raavi had the most stories to tell. Some on Diwali, some of her shaitaani and others were just fond memories of her parents.

It would always prick, their absence, but she would rather remember their happy moments as much as she could, her parents would have liked that.

Raavi had even narrated the 'chaddi' incident from when they were 8 years old, which was supposed to be a secret pact between Shiva and Raavi, and he had his face in an angry pout the entire night, until she made it up to him herself, with much more than just a kiss.

But she hadn't seen him properly since then, and when he suggested date night to make it up to her, she had been pretty excited.

Until he didn't show up 2 hours ago.

Aaj toh iss bhootnath ki class leke rahungi-

"Sorry sorry sorry!" Shiva repeated several times, entering the room with one bag.

"Kya sorry? Koi sorry nahi chalega. 2 ghante. Maine 2 ghante wait kiya tera aur tu-" Raavi began to lecture him, when she noticed the bag.

Gift bag.

"Agar tu ye gift mujhe manane ke liye leke aaya hai, toh mai nahi manungi. Aise kaise gift deke, sorry bolke, mai it's okay bol dungi? No, Shiva. Aaj no sorry. 3 hafte se dekha nahi hai tujhe dhang se maine." Raavi pouted, as Shiva chuckled.

"Ye laane gaya tha, isliye late ho gaya. Aur tujhe sorry bolne ke alag tareeke hai mere paas." He winked at her, and sat down on the bed, patting the space next to him.

"Toh tu ye date pe dene waala tha?" Raavi asked suspiciously, as he nodded innocently. "Okay. Show!" She smiled at him, as he took out two gift wrapped rectangular shaped something, and handed it to her.

Raavi unwrapped the gifts, and a sharp gasp escaped her lips.

There were two small photo frames, with a stand. Small enough to keep on the bedside table.

The first frame was a picture of 8 year old Raavi, in her dad's arms, as she had one arm around her mom, pulling her into frame for a picture. They were all wearing white, with some colours on their cheeks and noses, while Raavi was munching on a kachori, looking at each other and chuckling, and candid pictures are some of the most beautiful ones.

"Tujhe pata hai!" Raavi exclaimed, clutching the picture in her hand, "Mujhe na papa ke godi mein rehna bohot accha lagta tha, Colonel Uncle toh bolte the 'She loves to be in your arms, Pradeep.' Aur sacch bhi tha. Humesha good night bolne jaati thi, aur hug karke so jaati thi."

"Aur ye photo Holi ke din ki hai, mujhe photo lena nahi tha, but phir mumma ne mujhe kachori se bribe kiya." She giggled, remembering her childish antics.

Shiva smiled as she remembered her childhood, so happily and fondly. He had always wanted to see her like this. No tension, just a happy, bubbly Raavi. His chipkali.

Raavi opened the second frame and smiled wide as she saw which picture it was.

It was a picture she had clicked of her parents, as they stood facing each other, arms wrapped around each other, looking above with a wide smile as the flowers showered their petals over them.

"AWWWW YE KAHA SE MILI!?" She squealed, her fingers gently caressing the photograph. "Ye waali photo, pata hai, maine papa se zidd karke unka camera maanga tha, ek picture ke liye. Jab hum vacation ke liye gaye the ek saal. Kitni acchi photo li na maine?" Raavi shifted and sat next to Shiva, arms touching his.

Shiva nodded his head, as she hugged both the frames close to her, before placing their family photo on the side table. "Ye waali mujhe waha lagani hai, woh khaali screw pe. Lagaau?" She pointed at the empty wall.

"Ek video bhi mila, video tape se. Dekhna hai? Pehle photo laga le-" Shiva said, but she kept the picture in her drawer and excitedly sat next to him, until her face suddenly dropped.

"Arre par video tape player kiske paas hoga aaj ke zamaane mein? Uss tape ka kya karungi mai?" Raavi pouted.

"Mera ek dost hai. Usne convert karke email kiya mujhe. Dekhegi?" Shiva asked, and she nodded her head excitedly.

Within one minute, Raavi's face went from excited to shocked.

"SHIVA! Ye kaisa video hai?!"

"Problem kya hai? Itni cute toh lag rahi hai?"

"SHIVA MAINE KAPDE NAHI PEHNE HAI!"

"Kaunsa 1 saal ka baccha kapde pehenke nahata hai?" Shiva snickered as Raavi hit her forehead against his shoulder.

It was a video, more like a vlog, of Baby Raavi's bath time ft. Mumma the saviour and Papa the cameraman. Baby Raavi had bubbles on her hair, and splashed around in the water, giggling and smiling as her dad recorded everything.

"Tune ye apne friend ko dikhaya?" Raavi frowned in embarrassment.

"Mujhe kya pata tha, video mein kya hai? Aise cute bacche ko kaun pyaar nahi karega? Keh raha hoon, humare bacche duniya ke sabse cute chipkali honge." Shiva chuckled, as Raavi wrapped her arms around his, entwining their fingers, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Video bohot cute tha. Frames bohot sundar hai Shiva. Thank you." and he kissed her head, knowing how much this meant to her.

Raavi noticed 2 other frames lying in the bag, which he didn't give her. "Woh bhi mere liye hai?" She asked pointing at the bag.

"Mere liye banwaye hai maine." Shiva replied, quickly keeping the bag on the floor, next to the bed.

"Show me?" She outstretched her hand, and he was a goner for the innocent face she made.

Sakht launda hua karta tha tu, ab nahi hai.

He slowly removed the two frames and handed them over to Raavi, looking away. She noticed him shying away, and wondered what it was.

Her eyes got misty when she saw what he had made for himself.

Two photo frames. Similar to hers.

The first one was of a closeup photo of them both, from the time they went for their honeymoon to Goa. She was wearing a long flowing, floral, lavender dress, that caught the wind. He wore a crisp white shirt, blue jeans, with just his locket around his neck. His hands were on her waist, her arms around his neck, foreheads touching, eyes closed, basking against the setting sun on the beach.

It was one of the most beautiful pictures they had clicked on that trip, and Shiva's personal favourite. A close up picture, from head to waist, just them and their love in that picture.

"Shiva." Raavi whispered, her fingers caressing the picture. It was their first trip together, alone, after all they had gone through together.

Raavi remembered how she had cried the first day of their trip, and Shiva consoled her the entire night, all because they had lost so much time to each other, and she felt responsible for it all.

They had talked about all this earlier, but she felt so guilty about it all, realising the gravity of it when they were away from the family and that atmosphere.

They had apologised, spoken their hearts out and cried in each other's arms months ago, and now, all he wanted was to be with her, through and through, just as she had wanted to and promised all those months ago.

He held her close the entire night, telling her how it wasn't her fault alone, he was at fault too, for everything he had done wrong. It was their new beginning, and he wanted to start this on a fresh note, a fresh page, a fresh morning.

"Woh... Mera favourite picture hai ye toh..." He scratched his head, looking away shyly. As much as he loved her, when it came to romantic gestures, he wanted it to be between them only.

Because he firmly believed in buri nazar, and if their fights and arguments attracted it, then their love could definitely attract it more. And that was a risk he absolutely did NOT want to take.

And personally, Raavi loved that it was between them. Shiva had his own way of caring and loving her in front of others, and she reciprocated just the same.

"I love it, Shiva." Raavi adored him, as he looked at her.

"But ye mere liye hai."

"Jo tera hai woh mera hai, darling." She pouted and pulled his cheeks, reaching for the second frame.

And she couldn't help but tear up at the picture.

It was a picture of 8 year old Raavi and 10 year old Shiva, presumably pulling each other's hair 2 seconds before the picture was clicked, as Raavi's dad held her back and her mom held back Shiva.

The four of them in one picture.

"Mere saas sasur ke saath ek bhi photo nahi hai meri, toh maine socha isse apne paas rakhu. Unhe bhi iss moment mein nahi pata tha, ki hum dono.... " Shiva looked at her, knowing she'd feel emotional.

"Kaha se mili ye saari photos?" Her voice came out in a whisper, teardrops making their way down her cheeks.

"Tere purane ghar gaya tha. Waha se mostly sab khaali kar diya tha, par ek almari ke locker se bas ye 3 purane photo aur video tape mila tha. Toh leke aa gaya. Socha tujhe accha lagega-"

Raavi got up and hugged him, her legs around his waist as she sat on his lap, his arms going around her in pure instinct, holding her as close and as long as he could.

"Bohot. Bohot accha laga mujhe. Kaise batau tujhe." She sniffled, tightening her arms around him.

Shiva pulled back, just enough to hold her face his hands, kissing her tears away. "Batane ki zaroorat nahi hai. Samajh gaya. Mummy aur Papa ka pyaar mai kabhi replace nahi kar paunga, par tujhe unke pyaar ki kami kabhi mehsoos nahi hone dunga. Promise." He said, pinching the skin on his neck, as she kissed him softly.

"I love you. So much."

"Ab no more rona dhona, theek hai? Aansu poch. I love you."

The last thought Raavi had before they drifted off to sleep, pictures by their bedside and on the wall, with Shiva's arm over her torso as he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, was that;

Had she told a 10 year old Raavi, that Shiva 'The Dushman' Pandya, would be her home, her strength, her family, she wouldn't have believed it.

And she was damn glad to be proved wrong, for once.

In his arms, she felt at home. Just like she did, when she was a child.

....

Finally finished this! Let me know how it was!