Distance Makes Us Stronger Part IV
Raavi's lips curved upwards.
She did it.
All those jumbled thoughts that were lost in her head... she finally sorted them through. And it made perfect sense. In fact, everything would have been perfect if only the real Shiva was here to listen to her.
She smirked.
Would he be speechless? Would he be unable to take his eyes off of me? Will he finally say, "Raavi, you goddess, you're the best!"
Her shoulders slumped at the thought of him saying such words.
Knowing that old grump, he'd probably laugh at me and find some way to change the topic.
As she thought back to Shiva, she couldn't help but clench her fists. Why did her old husband have to go on that business trip anyway? As far as she knew, their store was booming in sales--especially after Rishita suggested they devote a small section of the store to just cover fashion. And now that they hired extra help at the store, Gaumbi was the most relaxed she'd ever seen. There was no reason for Shiva to leave and expand their already booming business.
Raavi bit her thumb.
Shiva, when you come back, you better pray your Dhara bhabi saves you! I've waited for three months to tell you all of this!
The big moment of truth came to her after he'd helped her in the kitchen. He really didn't have to, especially since his maternal family came home. Rishita had gone to her mother's house, and Dhara was working overtime trying to make sure the guests were comfortable. She was all by herself, and she knew she could handle the extra work of feeding double their normal household.
But, instead of staying with his family, he had come to the kitchen and stayed with her. Without even asking, he began to cut all the vegetables, pull out all spices and ingredients she needed, and even helped clean all the utensils and cookware afterwards.
It wasn't that she didn't notice Shiva before, she certainly did. It's just... that one action made her realize just how much Shiva stood by her side. At the beginning of their marriage, he would grumble and insult her at every chance he could get. But as of late, he just helped her at every opportunity.
Helping her in the kitchen, helping her with her chores occasionally, making sure she had everything (pads, paracetamol, her favorite snacks) when her period was about to come. He never complained, and in fact, seemed all too eager to please her.
He was never the type to buy flowers, presents, or shower her with praises. This was the type of love she was used to seeing. The extravagant type, where you couldn't mistake the other person's feelings. But Shiva was never like that with her. For his mom, bhabi, and brothers, he was capable of doing anything. But with her... nothing of the sort.
It's why she always believed he didn't like her anymore than a friend. But after he helped her in the kitchen, his silent displays of affection suddenly became a lot more visible. As she thought more about it, she realized just how much he did for her. How much he went out of his way to help her fix a problem, or how angry he would become if anyone misbehaved with her.
Just when she thought he loved her the same, he left. His short, succinct phone calls happened. His constant, "I'm busy Raavi" seemed to be a fixture in her life.
Our anniversary would have been the perfect time for us to start over again. But he isn't even here... I'll probably have to wait until our next anniversary. At this rate, we'll probably be taking care of Rishita and Dev's grandchildren before Shiva and I have a child of our own!
Raavi stretched back in the bed and rolled her head to the side, observing the man sitting next to her on the bed.
Her eyes widened as she jolted up.
Oh no, I almost forgot about Dream Shiva!
His body was slumped with his head facing downwards. His hair covered most of his face, so she could really tell what he was thinking.
Gingerly reaching out towards him, she didn't expect to see him reach out to her for a hug. Dream Shiva held onto her tightly as his face was snuggled into the crook of her neck.
It took her a second to realize what he did. But when she did, she couldn't help but smile. Pressing her cheek on Shiva's head, she reciprocated the hug. Her fingers ran through his hair, "Shiva," she whispered as her smile grew larger.
If only my Shiva reacts this way...
She paused when she felt a wetness on her neck. Glancing down at Shiva, she softly asked, "Are you crying?"
Shiva's grip loosened and for a second, she thought she was wrong. But then he hugged her even tighter and sniffed, "I'm not crying." He swallowed, "Allergies," he muttered.
"What?"
"You didn't clean this room properly while I was gone," Shiva pushed her away and used the back of his hand to wipe his face. He cleared his throat, "Next time clean the room." He glanced away from her and stood up from the bed, "And if you can't clean, ask Krish to do it."
Raavi's eyes narrowed. Such a beautiful moment they were having and this... dream had to ruin it.
I see the upgrade even acts like real Shiva.
She walked up to Shiva, "Dekh Shiva, you and I both know you were affected," she noticed he was about to open his mouth, she frowned, "It was a beautiful confession." She closed her eyes with a haughty grin, "Even I want to cry as I think back to it."
When she turned to Shiva, she grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him close, "You were moved, weren't you?" her words were sharp in a thinly veiled threat.
Shiva rolled his eyes, "Yes, I was so moved that I moved from the bed to here."
She ignored his sass and grinned, "Excellent! Since impressing Shiva is an achievement in itself, I deserve a reward." She was already excited at the multiple possibilities of what she could possibly ask him. She knew it was just a dream, but thinking about all the possible things she could do with an almost life-like version of her husband... it was too good to be true.
Shiva crossed his arms and stared at her. His dark eyes moved across her face and seemed to linger on her eyes. With a sigh, he motioned for her to continue.
"One more wish, please?"
His lips curved upwards momentarily as he shook his head as if he didn't believe her silliness, "One."
Her eyes widened with excitement, "Excellent!" she clapped and her hands and took a deep breath.
There were many, many things she wanted to do with Shiva. Dance with him. Kiss him. Start her married life with him. But in front of her was not real Shiva. It was Dream Shiva, and she wanted to save all those firsts for her love.
But that didn't mean she wasn't willing to practice on Dream Shiva. If she practiced enough on Dream Shiva, she might look calm and composed (exactly how she wanted to look in front of Shiva so he wouldn't make fun of her).
"You can't say no," Raavi frowned. "Or actually, I would really like it if you didn't say no, please?" Even though he was a part of her imagination, she still wanted him to be okay with her request.
Shiva's dark eyes were trained on her again. There was just something magical about his gaze. It made her feel as though she was at the top of the world, but it also made her realize just how large the world was. He blinked and scratched the back of his head, "Would this wish make you happy?"
Raavi swallowed.
Happy? As long as she was making some type of memory with Shiva (dream or real), she was happy.
She nodded her head, "Bahut khush."
"Then ask," he whispered. "And this genie will fulfill it for you."
Raavi brought her hand to her chest as she turned around, hiding her smile.
Dream Shiva really knows how to pull at my heart strings. Raavi stood straighter with a pout. And real Shiva doesn't know anything about wooing. How nice would it be if he said things like this to me? Raavi grinned. I'll need to teach him, and then he can praise me whenever I want!
She sat down on the bed and cleared the space next to her, "Sit down, sir." She motioned for him excitedly.
When he was being too slow, Ravvi grabbed his hand and pulled him over. Once he sat down, Raavi leaned forward and held his hands, "Take off your shirt."
Shiva's eyes widened as he tried to inch away from him. With a gulp, he warily asked, "Why?"
Doesn't he know why? He's a part of my imagination!
Raavi shrugged her shoulders, "Why else would I want to have you take off your shirt? To look at you and appreciate your good looks?" she paused with a frown. "Hmm... though that is a good idea too. I don't think I've ever fully appreciated Shiva without a shirt," she mumbled under her breath.
She seemed so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Dream Shiva was shaking her shoulder.
"Raavi!" She turned to him curiously as Shiva cleared his throat, "Why do you want me to take off my shirt?"
Yes, I can do both, it's a win-win situation for me!
"It's so I can touch you," she's been having this lingering thought ever since she saw Dream Shiva shirtless. Now that she had the opportunity (because she was never going to ask the real Shiva of this), she was going to take up on it.
Now, Dream Shiva seemed even more wary. He fully moved away from her, "And w-where do you want to touch me?" his voice seemed to have lost all stability. In fact, she didn't even think his voice could do that...
Raavi shrugged, "I mean, where else would I touch you?" she dropped her gaze and pointed downwards.
Shiva immediately sprung up from the bed, "Ey Mami Ki Behn Ki Beti, kya tum paagal ho?"
It had been quite some time since she heard him call her that. Ever since their truce, he'd been good about calling her by her name. But now, after so long, the name almost sounded like music to her ears. She really missed all his insults...
"Ha Meri Saas Ka Chota Beta," she teased. "Main paagal hoon," she leaned closer to him, "for you," she whispered into his ear.
When she noticed the blood rushing to Shiva's face, she couldn't help but sport a smug grin. Her Shiva, the man who was always bold and unpredictable was blushing. He couldn't maintain proper eye contact, and it even seemed like he was at a loss of words...
Shy Shiva is the cutest Shiva!
As much as she wanted to further gush over how adorable her husband (at least her imaginative husband) was being, she knew she had to put him out of his misery if she wanted to reach her goal, "It's for scientific research! So, please, let me touch you," she reached for his hand, but Shiva moved out of her reach. With a frown, "Really. My friends and I were talking about six-packs--,"
"These were the so called intelligent conversations you had?" Shiva scowled.
Sure, sure, maybe I embellished a few details, but that doesn't mean I didn't have "intelligent" conversations with my friends...
Raavi thought back to the conversations she had with her friends and couldn't help but cringe.
Okay, maybe they weren't the most intelligent of conversations...
During the early days of their marriage, back when she still hated Shiva, she would always let him know how much better she was compared to him. From the "intelligent" conversations she had with her friends to her "worldly" experiences she had while leaving Somnath for school. After they became friends, she stopped her passive aggressive insults.
But that doesn't mean she accepted she was dumb or stupid. She had a reputation to uphold after all. She was Somnath's smartest.
"As if you didn't talk about stupid things with your friends," Raavi complained.
"I did," Shiva admitted. "But I also don't claim I'm the smartest, your highness."
Raavi pouted. This dream of hers was too close to reality, but perhaps that's for the better since this is all good practice. Taking a deep breath, she glanced up at Dream Shiva with a new resolve. If there is anything Raavi is good at doing, it is convincing other people to give her what she wants, "Alright, I'm not the smartest girl, and there's still a lot more for me to learn." She purposely widened her eyes and held Dream Shiva's hands tightly, "But you will support me won't you? You'll help me become smart so the Pandya family won't become a laughing stock?" she lower lip jutted out a little bit more as she came closer to Shiva.
He stared her incredulously before pushing her away, "Nautanki."
"But Shiva," she whined as she came up to him. She hugged his muscled arm and pressed her cheek against his bicep, "I'll be the happiest girl in the world." When it didn't seem like he believed her, she nodded her head, "Really."
Shiva's jaw clenched. He put his hand over hers and gently pushed her away.
Though she was disappointed, she knew she had to respect his personal boundaries (dream or real). Besides, it might be better I ask the real Shiva this... once he forgives me... or maybe even the real Shiva won't let me if my dream Shiva is not letting me do it. Yeah... he would never let me...
"How long are you going to stand there for?"
Raavi's thoughts were broken as she turned to Shiva who was now sitting on the bed. Though he still couldn't meet her eyes, he managed to clearly say, "Five minutes." He turned to her, "That's it."
Her eyes widened as she tried to hold her squeal. He's really letting me touch his six-pack? She sat down next to him and eagerly turned to him. He was still dressed in his shirt, so she didn't know whether she should be the one taking it off or... She shook her head. This is your imagination, Raavi. You can do whatever you want!
Raavi reached for the hem of Shiva's shirt, but Shiva quickly pushed her hand away, "I'll take it off myself," he gruffly mentioned as he slipped out of his shirt, and sat slightly turned away from her.
Raavi rolled her eyes and moved so she was sitting in front of Shiva. The second she sat down and glanced at Shiva's muscles, she couldn't help but bubble in laughter as she remembered the discussions her friends had.
Shiva glanced up at her with a frown as he began to raise his arms, "Ey chipkali, what are you laughing at?" He leaned over to reach for the shirt, but she shook her head as she continued to laugh.
"I," she tried to stop her laughter but failed. Meanwhile, Shiva was becoming more and more impatient. He leaned over for the shirt again, but Raavi shook her head, "My friends...," she took a deep breath as she held her stomach, "You remember them, right?"
Shiva's frown became deeper, "You mean those mosquitos?"
"Yes, those mosquitos," Raavi sat a little closer to Shiva. "Those two always had dreams of marrying men who were fit and handsome like Shahid Kapoor or Varun Dhawan." Her nose wrinkled as she frowned, "And those two mosquitos," she missed Shiva's small smile, "had the guts to tell me that I married a bhoothnath, but I obviously married the best."
Though he rolled his eyes, Raavi noticed that Shiva seemed happier. He glanced at her, "Ey Somnath Ki Princess, didn't you call me a bhoothnath, too?"
Raavi nodded her head, "Ha, but I'm a pishaach, so it's okay."
Shiva split with laughter and Raavi joined him.
How long has it been? Raavi paused to look at Shiva. He was the happiest she'd ever seen him, with a smile that was wider than the one in the picture. She stared at Shiva, hoping to etch the memory of his happiness forever in her heart. Since both of us have talked without any interruptions...
Shiva leaned forward to reach for her hand. He kept her palm extended as he brought her hand closer to his abdomen. Once Raavi's fingers brushed the tight muscles, she couldn't help but look up. To her surprise, Shiva's dark eyes were trained on her as he removed his grip. Though Raavi's hand was moving upwards, appreciating how hard the muscle was, she couldn't help but become lost in her husband's eyes.
"Shiva," she whispered. She had no doubt. Regardless of how annoying, how unwilling to openly display his affection, how frustrating he was, she loved him. She wrapped her arms around him and whispered, "I love you." She glanced up at him, "What about you?" Normally, she was patient. But something about seeing Shiva after so long made her more anxious and needy. She needed to hear his voice. She needed to be with him at every second of the day.
Shiva's eyes were soft as he slowly leaned down. His lips brushed her ear as she closed her eyes.
Was he finally going to tell her?
"Don't you want to hear this from the real Shiva?" his whisper tickled her ear.
As much as she wanted to hear this from the real Shiva, she couldn't help but have the need to hear these words from her Dream Shiva as well. It would be the only way she could get through their anniversary alone.
"You too," she whined as she held onto him tighter.
"Paagal ladki," Shiva moved away and gently grazed his fingertips over her forehead, "I feel the same, too." He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, and Raavi couldn't help but feel like she was over the moon.
"Raavi bhabi! I can't wait to tell you the joke that I found today!"
Notes: Romance is such a difficult thing for me to write (especially since I indulge in trash romance novels). But hopefully this is alright. And no, not done yet. These two still need to celebrate an anniversary together.
Cricket
Kumkum Bhagya
Tum Se Tum Tak
Sampoorna
Jhanak
