Ringmaster - Four Shot [COMPLETE]

Suman knew that something was wrong the minute Dhara and Gautam came to greet her at the car. She was as familiar with their features as she was with her own image in the mirror, so it was easy to pick up on the secret glances and the unease and worry that was etched on the faces of the two eldest of her children.

The fact that the reminder of her children hesitated whilst walking towards her, almost as if they'd been caught stealing from the cookie jar, cemented that there was something brewing that they didn't want her to know about.

Greetings and hugs were exchanged and she was gently pushed to go rest from her long journey. She knew that she'd have to find the one piece that would domino and spill all the information. She didn't want a repeat of the disaster of a double wedding so she would have to find out, fast.

She knew Krish was the easiest link to break, being the youngest with no filter, all she had to do was ask in a roundabout way and he would spill the secret that they were trying to hide; it worked to an extent and she knew that the two new bahus were involved. She liked, maybe even loved, Raavi; after all she had come to Pandya Niwas since she was small and always left laughter behind. Rishita on the other hand was an unknown entity, after all the drama that she'd done to get married to Dev, Suman knew that she spelt trouble for her united family.

She went to look for Dhara, Rishita and Raavi, hoping to find them together so she could use her proverbial whip to gather more information. Her sons would close up on her the minute she asked them anything but her daughters in law she could 'scare' into sharing more of the problem.

***

Dhara knew she needed to tell Suman what was happening and even though she explicitly told everyone not to mention anything, she knew that the only person who would understand and support her decision was her Ma. So after talking to Shiva and Raavi, she walked to Suman's room.

"Ma, I need to talk to you about something really important. Can we please talk privately?" Dhara asked her as soon as she stepped into the room.

Suman indicated that she push her outside. They walked on the pathway around the haveli and stopped at Dhara and Gautam's spot. Dhara knelt down and told Suman everyyhing that had happened ; the first rasoi that Raavi completed with the family and Rishita's with Dev, what Rishita told Raavi, Gautam explaining the meaning of family to Rishita, Shiva and Krish's bhoot prank and how she beat up both of them and separated them all. She even told her about leaving the house if anyone told Suman about it.

Dhara was in tears as she finished telling Suman how difficult the past day has been, treating her children with such cold indifference, but she didn't know what to do to make them understand the importance of being together.

"I know what I'm doing is probably wrong, but all three boys are too stubborn to learn any other way. I need them to understand that we have two new family members and they're here to stay. I made a decision in anger but if I back out now, they will never try to understand each other."

"At least this time you told me what has happened. We'll need to make a plan on what we're going to do. But remember, you have to do exactly as I say. The three boys have forgotten what their mother is capable of. They've forgotten that I am still capable of running their lives on the right track of they wander away. Now I'll teach them the importance of family."

"But ma, what can we possibly do that will bring them all closer?"

Suman smiled and whispered the plan in Dhara's ear.

The stage was set and now they would perform exactly as she wished. Suman gathered her children and their wives in the sitting room the following day with the request that they all have breakfast together. The table was quiet, sans the mischief that plagued the table at home. She spoke to Dhara first "Ae bhagodi ki beti... What have you done to my boys? They used to be so happy and now that I've left you with them for a few days they've wilted."

"No Ma, nothing like that. It's just everyone has been busy getting ready for the mrityunjay jaap so we're all tired."

Suman could tell that Rishita wanted to say something so she indicated to Dhara, who nodded and left the room with Gautam. From what she'd seen, Rishita was self centred and had a woe be me attitude. She would be the first to get the special maha saas treatment. She'd asked Gautam to bring shagun gifts for both the bahus and had gotten the receipts and put them in the box. Giving one to Raavi and the other to Rishita, she waited to see who would react. Suman believed if she'd been a gambler, she'd have been winning millions, when Rishita reacted to the difference in weight and price of the gold chains.

Suman knew that noone in her family ever thought of monetary comparison instead looking at the thought that went behind the gift no matter how big or small.

***

"I'll tell you the truth, that's what you want to know isn't it? Dhara babhi has said that she'd leave everyone and go if we told you but I think you need to know, Shiva and Krish played a hideous prank with me and she beat them up. She's also decided that we'd all cook separately and not talk to each other. Is this the togetherness you talk about? Your oldest bahu, whom you call our saas can't even make saas like decisions and that's who you want to run the family. Wow ma wow! What great decisions you've made for the goodness of the family."

And there came the ball into her court, exactly where she wanted. She spoke then first to Dhara,

"Is this true bhagodi ki beti? You're threatening my children. Remember I'm the one who gave you those rights in this family and I'll take them away when I want. Who are you to decide who'll do what. Today I'm deciding that you're going to leave this family. And with a heavy heart I'm deciding that Gautam will stay with you and live separately from the family till we go back home."

"But ma,..." all four of her sons and Raavi spoke up and were immediately quietened with one look.

"I haven't finished yet, from today till we go home Rishita being the eldest is going to help me with everything. You all need to give her respect and listen to what she says."

"And you," Suman said pointing to Rishita "You need to make sure that you follow my instructions exactly because no matter what, this bhagodi ki beti has always done everything I've asked of her. Now take me to my room."

The only person happy about this decision was Rishita who had always wanted to position and power that Dhara had in the family and over Dev's heart.

Dev, Krish, Shiva and Raavi stood shocked as Gautam and Dhara watched Rishita and Suman leaving. They refused to believe that the four of them who'd been together since they could remember were going to be separated. Gautam was confused as to why his mother had made this decision, whilst Dhara looked serene. She knew that as per the plan, she'd have to bring Gautam up to date with what was happening so he could help.

***

Rishita never knew what hit her. She'd thought Dhara had a very pampered lifestyle with all four men in the house at her beck and call, but she was in for a rude awakening ; more like an early wakening, to be precise at 4.30 am when the rest of the family members were sleeping. Suman came to her room to wake her up so that she could make breakfast, complete preparations for the start of the maha mrityunjay jaap and for her daily round of exercises and massage.

By 8.30 am when Raavi came down, Rishita was flustered trying to get a full gujarati breakfast on the table that Suman had asked for. Not only that, the kitchen area was a mess and Rishita looked exhausted. Without a word Raavi got started with making the thepla, cha and aloo sabzi. Rishita watched for a few minutes in surprise, not expecting Raavi to actually help and then got back to making the chutney and fafda.

***

Dhara and Gautam watched from afar and silently applauded their mother's well placed aim. Hugging each other, they moved to finish off setting up the second part of their mother's plan.

Rishita and Raavi served breakfast and though it wasn't the best tasting, it was all the sweeter as they'd worked together.

"Thank you Raavi." Rishita whispered and got a nod in reply.

No one noticed the smile that Suman had on her face. It was time for phase two.

Part 3

Dhara was restless, pacing she questioned Gautam if what they were doing would be fine. She knew that Suman had every possibility accounted for bar the one unknown reactor ; their Shiva. All three knew what would go on in his mind but the possibility of him not acting to plan was a risk they would have to take to make this part of their plan successful.

The maha mrityunjay jaap was starting tomorrow and with that was the start of the third part of their plan.

"Dhara, stop pacing. It's giving me a headache. I'm telling you Shiva will not let anything happen. You know him better than me even though he is my son. This is the best way and you know it." Suman scolded her but the worry was etched on her face too.

"And Gautam will be close by if anything is to go wrong, he'll handle it and we'll make a new plan. We still have time before we go home."

"Yes Dhara. Maa is right. I'll be right there but I have complete faith in my brother."

"If you say so. I'm feeling anxious and I want to get this part out of the way." Dhara stopped and said looking at both Gautam and Suman.

***

All three couples has sat for the beginning of the jaap and had gotten the nadachadi (moli) tied on their hands signifying their togetherness for the pooja. After the pandits had started the jaap Suman sent for Raavi,

"I need you to go into town with this list and get me a few items that I need for the dakshina." she said handing a long list to Raavi.

Raavi didn't want to ask Shiva to go with her, so she left quietly through the gates after calling a taxi. Unbeknownst to her, there were three pairs of eyes watching her.

***

Shiva had been looking for Raavi for thirty minutes when he saw Krish, asking if he'd seen her, Krish told him that she'd left in a taxi a couple of hours ago. He wasn't too sure where she was going and didn't want to interfere as it wasn't appropriate.

Shiva hit Krish on the head, "Duffer, you should have at least asked where she was going. How am I, or anyone else going to find her? What if something happens?"

Shiva didn't know whom to ask. Taking his phone out, he tried calling her but she didn't pick up. Normally he'd have gone to Dhara bhabhi but she wasn't allowed to talk to them. He thought of asking Gautam, but he'd been away since morning, still trying to call her, he heard his mother call out from her room,

"Shiva, what are you still doing here. I thought you've already gone to the market. I told Raavi I need everything before lunch."

"Market... this girl is going to get me into trouble one day." he whispered under his breath and then replied, "Yes ma, I'm just about to leave. I was busy so I told Raavi to go ahead and I'll join her in a while. I forgot my wallet so I'll get that and go."

***

He was getting annoyed. He'd been to most of the shops in the market and he seemed to have just missed her. Not the bags though, those he'd started carrying till he realised the amount of items his mother had asked for and found a known driver to take them back to the haveli for him.

At the last shop, the shopkeeper told him that she had a couple of rogues following her so she'd left in a rush. He'd tried to discourage them but they refused to listen and had threatened to break everything in his shop if he interfered. He pointed the direction they followed her in.

He called out to Shiva as he left giving him her phone that she'd dropped. Panic settled into his chest, his mother had given him one responsibility, keep her safe and he hadn't even managed to do that and now there was no way of even contacting her.

Running in the direction he was shown, he caught a glimpse of the nadachadi lying on the road. Anger clouded his mind but taking a few deep breaths and looking around he saw her fallen bangle. Moving towards the direction, he picked it up only to find another one ahead. She'd left a trail! At least she wasn't a complete scatterbrain when panicked.

***

Raavi didn't know if anyone would come. She'd been leaving her bangles since the two men had caught her but she only had her shagun bangle left and it didn't seem as though they were going to stop. Lady luck smiled down on her as they stopped next to a deserted house. They took her in and tied her up, taping her mouth shut, one of them ran their hand down her arm as he leered at her. The other pulled him away whispering something in his ear.

Raavi called on all the Gods she could remember, in tears she wished she'd just asked Shiva to come with her. Two was always better than one even though he'd left her the previous time, at least he was with her and it had made her feel less scared. She only hoped that they wouldn't be back. Her skin was already crawling with fear and she was feeling slightly sick.

***

Gautam watched from afar, as Shiva found the two men talking about Raavi like she was a piece of meat. He'd pre-warned them that they would be beaten up black and blue, but they had to put up some sort of a fight before leaving him to find her and Gautam's prediction came true.

Shiva found her crying, untying her he checked her over making sure that she was fine. Raavi hugged him tight, still feeling sick in the stomach she hiccuped and told him what the man had done. He wished he'd beaten them up some more but Raavi was more important.

"Let's go home. I'm so angry that you've been so irresponsible. How could you come alone. Do you not know how scared I was when the shopkeeper told me what had happened. My heart was in my throat. Never, ever do that again. If you don't want to ask me, get Krish or Rishita to come with you but never put yourself or me through this again" he rubbed his hands over her arms trying to warm her up as she held on. Slowly they made their way home making a pact to not tell anyone about what had happened."

***

It had worked, Gautam called Dhara who was with Suman and told them everything. Telling them he had some work to finish off and he'd come later, he cut the phone. Then he went to finish off the job Shiva couldn't because of Raavi. Gautam was a firm believer on following instructions and touching his brother's wife was definitely not one of those. This lesson would be his little secret.

***

Rishita was still looking at the gate. She'd seen Raavi leave and was going to call out to her, but she'd left before she could. Then she'd seen Shiva storming out of the gate and couldn't help but keep vigil.

They had moved towards a tentative friendship and a mutual understanding of the responsibilities of being a bahu when Dhara wasn't around. Rishita and Raavi both actually appreciated how little they had to do when she was there and had started counting the days to when they'd be going back so they could go back to their own little pockets of alone time.

A rhythm had been formed, they'd learnt to work in sync, without being aggressive over their positions in the family; the one thing they'd learnt from Dhara being sent away was that Suman treated all her daughter in laws equally. There had never been any partiality. In fact, compared to Dhara, she had less expectations from both Rishita and Raavi which for them was a blessing in disguise.

She sighed in relief when she saw her coming back with Shiva and walked to the kitchen to clean up the disaster she'd left behind.

***

Part 4

Raavi was getting ready for the pooja at the completion of the jaap, when Dhara bhabhi came to her.

"Raavi, I'd bought this before we left Somnath for you and Shiva to wear for the kuldevi pooja. I never got to give it to you then but maybe for the pooja today you can wear this. I'll feel as though you've forgiven me for making your lives a mess."

"Dhara di, I've always treated you like my older sister, respected you more than even Anita di, because you've always been kind to me. But, maybe this time instead of you asking for my forgiveness, you should look to forgive yourself for treating Shiva and Krish worse than animals." Raavi spoke softly.

"It's a blessing really, to have such wonderful men in your life that love you the most and be willing to do anything for you, yet you decided to break their hearts by putting weight on your anger over their feelings. Shiva has changed over the past fourteen days. I don't even know him anymore. I remember wanting him to be with me how he always was around you, but you've made him hollow. This reasoning of yours has probably created more of a distance between us."

"And I may be younger than you Dhara di, but even I know that you need to apologise for what you've done." she vented out all the anger and disappointment that she'd felt over the two weeks.

"I will Raavi, but I'd do what I did a thousand times over to make you and Shiva understand each other. I am happy that you're together in this and are finally going to give your marriage, however it is, a chance. Get ready and come down with Shiva quickly. Maa is waiting for everyone so we can all go to the temple together."

***

All three couples and Krish stood in front of her and Suman could see the difference. Her Gautam and Dhara looked happier than the first day she'd seen them. Watching her younger three sons, she could see the reason why.

Dev and Rishita looked very much in love still, but there was an air of maturity that Rishita had. She was still very frank but there was respect for her elders in her tone.

Her Shiva and Raavi had made progress in leaps and bounds, the two who couldn't stand each other, now stood close together. She could see, if she looked closely, how Raavi had a finger on Shiva's wrist and how he stood slightly in front of her almost as though protecting her from even the smallest harm.

Her Krish was still young and he had a few more years of mischief before she would have to bring him to line. But he had learnt to respect his new bhabhis which was a welcome bonus.

"Shiva, Krish; I know its three weeks too late, but please forgive me for raising my hand on you. I vented my frustration on both of you and the love you have for me meant that you let me. Don't say anything because I have felt the pain. I know you love me no matter what, but my anger got the better of me and I promise that I will try to deal with my feelings better. Please don't say anything apart from accepting my apology." Dhara spoke blinking away the tears, determined not to cry in front of everyone.

Shiva and Krish could only nod in acceptance as they followed her instructions and then breaking the only rule set by their mother they all rushed to hug Gautam and Dhara.

Suman watched and congratulated herself quietly. Her family was not perfect but the imperfections made life enjoyable. She was the ringmaster and she would always bring the show back on track if they veered off.

***

Epilogue

Rishita and Raavi had made a plan, to send Gautam and Dhara on a night out for their anniversary. Raavi had overheard Gautam telling Dhara that they needed to now grow their family since both Dev and Shiva were settling into married life, but Raavi knew privacy was hard to come by. Giggling they plotted on how to get them out, when Suman came into the room. She had given them the perfect idea.

This is really good! Very interesting.❤️

I wanna see how Suman and Dhara bring their family together.

Yes you can 😊 i think ill be done in four posts 😂😂

Bring it on!!! This looks interesting!

Oh my god!

This was so, so good. Dhara is so sensible here. I wish this happened in the show.

nice start! not sure if dhara beat Shiva and Krish in this version and made them apologize on their knees.. but if she did then i hope she is redeemed for her mistake too!

Suman and Dhara planning together!! This really sounds interesting👍🏼

Continue soon