RAGHVI DRABBLE: FAMILY MEETING
Raghav kept walking back and forth in his room tensed about the most important meeting of his life. No it wasn't any business meeting, those were easy for him neither was it any meeting with the D-fam. He has actually cracked them open and now everybody adorned him obviously except the two baboons i.e. Sanki Sasur and Bindi wala Aunty. Aai was in awe of this man and would often send her handmade yummy laddoo or modak for him that he had grown fond of. There were times when even Pallavi wuld get jealous and complain about their bond.
Currently both him and Pallavi were at a phase where they were more than friends; agreed but in denial of anything more or perhaphs romantic between them. He sat at the edge of the bed with his head in his hands, he was sweating because he was now supposed to meet with Pallavi's other or more like the parallel family. He had already met her dada and vahini but now the main women of the house i.e her
Aaji (Grandmother) wanted to meet him. The guy that had finally gotten her stubborn grandchild to move on from her ex-husband and marry a new man. Hence the stakes were way too high.
Farhad had been the witness to his Anna's tensed demenour sso he finally decided to step in and get THE RAGHAV RAO back in action.
"Anna aap fiqar mat karo. Sab sahi hoga?" he tried to keep him Anna's blood pressure normal.
"Kya theek hoyega Farhad. Tu janta bhi hai woh Keerti bata raha tha ki woh Saree ka dukaan ka Aaji yeh Sanki Sasur se bhi double Sanki hai. Ajooba hai ek" he got on his toes fiddling through his closet.
"Par Anna abhi tak toh aap unse mile bhi nahin ho. Kya pata woh aisi na ho?" Farhad eyed his confused Anna.
"Mereko nahin pata Farhad. Bass main itna jaanta hai ki woh Ajoobi Aaji ko agar main pasand nahin aaya na toh woh Saree ka dukaan ko apne saath Kolhapur le jayega." he pulled out his mustard-check shirt.
"Arey Keerti aapse masti kar rahi hogi. Woh aisi thori hongi." Farhad nodded a negative for the shirt.
"Yeh nahin ruk kuch aur dekhta hai." he pulled another one of his blazer set out trying to choose between the colors, "Mereko yeh baat Keerti nahin tumhara bhabhi bola." he answered.
"Phir toh bahut stress hai Anna ." Farhad tensed up too.
"Wahi toh bola main. Ab jaldi bata ki main kya pehne kyunki agar unko kapda achcha nahin laga na toh poora first impression kharaab ho jayega." he held up the red-check shirt and a blue blazer set for his best friend to choose from.
"Suit main toh bilkul formal hoga Anna aap red shirt peheno." Farhad suggested.
"Han tu sahi bol raha hai. Isme main waise bhi Saree ka Dukaan ko handsome lagta hai." he mumbled smiling to himself thinkng of the memory when Pallavi unintentionally complimented him after checking him out.
"Bhai Aaji aa gayi." Keerti called out to him tensing every bone in his muscle.
"Dekha Farhad woh Ajoobi Aaji aa gaya aur tumne mereko apni baaton main phasakar late krdiya." he glared Farhad and stormed off to the bathroom.
"Ya Allah aaj Anna ko iss test main pass kardena." Farhad prayed for his boss.
Pallavi never had her parents with her but that never kept her away from being happy and loved. She was the centre of her Aaji's universe until she decided to stay with the D-fam after Mandaar's death. Even after so many pestering from her Aaji she never returned back hence angering her but as soon as the news of her wedding with Raghav spreaded like fire, her Aaji called her asking for an audience with her beloved grand-daughter's new family.
Pallavi ran to engulf her Aaji in a gigantic hug as she felt the warmth that once protected her.
"Mejha Nata. Tu kasa Ahesa? (How are you)" Her Aaji showered her with kisses.
"Aap aa gaye ho na toh ab main pehle ki tarah khush aur achchi ho gayi hoon." Pallavi led her to the sofa seating.
"Namaste Aap hamare ghar aaya humko bahut achcha laga." Amma welcomed her actual real samdhan.
"Aati kaise nahin. Mera Pallu ka itna bada khushi ki baat hai. Uski Aaji ko toh usko aashirwaad dene aana tha na." Aaji replied smiling crushing her granddaughter beside her.
"Aaji tu na bilkul nahin badli. Aisa lagta hai jaise kal hi dekha tha." Pallavi shed some happy tears after finally reuniting with her family.
"Main toh aur pehle aa jaati lekin yeh gadha jo hai na tera bhai usne mujhe bola ki abhi kaam hai, kal chalenge aur pata nahin kya kya bahana." Aaji complained.
"Aaji ab aapko apni Pallu mil gayi toh kya aap ab mere saath aisa karengi." dada complained like a kid.
"Offo dada main Aaji ki favourite hoon na bass isliye waise vahini nahin aai." Pallavi asked.
"Arey woh uske bhai ki enagement fix hui na toh woh udhar gayi." he replied.
"Achcha aap baitho main paani laati hoon." Pallavi got up but Amma stopped her.
"Arey Pallavi tum baitho na yeh servants le ayenga sab." Amma reminded.
"Amma woh sab khane ke kaam main busy hai main le aati hoon." Pallavi went while Aaji smiled at her beloved's sanskaar. Feeling proud to have grown her up in such an amazing women.
Raghav ran down the stairs as if his train was leaving the station and hence tripped, almost falling to the ground but composed himself. Everyone gave him an awkward glance at his super stuntly entry to which he just scratched his neck.
"woh sorry main dekha nahin idhar carpet tha." he spoke touching everyone's feet even dada's.
"Toh tum-" Aaji started to speak tensing him up and he suddenly saw Pallavi get in with the tray of water filled glasses so he quickly ran and grabbed it from her.
"Arey Pallavi yeh tum kyun kar raha hai. Main hai na tum jao aur apni Aaji ke saath baitho." Pallavi looked at him as if she's seen a ghost while Amma, Keerti and Farhad held their laughs.
He served everyone with everything that tagged along after Pallavi by the servents trying to avoid any conversation from Ajoobi Aaji; ofcourse a stupid plan as he realised that the work lasted for less than 5 minutes and now he sat facing the old lady.
"Tum kaun hai?" Aaji asked.
"Main?" Raghav pointed at himself while Pallavi eyes him to speak something.
"Main main Raghav hai. Raghav Rao." he replied with pride but saw no emotions on the lady's face.
"Kaam kya karta hai?" Aaji asked the second question.
"Aaji!" dad tried to intervene.
"Gadhe tu chup kar main isse pucha rahi hoon na. Pallavi beta tu juice pi." she handed a glass to her grand-daughter.
Raghav looked at the women in shock as if she had grown a pair of horns. The entire hyderabad and places around people knew who he was. He had a dozens of interviews out and a tonn of showrooms across the country and still this women asked him of his idenitity. She was an Ajoobi.
"Ajoobi A- i mean Aaji mera na jwellery ka apna showroom hai kaafi sara poore India main." he replied with pride as Amma was happy with his achivements.
"Pallu tune ek dukaan waale se shaadi kari." and that was it everyone spat whatever they were having while Raghav's eyes bulged out.
"Aaji" Pallavi chimed.
"Kya Aaji main tujhe bola tha isse Achcha toh woh Jagat tha. Tujhe paa hai woh bank main kaam karta hai bank main." Aaji spoke.
"Aaji tu yeh kya bol rahi hai. Raghav ka apna business hai." Pallavi tried supporting her husband's profession that she was proud of.
"Arey magar hai toh uss Mandaar jaisa dukaandar hi na. Cheezein hi bechta hai chal choodh ab tune chhuna hai toh kuch khaas toh hoga hi." Aaji ate a laddoo.
"Tu bhi na Aaji kitna mazaak karti hai." Pallavi tried easing the situation silently apologising to Raghav who just smiled in return. He was loving that Pallavi finally had someone who cared so much about her from her family.
"Main waise bank walon se zyada hi kamata hai. Aur sab khud hi design karta hai." Raghav added in order to boost his image."
"Achcha agar kabhi yeh dukaan band ho gaya tab kidhar se laoge paisa socha hai. Meri Pallavi ko kaise khush rakhoge. Uski zaroorate kaise puri karoge?" she asked raising her brows.
" Aaji tu phir shuru ho gayi." dada tried to intervene but was showed a palm.
"Agar kabhi aisa hua toh main khud bikk jayega magar Pallavi ko har khushi dega. Uska harr dream poora karega." Raghav spoke with honesty eyeing at his wife. Aaji smiled at him while Pallavi looked taken a back by the confession.
"Main chai mangata hai." Amma eased the awkward situation trying to get her son a loose end of escape.
The tea was brought in and distributed while giving the cup to pallavi, the servant's hand slipped and the hot tea almost fell on her lap until a pair of hands collected the hot liquid in it's palms.
Pallavi looked up at Raghav who definitely experienced the sharpness of the hot tea but yet his eyes showed concern for her.
"Pallavi tum theek hai na?" he asked with concern patting her saree for any drops of tea not caring about his own red palms.
"Main theek hoon Raghav par tumhara haath?" Pallavi took his hands in hers.
"Ab maine tumko promise kara tha ki har problem se save karega toh jalne kaise deta." he replied smiling like an idiot.
Everyone went in awe with the connection and the confession but suddenly everything felt silent as Aaji stood up.
"Sorry Aaji woh yeh Reddy pata nahin kisko lekar-' Raghav got tensed and tried to apologize for his servant's misconduct. he feared loosing his wife but the old lady had other plans.
She joined their heads together and pulled out a silver note from her purse.
"Maine kabhi apni Aai ka yeh note nahin nikala socha tha Pallavi aur uske pati ko chadhakar nazar utarungi magar Mandaar ke saath aise karne ka mann hi nahin kara par Bappa ne meri bachchi ko uska sahi jeevansathi dediya." Aaji shedded happy tears.
"Aaji tu-" Pallavi felt emotional too.
"Tune meri gudiya bilkul apne asli baba jaisa ladka chuna hai. Jab tera baba aaya tha na teri Aai ko dekhne tab usne bhi aise hi teri Aai ko bachaya tha. Aaj mujhe isme woh dikh gaya toh ab mujhe tere liye koi fiqar nahin. Jab Raghav hai na tab tak tujhe koi chooh bhi nahin sakta." Aaji kept the note over their palms as she moved the red chillis in round motion above them.
"Mere bachcho ko kisi ki nazar na lage." she spoke praying to god to gie her kids an ternal life of happiness.
Pallav smiled at Raghav who was in awe of the entire situation. Aai was indeed right until she had this man, she had everything in this world. As if sensing her happiness Raghav held her hand under the red chunari that was kept on their hands interwining their fingers for a forever. He was glad that he could finally had al of her family call all of him as their family.
Midnight crap. All tomatoes welcomed.
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
