Chapter 1
Raavi could not believe she survived three months of her marriage with that Bhoothnath!! And it was not bad...Dare she say she enjoyed her married life. Who knew her unwanted marriage can give her a lifetime pass to annoy that Bandar. Hehe ...
Raavi POV
Haww! Ye tu kya boli jaa rahi hai Raavi. Pagal ho gyi hai kya.
"Aee Raavi su karu chee beta? Or kitna time lgaegi ,yaad hai na aaj mandir jaana hai. Maa ne bola tha kal."
"Haan Dhara Di aayii! bas do min."
Raavi hurriedly got ready and went downstairs. In the hall, Dhara, Rishita, and Suman were sitting and talking, Gaumbi, Dev, and Shiva were having tea while Krish was munching on some snacks. Watching them together always filled Raavi with warmth. This is what she longed for her whole life- a joint family. She wondered was it this that desired. Maybe yes maybe no. She could not forget how she performed pre-wedding rituals with one and got married to another. She had been officially a Pandya bahu, but it seemed she was not included in them. She knew somewhere or the other her relation with Shiva was one of the reasons for her to feel so. Let's not go there Raavi reminded herself.
Ironically, the two new bahus being a part of the Pandya family were not Pandya family members. The family did not fully accept Rishita due to her family, added to it her sharp tongue, and inability to adjust never went well with others. But she at least had the support of her husband Dev, unlike Raavi. Raavi had known Pandya family for over a decade then also as she was Maami ki behan ki beti. She was never fully accepted by the family especially her husband. Raavi let out a deep sigh. Shiva sitting opposite her saw her sighing and raised an eye asking what happened. Raavi looked to the other side ignoring him. Shiva frowned with a curious face.
"Rishita or Raavi tumlog Shiv mandir me jaake ye bhagwan ko chadha dena. Kehte hai wahan pooja karne wali patniyon ko saat jaanm tak apne pati ka pyaar milta hai."
Raavi was skeptical, nonetheless respected the traditions. She and Rishita took an auto to the temple. In these three months, Raavi knew that Rishita was a pampered lady who was a bit insecure with her place in the family but had a good heart.
"Raavi tum ye pooja ye janam janmantar me manti ho? Main to nhi manti oh common agar pooja se hi aapko apka pati mil jaye to fir kya hi baat hai."
"Sahi keh rahi Rishita magar main Dhara Di and Suman Kaki ko bahut maanti hoon. To unka dil rakhne ke liye ye sab chalega."
"Haha.... Sahi keh rahi...Pata hai Raavi mujhe na tumse jalan hoti hai."
"Mujhse? par kyu?"
"Tumahari or Shiva ki shadi forced thi matlab tum dono ki marzi nahi thi fir bhi tumhare or Shiva me ek basic understanding dikhti hai. Or Ek mujhe or Dev ko dekhlo, Dev pyaar to bahut karta hai magar wo samajhta nahi hai."
Raavi wondered whether she and Shiva were really like that but shrugged it off frowning. She was confused so she shifted her attention to Rishita.
"Pata hai Raavi! Main apne mom dad ko bahut miss karti hoon. Maine Dev se bhi kahan ki wo unse mile, unse baat kare. I know wo thode strict hai but I'm sure wo mujhe maaf kardemge. Wo mujhse bahut pyaar karte hai."
Raavi looked at Rishita sympathetically. She saw herself in Rishita, stuck in between her Mayka and Sasural longing for both. She tried to boost her spirit in her own way.
"Dekho Rishita sab thik ho jayega. Thoda time do or Dev se baat karo wo zaroor samjhega. Or humesha khush raho tum thodi khiski hui hi acchi lagti ho. Roote hue ek dum kadoo lagti ho. Hehe!"
"Accha ji... main kadoo lagti hoon bhulo mat main tumse badi hoon. Waese kabhi kabhi mujhe bhi lagta hai."
Both of them laughed heartedly.
Rishita got tears in her eyes. Here was a girl who faced so much. She knew somewhere she and Dev were responsible for it. But she was encouraging her, and she was the only one who tried to understand from her point of view.
"Hmm... I hope so... Chodo na chal chalte hai madir aagya."
Both the girls went inside the temple and gave the pooja samagri to the poojari praying for well being of their loved ones and family.
Janardhan along with his wife had come to the same temple and was praying standing parallel to them. Rishita turned and saw her parents standing so close to her. It had been three months since she saw or talked to them. She missed them terribly. Sometimes Dev, other family, and of course her father himself never made it possible for her to get in touch with them. As soon as she took a step towards. Seth and his wife opened their eyes and saw their daughter in front of them. They both watched Rishita with despair and longing in their eyes. Seth loved his daughter to the moon and back and was unhappy with her decision of eloping. Why is it that children forget their parents who have loved them unconditionally from their birth in front of the love of a boy who she knew for just a few days? He was miffed that his daughter chose Dev over him. Mrs. Seth looked at her daughter who was now someone's wife standing before her eyes. How much she missed her daughter. She wanted to hug her, kiss, and cuddle her but she did not dare due to her husband.
Seth took a step forward but stopped as his ego came in between as a huge wall in between him and his daughter. Rishita took a step forward
"Mummy Daddy... aapklog kaese...."
"Chaliye Sethaniji ... humari pooja sampan ho gayi hai. Aab yahan rukk ke kya karenge? Faltu logo ke liye time nhi hai humare pass."
"Ye aap kya bol rahe hai ji ... humari beti..."
"Mar gayi meri beti!!"
"Dad aap aese mat bolo. Please for God's sake! ... main aapse bahut pyaar karti hoon."
"Beti are kaun si beti jisne apne baap ka naam iss tarah se samaj me uchaal diya wo bhi ek ladke ke liye. Aesi beti se accha hai ki humari koi beti hi nahi hoti."
"Aap aese mat boliyeji. Baghwan ke darbar me shubh shubh boliye."
Rishita was crying furiously. She swore in her heart she loved her family and Dev equally. The circumstances and zidd of her father forced her to take such a drastic step for her happiness. Why can't her father ever understand her? she was getting pissed off...
"Chaliye... iss batemeez ladki ke moo nahi lagna chahte hum."
Raavi was silently observing the reunion of the family. She was happy that they came face to face. Her innocent heart believed that it would make things better and dissolve all bitterness.
Rishita was irritated as her father won't listen to anything and his constant taunts channeled her anger. She bursted -
"Thik hai... Pata nahi Dad kis baat ki ego hai aapme. Aapke liye aapki ego aapke baccho se badi hai. Huhh! To thik hai main bhi maari nahi jaari aapse baat karne ke liye. Main soch longi ke mere maa baap marr gaye."
"Rishita ye tum kya bol rahi ho. Pagal ho gayi ho kya."
"Raavi tu beech me mat bol!"
Rishita didn't want to say this, in her anger, she could not control her tongue. But the damage was done. Janardhan's eyes were red in anger. His daughter - his heart and pride not only made him a laughingstock in the city by her act but also crushed him with her words. Steely, he replied
"Mil gayi Khushi aapko ... ya or kitna bezati karwana chati hai apni. Chaliye yahan se. Pata nahi lis manhoos ki nazar lag gayi jo ye samne aa gayi."
Mrs. Seth helplessly followed her husband and went from there leaving her heart there. Rishita was like a wounded lioness who was fighting to protect her broken heart. She masked her repenting heart with a thin smile and moved forward.
"Rishita tum yehh..."
"Dekh Raavi mujhe iss baare me koi baat nahi karni hai. Or ghar me bhi kisi ko nahi pata chalna chahiye warne fir drama shuru ho jayega... aaj ke liye itna kafi hai. Chal ghar chalte hai."
All the scenario was witnessed by Raavi. She silently observed Janardhan Seth's eyes- she saw hurt, anger, longing, and was almost sure she saw love as well. She could see that the father-daughter duo loved each other immensely but destroyed everything due to their ego. She sighed deeply and followed Rishita to go to her home.