HELLOOOS,
Back with an update. Enjoy reading.
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PART 12
Raavi walked into the main door highly tired from such a long day. She was up last night chatting with her cousins as they were coming back today. So they spent the night together gossiping on anything and everything. Then early morning, they started preparation for her send off as per her dadi's wish. To add to that her maasi kept hurrying to leave much to her and Shiva's surprise. She literary made the driver fly the car to Somnath. Raavi felt she would faint the moment her head touch the pillow sleeping to oblivion. If she managed to keep her bhoothnath with her for longer as her cuddling teddy next morning, it would be cherry to the icing. She sighed imagining her pleasant sleepy diary and didnāt notice the step. Shiva wound his hands around her holding her securely to his chest as she was about to fall,
āSambhal ke chal na chipkali. Gir jati aab. Aur yaha aise andhera kyun kar rakha hai. Kuye ka light bhi nahi jala ke rakhaā, Then only Raavi noticed the utter darkness around the house.Where was everyone? Did they sleep already?
ālagta hai sab so gaye. ā,
āitna jaldi?? Hum aane wale hain yeh log jaante hai na. Bhabi toh hum na sone tak nahi soti. Aur yeh Krish toh raat taak phone pe.........ā, Shiva's grumblings stopped abruptly as the lights came to life blinding them momentarily. As their sight adjusted, they took in the view in front of them. Their angan was decorated beautifully with a banner of āHAPPY 1ST WEDDING ANNIVERSARYā. The banner had two pictures of them. One from their wedding ceremony and another which they were sure was their first photo together ā nearly two years old Shiva looking at a giggling one year old Raavi with a frown. ShiVi looked at each other surprised. Their whole family came out shouting surprise and rushed to hug the astonished duo.
āSaal giramubarak ho mere bacche. Main tere liye itni khush hu. Mujhe toh kitna cinta thake tu baal bramhachari na reh jaye. Par aab toh tera kudka parivar bhi hogajaaldi. Haina!?ā, Dhara patted Shiva's cheek affectionately, t
ākya Di saare pyaar aapka favourite bacche par utar do ke kya?ā, Raavi pouted making Shiva shook his head. Dhara laughed and cupped both their faces,
āAgar yeh mere favourite hai na toh tu meri khaass baccha haiā,
āmatlab Raavi saahi hai yeh Fire storage aapka favourite hai. Not done bhabiā, Dev whacked Shiva who proudly pulled his collars,
āaaj iska itna special din hai. Favourite din hai. Aaj isse banne de. Tere special din mein tu ban jana. Saaru?ā,
āisliye mein khullam khulla kehta hu mere favourite bhabi toh yeh hai. No competitionā, Krish exclaimed side hugging Raavi, ābhabi maine aap ko kitna miss kiya. Yeh rishita bhabhi ko na gossip kar na nahi aata. Aab mein chain se gossip kar payungaā,
āaee nautanki, roz phone mein do do ghante kya bakta tha tuā,
ābas idhar udhar ke bateinā
āmatlab chugliyanā,
āShiva tu mere devar se aise baat nahi kar saktaā,
āpehle mera bhai hai yeh, tere devar ke line baad mein samjhiā,
ālo inka saal gira jhagarke khatam kara raha hai tu Krishā, Rishita said making everyone shake their heads,
ālikhke le lo Rishita, inn ka shuruat bhi jhagarke huya hogaā
ātum log apna chapar chapar baad mein kar na pehle cake cut te hai, kyu bhagodi ki beti? Tere bacche thake huye hai, nehi dikh raha tujheā,
Shiva took a look at the cake and burst out laughing making everyone grin at him minus Raavi. Shiva turned her head downwards to the cake and her eyes literary popped out.There, over the cake, it was written āHappy Anniversary Bhooton ka Raaja and Chipkalyon ke beauty queen'. A bhoot that resembled vampire actually and a Chipkali was also drawn there.
āSomnath ke sabse khoobsurat ladki likhni chaiye tha na Krishā,
āaab dekho humare bhi anniversary hai. Iss nathe humne yeh liberty khud li haiā,
ātum logo ke? Woh kaise?ā,
āpichle ek saalse Chipkali, Pisach, Bhootnath, Chudail. Bandar, Bandariya, Coohiya, gorilla, sher, sherni - matlab pure ke pure zoo ek hi ghar me jhel ne ka anniversaryā,
āToh phir iss cake mein tujhe chubana banta haiā, Shiva wound his arm around Krishās neck pinching his cheek who tried to wriggle out of his grip only to have Shiva tighten his hold,
āArreh nahi nahi Shiva. Mujhe cake khane ka bahot maan hai aaj Aur yeh toh Raavi ka favourite Red Velvet hai. Isske saal aise annya mat karā,
āsirf aap bol rahi ho bhabi isliyeā, Rishita hugged Shiva wishing him more happy anniversaries.
It felt like yesterday when they got to know about Dev and then his mamikibehankebeti declared them to be secret lovers. He looked at Raavi who hada slight twinkle in her eyes. She blushed hearing whatever Rishita whispered to her as they hugged each other. But it didnāt feel strange. He was married to Raavi and loved her. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. As if they had been always like this - like their made up story.
Taking the first piece, both went to Suman and fed her. She too fed them and hugged them. She was happy. She never thought Prafulla's daughter could be a part of her family. Raavi proved her wrong. She was so innocent and naive yet so responsible. Her maasi's harshness never seemed to touch her even. She loved her for that. Suman lovingly kissed their forehead blessing them. They next went to Dhara who made them feed each other first,
āNormally, pati patni ek dusre ko khilate aur wish karte haiā,
āpar bhabi yeh dono kaha normal haiā,
Ignoring Krish, ShiVi fed Dhara and kissed her on either of cheek. Gaumbi fed them first and pulled Raavi's cheek lovingly. Dev hugged the two wishing them only to have Krish join them turning it into a group hug. At last they fed Krish and Raavi ruffled his hairs lovingly and Shiva kissed his fore head.
āgift timeā, Krish jumped almost shouting loudly as they were finished with feeding each other. Everyone chuckled at his excitement. They settled in the sitting area dumping all the gifts on Raavi's lap. Raavi grinned at all the gifts. She loved gifts Shiva knew that. That didnāt mean he would sit quiet.
āaap log kaise ho? Cake chipkali special, saare gifts bhi. Main kaun!!ā,
āTumere bhoothnath hai. Don't worry. Main karungi nah tere sath share inn mein seek doā, Raavi smiled showing her all teeth as Shiva scowled,
āTu khol Raaviā,
Raavi opened the first gift that was from Suman. She gave gold bangles to Raavi and a gold locket to Shiva. Dhara and Gaumbi gifted them paired watches. Dev āRishita gifted them with movie tickets. Rishita also gifted Raavi a windchime that she had wished to buy.
āab meri bariā, Shiva shook his head at Krishās antics as he read the card that says āto my favourite bhabi and her bhoothnath'. Inside was an album that had ShiVi written on the cover beautifully.
āKhol na Shiva, mujhe tum logo ka bachpan ka photos dekh na hai par yeh Krish suspense create karke rakha haiā,
The first page had a description of the two and their uncountable verbal WW sessions. Next page had a photo of probably 8 years old Shiva and Raavi grinning at the camera with their hands on each others shoulder. But there was a empty spacebeside it.
āKrish, yeh khali kyun haiā,
āisliye bhabiā, Krish showed the photo he had insisted to take before they cut the cake where they were giving somewhat similar pose - only Raavi had her hand around Shiva's waist here, āthen and nowā,
ātu na bakwas ka fb chalana ban kar. Kya kya idea ata haiā,
Next photo was their individual photo with their respective parents. Both stared at those photos wistfully and glanced at each other. As they kept turning the pages they were suddenly flooded with so many memories. They started narrating the events behind those photos while Rishita listened engrossed fully.
One picture had Shiva scowling at the camera with pure distaste as Dev and Raavi grinned beside him. Gaumbhi shared the memory of that day with them. They had gone to the studio to click photo in their school uniform. Shiva wasn't fond of either school or the uniform. So he created a ruckus about it only to get Raavi's attention to the matter. Raavi then insisted on joining them and forced Shiva to take multiple pictures contrary to what he intended. Older Shiva still made a face seeing the photo.
There was aphoto of both of them with Darshan Pandya - he had Raavi in his arms while Shiva was making face at a giggling Krish. Both of them at GauRa's marriage ceremony glaring at each other as they hugged Dhara. Photo from Dev's 18th birthday where Raavi managed to squeeze in between Shiva and Dev - even though she was standing beside Dev, she and Shiva had their attention on each other as if threatening each other about something. Shiva's 18th birthday where Raavi was rubbing cakes all over his face grinning at the camera while he looked ready to murder someone. A 15 year old Shiva smirking at the camera with his arms encircled around a sulking Raavi's neck ā Raavi was in a fowl mood that day and Shiva made her click photo forcibly. Then a photo came where a 19 year old Shiva had his hand fractured and Raavi was writing on his bandage gleefully.
As Dhara narrated the story behind it, Raavi couldnāt but think how different was her memory of that day from that of Dhara's. It was Ankush bhai's wedding day. Whole Pandya and Narayan family was invited. Ankush shared a close bond with both Gautam and Hardik. So Raavi knew the Pandyas was surely going to attend the wedding. She had planned to ask Dev to a date that day. She had worn her best dress and was looking really pretty. They reached before the Pandyas and she waited for Dev's arrival. But when Dev did arrive she could only frown. Reason? That bhoothnath wasn't with him. Neither were Dhara or Krish. Only Gautam, Hardik and Dev came. On inquiry, she got to know Shiva had fractured his hand. Hence he was resting. Dhara and Krish refused to leave his side but forced the other to attend the wedding. Raavi got restless when she heard all this and wanted to go to Pandya Niwas. But her maasi wouldn't allow her that. Raavi faked headache and left for home giving excuses. When her maasi and anita asked if they should accompany, she made them stay by emotional blackmailing with āAnkush bhai will feel bad, kaki won't be pleased blah blah'. Then she straight went to Pandya Niwas to fuss over her bhoothnath. When asked the reason behind her visit, she replied saying she had a headache and needed Dhara's magical Kaada. She had stayed with him till Gaumbi and Dev came back and she had to leave. Now that she thought back to that day, she remembered forgetting Dev the moment she heard of Shiva. Then she even drank that awful tasteless Kaada just to stay there. She did actually draw a chipkali and a bandar on his bandage to irritate him some more but didnāt know Krish had that moment captured. Surprisingly she totally forgot about her plan of proposing Dev till Shiva wasn't back to his full health which was after 2 weeks. Once he was fine, she did start her Dev jaap again. She looked at Shiva who was smiling hearing Dhara's story. He too looked up and as their eyes met, he caught on the look in her eyes. He wondered if there was more to the story.
Then there are pictures post there revelation. One with Dhara caught between the two, one from the day their wedding date was fixed, one with both of them trying to pose modestly on Krish's insistence. As they went through all the photos, Raavi realised it was her bhoothnath all her life. She claimed to love Dev but still it was all about Shiva. She did feel heart broken when she had to let go her dream of marrying Dev. But why? Because seeing this pictures, she couldnāt find him in her memories either. There was always Shiva threatening her to leave Dev, forget Dev. While she chased after denying to do whatever he said. She knew Shiva had become important to her now. But had it been always like that?
āIts so fascinating na. Bola jaye toh tum dono apna pura zindagi ek saath guzaro ge. Ek dusre ke saath apna bachpan gujare ho. Apna budapa bhi guzaroge. Ek dusre ka har ehem pal ka hissa ho tum dono. Ghum ki ho yaa khushi ki. This is so different and special. Ek alag hi andaz hai. Isliye itni khas lgati hai tum dono ka story mujheā,
Rishita was right. If they looked back now, they could clearly see what they were for each other. Despite all his hatred, he cared for her and looked out for her. They had shared every significant, insignificant moments with each other. They were woven around each so intimately that it was impossible to separate. Raavi never celebrated her birthday without Shiva. Again it was Raavi who wished him first after his family. Raavi despite all her cheerfulness used to feel sorrow on her parents anniversary. It was Shiva who would invade her privacy forcefully that day not letting her mope around. Raavi used to hover around Shiva at his father death anniversary making sure he didnāt see her. She knew her maasi was to blame and she was a reminder of her maasi's deeds to him. She would run to himfor her problem only to find them solved magically which she credited to Dev. Now they knew it was destiny's plan to lead them to each other. It was destinyās way to make Shiva see beyond his meaningless hatred for her and to make Raavi realise what was Shiva for her.
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