My second attempt at a story....hope you like it.
This story is based on the next day after the Mangla Gaur festival and Pallavi fainting.
Raghav woke up in the morning with a heavy head. He as usual reached his arm across to the other side and felt the emptiness. He came back to his senses and remembered everything from the night before. He checked his phone and there were no missed calls or messages from Pallavi. He at once started to worry and started to call her when Farhad and Amma called out to him at the same time. Amma saying that breakfast is ready and Farhad saying that they had to get going. He quickly answered them and went to brush his teeth and get ready.
He walked out of the bathroom when he heard the phone ring. He looked at the display and saw that it was Pallavi. "Oh she now remembered that she has a husband." He answered the call and said that exact sentence to which Pallavi started yelling at him as to why he left her there. She went on and on about why he didnt take her with him and that it is his duty to be with her and take care of her. "Pati ka farz hota hai, patni ka khyaal rakhna." "Excuse me Mrs Pati ko Farz ka gyan dene wali, pehle apna patni farz nibhao phir mujhe gyan dena ke pati ka farz kya hota hai." Raghav hung up, leaving Pallavi speechless. He had never done that. She thought back and wondered what had happened last night.
Raghav stared ahead and was a litte confused as he thought back to their conversation. She was the one who asked Mandhar to take her upstairs and also asked him to not leave her which is why her Sanki baap told him that she had made her decision and he should leave. Ofcourse he was not going to leave as he trusted Pallavi and she wouldnt say that so he got upset and would have killed them had Amma not gotten him out of there. So what had happened actually happened? He had to find out.
He went downstairs and met Amma in the kitchen. He asked her if he could have a talk with her. They sat down and he started the conversation about the night before. Amma got tense and he said, "mein gussa nahin hun, mujhe sift poochna tha ke tum kuch dekha waha jab Pallavi dance kar rahi thi."
Amma replied, "Jee, maine Mandhar ko dekha woh Pallavi ko Godh me utha ke uppar leja rahatha. Maine tume doonda lekin tum waha nahi the."
"Acha, Pallavi, kya tired lagrahi thi?" Raghav asked.
"Nahin, woh tho so rahi thi." Amma answered.
"so rahi thi? Aisa kaise, 10 minute pehle woh mere saath baath kar rahithi. Maine unhe kheer khilaya phir who kahi ke unhe energy agayi to woh dance karne gayi. Phir maine Sunny ko dekha Keerti par chila rahatha tho maine unhe dekhne gaya. Jab me wapas aya tho maine dekha Mandhar ko, stairs ke paas Pallavi ko lejara hatha." Raghav explained to Amma.
Just then Raghav gets a call, its Aai. "Namaste Aai, kaise ho?"
Aai answered, "me tikh hun. tum kaise ho?"
Raghav answered that he was fine and he also apologized for his behaviour last night.
"koi baat nahi, me samaj sakti hun. Waise mujhe tumhe kuch poochna tha." Aai said.
"Ha poochiye, kya poochna hai." Raghav assured her.
"woh kal Pallavi ne tumhare liye kheer banaya tha. Tumne woh kheer khaya kya?" she asked
"Oh oops, maine tho khaya bhi nahin. Mujhe Pallavi khilane wali thi lekin woh log unhe dance ke liye legaye aur maine kaha usse ke meh unke haath se khaunga. Aur phir woh kehrahithi ke unhe energy chahiye toh maine unhe khilaya, aur phir woh sab drama huwa toh maine nahin khaya., Kuch bacha hai? Mai lene ajaunga aur khaunga zaroor kyunki meri Pallavi ne banaya tha" Raghav answered.
"Nahin, khana math, lekin abh khuch samaj me aaraha he. Maii tumhe 10 min ke baad Hotel Lotus me milsakthi hun?" she asked
"Ha ofcourse. Sabh tikh to hai na? Pallavi tikh toh hai na?" he asked a little worried.
"Abh sabh tikh hoga. Acha me phone rakhti hun. Miltehe 10 min ke baad." She said.
She ended the call and went to find Pallavi. Asked her to get ready and come with her. Mandhar was right there putting his clothes away and he asked where they were going. She answered saying, "woh bazaar se kuch samaan lena hai. Pallavi ko woh Italian dish banani hai, woh kya hai, lasagne. Toh unke liye mujhe nahi pata kaun sa samaan lena hai."
"ohh acha hai, mere liye kuch naya bana rahe ho." Mandhar answered all happy.
Pallavi looked and Aai and raised her eyebrows asking what is going on. Aai just blinked and looked at her which meant dont argue and just to trust her.
Pallavi got ready and they both left.
When they got to the hotel, Pallavi finally asked Aai again where they were going. She had asked her the whole way but Aai was quiet and told her to be patient. Also Aai had a small container with her as well which she refused to tell what it was.
When they got in to the restaurant, Pallavi looked around and saw a familiar face. The face that she dreamt of every night and admired and stared at every morning. The cause of her racing heartbeat right now. Her feet seemed to have a mind of their own and next thing she knew she was at his table and called his name, "Raghav." He got up and immediately they fell into each others arms. They would have stayed that way had Aai not come and coughed.
They both backed away and blushed. Raghav greeted Aai and then asked her did she call him here to meet with Pallavi and Aai replied, "Yes and also for another reason."
"Raghav, Pallavi ko kuch yaad nahin kya huwa kal raat ko aur yeh sabh huwa kheer khane ke baad. Usne subha se sirf lunch kiya tha aur woh thik thi. Phir woh kheer khane ke baad usse chakkar aya. Mujhe na thoda doubt lagra ha he." She explained.
Raghav and Pallavi looked at each other. Raghav asked Pallavi, "tumhe kya yaad hai?"
She answered, "woh kheer tum kha rahe the phir me dance karne gayi aur mujhe chakkar aya aur meh tumhe doond rahi thi aur tumhe bularahi thi. Phir pata nahin kya huwa. Mujhe laga tum ne mujhe sambala hoga."
Raghav looked at her and explained to her what he had seen which is Mandhar carrying her upstairs and after his talk with Amma she confirmed that she was asleep not tired like Mandhar said.
Pallavi looked mortified. "woh Mandhar ne mujhe unke room me le..le..le..ga..ya, Woh..woh..woh...mujse..." she stammered with her head down. Raghav lifted her chin and said, "me waha poncha jabh woh darwaza lock karr raha tha, toh tum uske saath bahut kam time thi." Pallavi[s eyes teared up and she looked at Raghav. Her eyes spoke volumes. She was mortified, angry, hurt, in pain and lastly guilty. Raghav wiped her tears and said, "dekho jab me waha tha toh kuch nahin huwa aur jab me gaya tabh sab log theh waha par. Mujhe lagta he tum safe thi.
Pallavi looked at Aai and asked, "Mandhar kaha so raha tha."
Aai replied, "woh aangan me so raha tha."
"Poori raat?" asked Pallavi
Aai looked down and didnt answer.
"Batao na Aai, woh poori raat tha bahaar. Aap log dekha usse?"
"Nahi maine nahi dekha usse poori raat lekin woh apna bistar leke waha gaya." answered Aai
Pallavi now started panicking. She was breathing heavy and her heart was racing. Her hands started shaking. what had happened last night? She looked at Raghav and he understood the fear in her eyes. He reached for her and held her against him reassuring her. He rubbed her hands to calm her shaky fingers. He too was now worried for her.
He cupped her cheeks and said, "dekho sabh kuch teekh hoga. Tum jab uthi toh tumhare kapre...." He couldnt continue but she understood what he was asking.
She looked at him and said, "woh kal raat wale kapre the."
Raghav just kept murmuring words of reassurance while he hugged her. He now wanted to kill that bast***.
Raghav knew now that Pallavi was not at fault but if that loser had done anything to her, he will dig a hole so deep and bury him alive that no one would be able to dig him out.
Aai was sitting quietly watching and listening to their conversation. She was now 100% convinced something had gone wrong and it had to do with that Kheer and somehow with her son as well. She voiced it out to the two. Raghav looked at her and understood what she was saying . Aai patted Pallavi's hand and said, "mujhe pata hai ke Mandhar mera beta hai, lekin mai unki ankhon me woh junoon dekhi hai tumhare liye. Aur jab tum waha nahi hoti aur Raghav ke saat baath karti ho tabh unko dohra parta hai, woh kyun?
"Lekin Aai..."Pallavi interruped.
"Baas Pallavi....abh tum yeh insaniyat ka gyan parra na chod doh. Sabh log tumhare achai ka faida uttah teh he. Mujhe batao tum Mandhar ko kitne din janti thi? bas doh din hi, aur tumne baath karne ka time bhi nahin mila kyun ki hum sabh theh waha toh phir woh sabh yaadein kaise yaad karega?" Pallavi just stared at her looking even more confused. She then turned to Raghav and he nodded and said, "Maine tumhe bataya tha ke woh mereko 7 din ka challenge kiya tha ke tujhe d house lejaye ga saat din ke under."
Aai looked shocked. "Kya?"
"Ha Aai, aur me Pallavi ko nahi bataya kyunke mujhe laga ke woh hurt hogi aur aap log bhi, toh me yeh sabh niptaunga lekin me gallat tha." Raghav looked sad
Pallavi reached for his hand and squeezed it reassuring him that she was still with him and he was forgiven. She understood that he had done it to save relations and to not hurt her Aai as Mandhar was her son and she would be heartbroken to learn of the things he had said but turns out Aai is the one who made the connections and was now investigating what had happened.
"oh ho woh me bhool gayi, maine woh kheer layi hai. Khana mat. Tum yeh test karne ke liye bejsak the ho, please? phir hame pata challega ke isme kuch tha ya nahin." She asked
Raghav nodded overwhelmed that Aai believed in him and was standing by them against her own son. Now he understood where Pallavi got her sanskaar from She would fight for the innocent even if that meant going against her loved ones. Just the way she had when Keerti was accused of causing the accident that supposedly killed Mandhar. Even then she fought for the truth and went again him too. He loved that about her. She was fearless when it came to people she knew were innocent and were falsely accused.
Aai then said bye and looked and Pallavi and said, "me bazaar me jaa rahi hun, tum yaha Raghav ke saath lunch karo."
"Par woh lasagne ke samaan?" asked Pallavi
Aai smiled and said, "maine internet me recipe doond li aur mujhe pata hai kya lena hai. Mai toh woh sirf tumhe ghar se bahar nikalne ka bahana tha."
Pallavi smiled and Aai left.
Raghav and Pallavi stared at each other and both at once said, "sorry!" and then laughed.
Pallavi rested her head on Raghav's chest and felt all the tension ebb away.
Raghav was stroking her head when the waiter came and asked them for their order. They both straightened themselves and ordered some snacks.
Raghav said, "toh abh kya?"
Pallavi said, "kal baba ne kya kaha tumse?"
Raghav looked at her questioningly wondering why she wanted to know. She nodded and urged him. He told her what had been said and Raghav could see that her eyes were emiting fire now. She was twisting her fingers in her sari and looked ready to burst. Raghav reached for her hands to calm her down. She then said, "Raghav mere paas ek plan hai."
Raghav smiled. His Sherlock ki Nani was back.
I hope you like it... Please comment and let me know how it was. This is just my second one. I usually have so many stories in my head and am only attempting to pen them down now as I am usually afraid to. Thank you for taking the time to read. Much love to all
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
