Blaring noises could be heard from outside as the streets of Somnath crowded with people scrambling to get some last-minute shopping done. The festivities had begun early in the morning. It was the day of Diwali and the preparations for its celebration were in full motion in Pandya Niwas. Every member of the family had been assigned their respective duties and were busy getting them done. Meanwhile, Krish had a plan of his own brewing within his mind. Ever since his mother had told him to look into booking a venue for Shiva and Disha's engagement ceremony, he had been feeling unsettled. He felt disgusted at even the slightest thought of it. No one could ever replace his Raavi bhabhi in Pandya Niwas, and especially not in Shiva's life. Krish knew he couldn't verbally oppose his mother, but he could do something for his bhaiyya and bhabhi to at least give them a push towards reconciling. He could see how they longed for one another; it was visible to even an outsider. How the two of them had maintained their distance yet never let their eyes stray away from one another sometimes made him chuckle. They were true tubelights.
Krish decided he couldn't have them pine away silently. Maybe, it was wrong of him to meddle but he wanted to give it a shot. Today was the last day to help them out; tomorrow, their divorce would be finalized. He was the only one who could give them a push. His mother was the one who was wreaking havoc in their lives so getting her to help would be out of the question. Both of his other older brothers were in a tiff with their wives and were lost amidst their own problems. It was up to him now, and Krish rubbed his hands evilly for effect, as he thought of what to do next.
*****
"Krish tu mujhe kahan lekar jaraha hai?! Chaar baj gaya hai, ghar me tayariyaan baaki hai, mujhe khud ready bhi hona hai. Yeh kya kar raha hai tu?" Raavi asked Krish for the umpteenth time.
"Bhabhi, chill karo na! Bas humara destination aane wala hai." Krish replied coolly.
After walking for another 5 minutes, they stopped in front of Pandya Store.
"Tu mujhe yahan kyun lekar aaya hai?!"
"Aap pehle andar toh chalo, main batata hoon." Krish replied and pulled her inside, taking her towards the storeroom in the back.
When Raavi saw Shiva in the storeroom, with his back turned towards them, she stopped in her tracks and looked at Krish accusingly.
"Tu kya karne ki koshish kar raha hai?" Raavi eyed Krish suspiciously. But he didn't reply.
Instead, Krish pushed Raavi into the room, snatching her phone from her hand in the process.
"Sorry bhabhi! Pann aaj yeh karna zaroori hai!" Krish yelled as he shut the door and put a lock on the latch. He put the keys back in his pocket and hummed to himself, finally hearing Shiva shout from the other side.
"Ae gadheda! Yeh kya badtameezi hai? Darwaza khol." Shiva growled from the other side.
"Ab yeh darwaza tab hi khulega jab aap log apna sab problem solve karlo. Raat ko aaunga check karne ke liye. Dukaan toh abhi band hone wala hai na, toh koi aur nahi aayega bachane ke liye. Maa se keh dunga ki Raavi bhabhi maami ye yahan chali gayi, aur tujhe dukaan se aane mein der hojayegi. Kaam tamaam. Tum dono ka phone bhi mere paas hai. Enjoy yourselves!" Krish spoke out in glee, swiping Shiva's phone from the counter. He stepped outside, locked the store, and went back home merrily.
*****
Shiva banged on the door with heavy fists, his temper reaching a volcanic high.
"Krish!!" Shiva yelled out, but not a sound could be heard from outside. His idiotic brother had locked them up and left.
"Gadheda kahinka. Tu waapas toh aa, tera maine bharta nahi bana diya toh mera naam Shiva nahi." He muttered out loud.
Raavi stared at the sight in front of her with widened eyes and a thudding heart.
"Woh sach mein chala gaya?" Raavi whispered, and finally, Shiva turned to look at her. His darkened eyes swirling with a multitude of emotions almost knocked her off her feet.
"Haan. Sab teri galati hai! Tu usske saath aayi hi kyun?" Shiva asked. He knew she wasn't at fault. How could she have known what Krish had been thinking, but his anger was getting the best of him. More than his anger, it was the anguish residing within him making him talk so harshly. Ever since he had heard about the final date of their last court hearing, his mind had been constantly playing games with him. His inner voice would taunt him for causing this mess to happen in the first place. His heart would experience pangs of hurt at the thought of not being bound to Raavi through a legal relationship. He thought he was setting her free and doing it for her happiness, so why did it feel so wrong now? He wanted to be bound to her, not just legally, but also mentally and physically. He wanted to be with her in all aspects. He wanted to put a stop to the divorce, to the games his mother was playing, to his anguish, to Raavi's hurt and suffering. But he was afraid. What if Raavi didn't feel the same way? Her reactions these past few days made him hopeful. When he saw her get into an accident in front of his eyes, his soul wilted at the sight. The fear he experienced made him tremble from within. It was an unshakeable fright, one he had only experienced once before, and that too was with her. She evoked emotions within him that he never thought would be possible. That day, when he took her into his arms and found her breathing softly in his embrace, he was able to let out a shaky sigh, but it still felt like it wasn't enough. He needed her even closer. He had shivered, and his lips had quivered as he tried to make sense of what happened. The accident had rendered him powerless, and he didn't appreciate that feeling at all. He felt weak, he felt hopeless, he felt like he had lost his everything the moment she tumbled from the bike. And so he had clutched onto her tightly, and pulled her against him, leaving not an inch of space. He needed to have her in his arms to make sure she was safe and sound. His soul felt like it had been deprived of a necessity but the moment he felt her tightening her arms around him, the restlessness slowly dissipated with concern and tenderness overarching every other feeling. He was shaken beyond measure, and he wanted to protect her forever. With his emotions boiling up to a point of no return, he had decided to let out his feelings when they went back home but her phone had rung, bringing him back to reality. He couldn't take away her chance at freedom if that was what she desired. So he bottled up his emotions, and slowly withered away internally. But he had made a promise to himself that day. No matter the circumstances between them, he would always be there to shield her from whatever harm may come her way. His mother told him not to, but that wasn't something she could impose upon him. He would fortify Raavi's wellbeing until he breathed.
"Shiva, issmein meri kya galati hai? Mujhe kya aakashwani aayi thi ki Krish yeh sab karega?" Raavi asked, glaring at him, effectively bringing him out of his thoughts. But when she saw the look on his face, her gaze immediately softened.
"Tu sahi hai. Galati teri nahi, meri hai." Shiva said in a tone displaying, dare she say, hurt and looked away. They weren't talking about Krish anymore, she knew.
Kya chal raha hai tere andar, Shiva? Tu kuch bolta kyun nahi? Aise aankhein kyun chura leta hai? Ek baar kuch keh kar toh dekh. Raavi thought to herself, her eyes tearing up on their own accord. The mess that had been made of her life was neverending. Starting from her wedding to Shiva up until now - with the divorce looming upon their heads. She had wanted an out from the ceaseless problems that tumbled her way, but she had never wanted her relationship with Shiva to end. At first, it was her love for the Pandya family speaking, but as time went by, she realized she wanted to give their marriage a chance. She looked forward to a future with him, but it all came down shattering one day. She only signed the divorce papers because she thought it was what he wanted. At that point, she hadn't realized the impact his presence had on her life, but when she was forced to live away from him and then witnessed the possibility of his name being bound to another girl, something had snapped within her. Not only was she irked, but the anguish she felt within every fiber of her being was unbearable. Just because she went about her life with a smile did not mean it hurt any less. She put up a facade to cover up her vulnerability, but every moment kaki had taunted her had hurt her beyond measure. Every moment when that Disha had flaunted her presence in front of her had made Raavi want to punch the living daylights out of her. And when such thoughts fluttered through her mind, she was forced to think about why she was so extremely affected by the recent happenings. That's how she chanced upon her growing feelings for Shiva. Neither had she wanted a divorce nor had she wanted to stay away from him. Despite her efforts, she found herself drawn to him. Every time she stumbled into him, every time he steadied her, every brush of their hands, every eye lock, every bit of their proximity reinforced her childhood connection with him and her need to stay around him. Their worlds had never existed without one another, so how could they now do this to themselves? When her accident had happened, the way he had cradled her in his arms made her forget all her woes. Not even the slight injuries she had retained had any impact upon her. All that mattered was being in his arms. She felt safe and secure. A crippling fear had gripped her heart, and she wasn't sure if it was her accident that induced it or the fact that she would cease to have the right to be in his arms after their divorce. She had instantly found herself scrambling to get closer to him, to feel the warmth of his body seep into her skin. The way he had caressed her head and rubbed her shivering form, comforting her instantly caused an all-encompassing feeling to reverberate through her bones. To witness his care for her brought her irrevocable joy, and she wished time could come to a stand-still at that moment. She captured and memorized every microsecond of that moment, craving for more. She wanted to save their relationship. But did he want the same? That was the question that kept her from verbalizing her feelings.
As they sat at opposite ends of the storeroom, Raavi watched the sag in Shiva's shoulders. His eyes seemed hollow, his face devoid of emotion. He was good at masking his emotions; it's what he had always done, but Raavi decided she had had enough. It was now or never. She would make use of this time given to her and make him talk today. What else did she have to lose now? However, actually letting words escape her mouth was easier said than done. She opened her mouth to talk but eventually let it shut when the correct words didn't make themselves known to her. The pent-up frustration almost made her want to pull her hair out.
After mustering up all the courage she could find, a few words managed to break out of her mouth.
"Shiva." She whispered.
The faintest of sound from her and his eyes snapped up immediately. Shiva heard her loud and clear. His gaze zeroed in on her frame, seated on a stool, and staring straight at him. His heart thudded a bit faster observing the look in her eyes.
"Kal humara talaq hojayega." Raavi stated, a solemn look present on her face.
"Haan. Tu toh bahot khush hogi na?" Shiva asked.
"Main hi kyun, tu bhi toh khush hoga na?" Raavi asked back, a challenging glint appearing in her eyes.
"Mere sawaal ka jawaab apne sawalon se mat de." Shiva replied.
"Tujhse hi seekha aise baaton ko avoid karna." Raavi retorted.
Shiva shook his head at her statement before continuing. "Talaq ke baad, tu azaad hojayegi. Tu apni zindagi apne hisaab se ji sakegi. Tujhe iss kirane ki dukaan se mukti milegi. Apne life mein aage badh payegi." The words almost left a bitter taste in his mouth. He started off the whole thing for her wellbeing, but right when the end is near, a feeling of dread was filling him up every second leading up to that moment. Why did it not feel so right anymore? He realized he wasn't adamant about carrying out his once well-thought-out idea anymore. He felt himself yearning to be selfish for once, but it might be too late.
"Mukti mujhe nahi, tujhe chahiye tha, Shiva. Divorce papers tune hi bheje the." Raavi spoke, hurt overpowering every other emotion she was feeling at that moment.
Shiva looked back at her, watching her eyes fill up with unshed tears. His heart clenched painfully. He did that. He was the reason for her tears and the thought of it made him want to hurt himself. He closed his fists tightly, digging his nails into his skin, feeling a sting start to make itself known soon enough. But he didn't stop.
"Pata hai. Galati meri hai aur saza tu bhugat rahi hai." And as he spoke those words, he felt his skin break, and a warm liquid gushed over his right palm. He didn't feel the pain; it was nothing compared to what his heart felt; to what Raavi had been feeling all this time. He welcomed the pain with open arms.
Raavi watched blood oozing over his palm and a strangled cry escaped her lips. She ran forward and found the reason for his wound. His palm was holding an open box cutter in his hand. She grabbed it out of his palm and threw it away.
"Pagal hogaya hai kya, Shiva?! Kitna khoon beh raha hai! Roka kyun nahi khudko chot pohochane se pehle?!" Raavi yelled at him, as tears gushed down her cheeks.
"Main issi ke layak hoon." Shiva stated with a slight tremble in his voice.
Raavi let out a whimper. "Chup! Ekdam chup. Pata hai tu bhootnath hai. Isska yeh matlab nahi ki aisi harkatein tu karte phire. Dard tujhe bhi hota hai. Tu dikhana nahi chahta pann mujhe sab dikhta hai." Finding nothing else that could be useful in treating his wound, she tore out a piece of her dupatta and pressed it on his wound to stop the bleeding. She wrapped it around his palm and tied a knot tightly.
"Mere iss chot se tujhe itna farak kyun padh raha hai?" Shiva asked, wowed by the concern she had shown for him. The same feeling made its way back into his guts that he had felt the day he burned his fingers and Raavi had tended to his scalding injury. It made him feel important to her. It made him feel like there was light at the end of the tunnel for them. It made him feel something akin to inebriation. It made him feel hopeful, again.
Raavi let out a chuckle out of the blue and pulled his hand closer to her heart. "Tujhe kya lagta hai ki fikar karna sirf tera haq hai? Jaise meri accident ke baad teri jaan nikal rahi thi, waise hi teri chot se mujhe bhi bahot dard hua. Dobara aisa mat karna."
Her chuckle and her answer startled Shiva. His heart lurched at the thought of her feeling something for him. He thought hate was the only word she would use in conjunction with his name, but the past couple of months, and especially the past few days, had changed his opinion.
"Tu has kyun rahi hai?"
"Kyun na hasun? Jinn logon ka talaq hone wala hota hai, kya woh humare tarah bartaav karte hai? Kya unnhe ek dusre ki itni chinta hoti hai?" Raavi asked, her head tilting ever so lightly, as she stared at Shiva with an adoring gaze.
Shiva let out a small laugh of his own, shaking his head at their eccentric situation. "Hum ajeeb hai. Hamesha se aise hi the."
"Mujhe hum aise hi pasand hai. Thode se ajeeb, thode se tedhe, pann sab se alag." Raavi declared with conviction.
Her words were igniting a fire within his heart. Shiva was having a hard time keeping in the bubbling questions. He felt like he might just burst in a minute or two. Without giving himself the chance to ponder further or take a step back, he blurted out, "Toh tujhe kya chahiye, Raavi? Tu bata, tujhe talaq final karwana hai ya phir..." He trailed off, his confidence waning as he stared at Raavi watching him like a hawk.
"Sentence poora kyun nahi kiya?" Raavi asked, quirking her brows at Shiva.
"Woh..woh..main..." Shiva stammered, and before he could say anything further, Raavi stepped up in front of him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Shiva stood gobsmacked, feeling the erratic beating of his heart go haywire.
"Tujhe kya lagta hai? Itna sab kuch hojane ke baad, main tujhe uss Disu se rishta jodne dungi?"
"Disu?" Shiva chortled at the name.
"Haan, kaki bulati hai na usse bade pyaar se. Disu...chhii. Dayan hai woh. Mann toh karta hai ki usske baal pakad kar ghaseette hue usse ghar se bahar phenk doon." Raavi gritted her teeth, feeling her anger building up.
Shiva watched Raavi reaction, amused by the sight in front of him. "Yeh nazara dekhne ke liye toh main paise bhi bhar doon."
"Haan, of course. Tujhe bada maza aayega. Khud toh yeh kar nahi paya, haina?" Raavi taunted.
"Ae chipkali. Maine uss chipku ladki ko bahot baar keh diya ki mujhe usse rishta nahi jodna. Woh baat hi nahi maanti. Besharam kahinki. Agli baar woh dikhi toh ussko aisa sunaunga ki woh Somnath hi chhodh kar bhaag jayegi." Shiva stated, his nose flaring.
"Good. Aisa hi hona chahiye." Raavi stated, feeling supremely elated. "Toh..." She continued.
"Toh kya?" Shiva asked.
"Toh talaq cancel?" Raavi asked, a wide smile making its way onto her face.
"Hm, cancel." Shiva answered, with a smile of his own. His heart finally felt at peace after days and days of endless suffering. He let his arms wander, and they finally found a spot to rest upon: her waist. Gripping her tightly, he pulled her close to him, leaving not an inch of space in between them, just as he liked.
Raavi gasped lightly. Feeling his hands perched upon her waist ignited within her a ferocious need; the need to always be close to him; the need to feel his arms around her; the need to have her arms wrap around his muscular torso, finding her safe haven within the delicate warmth of his arms. She closed the distance and hugged Shiva tightly, letting her face rest upon his chest. Her eyes closed on their own accord, feeling a sort of divine serenity she hadn't had the pleasure of experiencing in a long time. Her small fists found the fabric of his shirt and clutched it tightly within her grasp, fearing he would disappear if she let go.
Shiva tucked his chin above her head, feeling her resting her head upon his chest, right where his heart lay beating rhythmically. He smiled and closed his eyes, knowing that she who belonged in his arms had finally found her rightful place and taken purchase of all the surfaces available to her. He didn't mind at all; his heart, mind, and soul had ceased to exist as his the day he got drawn to her. Everything he owned was his chipkali's after all. He tightened his arms around her, sighing deeply in content, never wanting to let go. It felt like heaven on earth. It sounded cheesy but it was true. After experiencing hell for the past few months, the present moment felt like a blessing straight from the heavens above.
"Shiva." Raavi mumbled, still stuck to his torso.
"Hmm?"
"Humare baare mein abhi kisi ko mat batana." Raavi replied, nuzzling her face further into his chest. Now that she had had the luxury of being in his arms to her heart's content, she wanted even more. She just couldn't get enough of him. She had a feeling she would be making excuses to affix herself to him in the days that were to follow. She had every right to do so as well, after all, he was her husband. The thought had her ebullience threatening to burst.
Shiva opened his eyes at her odd request. "Kyun? Tu nahi chahti ki hum sabko aaj ke din khushiyaan de?"
"Woh baat nahi hai. Main bas....mujhe tere saath woh sab kuch experience karna hai jo hum shaadi se pehle nahi kar paye."
"Matlab?" Shiva furrowed his brows, as Raavi looked up him.
"Matlab yeh ki jaise ek boyfriend aur girlfriend hote hai, waise hi hum bhi ho sakte hai."
"Ae pagal chipkali, humari shaadi ho chuki hai." Shiva answered with a deadpan look.
"Pata hai bhootnath! Mujhe na jaise ladka ladki chup chup ke milte hai aur ek saath waqt bitate hai, woh sab kuch experience karna hai. Socho, kitna maza aayega?! Bas tu, main, aur humari chhoti si duniya. Bikes rides aur dates pe jaenge. Time spend karenge. Tu mujhe phool de sakta hai." At the last bit, Shiva coughed harshly, making Raavi glare at him. He smirked in return.
Raavi continued talking. "Humare paas toh mauka bhi hai aur dastoor bhi. Ek hi ghar mein chup chup ke milna, humare family members ko bahane maar ke ullu banana taaki hum dono bahar ja sake, raat ko phone pe baat karna..." Raavi squealed in delight.
Shiva gave her an exasperated look.
"Yeh look mat de. Mujhe pata hai tu nahi samjhega, pann ek baar try karke toh dekhte hai. Mujhe tere saath bahot si khoobsurat memories banani hai, aur shuruwat aise hi karna hai. Humare bachpan ke saath, yeh nayi yaadein jodni hai." Raavi pleaded and jutted her lips for effect.
Seeing those lips and eyes of hers, Shiva melted immediately. He realized Raavi possessed the power to make him do anything. He decided to keep that a secret. God knows what she would use that knowledge for if she ever found out about it.
"Theek hai." Shiva replied, his eyes twinkling.
"Itni jaldi maan gaya?" Raavi asked, pursing her lips.
"Tujhe tere hisse ki khushiyaan deni hai, na? Kaise na maanu?"
"Meri khushi toh tere saath rehne mein hai." Raavi smiled warmly, her heart fluttering at the softness Shiva was extending towards her. Never had she thought her bhoothnath could ever feel something beyond hatred for her. Times had changed, and she was so very grateful.
Shiva leaned forward and cupped her cheeks tenderly. His touch sent her reeling into a universe filled with all things extraordinary. He brushed his lips against her temple, letting them linger for just a few seconds. Her skin was cool to the touch, but he felt his body quickly heating up from their proximity. Raavi blushed a bright red, feeling her entire face flame up. Her breath quickened as she looked up at him in a daze.
Shiva laughed at her, breaking her out of her stupor. "Tamatar lag rahi hai."
"Shut up!" Raavi slapped his shoulder lightly, before attacking him with a hug again.
*****
This was supposed to turn out differently, but it ended up being something else. I had an idea to make them go behind their family's backs and cancel the divorce and then spend some moments together while making excuses to every family member, but before I could get to that, I ended up writing all of this. And I decided to include locking them up in a room because that's something I've been wanting for a while 😆 I had to end it there since I didn't have any energy left to write any further. I might write another part, but it depends on my mood (sorry :P) Until then, I'll leave it as an OS!
Hope you all enjoyed it! Please, do ignore any mistakes as I wrote it in haste and didn't have time to go through it again.
Cricket
