Well, this was tough one to write. I couldn’t get myself to write too many dialogues for Raavi coz it was heartbreaking in itself, writing this. And please ignore the mistakes, didn’t get time to read through it again.
Chapter 4
——————————-At Hardik’s house—————
There’s a sudden creak from the door and we see Maami and Anita entering the house.
Maami rushes off to Raavi hugging her "Ehh Raavi, mere bacchi kaisi hai tu, main tujhe ghar lene aayi hoon. Agar yeh log yahan kya kar rahe hai, bhai, aur meri phool si bacchi ka haal banaya hai tum logon ne" touching her face trying to get a good look at her well being.
Raavi steps away and says "Maasi maa, aap yahan kya kar rahe ho, yeh sab kuch jo bhi hua, aapke aur Anita di ke wajah se ho raha, Aap ne hi dhoke se mujhse paper sign karwaye the na, agar main aapki asli beti hoti toh kya aap aisa karti" getting straight to the point.
Maami looks at her bewildered "Raavi, yeh tu kya bol rahi hai, Maine jo bhi kiya teri bhalaai ke liye kiya, tujhe uss jangli jaahil se saath main kaise rehne deti"
Raavi went off at Maami like "Maasi aap Shiva ki insult nahi kar sakti, yeh sab aapki wajah se hua hai, bachpan se leke aaj tak aapne humesha Pandya Pariwar ko bas dukh ke alawa aur kuch diya hi nahi, aap hi ki inn harkaton ke wajah se Shiva aaj tak kabhi mujhpe bharosa hi nahi karpaya, uske liye main humesha se uski maami ki behen ki beti hai reh gayi, kabhi Raavi ban hi nahi paaya" she sobbed thinking about how she had failed.
Maami explains "Raavi meri bacchi, main bas teri khushi chahti thi, aur woh tujhe uss jangli se chutkara milkar hi hota"
Raavi starts applauding her maasimaa for this and mocks her "Meri khushi ke liye kiya, achaa, dekhiye maasi, main kitni khushi hoon" pointing at herself, laughing sarcastically and then her expression turn grave and with hurt in her eyes she continued "aap meri khushi kabhi samajh hi nahi paaya, aap samajh hi nahi paayi ki main Shiva ke saath finally khushi thi, par aap ko meri kahan padhi hai, aap ko bas kaki se revenge lena tha, haaina, uss mein aapne mere sab kuch barbaad kar diya, ab toh aapko khush hona chahiye maasi, aap jeet gayi, aapko aapki jeet mubarak"
She walked to Anita and said "Aur Anita Di, aap, aapko toh mujhe behen kehte hue bhi sharam aati, aap itna kaise gir sakte ho, aap ne Dhara Di ke bacche ke saath aisa karne ka socha bhi kaise, aur aapne aapke plan mein mujhe bhi fasa diya, kyun, maine aapka kya bigaada" pointedly.
She finally breaks down on the floor "Kya bigaada tha, maine aap sab ka ki aap sab ka ki aap ne mere saath aisa kiya, kisi ko bhi farak nahi padta, koi kuch bhi aake keh deta hai, suna deta hai, kar deta hai, kyun mujhe chain se jeene nahi dete, bandh kijiye yeh tamasha, please, mujhse aur handle nahi hoga"
Meanwhile there was someone at the door who was deeply pained watching her look so shattered. Shiva had never seen her this helpless and this broken down before, and he was the sole reason for it, if only he had controlled his anger and shown a little bit of trust, things would’ve been so different, she had done everything for him and his family and he had only given her pain in return. As he was gonna go rush off to console her, he sees Gaumbi reach out to her and say "Shaanth ho jaa Raavi, sambhal apne aap ko, tu toh strong bacchi hai na, tu zara sa bhi pareshan mat ho, aaj se koi tujhe kisi cheez ke liye force nahi karega, naa hi koi kuch sunaayega, tujhe apni zindagi ki nayi shuruwat karni thi na, issi liye college gayi thi na aaj, toh aaj se tu wahi kar jo tujhe sahi lage, aur koi tujhe tokega nahi, iski guarantee main leta hoon, chal ab uth aur kamre mein jaake aaram kar, aur aap sab ghar chale jaaye, aaj ke liye yahan bohut tamasha ho gaya" in a final tone.
Hearing this, Shiva steps out quickly and hides in an alley nearby, thinking about Raavi. He quickly realises, going in now would make things worse and he doesn’t want Raavi to face any more pain because of him.
"Yeh sab kuch meri wajah se hua hai, aaj Raavi itni takleef mein hai, toh sirf aur sirf meri wajah se, pann tu bharosa rakh Chipkali, main sab kuch theek kar doonga" wiping the lone tear that had managed to squeeze through from his right eye.
After half an hour of standing there, forlorn, thinking about her, he thinks to go check up on her, because his heart doesn’t want to go away without looking at her once and make sure she’s okay. He climbs through her balcony like he did last time and peeks through her room to find her sitting on the table going through some books and scribbling something into a piece of paper. He hears her mumbling to herself "Bas bohut ho gaya rona dhona, abhi toh ek mahine mein exams aayenge, aur bohut saari padhai karni hai, focus kar, ab teri help karne bhi koi nahi hoga, sab khudse karna padega, acche marks laane padenge, tabhi toh job milegi" and then she goes back to scribbling again.
Shiva looks at her with a sense of amazement and pride thinking “Pata nahi, kya khaa ke paida hui thi yeh Chipkali, itna sab kuch hone ke baad bhi itni himmat hai iss mein". The amount of strength she’s displaying in the face of adversity makes him feel elated that she’s facing everything head on without anybody’s help. Although, hearing her talk about the fact that no one’s there to help her fills him up with remorse and he thinks to find a solution for the same. He leaves for Pandya Niwas after glancing at her engrossed adorable face.
——————————-At Pandya Niwas———————
Shiva enters PN and sees all of them are getting ready to have dinner.
He walks up to them and says "Mujhe aap sab se kuch baat karni thi".
Dev annoyingly says, "Kyun ab kya bacha hai baat karne ko, sab kuch toh tune kar diya na"
"Dekh Dev, main jaanta hoon, main galat tha, mujhe Raavi ke saath aisa nahi karna chahiye tha, pann ab main jo kehne jaa raha hoon, woh Raavi ke bhalayi ke liye bol raha hoon" says Shiva desperately looking at them for some acknowledgement.
When no one interrupted him or said anything, he continued,
"Main nahi chahta, Raavi, hum mein se kisi ki bhi wajah se aur takleef sahe, iss liye main chahta hoon, ki aap sab usse bohut hi normal tareeke se pesh aaye, woh apne career mein aage badhna chahti hai, aur main apni taraf se poori koshish karoonga ki uska support karoon, par main chahta hoon ki aap sab bhi uska saath de, aap sab log mujhe maaf na karein, mujhse baat nahi karein woh bhi chalega mujhe, pann please aap Raavi ki help karne mein meri madad kijiye" he folds his hands in front of his family while saying this.
"Maanta hoon ki maine kayi saari galtiyaan ki hai aur uska afsos hai mujhe, pann ab main jo bhi karoonga, Raavi ke liye karoonga, aur agar uske sapno ko udaan dene mein uski khushi hai, toh main uske liye bhi tayyar hoon" said Shiva firmly.
"Theek hai, Raavi ke liye hum yeh karne ko tayyar hai" said Gaumbi while others nodded in agreement. Shiva is about to leave and go to his room when Dhara says
"Shiva, aa baith khaana khaa le" to which he replies,
"Woh bhabhi, mujhe bhook nahi hai, upar se Raavi ne bhi toh kuch khaaya nahi hoga na"
Dhara assures him saying "Tu uski fikr mat kar, main Krish ko tiffin ke saath bhej rahi hoon, woh Raavi ko khiladega, Haina Krish?"
"Ji Bhabhi, waise bhi Raavi bhabhi mujhe mana kar hi sakti, main unka favorite jo hoon" says Krish, raising his eyebrows, flaunting and looking at Shiva knowingly, only to be glared back at.
——————————-At Hardik’s house—————
The next morning, Hardik bhai enters the kitchen, only to be met by "Toofan Mel" Raavi who chatters away saying
"Good morning, Hardik bhai, maine aapka nashta table pe rakh diya hai, main college ke liye bohut late ho gayi hoon, toh aap please khaa lo, main baad mein aake baat karti hoon, bye" and seen rushing out through the door before Hardik could utter a word.
She’s walking at full speed to reach the start of the street where Krish told will come pick her up talking to herself "Bohut late ho gayi Raavi, Krish wait kar raha hoga" and not noticing a cart coming her way, her hand clashes with the cart in a response to avoid clashing into it, breaking off one of her glass bangles and piercing into her hand, causing a small cut. She hisses in pain and meanwhile someone holds her hand to check on her wound. She looks up to see Shiva, looking back into her eyes, while holding her hand gently.
To be continued……….
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Will Shiva tend to her wounds? Will Raavi let him?
I am leaning towards a ShiVi lollipop. Maybe 😆.But I don’t know where this story is leading yet. And no, Raavi won't give in so easily. Rest assured on that.
Do appreciate your feedback and criticism. Let me know what are your thoughts on Raavi’s outburst towards on Maami and Shiva’s request to his family.
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
