All his life, his Dhara Bhahi had been his rock, his guide. And he loved her as much, or probably more, than his own mother. And why wouldn't he? Dhara had earned that love. She sacrificed so much for him and his brothers. She put her own life on hold to raise & nurture them. Shiva's life revolved around her & he was willing to do anything and everything for her. However, he would've never gone as far as he did at the hospital. Something had changed in him since Dhara lost her baby. Her agony, her pain & suffering had torn his soul apart. He looks at Raavi who is looking at him waiting for his answer.
"Bol na Shiva? Kya ho gaya tha tujhe?" Raavi asks softly.
"Woh Bhabhi... Bhabhi ka baccha!" Shiva says but words fail him.
Raavi is surprised hearing this but doesn't say anything & holds his hands tightly.
Shiva breaks and says, "Maine Gaumbi ko nahi roka! Maine Bhabhi ke bacche ko protect nahi kiya! Unhone humaare liye itana bada sacrifice diya aur mein? Maine unki khushi ko bachaane ki zara si bhi koshi nahi ki! Raavi maine unke baby ko maar diya... " Shiva becomes hysterical scaring Raavi and says, "mujhe baby ko bachaana chahiye tha. Mujhe Gaumbi ko rokna chahiye tha .. mujhe .."
"Shiva!" Raavi cuts him off and cups his face.
It dawns on her that he has been harboring the guilt for Dhara's abortion; the guilt that had turned into a fiery resolve to protect Dhara's happiness at any cost. She remembers what Dhara had said to Shiva when she was broken.
"Apni bhabhi ki ek baat pe tu toh dharti-aakash ek kar deta hai na? Apni bhabhi ko sab se zyaada maanta hai na? Fir uss din jab teri bhabhi ke ansh ko mitaaya ja raha tha tab tere muh se awaaz kyun nahi nikali? Kyun chattan ki tarah Gaumbi ke aage khada nahi hua? Kyun nahi bola tune? Tujhe toh bolna chahiye tha na Shiva?"
Raavi realizes that every word uttered by Dhara that day had sunk so deep in Shiva's heart that when her happiness and her baby were threatened again, his guilt boiled into anger and erupted out of him violently.
"Mujhe Bhabhi ki khushiyon ko, unke sapne ko bachaana tha Raavi! Har haal mein. Kisi bhi kimat par. Mein dobaara unke baby ko nahi maar sakta!" Shiva says worrying her.
"Unke baby ko tune nahi maara Shiva! Tu sun raha hai?" Raavi says making him look at her. "Abortion ka faisla hum sab ne milke liya tha. Aur uss waqt woh decision sahi tha. Dhara Di ki jaan khatre mein thi Shiva! Agar hum woh decision nahi lete toh unhe hamesha ke liye kho diya hota hum ne! Jaanta hai na tu yeh baat?"
As Raavi's words sink in, Shiva slowly nods in agreement and says, "Jaanta hu! Par woh sahi nahi tha. Aur jab woh umeed dobara aai unki zindagi mein aur uss Anita ne woh bhi khatam kar di toh mein khud ko rok nahi paaya! Agar mein aisa nahi karta toh Bhabhi ko phir se lagta ke mein chup reh gaya."
As words spill out of Shiva's mouth, Raavi realizes the extent to which Dhara's words affect him.
"Shiva, mein jaanti hu ke Dhara Di ki teri zindagi mein kya jagah hai. Pata hai mujhe ke tu unse kitana pyaar karta hai." Raavi says looking deep into his eyes. "Aur tujhe karna bhi chahiye. Unki khushiyon ko protect karna, unka khayaal rakhna teri responsibility hai. Aur Di ka haq bhi! Lekin Shiva woh Bhagwaan nahi hai!"
Raavi wipes off the tears from his eyes and continues, "Shiva Dhara Di bohot acchi hai. Hum sab se woh bohot pyaar karti hai. Humaare liye, humaari khushiyon ke liye woh kuch bhi karengi. Lekin woh Bhagwaan nahi ek insaan hai. Unse bhi galatiyaan ho sakti hai. Takleef mein aake, gusse mein kabhi kabhi unke muh se bhi kuch aisa nikal sakta hai jo puri tarah se galat ho."
Shiva hears this and wants to protest but Raavi stops him and says, "Please meri baat khatam hone de Shiva."
Shiva reluctantly nods and Raavi continues, "Gusse mein aake jaise tune galat kadam uthaaya waise hi uss din Dhara Di ne bhi gusse mein tujhpe ilzaam lagaaya ke tune Gaumbi ko nahi roka. Dhara Di ki har baat ko aankh bandh karke matt maan. Unki baaton ko bina soche samjhe dil pe lagaaye bina ek baar woh kya keh rahi hai, situation kya hai, woh kis mood mein hai yeh dekhkar decide kar ke tujhe aage kya karna chahiye. Dhara Di har baar sahi ho aisa zaroori nahi hai. She is not perfect Shiva; none of us are."
As Raavi's words sink in, Shiva recalls how easily Dhara forgave him after the hospital fiasco. Seeing Shiva lost in his thoughts, Raavi says, "Shiva just because hum kisi se pyaar karte hai, hum unki har baat toh nahi maan sakte na? Hum ek-dusre ki galtiyon pe parda nahi daal sakte. Shiva hum ek family hai. Humein hi toh ek-dusre ko galat kadam uthaane se rokna hai, ek-dusre ko apni galatiyon ka ehsaas dilaana hai. Shiva humaare apne hi toh hume sahi raasta dikhaate hai na? Hume sahi-galat ki pehchaan karaate hai. Tu, mein, Dhara Di, Gaumbi, Rishita, Dev, Krish, aur Kaaki, hum mein se koi bhi perfect nahi hai. Aur humein yeh accept karke ek-dusre ka guide banna hai."
Shiva looks at this beautiful girl who he calls Dobi but has wisdom way beyond her age. She didn't have to let him in her life after everything he put her through but here she was being his knight in shining armor, protecting him from himself; guiding him to be a better person. He cups her face and kisses her forehead.
"Tujhe gussa nahi aata mujhe dekh ke? Jo kuch bhi maine kiya uske baad bhi tu yahaan baith ke mujhe itani shaanti se samjha rahi hai! Kaise control karti hai apna gussa?" Shiva asks Raavi.
Raavi smiles recalling the wise words of the old couple she met at the temple that morning and says, "Gussa aaya toh tha lekin fir kisi ne mujhse kaha ke hum jinse pyaar karte hai unhe unki galati ki saza dene se pehle ek baar hume yeh samjh na chahiye k woh galat kyun hai! Ek baar unki baat sunn ke, unhe samajh ke, unhe apni baat samjha ke, unhe apni galati sudhaarne ka ek mauka dena chahiye! Aur waise bhi, gussa karne se kuch bhi solve toh hota nahi utla baatein aur ulajh jaati hai!"
Shiva smiles hearing the sane advice and says, "Aur mein toh expert hu gussa karke sab kharaab karne mein."
"Toh aaj ek promise kar!" Raavi says, "Aaj ke baad jab bhi tujhe gussa aaye na, toh tu 3-4 lambi saans lega aur khud se kahega, "Meri family mujhse pyaar karti hai, woh mere saath hai. Sab theek ho jaaega.""
"Bas? Itane se sab theek ho jaaega?" Shiva asks confused.
Raavi chuckles and says, "Nahi. Lekin iss se tera gussa shaant hoga aur tu situation ko better tareeke se handle karega."
"Seriously?" Shiva asks again not at all convinced.
Raavi gets her laptop and shows him some articles about anger management that she had researched about. Shiva reads them and asks Raavi to help him practice. Raavi readily agrees and starts annoying him playfully while he uses some of the anger management tactics to control his anger. They laugh and have fun all night long!
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This is it guys! This is where I end this story! I am so glad you enjoyed it! And I apologize for taking too much time in-between each update. Life's been a bit hectic these days! Thank you all so much for all the love and appreciation!
Until next time ... 🤗
