Suman’s taunts come haunting me and Shiva not defending Raavi is unacceptable so here goes! Somethings had to be addressed, wrote this in such a rush and half sleepy state though! Happy Reading!
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Raavi was seen trying to fix the pleats of her saree and failing miserably while thinking about what Suman said about her entry being inauspicious. She couldn’t help but wonder if she truly was the reason for the bad luck happening in Pandya Niwas. Her thoughts were interrupted by Shiva who kneeled down in front of her, taking the pleats from her hand saying, “Chipkali, yeh tu kya kar rahi hai, kabse dekh raha hoon, tu kahin khoyi si lag rahi hai, tujhse toh yeh ho hi nahi raha main help kar deta hoon”. Shiva carefully tried to get all the pleats together perfectly while trying to figure out what’s going on in her mind. Raavi kept looking at him in awe, a slight smile making its way on her face as she saw her Bhoothnath, help her tuck in the pleats and set it right.
Shiva takes her hands and makes her sit on the bed asking, “Baat kya hai? Tu itna pareshaan kyun lag rahi hai, bata?"
Raavi looked down trying to find the right words to ask him since it was his mother who made her contemplate all these things. She was unsure of how he would take it but she couldn’t keep it to herself, so taking a deep breathe she went “Shiva kya tujhe bhi lagta hai, ki humaare shaadi ke baad ghar mein problem badti jaa rahi hai? Kya sachh mein mere kadam iss ghar mein padte hi, sab kuch bikhar gaya”
“Raavi, yeh tu kya bol rahi hai? Tune aise kaise soch liya?” snapped Shiva, holding her by the shoulders.
“Par Shiva, woh Kaki keh toh rahi thi, ki mere grahpravesh ke baad, Rishita aur Dev ghar chodke chale gaye, Rishita ne tujhe itna kuch sunaya, main shayad unlucky hoon, galat hoon tere liye, main—” sniffed Raavi, seemingly very upset.
Cutting her off Shiva snapped, “Chup, ek dum chup, Raavi, jo dimaag mein aaye kuch bhi bhake jaa rahi hai, gadhedhi, akkal ki dushman, tune aise soch bhi kaise liya ki tu mere liye galat ho sakti hai, haan….” furious at her for even considering such a thing.
“Ek baat kaan kholke sun le Raavi, aur gaant baandhle, tu mere liye kabhi galat ho hi nahi sakti samjhi, aur tere kadam iss ghar ke liye sirf shubh hi shubh rahe hai” declared Shiva, gazing at her intently.
Raavi glanced at Shiva to meet his beautiful brown eyes looking at her gently and sincerely. She knew he meant every word of what he said as she appreciated the charming, idyllic man that sat in front of her.
“Haan maanta hoon ki Rishita Bhabhi ne mujhe bohut kuch sunaaya, pann uske baad teri wajah se maine apni padhai ke orr kadam badaya hai, yahan tak ki main business man of the year bhi jeet gaya, Pandya Store ko phir se behtar bana ke liye ek aur mauka mila humein, yeh sab shubh nahi hai toh aur kya, tu hi soch” said Shiva hoping to explain to her what all she has done for him, for his family, for the store.
“Aur main tune kabhi dekha hai mujhe itna khush rehte hue, itna haste hue, ab yeh sab tera asar nahi hai toh phir kiska hai, tune mujhe apne liye jeena sikhaya hai Raavi aur tu humesha se mere aur iss parivaar ke liye jeete aayi hai, iss liye yeh kabhi mat soch ki teri wajah se sab kuch ho raha, har ghar mein problems hote hai, humaare ghar mein bhi hai, pann iska matlab yeh nahi hai ki inn sab ka karan tu hai, Maa ne jo kaha uske baare mein mat soch, maine jo kahan hai usko yaad kar le, samjhi?” completed Shiva, embracing her into his arms assuringly.
He broke off the hug and raised his eyebrow as if asking her if she got what he was trying to say. She nodded and got up to face the mirror, reaching out for her bangles when Shiva beat her to it. He held her hand with his left and picked up the bangles in his right and slid them through her wrists gently, while maintaining eye contact with her throughout. Raavi’s heart began to beat with uncontrollable rhythm as she looked at herself and Shiva through the mirror.
He also went ahead and made her wear earrings, treating her with the utmost delicacy. And finally he stood in front facing her and filled her maang with sindoor saying, “Ab lag rahi hai na, Raavi Shiva Pandya” moving away and standing behind her, pointing her to the mirror. They both looked at each other through their reflections smiling and thinking about how lucky they were to have found each other.
They both moved out of their room, hand in hand and lost in each other, only to have found the rest waiting for them.
“Aye maarkundi gaay pura din ghar pe hi baithne ka iraada hai kya, agar hai toh tu bata de, hum sab chale jaayenge waise bhi pata nahi wahan aur kya ashubh cheez ho jaayegi” mocked Suman as they walked into the aangaan.
Raavi looked at Suman pricked by her words and hurt flashed through her eyes which didn’t go unnoticed by Shiva who retorted, “Maa waise idea bura nahi hai, aap sab log chale jaao, Chipkali aur main nahi aayenge” gripping Raavi’s hand tightly.
“Eh Shiva yeh tu kya bol raha hai, tu kyun nahi aayega” said Suman, bewildered by his words.
“Kya Maa tune hi toh bola tha aaj, ki jabse Chipkali aur meri shaadi hui ghar mein kuch na kuch kaand ho rahe hai, toh maine socha humaare naa aane se agar pooja mein koi apatti nahi aayega toh acchi baat hogi na” answered Shiva calmly, with a slight smile on his.
“Main toh yeh maarkundi—“ started Suman only to be interrupted by Shiva who said, “Raavi, Raavi Shiva Pandya naam hai uska, aur agar aap ko phir bhi lagta hai ki aage jaake humaari wajah se iss ghar mein kuch galat hoga, toh humein adesh dein, hum iss ghar se chale jaayenge, soch ke batayega Maa, abhi aap sab pooja ke liye nikal jaaye, mujhe aur Raavi ko Pandya Store mein kuch kaam hai, chal Raavi” dragging a dumbstruck Raavi out of Pandya Niwas leaving a speechless Suman behind.
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Let me know what y’all think! Cheers!
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
Arjun
