Chapter 1
BR (Before Raavi) (9-3 years ago)
Some relationships are doomed from the start,
Some sink as they begin...
Shiva Pandya’s life was divided into two halves. Before Raavi and After Raavi. Before Raavi, he knew her. She was his maami ki behen ki beti after all. He always knew her. But he wasn’t close to her. She was just there. She loved his brother. And he hated her maasi, his maami.
Shiva was engaged to be married to Disha, his childhood friend and his Father’s friend’s daughter. She had been with him as he grew up and he had liked her too. She gave him the confidence to become something more. So when the shop stabilized, Shiva decided to go for his studies again.
Disha stood by him, supporting him. She was his voice of reason, when he lost hope. She was his defense when he was being attacked. His own brothers made fun of him sometimes but Disha believed in him. So they progressed in their relationship from friendship to like. And he was proven good in studies so when he was twenty one, four years after rejoining, he went abroad for three years with Gautam and Suman’s blessings. Dhara cried but made tasty snacks for him to carry, wishing him the best.
His last meeting with Disha before he left was still fresh in his head. She had sadly smiled at him and when he asked her why she looked so upset, she had shaken her head.
“Kabhi imagine nahin kiya tha ki tum kahin chale jaoge padhai ke liye. Mera matlab, I am happy, par itni der tak tumse door rehna. Aur fir timezones bhi to alag hai na! Pata nahin sab kaise hoga!”
“Ye saal to yun nikal jayenge!” He said as he flicked his fingers. She smiled.
“Mujhe tumhari bahut yaad ayegi.”
“Main bhi miss karunga tumhen. Disha tumhara yeh ehsaan nahin bhulunga main. Mujhpar belief rakhne ke liye Shukriya.”
Aftet meeting everyone, he boarded the flight and went away.
^^^^
Raavi loved Dev. Everyone knew it. She used to act crazy, clumsy in his love. She made snacks for him, wore fashionable clothes for him, tried new hairstyles and make up for him and finally even wrote poems for him. He was her sun, her moon and her solar system. The twinkle in his eyes and the confused smile on his face was her favorite sights.
At the earliest of the morning, she reached their home and began to help Dhara with her duties. She made food. She washed clothes. She sweeped and wiped along with Dhara. They had conversations about everything under the sun. Dhara understood her and she loved Dhara. Dhara wanted her as her co sister because she knew Raavi loved Dev but Suman had given this choice to her sons and Dhara could not force her decisions so she used to praise Raavi before Suman and Dev.
“Dhara! Tu kitni hi tarref karle par shaadi Dev ki uski pasand se hogi! Samjhi? Ab tum ye sab chodo aur apne online bujiness par dhyaan do. Jab se online Pandya store ka webshite khula hai tab se keh rahi hoon ki thoda aur waqt udhar daalo. Ghar ke kaamon ke liye hi to Sushma ben aati hai.” Suman told her. Dhara smiled awkwardly at being found out and walked away. Suman smiled.
Suman liked Raavi too. But she didn’t see Dev and her working out. Raavi was the sunshine. She illuminated everything she touched. Dev was an awkward man. He needed a firm partner. He loved his family, but he was never someone to stand firmly on something. Suman wanted him to have someone who could push him to do more. Raavi would just love him more and that would limit both of the kids. Suman didn’t want that. Raavi needed a sky to fly like the bird and Dev needed roots to make him firm. Both of them had no compatibility. Suman was far sighted. She could see their end and wasn’t a fan of it, so she had secretly already put her foot down.
She saw Raavi coming over with a packed tiffin and shook her head.
“Aye Raavi! Kahan se aa rahi hai?”
“Oh!” Raavi was shocked for a second then smiled. “Kaaki! Main ghar se aa rahi hoon. Dev ka favorite nashta leke.”
“Kahin kaagdi ne zeher to nahin milaya hai ismein?”
“Nahin Kaaki! Maine banaya hai!” Raavi said shyly. Suman shook her head, but before she could reply, someone walked in.
“Kaaki.” Disha said calmly and wished her obediently. Raavi just didn’t like Disha. Something about her rubbed Raavi wrongly. She thought it was because of her association with Shiva as Shiva and herself were always in a fight, but Shiva didn’t make her feel like this. Disha just felt plain wrong.
“Are Dishu? Tu kab aayi beta? Padhayi kaise chal rahi hai?”
“Sab theek Kaaki.” Disha replied. Suman frowned. Something seemed plain wrong today. It was almost three months since Disha visited her and even she seemed to be avoiding her eyes. Suman knew wrong when she saw it, so she felt her heart lurch.
Disha was her husband’s choice for their son and she was dear to their family. But today something seemed very wrong. Suman prayed for the best and decided not to pry.
Raavi frowned at Disha and stilled her about to start tongue. She better leave this to the Pandyas. Her interference wasn’t needed everywhere. So after wishing Suman, Raavi left. Disha stayed for sometime before she left too.
“Maa?” Dhara called out from her seat. Suman looked at her. “Aaj Disha kuch badli badli lag rahi thi. Pata nahin kyun?”
“Jis dil mein yuddh ho raha ho, woh insaan aise hi badla sa lagta hai.” Suman replied and shook her head. The guilt in Disha’s eyes was quite clear.
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CID
Kumkum Bhagya
Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
