"Phui, aap kya kar rahi ho?" Anita asked.
"Yeh dekh main kya layi." Maami pulled out a pair of binoculars. "Ab meri nazar har waqt uss raakshas par rahegi."
Anita facepalmed. She was done with her Phui's tricks. Ever since they had come to this haveli, she didn't leave Shiva and Raavi alone for a second. For two nights, she made Raavi sleep with them. Even poor Raavi looked frustrated with her maasi's behaviour.
Maami went to the balcony to spy on Shiva Raavi with her binoculars. Then she called out to Anita, who came and was immediately handed the binoculars.
"Dekh, meri bachhi ko kitna tang kar raha hai woh." Maami said.
Anita looked through the binoculars and saw nothing. They were just standing near each other. "Kaha?"
"Arrey Raavi ka chhehra dekh. Kitni pareshaan hai bechari."
Anita saw no hint of worry or annoyance in Raavi's expressions. "Ohho phui, aap pagal ho gayi ho." She went back to her room.
"Mujhe sab pata hai. Yeh jangli mere bachhi ko maar daalega. Main chodungi nahi isse." Maami said to herself and went down to get a closer look.
The whole family was sitting there. Dhara was making arrangements for their dinner. Maami hid her binoculars and joined the family. She stood a little too close to Shiva and Raavi, hoping to catch a little bit of their conversation.
"Itne dur kyu khadi hai? Ja na, jaake Shiva Raavi ke godh mein baith ja." Suman said.
Maami shook her head, and reluctantly moved away from Shiva and Raavi. She saw Shiva glaring at her so decided to take another step away.
"Iss maami ka kuch karna parega." Shiva though to himself. Maami had been extremely irritating these past two days. He had seen more of her in these two days than he had seen in his entire life. But his Dhara bhabhi pleaded him not to start any quarrels with Maami, because he was married to Raavi, and she was her Maasi. Shiva hated Mami with passion. This was the same woman who had caused so much pain to his bhabhi and the reason why his father had died. But he hated her more when she dragged Raavi out of their bedroom. He didn't know why, but he had grown accustomed to Raavi. Their bedroom seemed empty without her.
"Shiva ja jaake store room se woh badi wali kadhai le aa." Dhara said.
"Ji bhabhi, main aur Raavi abhi le aate hai." He pulled Raavi and made way towards the store room.
Raavi was confused. Why did Shiva need her to bring just one kadhai? But she followed him without question.
"Maami aa rahi hai piche?" Shiva asked.
Raavi looked behind her and caught a glimpse of her maasi hiding behind a tree. "Haa, par woh chup kyu rahi hai?"
"Jasoosi kar rahi hai humari. Dekha nahi pichle 2 dino se chewing gum ki tarah chipki hui hai humare saath?"
Raavi in fact had noticed and she was equally irritated. It was sweet to see her Maasi concerned for her but she over did it. When Maami first came to the haveli, Raavi was glad to see her. She thought Maami's presence would annoy Shiva, but it annoyed her instead. On the first night, she was dragged away from her own bedroom and made to sleep with her Maasi and Anita. Neither Anita nor Raavi got any sleep for two nights. Turns out, she missed Shiva's company.
Then there was Maami following her everywhere and insulting Shiva and Dhara every chance she got. She never liked her Maasi taunting her Dhara di, but now she got annoyed when she heard her insulting Shiva. Whatever their equation was, it was between them and her Maasi had no right to insult Shiva like that. Only she could insult and taunt him.
Shiva suddenly halted and pulled Raavi by her waist. Raavi was shocked. "Kya kar raha hai?"
Shiva winked at her and pointed towards Maami with his eyes. Raavi subtly looked at her Maasi and saw she was looking at them through binoculars. Now even she was angry.
"Agar itna hi jasoosi karne ka shauk hai toh kuch mazedaar dikhate hai iss mami ko." Shiva said.
Raavi sweetly smiled at her husband and hugged him tightly. Shiva was stunned but he quickly recovered and hugged her back. She broke the hug and held his face in her hands.
"Shiva." She almost shouted, so that Maami could hear them. "Tu naraz hai na mujhse?"
"Ab har raat tu uss Maami ke saath soyegi toh main naraz toh honga." Shiva said. "Aaj raat ko agar woh maami tujhe le gayi toh mere haath se murder ho jayega." He looked at Maami who looked both shocked and scared at his threat.
"Tu toh aise bol raha hai jaise mujhe tujhse dur rehna pasand hai." Raavi saw her Maasi looking shocked at her conduct. "Main toh har raat tere saath bitana chahti hu Shiva."
"Toh uss Maami ka murder kar du?"
Raavi almost laughed looking at her Maasi. "Tu maami ko chor aur mujhe pakad." She put his hands on her waist, and encircled her hands around his neck.
Shiva forgot about Maami for a moment and looked at his wife. For a moment, he wished this were true. Maybe they wouldn't fight anymore, instead romance this way. This was the closest they had ever been, and Shiva was feeling extremely comfortable having her in his arms.
"Maasi toh pura hil gayi hai." Raavi whispered and laughed silently.
This brought out Shiva out of his trance. "Ae maami ki behen ki beti, hasna bandh kar. Woh samajh jayegi."
"Haa sorry." She whispered then raised her voice. "Shiva I love you so so much." She kissed his cheek and saw that her Maasi was about to faint. She giggled.
This is when Shiva felt like his heart would burst. Raavi said I love you, even if it were a drama. He said nothing, kept staring at her.
"Ae gadhera, I love you bol." Raavi whispered.
Shiva smirked, then in a swift motion, he picked her up.
"Shiva kya kar raha hai?"
Shiva said nothing and went to their room. There he laid her on the bed and kissed her on the forehead. Raavi looked shocked. Here they were acting to get rid of Maami, but Shiva was taking his chance with her. She couldn't believe it, but then she saw Maami had followed them here too. She was standing near the window, looking at them.
He gently caressed her face and she closed her eyes feeling his touch. It felt wonderful. "Kitni besharam hai teri maasi. Abhi bhi ghoore jaa rahi hai."
"Masi toh hai hi aisi. Ab kya puri suhagraat dekhegi?"
Shiva blushed at her comment. Raavi giggled at him turning red. "Ae chipkali, has kyu rahi hai?"
"Tu aise ladkiyon ki tarah sharma raha hai."
"Ae mami ke behen ki beti, tu bhi uss mami ki tarah besharam hai!"
"Yeh toh sachhi nahi jaa rahi Shiva. Ab kya?"
"Ruk abhi bhagata hu." Shiva said. "Raavi, teri kalaiyan itni khaali achhi nahi lagti. Woh Maami ke kangan tere haathon mein bohot achhe lagenge."
As soon as he mentioned Maami's kangan, Maami ran away. Shiva and Raavi started laughing.
"Ab aaj raat mat jana uss Maami ke godh mein sone."
"Mujhe koi interest nahi hai Maasi ke saath sone mein. Itne zor se kharrate leti hai woh. Bilkul neend nahi aati."
"Mujhe bhi tere bina neend nahi aati." Shiva said. He cursed himself for saying that out loud. Now Raavi was going to tease him endlessly.
But what Raavi said brought a smile to his face. "Mujhe bhi nahi."
