The Dream

5.

Raavi was surprised when she got a call from Dhara early morning. Today was her and Dev's engagement, so she had planned an entire day of beauty treatments. She really didn't mind blowing off all those plans for her Dhara di. Plus she loved going to Pandya house every chance she got. So, she got ready and went to Pandya house in the morning.

Dhara wasn't sure how to approach the matter to Raavi. She had noticed how she clung on to Shiva as if her life depended on him. Raavi didn't even think of Dev, not even for a second. All her instincts called for Shiva. If this was the case, it would be a mistake to get Dev and Raavi married. It would ruin their lives.

When Raavi came, Dhara asked her to sit down and got her some of her favourite mango juice.

"Waise aapne mujhe kyu bulaya Dhara di?" Raavi asked.

"Baat karni thi." Dhara said. "Tere aur Dev ke baare mein. Tu sure hai na tujhe Dev se hi shaadi karni hai? Ekdum sure?"

"Haa Dhara di. 101 percent sure. Main toh bachpan se hi Dev se shaadi karna chahti hu. Aap toh jaante ho."

"Aur Shiva? Uske liye kya feelings hai tere mann main?" Dhara asked.

Raavi took a moment. "Aap isliye puch rahe ho na kyuki hum humesha jhagra karte hai? Aap chinta mat karo Dhara di. Main uss bhootnath ka dil jitke hi rahungi. Waise kaha hai ho? Dukan pe ya ghar mein?"

"Store room mein. Waha pe thoda sa repair kar raha hai." Dhara said.

"Achha, main milke aati hu."

Dhara noticed how eager Raavi always seemed to meet Shiva. Was this entirely platonic or was it something else? Raavi either doesn't have feelings for Shiva or she hasn't realised them. It could be be one out of the two.

Raavi rushed to the store room to meet Shiva. He was standing on a tool and fixing one of the door fixture of the cabinet. Raavi noticed that he was only wearing his vest, and she had never realised what huge biceps he had. She kept admiring him for a moment. Then she brought herself back to reality.

"Shiva!"

Shiva had obviously not expected anyone to call out to him, and in that surprise, he lost his balance and fell along with Raavi who was standing just behind him. He fell on top of her. Raavi screamed in pain and Shiva noticed that one of the nails had pierced her wrist.

Dhara and Dev rushed hearing Raavi scream. Shiv got up and helped Raavi get up too. He looked at the wound more closely. There was too much blood coming out and he knew how scared Raavi was of blood.

"Dev jaldi jaa aur first aid box le aa." Shiva instructed.

Dev left to get the first aid box. Dhara made Raavi sit on the stool. The sight of blood was making Raavi feel queasy. Dhara tried to comfort her, but Shiva knew she needed distraction, not comfort. So he stepped in.

"Ae chipkali, kya tu aa jaati hai kahi bhi Shiva Shiva chillate hue?"

"Sab teri wajah se hua hai. Itna weak balance hai gir gaya. Aur girna hi tha mujhpe kyu gira? Teri wajah se chot lagi mujhe."

"Mami ki behen ki beti tu iss waqt kar kya rahi thi yaha? Aur piche se kaun bulaya hai koi kisiko?"

"Dhara di ne bulaya mujhe. Aur tu meri fault mat nikal." Raavi whined.

Dev brought the first aid box and gave it to Shiva. Shiva disinfected the wound and tightly wrapped it a band aid around it.

Dhara couldn't help but notice really odd things about the whole incident. Dev didn't seem much worried about Raavi. In fact, after he got her the first aid box, he handed it to Shiva instead of doing it himself. Raavi didn't ask for Dev even once. But what surprised her the most was Shiva. He knew exactly how to calm her down, he was concerned for her and he did her first aid. What was happening with the three of them?

"Bhabhi main iss chipkali ko ghar chorke aata hu. Waise bhi shaam ko toh aa jayegi, sara din nahi jhel sakta." Shiva said.

"Nahi ruk." Dhara spoke. "Dev tu chor ke aa ise."

Dhara thought she noticed a hint of disappointment in all three faces.

***

For the engagement, a small hall was booked. Raavi and her family reached earlier than the Pandya family. She wore a dark blue gown for this event. She was pacing around the hall. Something was bothering her. She didn't know what. Maybe all girls went through this before their wedding. She suddenly heard someone come in and she saw Shiva and Krish entering the hall.

Shiva had left his usual untidy clothes and worn a blue kurta for this event. Raavi was happy to see this. She rushed towards them and started looking here and there.

"Kya hai?" Shiva asked.

"Baaki sab kaha hai?"

"Aa rahe hai." Krish said.

"Raavi!" Anita came there. "Maasi ko bohot tension ho rahi hai. Ring agar Dev ko fit na aaye toh?"

Raavi sighed. Maasi had asked Dev to come home once and check the ring but he had no time. She looked over at Shiva. He probably had the same finger measurements of that of Dev. She took the ring from Anita's hand and slipped it onto Shiva's finger. It fit perfectly. Anita was shocked at Raavi's action, but decided that it wasn't the time to say anything.

"Thik hai."

"Dimaag kharab hai tera?" Shiva asked.

"Arrey main ring ki measurement dekh rahi thi."

"Main Dev dikhta hu tujhe?" Shiva asked.

"Jaise saali aadhi gharwali hoti hai waise hi lagta hai devar bhi aadha gharwala hota hai." Krish laughed.

Both Shiva and Raavi hit him on the head. The rest of the Pandya family came in and Shiva quietly slipped the ring off his finger and handed it back to Raavi. Slowly even the guest started coming in. Raavi stood at the corner for sometime. The bad feeling that she was having was increasing.

"Shiva!" She dragged him into the small room the hall had.

"Kya hai?"

"Mujhe pata nahi bohot dard lag raha hai." She said. "Aisa lag raha ki kuch galat ho raha hai."

"Abhi bhi keh raha hu tod de yeh shaadi."

"Ae gadhera, tu na kisi kaam ka nahi hai. Main yaha tujhse apni feelings share kar rahi hu aur tu apni rat pe laga hai. Dekh Shiva, shaadi karke mujhe usi ghar mein jana hai. Tu bas maan le."

"O chipkali, abhi bhi 3-4 rasam baaki hai shaadi se pehle. Aur waise bhi jab tak tera griha pravesh nahi hoga tab tak main nahi manunga. Kya kar legi?"

Raavi smiled and pulled his cheek. "Oh mere bhole bhaalu, woh bhi ho jayega. Tu khud mujhe uss ghar mein welcome karega."

"Meri jooti karegi!"

"Shiva-Raavi." Dhara suddenly entered the room. She was angry. "Waha sab guest wait kar rahe hai aur tum dono yaha ho! Log kya kahenge agar unhone tumhe Shiva ke saath dekh liya toh?"

"Yeh layi mujhe yaha!" Shiva shifted the blame to Raavi.

"Sorry Dhara di. Par aap logo ki tension mat karo. Unka toh kaam hai kehena."

"Achha thik hai. Par mahurat ka samay ho gaya hai. Chal."

Dhara took Raavi to the stage, and she and Dev exchanged the ring. Dev's ring turned out to be a little loose for him, which Mausapa said he'll get fixed. After the ceremony, Raavi danced with Shiva and Dev. Dhara couldn't help notice how Dev didn't smile even once throughout the ceremony.

***

That night Raavi again had the same dream but with a new twist. When she was falling, she noticed someone jump after her. He held her hand, and even though they were falling Raavi was no longer afraid. He pulled her into a hug and she was no longer scared. Raavi couldn't see his face, but she didn't wake up that night. She got proper sleep that night.