The Dream

6.

"Shiva mujhe daru peeni hai."

Shiva spit out the water he was drinking when he heard Raavi's request. She was looking at him with her most innocent eyes. Raavi knew Gaumbi was going to take over work in a few minutes, and Shiva would be free. She had come to the Pandya store in the evening.

"Dimaag kharab ho gaya hai? Kya bol rahi hai?" Shiva asked. He still couldn't believe what this mami ke behen ki beti just asked him.

"Shiva please. Mujhe bas ek baar try karni hai."

"Ae gadheri, chup chap ghar jaa."

"Shiva pleaseeeeeee." Raavi pouted. "Main kuch hi dino mein Pandya parivaar ki bahu banne wali hu. Aur tab mujhe kabhi yeh mauka nahi milega. Main bas ekbaar try karna chahti hu. Mujhe feel karna hai talli hoke kaisa lagta hai."

"Mami ki behen ki beti, tu maregi aur mujhe bhi marwayegi."

"Ohho Shiva. Meri bachelorette party samajh le. Chal na please." Raavi said. "Pleaseeeeeee" She gave him her most innocent and sweetest look.

Shiva knew Raavi wouldn't stop annoying him unless he did what she asked. This chipkali was quite stubborn in her ways. So when Gaumbi came to take over, Shiva took Raavi a few kilometres away. He didn't want to bump into anyone they knew.

"Kya piyegi?" He asked.

"Daru."

"Ae gadheri, matlab kaunsi wali? Vodka, rum, whiskey, wine, beer?"

"Tujhe jo pasand ho!" Raavi said.

"Main yeh sab nahi pita." Shiva replied. "Tu bol."

"Achha chal vodka."

Shiva went somewhere and bought a small bottle of vodka. He brought that to Raavi. She took it from him and took a big swig.

"Chiiiii, yeh toh bohot kadwi hai." Raavi said.

"Cold drink ke saath mix karke peete hai." Shiva mixed her drink with Sprite. Raavi drank it in one go.

"Abhi bhi bohot buri hai. Aur nahi peeni mujhe." Raavi said. "Muh ka taste bigad gaya. Chiii."

Shiva handed her just the Sprite and she gulped down half of the bottle quickly. Then Raavi waited for a few minutes, but nothing was happening. She didn't feel even a little bit talli.

"Kuch nahi ho raha." Raavi said.

"Kya hona hai?"

"Woh talli waali feeling."

"Tu humesha hi talli rehti hai. Tujhe daaru ki koi zaroorat nahi." Shiva said. "Ek baat bata, yeh tune Dev ko kyu nahi bola? Tujhe daaru pilane?"

"Ae gadhera, main uske saamne yeh sab nahi bol sakti. Perfect wife material wali image nahi bigad sakti." Raavi said. "Aur waise bhi bachelorette party mein ladki apne friends ke saath party karti hai, apne hone wale pati ke saath nahi."

"Toh main tera friend kab se bann gaya?" Shiva asked.

"Bachpan se!" Raavi answered. "Waise bhi Shiva, bhabhi aur devar friends hote hai. Aur waise bhi, iss baat ke liye main sirf tujhpe trust karti hu."

Shiva rolled his eyes. "Tera ho gaya ho toh wapas chale?"

"Nahi. Achha lag raha hai." Raavi said. She sat quite close to him and kept her head on his shoulder. She wasn't exactly talli, but she began to feel a little bit intoxicated. "Shivaaa, pata hai mujhe aajkal ek ajeeb sa sapna aata hai. Main dulhan ki costume mein hu par mandap mujhse dur bhag raha hai. Toh main bhagti hu mandap ke peeche, aur jab main almost pahuch jaati hu toh dharti phat jaati hai aur main girne lagti hu. Main bas girti hi jaati hu. Dev mujhe dekh raha hota hai par bachata nahi. Par koi mere piche kud jata hai aur mujhe hug kar leta hai. Phir hum dono girte hai."

"Tere sapne bhi teri tarah hai." Shiva said. "Stupid aur faltu."

"Tujhe lagta hai iss sapne ka koi matlab hai?" Raavi asked.

"Yahi matlab hai ki main teri Dev se shaadi nahi hone dunga. Isliye toh tu mandap nahi pahuch pati!"

"Shiva, tu na bohot bura hai." Raavi said. "Maine bachpan se decide kar liya tha ki main Pandya parivaar ki bahu banungi. Aur tune kisi bhi tarah meri shaadi Dev se roki na toh main..." Raavi thought for a second. "Toh main tujhse shaadi kar lungi. Phir puri zindagi tujhe sataungi!"

"Kar liya apna bakwaas? Ab ghar chale?" Shiva asked. "Bara aayi, mujhse shaadi karne. Tere se shaadi karne se pehle pure Somnaath ko aag laga dunga."

Shiva and Raavi sat on his bike again and he went to drop her home. She held on to him tightly and eventually dozed off on his shoulder. She opened her eyes, when Shiva suddenly hit the breaks.

"Kya kar raha hai Shiva?" Raavi asked.

They had reached her home, but she found Dhara, Anita and Maasi outside the house, looking at them with shocked expression on their faces. 

"Shivaaaaa" Raavi whispered. "Agar inn logo ko pata chal gaya ki maine pi rakhi hai toh bohot problem ho jayegi. Dhara di ko sambhaal le na please."

"Bas muh bandh rakhna." Shiva whispered back to her.

Shiva got off the bike, and Raavi held him as he got off, thinking she might stumble.

"Bhabhi aap yaha?" Shiva asked.

"Haa main inse shaadi ke baare mein kuch baat karne aayi thi." Dhara replied. "Tum dono kaha se aa rahe ho?" She asked.

"Woh... Bhabhi aap toh iss maami ki behen ki beti ko jaante ko. Dukaan pe aa gayi thi bakwaas karne. Socha isko ghar chorr du." Shiva said.

Raavi was too scared at this point. She kept clutching on to Shiva's sleeve.

"Raavi tu thik toh hai na?" Dhara asked. 

Raavi nodded.

"Bhabhi chalo main aapko ghar le chalta hu." Shiva said and dragged Dhara with him.

Then he rode away with Dhara, and Raavi sighed in relief.

"Tu uss raakshash ke saath idhar udhar kaha ghumti rehti hai?" Maami asked.

"Bohot neend aa rahi hai maasi."

"Haa woh toh dikh raha tha." Anita said. "Shiva ke peeche usse chipak ke soyi thi." She said the last bit in a whisper.

Raavi quickly went to her room before anyone could ask her anything. She brushed her teeth then went back to sleep.

***

That night Raavi had another dream. She was a kid again, playing hide and seek with Dev, Shiva and Krish. It was Raavi's turn to hide. She somehow ended up in a big haveli, which was dark and empty. She went into a room and hid. 10 minutes had passed and no one came. She was getting scared. It was getting really dark now. She came out of her hiding place but was lost within the haveli. There was no way out. Raavi screamed and cried for someone to get her out. Suddenly she felt someone's arm on her shoulder. She turned around to find Shiva there.

"Shiva!" She started crying and hugged him tightly. "Main darr gayi thi."

"Ab darr mat main aa gaya hu. Gadheri kahi ki! Chal wapas. Sab dhoond rahe hai tujhe."

Raavi woke up with a smile on her face. It wasn't a dream. It was a memory she had completely forgotten about. She went back to sleep with that same memory.