They walked into the kitchen at lunch time. The whole family's gaze was on them. Raavi and Shiva both pretended like they didn't notice it. Shiva straight aimed for the food and took huge servings of everything. Gaumbi chucked.
"Aaj kuch zyada bhook lag rahi hai tujhe Shiva." Krish said.
Shiva glared, but kept eating. Raavi blushed.
"Aapka kya bhabhi? Normally toh subah subah uth jaate ho." Krish teased.
"Ab saari raat party karenge toh aisa toh hoga hi." Rishita smiled. "Koi naye moves sikhe?"
Raavi started coughing hearing that. Dhara passed her a glass of of water. Raavi drank it in one go. She looked at Shiva was concentrating on his food, ignoring everyone else. Bhukkad! They all started eating silently but Raavi could feel everyone's gaze on her. Prafulla was the only one glaring.
"Waise Shiva ko kuch kehna hai." Raavi said.
This time Shiva did react. He glared at her then shook his head. Raavi just smirked. Shiva looked at everyone. They were all eagerly waiting to hear what he had to say. Raavi looked at him again, challenging him with her eyes. He couldn't back out now.
"Woh main...."
"Kya hua?" Gaumbi asked.
"Kuch nahi woh bas..."
"Kya?" Dev asked.
Shiva didn't know how to say it. That too in front of everyone else? Raavi was evil. She could've asked him to do anything else, but she asked him to do the one thing he couldn't do. He looked at his family again, and nope, he couldn't say it.
"Kya hua bhai? Itna build up kya de rahe ho?" Krish asked. "Kahi aap papa toh nahi banne waale?"
"Hatt ek raat mein thodi papa ban jayega." Rishita teased. "Abhi toh kaafi trial run karna baaki hain."
Shiva ran back to his room and everyone burst out in laughter. Raavi felt a little shy so she excused herself and went to her room. Shiva was pacing around the room. It felt wonderful to see her husband so nervous. She cleared her throat and smirked at him.
"Tch, tch, tch. Tujhse bas I love you nahi bola gaya?" Raavi asked.
"Ae chipkali, meri puri family thi bahar. Itna aasan hai?"
"Haa. Tu chahe toh main abhi bolke dikha du. Par tu toh unromantic kaddu hai meri jaan." Raavi laughed.
Shiva pulled her closer. "Unromantic kaddu? Kal raat ka sab bhool gayi?"
Raavi smiled. "Nahi Shiva, par tune bet lagayi thi. Aur tu bet ki izzat nahi karega toh yeh toh cheating hui na? Aisa toh bada bhootnath bana ghumta hai aur ek I love you kehne se itna darr gaya?"
"Ae mami ki behen ki beti, main nahi darta." He said. "Woh bas family hai isiliye."
"Woh tujhe khaa nahi jayenge Shiva." Raavi said. "Aur agar tune nahi bola toh main... toh main aaj maasi ke saath sone chale jaungi."
Shiva marched into the dining room again. He didn't want his wife to sleep with his maami. She would have to spend every night in his arms. He looked at his family and suddenly lost all courage. Why was his chipkali torturing him like this? He decided to close his eyes and say it.
"Main.... Raavi I, um.."
Raavi sighed. Her husband was useless. She was going to have to help him because she didn't want to sleep with her Maasi. He was stammering so much, she felt bad for him. For the first time in his life, he was tongue-tied. It was kinda cute.
Raavi moved in front of him. She cupped his face and made him look at her. Shiva relaxed at that. Raavi moved closer to him and put one arm around his shoulder. With her other hand, she held his face making sure he was only looking at her. The rest of the family tried to avert their gaze from the scene before them, but their eyes were literally glued to this couple. This was so romantic and entertaining. Rishita and Krish were the only ones who gawking openly.
"Ab bol." She whispered.
"I love you Raavi."
Everyone jaws dropped open. No one in their entire life could have imagined Shiva saying I love you, especially to his maami ki behen ki beti. Dhara had tears of joy in her eyes. Now her whole family was happy. She wanted nothing else.
"I love you Shiva."
