"Ae Raavi!" Maami stopped her before Raavi could escape to her room. She looked extremely mad. "Aman ki maa ka phone aaya tha. Woh bol rahi thi ki tera kisi ke saath chakkar chal raha hai."
"Achha? Maasi maine toh pehle hi kaha tha yeh rishta achha nahi hai. Dekho toh ladki se mile bhi nahi aur itna bada ilzaam laga diya. Main bolti hu aap yeh rishta hi cancel kar do. Aise ghar mein jaana hi nahi hai mujhe."
Prafulla snorted. "Rishta toh unhone hi cancel kar diya. Woh bhi chaar baatein sunake." She twisted Raavi's ears. "Aur tujhe kya lagta hai, main pagal hu? Samjhungi nahi? Pata hai tu uss Dhara ki side hai. Isiliye tune yeh natak kiya."
Prafulla left her ear and started cursing her luck out loud. Anita came in that moment, but she straight went to her room without saying anything. Raavi also took this chance and escaped to her own room.
"Haye mara bhogilal, apne hi ghar mein Shakuni Raavi ho toh dushman ki kise zaroorat? Aur iss Anita ki shakal dekhke lagta hai yeh bhi koi kaand karke aayi hai. Meri dono betiyan hi itni nikammi, nalayak kaise ho sakte hain?"
Suddenly, Prafulla got another idea. She knew this was something Raavi could never say no to. For Anita, she would go old school.
***
Raavi marvelled at her genius. From now on, she would do this. Whenever Maasi would get a rishta for her, she would make Shiva call the groom and threaten him. If Dhara di got a rishta for Shiva, she could threaten his bride.
"Ae kamini, agar mere boyfriend pe tune nazar daalne ki bhi koshish ki toh main tere haath pair todke, tujhe suli pe chadha dungi." Raavi practiced exactly what she would say to the daayan.
It was such a simple solution. Why did she lose sleep for two nights over such a simple matter? They could delay the bet till they were ready to get married. It was still strange to her that Shiva wanted to get married. As far as she knew him, she was sure he was happy being a bachelor.
Shiva shouldn't get married. No girl would be able to handle him. They would all drive him crazy, and he would burn them with his rage. Only she, in the whole world had the capacity to handle Shiva. If anything, Shiva should marry her.
Raavi laughed at that thought. It would be so crazy if they got married. They would probably spend their whole lives fighting. She was the only woman who wouldn't kill him. The same thing couldn't be said for him. There was a slight chance he might kill her. Then there was also a chance her Maasi would kill him first.
Raavi dismissed the ridiculous thought from her head and went to sleep. She could sleep peacefully today.
***
Prafulla reached Pandya house first thing in the morning. She marched into the house and called the whole family in the living room. Everyone was surprised to see her. It was quite unusual for Prafulla to come there uninvited. Shiva frowned as he saw Maami standing before them.
"Maami aap yaha?" Gautam asked.
"Haa Gaumbi beta. Baat karni hai tum sab se."
"Kagri ka chehra dekh liya subah subah. Ab toh din hi kharab jayega." Suman said.
"Kya Suman bein. Ab toh yeh sab purani baatein chod dijiye. Main yaha aapse naya rishta jodne aayi hu."
Everyone was stunned for a moment.
"Kaunsa naya rishta?" Suman asked.
"Main apni Raavi ke liye Dev ka haath maangne aayi hu." Prafulla said. "Bachpan se woh Dev se pyaar karti hai. Toh hum kaun hote hai uske khushiyon pe rok lagane waale?"
Dhara was fuming. Prafulla had made her move. It might just jeopardise her own plan. She looked at Shiva and caught the mad rage in his eyes. Or perhaps, Prafulla's move might just bring Shiva and Raavi closer. Dhara smiled. It was a risk but it was a risk worth taking. Perhaps it might just give them the push they needed to realise their feelings.
"Maami baat toh aapne bohot achhi kahi. Agar dono ek dusre ko chahte hai phir toh hume koi problem nahi. Par ek baar hume unn dono se bhi puchna chahiye." Gaumbi said.
"Ae Gautam, ab kya saare faisle tu lega?" Suman asked. "Iss kagri ke saath koi rishta nahi jodna hume."
Prafulla knew that Suman might be a hurdle in her plan and she was right in thinking so. But she had planned for everything. There was no way she would lose that bet, even if she had to grovel in front of Suman.
She pretended to be upset and knelt in front of Suman, and cried. "Meri galtiyon ki saza meri bachhi ko mat do. Bachpan se maine sirf use khushiyan deni chahi. Jo maangti hai wahi milta hai usko. Aur jab woh dil se Dev ko chahti hai toh main mana kaise karu? Yeh toh uski puri zindagi ka sawal hai."
Dhara would've melted too if she didn't know Maami's true intentions. Her tears were almost convincing. Gaumbi as usual was the first person to melt. He picked up maami by her shoulders and promised to convince Suman about the alliance. Prafulla thanked Gaumbi and left. Shiva looked really mad and left too. Suman rolled her eyes and went to her room. Gaumbi sighed and said he would speak to Maa after coming back from the store.
***
Dhara went to Suman kaki's room with breakfast. She was somehow a little intimidated by how Suman was looking at her. Her expressions were inscrutable. Dhara cleared her throat.
"Kya hua maa?"
"Woh toh tu batayegi mujhe." Suman said. "Yeh Prafulla ka kaunsa naya natak tha?"
"Pata nahi Maa woh-" Dhara was cut by Suman midway.
"Ae bhagori ki beti. Jhoot boli toh ghar se nikal dungi. Yeh Prafulla aise hi aane waalo mein se nahi hai. Itni aasani se iss ghar se rishta nahi jodegi woh. Aur tu, aise toh devi mata bane ghumti hai, par aaj tune ek baar bhi usko support nahi kiya. Bas khade khade ghoorti rahi usko. Koi toh baat hai. Bata mujhe."
Dhara knew she had no option but to tell the truth. She was scared of Maa's reaction. Starting from her fight with Maami, Dhara told Maa about the bet. Suman looked absolutely furious and Dhara braced herself for the upcoming storm.
"Matlab tune uss kagri ke liye mere bete ki zindagi dao pe laga di?" Suman shouted. "Kisi ke saath bhi tu uska rishta jod degi? Sirf uss bet ke liye?"
"Nahi Maa. Woh bas mujhe gussa aa gaya tha Maami ki baaton pe. Aur gusse mein maine bet laga diya. Par ek chote se bet ke liye main apne Shiva ki life kharab nahi karungi, chahe mujhe apni saari jewellery aur saree de deni pare." Dhara said. "Actually Maa, ek ladki hai meri nazar mein. Woh humare Shiva ke liye perfect hai. Dono ke mann mein ek dusre ke liye feelings bhi hain."
Dhara told Suman all about Raavi and Shiva. She narrated how she had tested them to see if they had feelings for each other, and she also told them about all she had done to bring them closer. Suman remained in deep thought after listening it to all, leaving Dhara behind with her heart thumping loudly.
"Toh isiliye tu mujhe Allahabad kheench ke le gayi?" Suman said. "Tu aur tera ghatiya plan. Inn dono ko kareeb lana hai toh kuch bada soch. Ek saath time bitane se kuch nahi hoga. Bachpan se kaafi time spend kiye hai ek saath. Apne mann ki baat jaanne ke liye inn dono ko koi bada jhatka dena parega."
Dhara sighed in relief as Suman started thinking of a plan. Now that Maa was with her, she would definitely win.
