"Ae Chipkali, baahar nikal!"
Raavi was talking a shower when she heard Shiva shouting loudly. What was he doing in his room, and why was he angry? She had learnt to decipher his emotions from his voice, and he was raging right now.
She hadn't bought clothes in the bathroom, so she wrapped a bathrobe around herself and went outside. Shiva was about to shout at her, but he stopped as he looked at her. She was wearing a bath robe which barely reached her knees, and she was dropping wet. Her hair was left open and dripping water everywhere. Shiva forgot what he was here to say.
"Ab kya bas ghoorta hi rahega?" Raavi asked. "Chilla kyu raha tha?"
"Woh....woh..." Shiva thought about what he had to say. Raavi standing before him in a bathrobe was too distracting. Maybe she was right about his jumping hormones levels.
"Kya?" Raavi asked one more time.
Shiva remembered about Maami coming to his house. His anger returned and he took a breath to calm himself down. "Maami aayi thi humare ghar tera rishta leke."
"Humari shaadi ke liye?" Raavi was shocked. She couldn't believe Maasi would even consider Shiva for her.
"Nahi." Shiva expression softened. He was surprised to see that her first thought had been him. "Dev ke liye."
"Kya?" Raavi was surprised. It was her Maasi who asked her to forget about Dev. She never wanted any alliance between them. Now why had she gone with the proposal within asking her?
"Tune aur maine decide kiya tha hum shaadi nahi karenge aur yaha Maami khud tera rishta laati hai woh bhi mere bhai ke liye?" Shiva could feel his irritation returning.
"Par Maasi aisa kyu karegi?" Raavi sat down on her bed to think.
Shiva was getting impatient. He wasn't interested in Maami's motives. Right now, he just wanted her answer. She couldn't betray him after making a pact of not getting married. But everyone knew she loved Dev and there was a very good chance she might jump at the chance of marrying him.
Shiva pulled her up and made him look into his eyes. "Tu Dev se shaadi karne waali hai?"
"Nahi... Main Maasi ko jeetne nahi dungi itne easily. I'm sure unhe laga hoga ki Dev ka naam sunte hi main shaadi ke liye ready ho jaungi."
Shiva pulled her closer to him by her waist. "Thode time ke liye Maami ko chod. Dhara bhabhi ko bhi bhool ja. Bet ke baare mein bhul jaa. Tu toh bachpan se pyaar karti thi Dev se. Toh kya tu usse shaadi karegi?"
Raavi felt her heart thumping. She was suddenly feeling as if she were burning under his gaze inspite of the fact that she was wet. "Main Dev se pyaar nahi karti. Woh bachpan ki baat thi."
Shiva felt relief coursing through his veins. He smiled like he'd never smiled before. Without thinking, he wrapped her in his arms. Raavi hugged him back just as tightly.
He let go but he was still holding her. Raavi's hands lay in his chest and they just stared at each other. She felt this insane attraction to him. They were so close together. She took a step back from his, which brought back Shiva to reality.
"Ab toh khush hai na tu? Main Pandya house nahi aaungi. Tujhe saari zindagi nahi sataungi. Tujhe mujhe bhabhi bhi nahi bulana padega." Raavi said.
"Haa bohot khush hu. Ab toh pure Somnath mein laddoo batenge." Shiva said, but his tone didn't match his words.
***
Prafulla rang Hardik's doorbell. He opened the door and was surprised to see Prafulla standing there. He invited her inside and offered her some tea. Prafulla started out with small talk about hhis business and then she proceeded to how she had asked for Dev's hand for Raavi.
"Ab yeh paarivarik dushmani bohot ho gayi." Prafulla sighed. "Meri beti ki khushi ke saamne main haar gayi."
"Yeh toh bohot achhi baat hai Maami. Raavi aur Dev ki khushiyan sabse pehle. Baaki sab baad mein." Hardik agreed. "Waise bhi purani baaton ko dus saal ho chuke hai. Ab hum sab ko aage bar jana chahiye."
Prafulla was pleased to hear him say that. If he was ready to move on, why not move on with Anita? She started crying as per her plan.
"Meri betiyan khush rahe aur main kya chahungi?" Prafulla said. "Ab tujhse kya chupana Hardik? Meri tabiyat aajkal thodi kharab rehti hai. Isiliye main jald se jald apni betiyon ki shaadi karwa deni chahti hu. Unn dono ko khushi khushi apna sansaar chalate dekhungi toh shanti se marr paungi."
"Aap aisi baatein mat kijiye Maami. Ek achhe se doctor se ilaaj karwaiye. Mere kaafi saare doctors se jaan pehchan hai. Aap kahe toh main-"
Prafulla cut him midway. He was going in a different direction altogether. "Doctor ko toh main dikha rahi hu. Medicines bhi le rahi hu. Par kya hai na, jab tak Raavi aur Anita ki zindagi na sawar jaye main chain se nahi reh sakti. Ab Raavi ka toh thik hai. Uski Dev se shaadi ho jaye toh uski life set hai. Par meri Anita ka kya hoga? Kaun thaamega Anita ka haath?" Maami started crying even louder.
"Maami, Anita bohot independent aur samajhdar ladki hai."
Prafulla rolled her eyes once again. He was going in a different track once again. "Par main toh uski Maa jaisi hu. Apne beti ki shaadi dekhne ki ichha toh meri bhi hain. Koi aisa hota jo uska khyaal rakhta, usse pyaar karta mere jaane ke baad. Par sab meri galti hai. Bhogilal mere galti ki saza meri Anita ko de rahe hai." Prafulla wiped away her tears. "Par main kuch nahi kar sakti. Faltu tumhara time waste kiya. Tum bhi kya hi kar sakte ho? Par kam se kam tumse baat karke mera mann halka hua. Ab mujhe chalna chahiye."
Prafulla looked at Hardik who was lost in thought. She knew her plan had worked. Hardik smiled and escorted her till outside. She was about to leave when Hardik stopped her.
"Maami, aap fikr mat karo. Anita bohot achhi ladki hai. Sab thik ho jayega." Hardik said.
Prafulla nodded. She had planted the seed in Hardik's mind. Now she just had to wait for the result.
