Shivi FF: Agar Tum Saath Ho

5.

"Shiva!" Raavi shook him awake. "Shiva uth na!" He still didn't budge so she took the water bottle which was kept beside her and threw water on his face, successfully waking him up. Shiva glared at Raavi, but she smiled sweetly. "Hum kaha jane waale hai aaj?"

"Ae maami ki behen ki beti, yeh jagane ka kaunsa tareeka hai?" He asked.

"Tujhe normal insano ki tarah jagane ki koshish kar toh rahi thi kitne time se par tu uth hi nahi raha tha. Gadhera!"

"Gadheri tu!" Shiva sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Ab bata hum kaha jaa rahe hai aaj?" Raavi asked.

"Kaha?"

"Ohho Shiva! Gaumbi ne chutti di hai tujhe aaj. Hum kahi ja sakte hai. Chal film dekhne chalte hai! Uske baad lunch karenge bahar."

"Kahi nahi jana tere saath." Shiva said.

"Maine kal itna bada drama kiya. Ab kahi nahi jayenge toh thik nahi lagega. Jana toh parega hume." Raavi said.

"Maine kaha tha drama karne? Chipkali kahi ki! Pehle neend kharab karti hai phir bolti hai kahi leke chal."

"Tu jaha leke jayega main chalungi." Raavi said. "But kal ke drame ke baad kahi leke chal mujhe. Please Shiva! Warna woh Rishita phir baatein sunayegi mujhe."

Shiva sighed. Holidays for him usually meant lazing around in bed, but this chipkali wouldn't let him lie around in peace. She pinched him hard, making him wince in pain, and handing him his clothes. Shiva glared at her before snatching his clothes from her and made his way to the bathroom to take a bath and get changed.

Raavi was already decked up. She picked up her dupatta and pinned it on her kurta. However her mood took a u-turn when she looked at Dev through the mirror. For a minute, she forgot how to breathe. Dev standing at the door brought back all the bad memories for Raavi. She slowly turned around to face him. Dev stepped into the room with hesitation.

"Shiva nahane gaya hai." Raavi said.

"Haa pata hai. Woh main tumse maafi maangne aaya tha." Dev said. "Kal Rishita ne jo kuch bhi kaha. Use nahi kehna chahiye tha. Main hi jane wala tha Ahmedabad but Rishita ne pata nahi kab jake Gaumbi ko mana kar diya aur unhone Shiva ko bhej diya."

Raavi nodded, wishing he would leave, but Dev took a step closer.

"Raavi main tumhari aur Shiva ki khushi chahta hu bas. Main dekh raha hu tum kitne efforts daal rahi ho apni shaadi mein and I'm sure tum dono jaldi hi sab kuch work out kar loge. Sab jaldi thik ho jayega."

This time Dev left and Raavi sat down on the bed, processing every word he said. It was very convenient for him to say that. She needed to "work" on her marriage and put "efforts" because she wasn't married to the person she loved. How dare Dev say that? He was the reason she had to marry Shiva. It was because of him that she's having to put so much "effort". The truth was no matter how much effort she put in, she'd still have to compromise with Shiva. They'd never love each other. Raavi removed her dupatta from her body with so much force that it got ripped from between. 

"Ho gaya ready." Shiva came in. "Ab jaha bhi jana hai jaldi chal. Jaldi se niptate hai."

"Mujhe kahi nahi jana Shiva." Raavi said.

"Ae maami ki behen ki beti, agar nahi jana toh subah subah jagake ready kyu karwaya?" Shiva asked, but Raavi didn't answer. "Ab bhoot banke kyu khadi hai?"

"Mujhe kahi nahi jaana Shiva. Aise ghumne jaane se kya badlega? Yeh shaadi toh hum dono ke liye saari zindagi compromise hi rahegi right? Mujhe kabhi woh sab toh milne nahi wala na jo Rishita ke paas hai. Accept kar lena chahiye, tu fas gaya hai mere saath jaise main fas gayi hu tere saath. Logo ki nazaro mein bhi humari shaadi ek majboori hai. Pata nahi mere saath aisa kyu ho raha hai. Bachpan se ek hi sapna dekha aur wahi toot gaya." She wept.

She didn't notice Shiva's fingers curling into fists. He stormed off before Raavi could say another word and Raavi went and lay down on the bed, wishing she'd never have to get up again.

***

Raavi woke up regretting everything she'd said to Shiva. It wasn't even his fault. Why did she have to speak to him like that? It was all Dev's fault. He came in and messed up her head again. She went out looking for him to apologise, but he was nowhere to be seen. Krish told her that he had gone out for a while. So Raavi thought she'd apologise to him in the best way possible, by cooking for him. Shiva could never say no to food. Raavi went to the kitchen and made some butter paneer and gajar ka halwa for him.

He came home exactly at lunch time and sat at the dining table with the rest of the family. Raavi could see that his mood was off and she knew she was the reason for that. Shiva didn't even look at her. Dhara di asked her if something had happened between them. She just shook her head and took her place beside Shiva.

"Shiva aaj toh Raavi bhabhi ne khaas tere liye khana banaya hai." Krish said.

Raavi smiled at Shiva, but he got up from the table.

"Bhook nahi hai mujhe." He stormed off again.

Everyone looked at Raavi to see what the matter was. Raavi stood up from the table and ran behind Shiva. He went to their room and started pulling his clothes out from their cupboard. Raavi kept looking to see what he was trying to do.

"Tu kya kar raha hai Shiva?" Raavi asked.

"Iss kamre ke bahar shift ho raha hu." He said.

"Par kyu?" She asked.

"Kyu? Kyuki tujhe fasake nahi rakhna chahta main. Tujhe compromise karne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai."

"Mera woh matlab nahi tha Shiva!" Raavi said. "Maine toh bas gusse mein-"

Shiva pinned her against the wall. "Gusse mein? Kis baat ka gussa hai tujhe? Pata hai tu mujhe nahi Dev ko chahti thi. Par main koshish toh kar raha tha na? Tujhe kamra sajana tha, cupboard ka hissa chahiye tha, sab tujhe diya. Aaj subah jab ghumne jana tha toh taiyyar bhi hua na? Toh kis baat ka gussa aaya tujhe? Aur agar tujhe aisa hi lagta hai toh iss koshish ka kya fayda?"

Raavi finally realised how much she hurt him. It wasn't her childhood enemy standing in front of her. It was her husband who was also trying to make this marriage work. "Shiva... sorry. Main... main tujhpe nahi Dev pe gussa ho gayi thi. Woh aaya aur use dekhte hi pata nahi mujhe kya ho gaya."

"Dev mera bhai hai Raavi aur woh isi ghar mein rehta hai. Matlab tu jitni baar use dekhegi toh aise kuch bhi bol degi?"

"I'm really sorry. Please. Galti ho gayi." Raavi cried. "Next time se aisa nahi hoga. Promise."

Shiva finally left her. "Main nahi chahta tu meri wajah se compromise kare. Toh agar tujhe jana hai toh tu jaa sakti hai. Koi bhi lawyer divorce papers ready kara dega. Aur use sign karte hi tujhe teri aazadi mil jayegi. Dev toh tujhe nahi de sakta, par teri azaadi tujhe zaroor lauta sakta hu."

Raavi was shocked to hear him talk about their divorce. He went back to removing his clothes from the cupboard. She wiped her tears and went to him. She stopped him and started putting his clothes back in the cupboard.

"Mujhe na toh Dev chahiye aur naa hi mujhe koi divorce chahiye." Raavi said. "Shiva please iss baar thik se try karte hai. Meri ek galti maaf kar de. Ek proper mauka dete hai hum apni shaadi ko. Please!"

Shiva looked at her for a second, then he nodded.