ShiVi FF: Always a Losing Game

Part 16: Saason ne kaha rukh mod liya koi raah nazar mein naa aye...

"Kya matlab? Agar tumhari family mujhe accept nahi karegi toh tum mujhe chod doge??"

"Mmmhmmmm"

"Kya? Bas yahi tha tumhara pyaar. Tum na!! Ek number ke dhokebaaz ho Dev! Main jaa rahi hu," Rishita shoved him and got up.

"Arre Rishita! Ruko toh!!! Main toh mazaakkar raha tha!" Dev ran after her. Rishita was walking towards her car when Dev caught up to her.

"Sorry na! Ab gussa thook do please. Dekho main kaan pakadta hu. I'm sorry baby!" Dev tried to pacify her, holding his ears in an apology. Rishita looked at him with teary eyes and hugged him tight.

"Aaj bol diya Dev. Aage se aisa mazaak kabhi mat karna! Main marr jaungi tumhare bagair."

"Shhhhh....aisi baatein nahi karte. Main kahi nahi jaa raha," Her response was to hug him tighter.


******

When Dev walked into the house, the first thing he noticed was Mama and Mami were there in Pandya Niwas. Now, Dev didn't possess Shiva's volatile temper but seeing that woman in his house, made his blood boil. He was just about to say something when Dhara Bhabhi came forward, and hugged him tight. Dev's heart immediately clenched in fear. Did this mami insult Bhabhi again? When Dhara Bhabhi let go of him, he immediately held her by her shoulders, scanning her face for any signs of distress.

But instead of the tears he had been anticipating, he found Dhara Bhabhi beaming in sheer joy and the knots in his heart loosened slightly. He looked around himself and saw the same happiness reflected in everyone's faces. Gaumbi came forward and patted his back, while Krish danced around the courtyard, singing a ridiculous song about shehnaai. That should have clued him in. If not that, at least Mama-mami's presence in the house should have tipped him off about the storm that was about to be unleashed upon him. But Dev Pandya, the famously intelligent Pandya brother, failed to read the clues. Or was it the unreined happiness, radiating from everyone that deceived him; lured him into a false sense of security? That was why the next words out of Dhara Bhabhi's mouth shook his entire world.

"Dev!! Accha hua tu aa gaya! Jaa ab apne hone waale saas-sasur ka aashirvaad lo. Maa tere aur Raavi ke rishte ke liye maan gayi hai!!" Dev was shocked to speechlessness by the announcement as he turned his panicked eyes to Maa. Maa was scowling at Prafulla but Dev couldn't ignore her absolute joy of being reunited with her beloved brother. They all had seen Maa's melancholy in these past few years. She lost her husband, her store, her brother, even her spirit. But today, they could see her happiness. Her happiness of getting her brother back. So when Maa caressed his face and asked , "Tu khush hai na?", Dev couldn't say no. A simple monosyllable stuck in his throat like a thorn. He could have said no. He should have said no. But he didn't. He barely managed a weak smile and a nod, swallowing the lump in his throat. He mumbled a quick excuse before scuttling away. He couldn't let anyone see his tears.

"Yaar Gaumbi! Apna Dev pakka dulha hi hai na? Kaise dulhan ki tarah sharma ke bhaag gaya. Lagta hai Raavi Bhabhi ko hi bolna parega ke baraat leke aaye," Krish guwfawed. Gautam shook his head in amusement before smacking his head.

"Tu phir bola!!??"

*****

Dev paced his room. Away from everyone's expectations he could now see the implications of his decision. He just agreed to marry Raavi; his childhood friend. Everyone knew of her desires to be a Pandya bahu; she has always been very vocal about it. But he never thought she was serious about it. Dev knew it was entirely his fault. He should have stopped it long ago. He should have listened when Shiva warned him against spending time with her. Shiva knew Raavi more than he did. Dev should have listened to Shiva. Things wouldn't have gotten this messed up.