ShiVi FF: Always a Losing Game

Part 17: Main raet si boond ka zariya tu, paa ke tujhe bheeg jaun re..

Gautam's head was bursting. Out of all 3 of his brothers, he'd have expected Krish to elope with a girl. He'd have expected Shiva to be involved in an altercation with someone. But Gautam never expected both of these from the most docile one. A few hours after Dev came home with Rishita, her father arrived on his doorsteps with his politician sister and a posey of goons to take his daughter back because evidently it was demeaning for Janardan Seth's daughter to marry into a home of kirane waale.

Rishita, however took a stand for herself – she, as a legal adult, is entitled to her own life choices and her father couldn't force her to leave her husband. Threats were issued from both sides, and ultimately the risk of hurting their upcoming and crucial political campaign, looming large over their heads made them retreat with their tails between their legs. Gautam rubbed his throbbing head, feeling a migraine attack starting to emerge, and he had barely gotten up to go to his room when a fuming Mami stormed into the house with mama in tow.

"Ayee Suman ben! Aa su che?? Yeh main kya sun rahi hu?? Apke bete ne bhaag ke shaadi kar li? Meri Raavi se shaadi ka waada karke kisi aur ladki ko bhaga liya us dafor ne?? Heyyy mhara Bhogilal!!! Ab kyaa hoga meri dikri ka?? Hum toh kahi muh dikhane layak nahi rahe, hei!!!" Gautam winced at her shrill tone, feeling his headache worsen as Mami continued to scream. "Ayeee Dhara! Tum sab ne toh meri beti ki jindagi barbad hi kar di, hei! Woh toh marr hi jayegi jab usne pata chalega Dev ne shaadi kar li! Kya muh dikhau main apni bacchi ko??"

"Mami aap shant ho jayiye. Hum baith ke baat karte hai na." Dhara tried to pacify her, but Prafulla was beyond reasoning at this point.

"Ae Dobi! Meri beti ke dulha ne kisi aur ke saath bhaag ke shaadi kar li aur tu bolti hai main shaant ho jau?!? Main? Tu toh badi mahaanta ki murat banti hai ne? Toh tune Raavi ki jindagi barbaad kaise honi di, Dhara??" Prafulla looked at Dhara incredulously, before turning to a frozen Dev, "Aur tu?? Agar tujhe toi aur ladki pasand thi toh pehle bolna tha ne? Shaadi ke liya haan hi kyu ki? Mana kar deta nakkamo!! Tu pehle kyu ni bata sakta tha manne samaj nathi padtee!" Dev's eyes were downcast as he stood there unable to defend himself as he knew Mami was indeed right.

"Ae kagdi! Chup baith ne thoda. Teri phati hui dhol jaisi awaaz se mere sarr mein dard hone lag gaya hai," Suman winced before turning to Gautam, "Waise Gautam, yeh kagdi keh toh sahi rahi hai. Galat toh kiyo hai Dev ne uss bacchi ke saath. Poore khandaan ki naak kata di iss ladke ne. Samajh hi nahi aa raha ab Raavi ko kya muh dikhaye."

"Kya muh dikhayenge matlab? Yahi muh dikhayenge maa. Aur aap Raavi Bhabhi ki tension kyu lete ho? Apna Shiva hai na, who sambhal lega. Waise bhi itne waqt se wohi toh sambhal raha hai. Unke toh alag hi kaand hai," Krish said absentmindly, before wincing in pain when Radhika elbowed him on his ribs. He turned to see her glaring at him, while the rest of the family gaped at him in shock.

"Ae Krish! Kya bol raha hai?? Kya matlab Shiva sambhal raha hai?" Krish's eyes widened in horror at Suman's words, and realization dawned on him. Why? Why him?? Why did he have to open that big mouth of his!! He gulped in fear. Oh Shiva is so going to bury him alive!

*****

By the time Shiva reached home, it was dusk already. Time flies when he is with his Chipkali. He had wished for it in the past but he never thought that dream would ever come true. He never thought he'd ever take Raavi out on a date, spend time with her like this, love her openly without fear and have her love him back. Shiva never believed in the angels Raavi had so much faith in. But today he believed, because there was no other way this wasn't a dream otherwise.