RAGHVI FF : A PHOENIX

CHAP 10 : FINALLY HOME

"Hi I'm Raghav. Raghav Rao" Raghav introduced himself with a sweet smile but Pallavi was too shocked to respond back. It was on Aai's third call that she gained back her senses.

"Huh Haan." she looked at Aaji and then back at the two guys standing infront of her.

"Tu aise shant kya ho gayi. Maine inse rent ki baat karli hai baaki tu bhi baat karle." Aaji spoke.

"Aaji tujhe Kaku bula rahi hai. Woh Pandit ji aa gaye hain." Pallavi replied, her eyes not leaving the sight of him. She was scared that if she looked away, he might vanish into thin air.

"Are ho main bhi na bhul hi gayi. Beta tum dono baitho main abhi aati hoon. Pallu tu inke woh documents woh dekhle ek baari. Thika Ahe?" Aaji rubbed her arms and went away after giving the duo a sweet smile.

"Pallavi Ji? Aap theek hai na?" Raghav asked , mischief visible in his eyes but soo much hapiness in his heart that it was tough not to grab her in his arms as soon as he saw her.

"Kyun aaye ho yahan?" Pallavi finally asked the question that had been eating inside her.

"Aaji ne bataya toh ki kaam hai yahan rehne ke liye jagah chahiye mujhe." he replied.

"Bhabhi woh-" Farhad tried to intervene, totally aware of how this conversation was going to go but Pallavi showed her palm to stop him then and there.

"Mr. Raghav Rao behtar hoga ki aap apna hotel kahin aur dhundh le. Now get out. Both of you." she marched upto him as she looked him in the eye. The old Pallavi suddenly vanishing away as the phoenix took in.

"Ooh relax Saree ka dukaan. Tum itna gussa karega toh tumhara BP badh jayega." Raghav smiled.

"Farhad apne Anna ko yahan se le jao aur wapas aane ki koi zaroorat nahin hai." she told Farhad still looking at the bane of her existence.

"Farhad jaa jakar nariyal paani lekar aa. Lagta hai dhup ki wajah se tera bhabhi ka dimaag zyada garam ho gaya hai." Raghav ordered Farhad.

"Bass bahut ho gaya Raghav. Yeh mera ghar hai. Pallavi ka ghar. Samazla. Isliye yahan kaun rahega aur kaun nahin yeh main decide karungi. So out" she raised her voice this time.

"Pehle tumko akela chhodh chuka hai main dobara woh galti nahin karega. Raghav Rao apna Pallavi ko chhodhkar kahin nahin jayega. Ardhamainda." he replied moving closer to her.

"Pallu kya hua?" they heard a voice from the door. Aaji stood holding the box of sweets confused at the scenario.

"Bataiye Pallavi Ji sab theek hai na?" he whispered to her.

"Ho Aaji. Sarva kahi theek ahe (sab theek hai). " Pallavi replied as she shooted daggers at him over his audacity.

"Woh kya hai na Aaji mujhe lagta hai ki main inko jaanta hoon. Kyun farhad?" Raghav raised a brow at her while she bore hers into him. warning him not to.

"Pata nahin Anna." Farhad replied.

Bhabhi ka chamcha. Dekhte hi party badal liya, Raghav thought.

"Pallavi tu jaanti hai inhe?" Aaji asked.

Raghav looked at her waiting for her reply. he could see his Pallavi looking at him with those innocent eyes he had fallen in love with until something replaced it.

"Nahin Aaji." her reply shocked him a bit. For her she couldn't let Aaji suddenly know of her past. A past that she had kept hidden from everyone here. Aaji loved her way too much and she couldn't let her get hurt after knowing the truth. hence Pallavi thought it was better not to dig old graves.

"Aur Mr Rao bass jaa hi rahe the." she added.

"Kyun? Beta sab theek toh hai na?" Aaji asked being concerned.

Raghav smiled. If she was the new yet the old Pallavi he had met on that highway then he too was The Raghav Rao.

"Bass apna samaan rakhkar ek meeting ke liye jaana hai. Achca hoga agar tum hume hamara room dikha dega. So that we can settle on time." Raghav smirked at Pallavi who was trying so hard not to use her judo skills on him.

"Ho ho.. Pallavi tu inko kamra dikha de. Mujhe woh Pandit ji ke liye kundli lekar jaani hai. Theek hai." Aaji smiled as she grabbed a bag and left the place.

"Chale Pallavi Ji." Raghav gestured for his hands towards the stairs while Pallavi glared him. She decided that she'll deal with this mess as soon as she gets alone with Aaji.

She took both the guys to their share of the house and unlocked a door for them. Raghav coughed as he was welcomed with a truckload of dust infront of him.

"Yeh hai aapka temporary room Mr Rao. Yahan koi aapka naukar nahin hai toh behtar hoga aap khud isse saaf karlen." Pallavi mocked him.

"Saree ka dukaan tum-" Raghav walked ahead to engulf her when Shiva came in.

"Tu idhar hai main kabse tujhe dhundh raha hoon." he scolded Pallavi earning a confusing glare from Raghav.

" Woh main inhe kamra." Pallavi was about to reply when Shiav noticed the other two.

" Are toh kamra final ho gaya tum dono ka. Koi zaroorat ho toh mujhe batana han." Shiva patted Farhad's back and Farhad realised that this man does workout alot.

"Tu jaanta hai inhe?" Pallavi asked.

'Are han woh galti se meri jeep se iss hero ka accident ho gaya tha." Shiva informed.

'Accident!" Pallavi got worried as she looked at Raghav, trying to get any signs of injury on him, 'Kisike lagi toh nahin na?" she added.

"Are nahin meri teacher ji. Sab theek hai. Ab tu fatafat yeh tie baandh de." Shiva held her shoulders to stop her panic and handed her a tie.

"Tie kyun?" Pallavi gave him a confused look.

"Woh main interview ke liye jaa raha hai. Main socha ki tune itna mehnat se meri job ke liye baat kara toh." Shiva scratched his neck.

"Toh tum job karoge?" Pallavi asked with a wide smile as she finally noticed his appearnce in a white buttoned up shirt and jeans.

"Koshish karega par promise nahin hai. Ab tu tie bandhegi kyunki tu jaanti hai yeh shareefon wale kaam mujhe nahin aate." Shiva raised her brows to which she nodded her head in excitement.

"Chal main na tere bal bhi theek kardeti hoon.' pallavi spoke with a smile as she started dragging Shiva out. She stopped at the door as she turned around at a confused Raghav and then looked at farhad.

"Farhad koi zaroorat ho toh batana." she spoke and left with Shiva.

"Anna yeh kaunsi script chal rahi hai?" Farhad asked.

"Main nahin jaanta Farhad par main pata lagakar rahega ki yeh Mawali mera Pallavi ke itna kareeb kaisa hai." Raghav spoke with jealousy visible in his eyes.

"Lekin bhabhi ne aapke saath aisa kyun behave kiya Anna? Aur aapne bhi Aaji ko kuch nahin bataya. Kal bhi aap raatko yahan aaye aur bahar se hi wapas chale gaye." Farhad asked.

"Pata nahin Farhad ki yeh sab kya hua hai aur kayko hua hai. Mereko pehle confirmed nahin tha ki yeh Pallavi hi hai na isliye dorect aakar baat nahin kara. Pehle socha ki kahin uska memory loss toh nahin hua warna woh ghar wapas zaroor aata accident ke baad. isliye main kal idhar aaya Pallavi ke paas, uska kareeb aur woh mereko bina dekhe, pehchana. Mera ehsaas se woh mera naam liya. Tabhi main samajh gaya tha ki kuch toh bahut bada hua hai jo woh 3 mahine se idhar hai aur ghar nahin aaya, apna family ke paas." raghav explained.

"Par hume yeh sab pata kaise chalega Anna ki sach kya hai? Akhir bhabhi ko hua kya hai?" Farhad gave Raghav a worried look.

'Tu chinta mat kar farhad. Ab Raghav Rao aa gaya hai aur woh apna khushiyan aur apna pyaar ko liye bina wapas ghar nahin jayega." Raghav spoke as he dusted a side table and kept his and Pallavi's wedding picture frame on it.