Chalo Bhag chalte hain

Part Nine- Returning home

Prafulla Mami was pacing around their aagan the next afternoon when Shiva and Raavi arrived home from their trip.

She stopped short seeing them back . What intrigued her was this gunda types was holding her niece's hand.

"Raavi meri beti where have you been? I thought this monster would have maligned you by now!," she wailed loudly.

" Arree o Mami, yeh meri biwi hain in full sense ," Shiva sputtered out in his natural self.

Raavi gasped.

Did he just say that out loud! She immediately reddened. Mami grabbed herself by the chest and feigned faint. Anita came running to find her mother swooning. The others were alarmed at her state.

"Kya hua Mumma?," Anita stammered as she scrambled to hold her upright.

"Isne Raavi ka fayda utha!"

Raavi stepped in front of Shiva and glared at Prafulla a fierceness only Mata rani would show a person who had harmed an innocent.

Shiva wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

"Masi Ma! How dare you! Meri marzi thi aur yeh mera aur mere pati ki beech ki baat hai!"

Dhara looked on with wonder at how Raavi respectfully defended her position. Suman was annoyed at the dramatics of Prafulla. The woman just wanted to take and cause drama no matter where. Gautam had stopped for lunch they had been about to eat, when this had occurred.

"Prafulla Mami I respectfully ask you not bring this matter to all of our neighbors. As you can see Raavi and Shiva are fine. So whatever your concerns were, are apparently invalid," Gautam declared.

"Ji haan. Mami I can offer you some tea and refreshments, however only if you respect your son-in -law along with all of our hospitality from here on in," Dhara advised.

Prafulla recovered somewhat and straightened up.

" When I heard you two ran off , I was worried for your safety Raavi. Lekin ab lagta hai ki tum iss gunde, I mean iss Shiva ki hogayi hai aur iss Parivar ki bahu banegi hai. I will respect that," she stated grudgingly.

Her plans to separate them have gone in vain. She had wanted better for Raavi. However perhaps like her sister had done and ran off married someone not of their parents choice, she had agreed to Dhara's request to save Raavi, that she could marry Shiva instead.

They had lunch and before Prafulla left, Raavi revealed the reason behind her wanting to go away like she had.

Suman and Dhara were pleasantly surprised.

" Dek Shiva, you used to never like Raavi for our family. Now look she has decided to use her inheritance to expand our business," Gautam said.

" You are right Goumbi. I realized this past week that everything happened for a great valid reason. Raavi was the one for me, but for months maybe years I resented her. Pata nahin kya maine sochta uss waqt," he replied.

His brother clasped him on his shoulder as they walked Prafulla and Anita to their front door.

" Prafulla Mami aram se jana theek hai," Shiva said sarcastically.

" Ab aap aate rehna. Humari Raavi ka ghar hain ab hamesha ke liye ," Dhara said as she too approached with Suman.

Prafulla gave her a blank stare but noted the slight smile playing on Suman's face. Her sister-in-law had won after all. She had Raavi and the inheritance at her will.

Hours later, when Shiva and Raavi were allowed back in their room, they were amused to see the sugahraat set up.

They chuckled to each other.

"Krish, Dhara Bhabhi and Rishta bhi na," Raavi said trying not to blush.

Shiva grasped her wrist and pulled her back as she tried to hide her blushing face.

"Shall we humor them?"

"Shiva!"

"You told Mami you consented to whatever transpired between us," he hissed.

"So she was trying to make you look bad. Tum mere ek laute pati ho, main teri insult hote dek nahin sakti," she insisted back.

"Itna pyaar karti ho mujhe se?"

"Nahin utse bhi zyaada," she replied.

" You know I will always love our nok-jok. But I think it's time to start working on our Amrita," he said.

"Kya? Abhi toh.."

"Practice makes perfect chipkali!"

" Shiva tu bhi na!"

Author's note

I would love to dedicate this story for anyone who ever had to fight for their dreams or felt like they could not achieve them. When there is health and time left, use it to the wisest. Sometimes we meet people that regret many things. For example many women from my mother's generation didn't end up having careers or getting educated after high school. Years later life happened and they wished they had tried to go back to school or done some solid training to have something to fall back on. I like how in the actual show they are showing even men have these regrets and have to sacrifice their dreams and education for their families or due to some society pressures.

I hope you all have enjoyed this story. This is the end unless you would like an epilogue. For India Forum viewers, I was unable to edit the thread title each time I updated, so sorry about that. Hope you will go to wattpad and read the story there in case you missed any parts, and please leave feedback so if I write another story for this awesome onscreen couple I will do so. I don't want to comment too much on their personal lives but I hope Kanwar and Alice remain good friends whether or not they get married or not is up to destiny and their wishes I guess.

Take care,

Sonali