The Haldi ceremony came to an end and everyone left for having their dinner. Amma and Keerti sat for having dinner. Raghav was roaming in dinner hall to see Amma and Keerti so that he can try to talk to them. Amma saw him and told Keerti to call him. Keerti went near him.
"An.. Raghav woh Amma tumhe bula rahi hai." Keerti told him. She could see in his eyes how happy he was.
"Amma ne mujhe bulaya?" Raghav asked in disbelief.
"Aur koi Raghav hai kya yaha pe? Aree par tum bhi toh Raghav nahi ho, tum toh Mandar ho na." Keerti teased him.
"Aree yaar Keerti ab tu bhi mereko Mandar bol raha hai." He said making an angry pout.
"Chal ab." She said laughing at his cute antics.
Both of them went to Amma. Amma asked Raghav to sit besides her.
"Thank you so much Raghav unlogo ka help karne ke liye. Aur mein dekha ki jab woh Sulochana Pallavi ko rokne ka koshish kar raha tha tab tum usko successful nahi hone diya. Kisika toh accha kar raha hai tu yeh dekhkar accha laga." Amma said being truly happy about the fact that her son was helping someone.
"Amma aapne itna bola wahi bohot hai mere liye. Aapne aaj atleast mera accha side toh dekha. Please mere pe ek ehsaan kardo aur 10 saal pehle jo hua us story ka mera wala side sunlo Amma please." He tried his luck.
"Mein uske liye shayad hi tereko kabhi maaf kar paayega."
"Mein yeh nahi bol raha ki aap mereko maaf kardo. Mein bas bol raha hai ki tum mera waala side sun lo ek baar please." Raghav again pleaded.
"Kis baare mein baat ho rahi hai. Mandar? Kya bol raha hai tu? Kya kiya hai tune?" Aaji asked him from behind.
"Aapka pota mere bete jaisa hai mereko. Mene isko itna bola tha ki yaha pe aayega toh milne aa, par nahi maharaj ko toh time hi nahi hai. Isliye mein thodi naaraj hoon." Amma said covering up.
"Accha. Beta itni mahino baad aaya hai aur woh itna insist kar rahi hai toh jaana chahiye tha na." Aaji said taking Amma's side.
"Haan Aaji mene socha tha shaadi ke baad jaayega aur surprise dega."
"Chod Kanna hote rehta hai." Amma called him Kanna purposely because she missed calling him that and she couldn't call him Kanna in normal circumstances. Now, she could give an excuse that she said it because Aaji was there. Raghav was happy that his Amma addressed him as Kanna even though it was for appearances sake.
"Aap log baat karo mein aata hai." Raghav told the ladies who continued chit chatting. Amma and Aaji got along really well. Aaji kept on telling Amma about Mandar's adventures in the childhood. Amma couldn't help but remember child Raghav and his mischievous nature.
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Keerti and Pallavi were talking. Keerti wanted to meet Pallavi since a long time but it couldn't happen as both were busy.
"Keerti, tumhara bhai nahi aaya?" Pallavi asked her. Keerti's facial expressions changed drastically.
"Woh kyu aayega, Pallavi?"
"Nahi woh mene invite pe Rao Family likha tha isliye pucha?"
"Nahi aaya woh. Meri usse baat bhi nahi hoti toh kaha se invite karu usko."
"To karlo na baat. Itni fikar karti ho uski. Humesha uske secretary ko uske baare mein poochti ho to usse baat kyu nahi kar sakti?"
"Pallavi meine tumhe bataya tha na ki humari past ke wajah se Amma usse abhi bhi naraj hai aur agar mein usse baat karungi toh unko bura lagega."
"Mein samajhti hoon Keerti par uske baare mein bhi socho. Amma aur tum ek dusre ke liye the par uske liye toh koi bhi nahi tha na."
"Tum sahi bol rahi ho par Amma yeh baat nahi samajhti na." Keerti agreed with Pallavi but she knew that it was impossible to convince Amma.
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Later in the room, Raghav and Pallavi were sitting on the bed all tired because of the 2 functions that happened today.
"What were you talking to Keerti about her brother?" Raghav asked as he had heard their conversation and he was really happy that Pallavi thought about the person she didn't even know.
"Did you listen to our talks? So Cheap Raghav!" Pallavi exclaimed.
"No. I did not hear it purposely. I was just passing by when I heard something about her brother." Raghav justified because he did not want Pallavi to think of him as a stalker who stalks girls.
"Why are you so interested in Keerti? That day also you were asking about her. Today also you listened to my conversation with her and now you want to know about her brother also. What's the matter?"
"It's nothing like that. I was just asking."
"I know after living apart for so many years from each other you would want to know about your sister."
To say he was shocked would be an understatement.
"How do you know?" He questioned her.
"That doesn't matter. Raghav, Keerti really loves you and misses you a lot."
"I know Pallavi."
"Then why don't you go and talk to her?"
"I tried but she doesn't reciprocate my efforts. She keeps on saying that if Amma forgives me then only she will talk to me."
"And you are okay with that? Raghav, you need to try hard to mend relations which are broken. You can't mend them just by giving expensive gifts. You need to have conversations to sort it out." Pallavi explained to him.
"They are not ready to listen to me. I tried everything in my power to converse." He said getting up.
"Did you try to give them time?" She also got up to match his height.
"Are 10 years not enough? How much more time do they want?"
"Raghav give them time to think about you. Don't just do things which will let them think otherwise about you. Keerti told me how you tried to convince them in the last 10 years. Once you became rich you tried giving them house, car and every other luxury item but do they really want that? Or do they need that? No Raghav, they don't need it. It just made them think that you are trying to buy their love with your money, which I know is not the case."
"What should I do then?"
"Keerti has forgiven you. Try to talk to her first and don't force anything on her. Be simple. Talk to her like you used to before your father and brother passed away. She does understand you and doesn't hold you responsible for their death. Then try to talk to your Amma in the same way." She gave him a solution.
"Thank you so much Saree Ka Dukaan." He said and hugged her tight. Pallavi also hugged him back considering his emotional state of mind.
"Btw when did Keerti tell you all this?"
He asked breaking out of the hug.
"She used to always tell me about you and both of your childhood memories without taking your name ofcourse. I was always intrigued on knowing who her brother is. Then when you bought our shop I told her about you and she tried defending you and in normal circumstances Keerti would never do that. At first, I thought that you are her long lost love or something *laughs* but she would also bitch about you just in front of me that too in a very fake manner but I brushed it off and one day I heard her asking to Farhad about you and that was the day I understood that she is your sister. Today's dinner scene just confirmed my speculation. Still, I was kind off confused if I am right or wrong but then I heard your conversation with Jaya Aunty which confirmed that you are her brother." Pallavi told him the entire journey of hers to find Keerti's brother.
"Wow Saree Ka Dukaan tum toh Detective Sherlock Holmes ka nani nikla." He said clapping for her.
"Thank you!!" She said playfully.
"Par Pallavi mein Keerti se baat kaise karega? Woh toh mujhse milne nahi aata jab mein bulata hai tab."
"Tum uski tension mat lo. Woh mein manage karti hoon.Chalo ab so jaate hai." She said.
"Theek hai. Idhar aao." He said asking her to stand a little closer to him.
"Kyu?" As soon as the words left her mouth he took her in a bone crushing hug with his hands moving a little on her back and shoulders.
"Thank you so much Pallavi. Tumko pata nahi hai tumhare solution ki wajah se mereko ek umeed mila hai ki shayad Amma aur Keerti wapis mere paas aa sakta hai. Amma firse mujhe Kanna bula sakta hai, mujhse pyaar se baat kar sakta hai, mujhe daant sakta hai, mere liye Paysam bana sakta hai aur woh sab kar sakta hai jo ek Amma apne bete ke liye karta hai. Thank you so much." He broke the hug and lifted her in his arms, twirling her around.
"Theek hai theek hai. You are welcome. Par abhi neeche utaro mujhe please. Mujhe chakkar aa jaayenge." She said laughing.
"Sorry Sorry." Raghav said clearly embarrassed.
"It's okay. Ab sone chale. Kal subah jaldi uthna hai. Kal mansi ki shaadi hai." Pallavi said.
"Matlab iss ghar mein mera last day." He spoke sadly.
"Kal nahi parso kyunki Aaji parso waapis jaa rahi hai."
"Okay."
"Tum toh aise sad ho rahe ho jaise sachme miss karoge."
"Sachme ka kya matlab hai ofcourse miss karega mein sabko. Aaji ko to sabse jyaada. Unhone mujhe Mandar samjh ke hi sahi par bohot pyaar kiya. Tumhara Aai, Kaka aur even tumhara Baba. Bura aadmi nahi hai woh, bas tumhare liye kuch jyaada hi protective hai. Nikhil ke saath bhi bohot maja aaya. Kaka bhi bohot intelligent hai aur baat bhi waisa hi karta hai. Investments ke baare mein toh itna mera financial planner ne nahi bataya jitna woh bataya mereko. " Raghav spoke genuinely.
"Sunke accha laga ki tum Baba ki concern ko samjh paaye aur unhe Sanki Buddhe ki jagah mere Baba kaha."
"Main tumko bhi bohot miss karega."
"Mujhe kyu miss karoge? Hum to milte rahenge na.." She spoke in a flow but understood her mistake. "I mean agar tum chaho toh." She spoke in a low voice.
"Ofcourse milenge na. Waise bhi humara dinner pending hai."
"Haan." She felt nice after listening that he will meet her. But what if he just meant it so that she doesn't feel bad? She thought to herself and decided to not persuade him by herself. If he really wants to meet her, he will call her and meet her.
Author's Note - So how do you all like this chapter? This was an important chapter from the story point of view. I hope you all are liking the story so far. Do let me know your suggestions in the comments. See you all soon with the next chapter.
Date - 4th May 2022.
