Pallavi did not sleep the whole night. She just kept thinking about him and their moments. She so wanted to scream and tell the world that she was in love and that person also loved her back, but she couldn't. Before they tell her parents about their relationship, she had to reunite the mother-son duo. She knew it was difficult but, not impossible. Determined, she called Keerti.
"Hello."
"Hello."
"Keerti, I wanted to ask, did you speak to Jaya Aunty?" She asked her without beating around the bush.
"Can we please meet and speak?" Keerti asked.
"Okay. Will you come to the shop or we will meet in the lunch time?" Pallavi asked.
"I will come to the shop in my lunch break."
"Fine with me." Pallavi said and hanged up.
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Pallavi was in the shop speaking to Krishna when Raghav called her.
"Haan, Ghamandi Rao bolo." She said picking up the phone.
"Yaar Saree Ka Dukaan, tum mereko kuch baby, babe ya aisa kuch bolo na, yeh kya Ghamandi Rao lagake rakha hai?" Raghav whined.
"Aur tumne mujhe Saree Ka Dukaan bulaya uska kya?" Pallavi countered.
"Woh.. tumko babe, baby aisa nicknames pasand nahi hai na isliye. Uparse agar meine bol diya toh tum itna sharmata hai ki sabko samajh jaayega ki tum apna boyfriend se baat kar raha hai." Raghav spoke in his defense.
"Boyfriend." She whispered slowly to herself blushing.
"Abhi bhi sharma raha hai dekho." Raghav teased her.
"Aisa kuch nahi hai. Woh aise pehli baar kisi ke muh se mera boyfriend suna isliye thoda woh sharmayi. Baki aise jyaada nahi sharmayi." Pallavi said fumbling.
"Thike thike. Yaad rakhega mein ki tum nahi sharmata. Ab jab tum nahi sharmata toh hum apna honeymoon ke baare mein baat kar hi lete hai. Hai na?" He spoke teasing her further.
She was now red like a tomato. She couldn't think anything until Keerti snapped her fingers in front of her.
"Mein tumhe baadme call karti hoon. Abhi Keerti aayi hai." She said and hanged up.
"Anna ka call tha?" Keerti asked with a naughty smile.
"Haan woh.." Pallavi stopped midway when she realized what she was going to say.
"Aree ruk kyu gayi. Mujhe sab pata hai. Bataya mujhe Anna ne." Keerti told her giggling.
"Anyways, mujhe tumse kuch jaroori baat karni thi. Andar chalte hai." Pallavi said.
"Chalo." They went in the small cabin and sat on the chairs placed there.
"Kya hua Pallavi? Tum itni serious kyu ho gayi achanak?" Keerti asked.
"Mujhe puchna toh nahi chahiye par phir bhi puch rahi hoon. Tumne Aunty se baat ki? I know, yeh tum log ka personal matter hai par Keerti mein Raghav ko humesha aise uski Amma ke pyaar ke liye tadapte hue nahi dekh sakti." Pallavi spoke.
"Mein samajhti hoon, Pallavi par, meri himmat hi nahi hoti unse baat karne ki. Raghav ka naam sunte hi woh chid jaati hai." Keerti told her friend.
"Keerti, tum hi ho jo indono ko saath mein laa sakti ho. Aunty Raghav ki baat sunengi nahi aur mein kis rishte se unse baat karu. Please thodi himmat rakho aur baat karo unse. Raghav ke panic attacks ke baare mein tumhe pata hi hoga na? Woh abhi bhi us guilt mein hai. Aunty ki baatein uske dil mein abhi bhi hai. Mein bhi jaanti hoon ki woh usse bohot pyaar karti hai. Uske bina kuch kahe Farhad ke through khaana bhejti hai, woh theek hai ki nahi yeh janne ki koshish karti hai. Unhone mobile bhi isliye seekha taki Raghav ke life mein kya chal raha hai woh social media ke through pata rakh sake. Par phir bhi uske samne uski burai karti hai. Unse ek baar baat karke toh dekho, shayad woh samajh jaaye." Pallavi spoke.
"Tumhe kya lagta hai Pallu, meine baat karne ki koshish nahi ki? Bohot ki, par woh kuch sunna hi nahi chahti. Woh yeh sab karti hai jo bhi tumne abhi bola, par jatati nahi hai kyunki aaj bhi Nana aur Arjun ke death ki jimmedar woh Raghav ko hi therati hai. Uparse media waale Raghav ke baare mein jo likhte hai woh padhkar toh unko aur bura lagta hai. Raat raat bhar roti hai woh par, kuch bolti nahi hai. Woh abhi tak move on nahi kar chuki hai. Mein bhi chahti hoon ki humari bhi ek happy family ho, par, woh possible hi nahi hai." Keerti explained.
"Keerti, kya mein ek baar Aunty se baat karlu agar tumhe koi problem na ho toh? Mein ab Raghav ko aise nahi dekh sakti." Pallavi asked.
"Mujhe koi problem nahi hai par, please Amma ke saath apne relations mat bigad ke aajana." Keerti adviced her.
Pallavi just nodded to this. Keerti went back to her office and Pallavi continued her work.
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It was evening and Pallavi left her shop earlier than usual. She went to Keerti's house to talk to Amma. She was a bit nervous but, she was determined that she had to do it for her Raghav. She rang the door bell and Jaya opened the door.
"Aao na beta. Andar aajao." Amma spoke.
Pallavi came inside and made herself comfortable on the sofa.
"Woh Keerti abhi tak aaya nahi hai office se. Tab tak tumhare liye chai lau?" Amma asked.
"Nahi Aunty. Mujhe kuch nahi chahiye aur mein yaha aapse milne aayi hoon."
"Kya kaam hai beta?" Amma asked lovingly.
"Aunty mai jaanti hoon ki yeh aapka personal matter hai aur mujhe isme baat nahi karni chahiye par phir bhi mein aapse baat karne aayi hoon, Raghav ke baare mein." Pallavi said.
Amma's face hardened as soon as she heard Raghav. How did Pallavi come to know that he was her son? was the only thought in her mind.
"Aunty, aap yahi soch rahi hai na ki mujhe kaise pata. Mein jaanti hoon ki kisi aur ne iske baare mein baat karna sahi nahi hai par mein Raghav ko us halat mein nahi dekh sakti. Mein sab kuch jaanti hoon jo dus saal pehle hua tha." Pallavi then explained everything to Amma same as the show.
While listening about Raghav's point of view, she had tears in her eyes. She didn't think that her son had to go through so much all these years and she wasn't by his side.
"Aunty, mein yeh sab aapko guilty feel karane ke liye nahi bol rahi hoon. Mein sirf isliye bol rahi hoon taaki aap aur Raghav aapke differences sort out karlo aur khush raho. Keerti bhi apni family deserve karti hai. Jo ho gaya use hum badal nahi sakte par, aage aane waala kal aapke haath mein hai. Please, iske baare mein sochiye. Mein aapko kissi cheez ke liye force nahi kar rahi, mein bas Raghav ka point of view aapko batane aai thi. Agar, meine kuch galat kaha ho toh please mujhe maaf kar dijiye. Abhi mein chalti hoon." Pallavi stood up to leave. Amma also stood up and hugged her.
"Meine itna saal apna beta ka kabhi nahi suna, na uske baare mein socha aur jab tum mereko yeh baat samjhaya tab mereko bohot guilty feel ho raha hai. Mene usko kya kya nahi bola par, phir bhi us ladke ne mujhe kuch nahi kaha. Woh humesha mere pyaar ke liye tarsa aur mene usse woh pyaar cheen liya. Mereko usse milna hai. Tum please chalega kya mere saath?" Amma asked Pallavi.
"Ofcourse Aunty!!! Mein jaroor chalungi. Aapko usse milvane ka ek solid plan bhi hai mere paas." Pallavi said and told her plan to Amma. Amma was delighted to listen to it. It just made her love Pallavi more than she already did.
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Pallavi went home and did her usual routine. She was excited for tomorrow. She called her Ghamandi Rao.
"Hello Raghav."
"Finally tumko mere liye time mila!" He exclaimed.
"Tum na kuch bhi bolte ho."
"Aur nahi toh kya? Pehle kitna time deta tha par abhi jab hum boyfriend girlfriend ban gaye hai tab tumko mere liye time hi nahi hai." He whined.
"Aisa nahi hai. Woh chodo. Mein kya keh rahi thi ki agar hum apne ghar pe bata de toh?" She asked.
"Kal toh woh habits, likes, dislikes pe lecture de raha tha. Hume sure hona chahiye vagaire aisa bol raha tha kal aur aaj tum sure bhi ho gaya?" Raghav asked curiously.
"Haan. Keerti aaj aayi thi toh bataya usne ki tumne use sab bata diya. Ab mere family ko bhi bata hi dete hai. Kal Monday hai, dukan ko bhi chutti hogi toh mein kal hi apni family se baat karlungi. What do you think? Ya tumhe aur time chahiye?" Pallavi asked.
"Mereko koi issue nahi hai. Agar tumko kal bolna hai tab bhi mereko issue nahi hai aur agar tumko agle mahine bolna hai toh bhi mujhe koi problem nahi hai. Tumko jitna wakt lena hai tum le sakta hai." Raghav answered.
"Okay. Par Raghav mujhe darr lag raha hai ki Baba ka kya reaction hoga. I mean Aai, Kaka aur Nikhil ko koi issue nahi hoga aur woh samajh bhi lenge par Baba ka kya reaction hoga wahi samajh nahi aa raha hai." Pallavi said.
"Tumko itna tension aa raha hai toh rehne do." Raghav insisted.
"Par kabhi na kabhi toh bolna padega na?"
"Haan par darke bolne se accha hai ki himmat se bolo. Tumko chahiye to mein aajau?" He asked hoping that she says No, because even he was scared about Sanki Baba's reaction.
"Nahi rehne do. Kya pata gusse mein tumhe bahar fek de." Pallavi laughed.
"Itna kisi mein himmat nahi hai ki 'The Raghav Rao' ko utha ke bahar fek de, woh bhi apna Saree Ka Dukaan se dur." Raghav spoke proudly.
"Accha toh aao karlo baat Baba se." She spoke teasing him.
"Tumhara Baba hai. Tum hi baat karlo. Woh Haan bolne ke baad mein baat karega. Don't worry." He spoke.
"Ho gayi 'I am Raghav Rao' ki pipudi bajakar. Baba ke saamne baat karne mein hawa nikal gayi na tumhari." She asked giggling.
"Aisa kuch nahi hai. Bye." Raghav said.
"Okay baba, Bye Mr.Darpok Rao." She teased him again and she could imagine his irritated face.
Author's Note - So, Amma has understood her mistake and is willing to patch up with Raghav. Pallavi has made up a plan to bring Amma and Raghav together. Guess what is it. Hope I am not rushing up with the Amma - Raghav reunion. The next chapter would mostly focus on Amma and Raghav.
Hope you all like this chapter. Do give me your honest feedbacks in the comments.
Date - 17th May 2022.
