After a while, Raghav asked Vijay if he could take Pallavi somewhere.
"Uncle, Can I take her somewhere? I need to talk to her." Raghav asked.
"Do you really want to talk or...? Baba asked.
"No Baba, he wants to talk only I guess." Pallavi said.
"Yes Uncle, I want to take her home to meet Amma." Raghav said.
"Doesn't your Amma know anything?" Vijay asked shocked.
"She knows, but we haven't told her like Pallavi told you all. She just guessed it. So, now when you have said Yes, we need to go and tell her." Raghav said.
"Okay. Come home back as early as possible, Pallavi."
"Ho Baba." Pallavi said and left with Raghav.
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As soon as they left Pallavi's home, Raghav picked her and swirled her in the air.
"Finally, he said Yes, Pallavi!!! I am so happy!!!" He said putting her down.
"I am also very happy!!! She exclaimed and cupped his face. She placed a quick kiss on his lips and hugged him tightly.
"Did you just kiss me, Saree Ka Dukaan?" Raghav asked breaking the hug.
She just shyly hid her face in his chest by hugging him again.
"All this while, I thought that you wouldn't be comfortable so even when I had the urge to kiss you, I controlled it but now, it seems like I don't have to control it anymore." Saying so, he held her by waist by one hand and the other hand cupped her face. He bought their face closer and kissed her. They kissed for a while till they were breathless.
"So, how was your first kiss?" He asked.
"Not first, the second one." She spoke correcting him.
"Second?"
"I kissed you first if you forgot that." She replied boldly.
"That was a peck and not a kiss. So, technically this is your first kiss. So, tell me how was it." Raghav asked.
"Perfect." She said and hugged him again.
They broke apart from the hug after sometime.
"Btw, we have to go to the mansion now." She said.
"Oh God Saree Ka Dukaan!!! I never knew that you are so eager." He said and laughed.
"Shut up!! I meant, we want to talk to your Amma." She said.
"No, I mean we need to talk to her but, for now we are going to Hussain Sagar. I need to tell you something." He said and took her towards the car. He drove to Hussain Sagar. They sat on their favorite place and then Raghav spoke.
"Do you remember, you asked me about the bad memory which is associated to Hussain Sagar?" He asked.
"And you said that it was our day and you will tell it to me sometime later."
"I think now that our parents know and we will be starting a new journey together officially, you should be knowing this." He said.
"Okay. It was something about your ex- girlfriend and your break up, right?" She asked.
"Yes. Do you remember the Anjali case?" He asked.
"Yes, I do. How could I forget that bitch!!"
"There was another girl with her - Esha Madhawan, remember?" He asked.
"Yes."
"She was my ex-girlfriend. We were in a relationship during our college days. She was a rich, spoiled brat while I came from a lower middle class family. I had a huge crush on her. She used to come all dressed up to the college and was quite attractive. I knew that we could never be together. But still, I had a crush on her. Some of her friends got to know this. Once, while playing that truth and dare game, they gave her a dare to be in a relationship with me and break up whenever she wanted. She thought that she will have a boyfriend who will give her gifts and take her to some restaurants and give her some luxuries. She did not know about my financial conditions and asked me for relationship. I was anyways having a crush on her so, I said Yes. She used to demand gifts everyday but I couldn't fulfill her demands. I used to walk all the way from my house to the college so that I could save the bus money and buy gifts for her. Those gifts weren't very expensive. Over the time, she understood about my financial conditions and decided to break up with me. One day, she called me to the Hussain Sagar Lake and on the same bench where we are sitting, she and all her friends were sitting. She insulted me in front of everyone saying that I was a 'bhikari' as I couldn't afford to buy gifts for my girlfriend. She said many hurtful things like 'mera aukat nahi hai kisiko bhi girlfriend banane ka' and many more. People who were passing by stopped to hear all the drama. She and all her friends made fun of me and continued ragging me. They made me roam around this area like a dog on my fours and one of them sat on me like he was riding me. Then, they threw some money on my face saying 'bhikariyon ko daan deke hume punya mila' or something like that. I was very hurt. After that day, I avoided coming here. That's the reason I didn't like to come here but now I love to come here only because of you." Raghav concluded.
Pallavi felt bad after listening to this. She hugged Raghav.
"It's okay Ghamandi Rao, aise log life mein milte rehte hai. You are lucky that you got to see her truth early. I have met people who are selfish but, we fail to realize it because of our love for them and then, they betray you when they get a chance. But, I am glad that you've moved on." She said.
"Whom are you talking about?"
"A certain someone."
"Who is it?"
"Someone who was my bestfriend for years until he decided to betray me for his own selfish reasons."
"You never told me anything?"
"Never felt the need to and also, because I don't want to remember all those awful days." She said.
"Tell me whenever you are okay with it. I'll be waiting."
"Let's not talk about our past instead, let's focus on our present and go to meet Aunty." She said smiling.
"Come, let's go." Raghav said.
Now that they were going to meet his Amma, Pallavi was back to being nervous.
"Raghav." She called him.
"What happened? Why do you look stressed now?" He asked still focusing on driving.
"How do you know?"
"Your voice tells that you are nervous." He said.
"What if your Amma rejects me?"
"Pallavi, are you serious? You are nervous because of this?"
"Of course. What if she has a problem with me being a widow? If not that, will she have a problem that I am a Maharashtrian and you are a Telugu?" She asked in one go.
"When will you stop overthinking? Firstly, she does not judge people based on their past or anything like that. So, she doesn't have a problem with you being a widow. Plus, she herself is a widow. Secondly, I have told this to you earlier also that the cultural differences don't matter to any of us." He consoled her.
She just nodded her head and sat quietly.
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They soon reached RR Mansion and went to meet his Amma.
"Aagaye tum dono?" Amma asked in a bit strict tone.
"Haan Amma." Raghav replied but he was confused why was Amma behaving like this.
"Tereko uska family ko tum dono ke baare mein batane ko time hai par mereko batane ke liye time nahi hai." Amma said.
"Nahi Aunty, aisa nahi hai." Pallavi spoke in between.
"Tumse pucha kuch mai? Mein apna bete se baat kar raha hai." Amma said stopping Pallavi from saying anything further.
"Amma, woh uska Baba ne milne ko bulaya tha. Hum dono batane hi waale the par, pehla uska family se Haan aane ke baad." Raghav told her.
"10 saal jab meine baat nahi kiya tab mein important tha tere liye par abhi jab mein tere saath hai, tab tu kisi aur ko importance de raha hai. Woh bhi kisi kal ki aayi hui ladki ke liye, tu apna Amma ko bhul raha hai." Amma spoke.
"Aisa kuch bhi nahi hai, Amma. Uska Baba kya bolta woh humko pata nahi tha isliye uska family ko pehle bataya." Raghav justified.
"Mera baare mein socha tu? Mera bete ke baare mein sabko pata hai mereko chod ke. Yeh sab is ladki ki wajah se hua hai." Amma spoke.
"Amma tumko bataya toh tha par detail mein nahi bataya tha. Abhi uske liye hi toh aaya hai na main. Aur tumko bataya nahi woh galti mera hai Pallavi ko kayko laa raha hai tum beech mein?" Raghav spoke angrily.
"Accha ab tu Amma ko chodke apna yeh kal aaya hua girlfriend ka side lega." Raghav was very angry now. The woman he loved was being targeted by his Amma unnecessarily.
"Bass Amma..." Raghav raised his voice but Pallavi held his hand and stopped him from saying anything further.
"Aunty, aapko kuch galat fehmi hui hai. Hum aapse hi baat karne aaye hai. Aapki jagah Raghav ki zindagi mein koi bhi nahi le sakta. Aapko achanak kya ho gaya? Mein shaam mein aayi thi tab toh aap mujhse theek se baat kar rahi thi. Ab kya hua?" Pallavi asked.
"Tab mereko pata nahi tha ki mera beta apna girlfriend ke saath uske Nana ko manane jaa raha hai. Mere se jyaada important usko woh ladki hai." Amma spoke and winked to Raghav. He was confused but understood that Amma was playing a prank on Pallavi. Raghav also got with her in this plan.
"Amma, I am sorry. Aisa nahi hai. Woh Pallavi ka Baba ne bulaya tha toh mereko jaana pada." Raghav said.
"Haan Aunty, isme Raghav ki koi galti nahi hai." Pallavi spoke .
"Galti iska nahi tera hai. Tune mere bhole bhaale bete ko phasaya hai. Usko uski Amma se dur kiya hai tune. Kal hi toh mahan banke mereko usse milwaya tha aur abhi mereko usse dur kar raha hai?" Amma spoke.
Pallavi was almost on the verge of crying. Raghav noticed it and asked Amma to stop with the prank. But, Amma continued it.
"Aunty aap aisa kyu bol rahi hai. Mera aisa koi bhi iraada nahi tha. I am sorry, agar aapko bura laga ho toh." Pallavi spoke with tears.
"Pallavi, aisa kuch nahi hai." Raghav said to console her.
"Aise kaise kuch nahi hai. Tera wajah se mera beta mujhse baat chupaya, kya pata aage jaake mereko chod bhi de."
"Bass Amma, bohot ho gaya." Raghav spoke and took Pallavi to his room.
"Raghav, tum mujhe yaha kyu laaye ho? Tumhari Amma ko bura lagega. Tum jao. Mein ghar jaati hoon. Hum unse kal baat karenge." Pallavi spoke trying to control her tears.
"Pallavi, Amma prank kar raha tha tumpar aur tum us prank mein fass bhi gaya." Raghav finally told her the truth.
"Yeh sab tum mujhe accha feel karane ke liye bol rahe ho naa?" She asked.
"Nahi, Pallavi. Amma sachmein prank kar raha tha." Raghav spoke.
"Mujhe pata hai tum mujhe better feel karane ke liye bol rahe ho. Tum unse shanti se baat karo. Meine tumse kaha tha ki unko batao par tumne meri baat hi nahi maani aur ab yeh sab ho gaya." Pallavi said.
Till then Amma came and sat besides Pallavi. She held her ears.
"I am sorry, Pallavi. Mein bas majak kar raha tha. Mera woh sab bolne ka matlab nahi tha. Mereko sab pehle se pata tha. Mereko tum dono ka rishte se koi problem nahi hai." Amma spoke holding her ears.
"Yeh sab majak tha?" Pallavi asked shocked.
"Haan, I am sorry. Mein sirf dekh raha tha ki tumhara reaction kya hoyega. Tum usko mere khilaf bolega ya mere paas bhejega wahi dekhna tha. Bohot saara ladkiyan ladke ko maa ke khilaf bhadkata hai. Tum waisa nahi karega yeh mereko maalum tha par phir bhi. I am really sorry." Amma said.
"It's okay Aunty." Pallavi said.
"Ab tum dono khaana khaane ke liye chalo. Meine tera favorite aalu ka sabji banaya hai." Amma said to Pallavi.
They all went to have dinner. Keerti and Pallavi were gossiping as they met after a long time. Pallavi included both Amma and Raghav in their conversation. Raghav couldn't help but think how lucky he was to get a person like Pallavi in his life who not only loved him but, also his family. They finished their dinner and then Raghav dropped Pallavi to her house.
Author's Note - How do you all like this chapter? Now everyone knows about both of them so, is the wedding on cards or is there time for it?
Do give me your feedbacks in the comments.
Date - 21st May 2022.
