RAGHVI FF : A PHOENIX

CHAP 30: A CIRCLE OF DESTINY

I know it's been far too long and an apology is officially due but i just got over with my semester and feel like i can literally start breathing again.

Raghav came hopping inside his mansion that evening after he had a great 'friendly' date with Pallavi. So much as of he actually hoped the red lights on the road while he was driving smiling dreamily to himself. If there were two specified things that mattered to him after his mother were his Jwellery business and ofcourse Pallavi, and , now getting both of them together at one place while they adore each other, what more could have he asked for in these baby steps initiative. 
As he crossed the threshold, his first sight was the family picture that no hung securely at the exact opposite of the front door, for anyone and everyone to know who this mansion belonged to, it was a picture from their wedding photoshoot he had once managed for Pallavi since they never got a proper wedding or an of it's pictures. It was a picture of him, his Amma and his wife. His wife. What a word it sounded long back then when he didn't even want it to be associated with him to now that he can't wait to say it out loud as her designation to the world. 

As he looked across the room, his eyes fell on the happy family that Pallavi had left behind her for him. If he ever got to travel time like in one of those sci-fi movies and comes across his own old and lonely self, he would probably sound like a wierdo telling him that he won't be alone in the future anymore, that there'll be a person who would bring in a whole lot of human beings in his life that would each have a very strong connection to him. He would want him to know that the only thing he might yearn for in that specific scenario would be the one women who made that happen and to never make those mistakes as he did that he would loose her.

In his terms of imaginations and thoughts, Raghav hadn't realised Amma calling out to him as he helped the servants pass around the evening te to the residents of the house.
"Raghav tu udhar kya kar raha hai? Aja , aaj toh chai aur coffee dono hai. Sharda ji mereko arak wala chai try karwaya." Amma's voice held so much excitement that it even radiated a sense of energy within Raghav's being as he walked upto them with a smile.
"Aai toh best chai banata hi hai." he had complimented his other mother as he sat on the arm-rest, clearly amused by the lack of space in his once abandoned hall.
"Are vahini aur Pallu ke haath ki chai matlab jannat." Kaka had joked unaware of the soemwhat awkwardness the sentence might cause.
" Mera matlab hai ab Vahini best toh unki chai best." the poor man tried to cover up his mistake but Raghav felt like it wa shis cue to slip in the new found information.
" Sahi bola Bindi ka Ghulam tum. Waise Pallavi se yaad aya, kal woh ghar aa raha hai." he said as some of the faces in that room lit up with happiness.
"Sachchi Raghav. Apna Pallavi ghar aa raha hai? Tu mana liya usko?" Amma asked him with all her curiosity and excietement.
"Nahin Amma, magar competition ka one of the sponsers hone ka naate Pallavi aur woh dusra ladki jo finalist hai, mera brand ko unke saath ek collaboration karna hoyega. Isliye uske liye kal hamara ghar main ek photoshoot hai." Raghav explained it bit by bit to everyone.
" Mujhe nahin pata tha ki tum itne gareeb ho ki ek stdio bhi afford nahin kar sakte." came a taunt from Bada bindi that he gladly ignored.
"Photoshoot ka theme 'Bride's in their humble abode', yaani dulhan aur unka ghar hai, toh main socha ki apna ghar se zyada achcha location aur kya ho sakta hai." he was conscious with his words that were somewhat an indirect hit to the comment Sulochna Kaku made before.

"Han yeh toh bahut badhiya baat hai. Kyun hai na Sharad ji?" asked Amma.
" Bilkul Jaya ji. Kitna maza ayega na kal. Main toh kehti hoon hume tayyari karleni chahiye kal sabko achcha nashta bhi toh karwana hai." Sharda Aai too pariticipated in the positive energy as both the women left the hall to decide ona menu for tomorrow.
"Main toh apna kaam kardiya ab bass woh Saree Ka Dukaan Aaji ko mana le." thought Raghav as he looked at the clock and then at Farhad who was waiting to take him to his next meeting.

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"Aaji agar yeh zaruri nahin hota toh main kabhi bhi han nahin bolti." Pallavi tried explaining the scenario to her Aaji, obviously leaving out the entire planning part with Raghav.
"Nahin matlab nahin. Tu uss ghar main dobara nahin jayegi , are photoshoot hai na, kahin bhi ho sakta hai woh toh." Aaji tried to reson her and the concern was valid too. Pallavi too felt a little frisky when Raghav mentioned the photoshoot to be at his mansion, she didn't know if she was even prepared to face that place again.
"Jaanti hoon Aaji lekin ab yeh sab mere haath main thori hai, Raghav sponser hai aur competition ki management ne uske saath milke yeh decision liya hai." Pallavi ran after Aaji who had been going circles around the house in the name of clearing of the place from the negative vibes of it's former natives.
"Lekin-"
"Sahi toh keh rahi hai meri bachchi Aaji. Aur hume toh uspar bharosa hona chhaiye baaki kya karte hai, kyun karte hai , hume kya." before Aaji could make any other excuse, Aai was in there to support Pallavi.
"Dekha ab toh Aai bhi maan gayi aur baba se toh maine pehle hi baat karli. Aur Shiva toh mere saath jaa hi raha." Pallavi tried her luck again.
"Woh toh theek hai magar aaj kal mujhe iss Shiva par thora kam bharosa hone laga hai." Aaji gave her a suspicious look that actually ran a shiver through Pallavi's spine. She feared Aaji ever catching upto her lie but maybe even Bappa was on her side today as Shiva walked in.
"Toh aap bhi chalo, main toh kehta hoon sab chalo. Photoshoot bhi dekhlenge aur aap uss Raghav aur uski family par nazar bhi rakh payengi." Shiva said as he winked at Pallavi, helping her out as she had already filled him in with the plan.
"Theek hai agar tum sabko yahi sahi lagta hai toh yahi sahi. Lekin hum sab jayenge." Aaji finally gave in as Pallavi squeaked and hugged her in happiness, " Lekin agar unn logo ne zara bhi tamasha kiya toh deva shappath main unki aisi lanka lagaungi na." the old stout lady threatened which was actually adorable and fearful at the same time and Pallavi hoped that it would never happen.

" The plan is on. " She texted Raghav as soon as she got inside her room, ready to pick out outfit for tomorrow.
" All set from here too." he had replied to her as he adored the neckpiece he had specially carved for her months back but was never able to hand it over. He couldn't belive that Pallavi would be back in his mansion after a logn wait and he would finally be able to give her what was always supposed to be hers.

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The next morning wasn't unusual at all but awfully normal for both Pallavi and Raghav. Mr Deshmukh had decided to not be a part of this 'clownship' as he had termed the photoshoot as and Raghav was actually grateful about it since he thought it was better if the calmer ones dealt with Aaji first. He would eventually think of a plan for his Sanki Buddha soon but not today. As he stood by the staircase while Farhad spoke out a list of tasks that were already done, but his eyes along with his mind was stuck at one place, the main door, as he waited for her to enter.
"Anna aap sunn bhi rahe hai kya?" asked Farhad after he was done reciting the same list for the hundredth time now.
"Anna!" he shook the man again, a little harder this time.
"Han?" Raghav asked getting out of his trance.
"Aapne phirse kuch nahin suna na. Anna bhabhi aa jayengi, bass thora sabr rakhiye." said Farhad as he handed Raghav his earpiece for communication.
"Pata nahin Farhad main yeh patience kab tak rakh payega. Kabhi kabhi lagta hai ki sab kuc fast forward kardun." Raghav confessed with honesty and tiredness in his eyes.
"Janta hoon Anna bass kuch din ki baat aur hai." Farhad tried to give some hope to his best friend.
"Han par kabhi kabhi-" before Raghav could finsih that sentence Amma walked in with the others all cladded in amazing outfits.
"Kaise lag rahe hai hum? " she asked twirling once for his son, the happiness clear on her face, and why not? her daughter-in-law was coming back home, whatever be the reason.
"Ek dum Raghav Rao ke amma jaisa." Raghav joked as he side-hugged hs mother and then took blessings from the others.
"Decoration toh bahut badhiya hue hai Raghav." Kaka complimented him but Raghav just looked at his best friend who stood behidn him.
"Yeh sab Farhad kara hai as always, aur ab Raghav Rao ka assistant hai toh best hi-" and the sentence was cut off when a garland of the flower decorations fell down his neck from the top of the stairs.
"Sorry" a clumsy female worker had chipped in as she looked down with an apologetic face.
"Yeh kaisa workers laya hai tu Farhad, ek kaam dhang se nahin hota." and just like that the original brooding Raghav wa sback as he almost pulled the garland off his neck and threw it on the side as seconds later the people's eyes went widening in surprise. Giving them a confused look he turned to face the wya they were looking or preferable the way he had thrown the garlan only to find it residing around the neck of an equally surprised Pallavi who stood by the door along with her family.
Oh boy! What a great start to the event.