Subdued - A Shiva Pandya Story

the changed lanes

Gaumbi sat on the desk of Pandya Store and analysed the accounts. How was it that despite there, being three of them, Shiva was making more money at the Mumbai branch single handedly. Fair enough, he had Kaka"s son to help him but even them, taking into account the rent, wages and bills, Shiva was giving them a run for the money. It's a good thing he was not the son in law of Janardhan otherwise the so called original Pandya store that Janardhan opened to spite them would be running today. They would have been screwed. He missed his little brother. He noticed some changes that he failed to before. He was less talkative, preoccupied and disinterested sometimes in the conversations they had. He seemed different and Gaumbi just couldnt his finger on it. Well today, it would be a new day as Shiva was coming today for a little visit. His first visit in 3 months. He wouldn't stay for long but at least he would be here for Dev and Rishita 's anniversary.
He was also bringing a friend. Some guy called Prakash who would spend a day roaming Somnath with Shiva as his guide. It was nice to see Mumbai bring different people into Shiva's lives. He just hoped it didnt detach him from Raavi and the rest of them.Raavi had changed. Her eyes were always sunken and she was painful to watch. Especially when jokes were being thrown around the dinner table and she would turn to share a laugh with Shiva but be left with an empty seat. She was like his little sister but he couldnt help but feel saddened when her face dropped to see him not there.
" Gaumbi...woh gadhera Krish kaha hai. Usko kitni baar batana parega ki shampoo waghera yaha par nahin waha par honi chaiyye"
Gaumbi's eye shot up as he saw Shiva fix the shelves and grumble whilst a young man stood next to him, nudging Shiva to look at Gaumbi.
Gaumbi leapt towards his brother and hugged him. He was back. Maybe he could share what he was doing so they could use those tips to help run the store.

Raavi was in deep thought. Shiva was back today and she had not addressed the elephant in the room. How would they operate their relationship over eighteen months. She missed him. She dreamt of him. She cried thinking of all the times she had hurt him and she wish she would be swallowed whole by the ground for all the times she disregarded him..she didnt know where to start or where to finish. She was stuck. His mum no longer acknowledged him. His Dhara bhabi focused solely on Chiku and expected her to slave her day away as her personal assistant . Krish was Krish and that summed up everything about him. He noticed Dev and Rishita spoke less to her. She confronted each of them. Rishita stated she had enough problems with Dev and just didnt have time for anyone barring herself and her kid and her business. Rishita always thought Raavi's airheaded. Selfish brat. Dev claimed that the less she was around them the better. He told her off saying the last thing he wanted was Rishita to be influenced by her A woman who had zero respect for her husband. That might be Shivas cup of tea but not his. She was shocked by Dev's behaviour and ashamed further when he asked would she like it if Shiva leapt to another girls so called friendship like she did with Arnav.
Dev wasnt usually harsh but he saw one sister break Gaumbi and another had just done the same to Shiva. The difference was Gaumbi had Dhara bhabi but Shiva was stuck unfortunately.  When Raavi heard this, her confidence was knocked back . How would she address Shiva

Dhara was finally happy with the fact that she finally got a child of her own. After years of sacrifice she got what she wanted. But she was tired. She was tired and couldnt keep with the ins and outs of the house like she used to. She tried to make the boys understand about the importance of family and her way was what kept the family together. But she now realised that the boys have changed and they now outgrew her in size and mind. Krish was sweet enough to sacrifice himself for Chiku for his Dhara bhabi but it backfired. He just went back to his immature self and smoked like a chimney with his friends despite her reservations. Dev was whipped by his wife which she hated. She lost control of him long time ago. But at least he educated himself and that helped her save face in terms of her parvarish. Shiva was her darling one..he always listened to her. He even put her above Raavi at times in the past. She didnt know how she felt about that. She did try to encourage him intially to show Raavi importance but in reality, she used to like how he held her equally to his own mum. But she felt a change. She saw Shiva the man but not her bacha. She hoped Mumbai hadn't taken him away from them for good.

" Dhara bhabi, chai milenge. Main meimaan lekar aaya hu"
Dhara eyes shot up. She saw Gaumbi and Shiva followed by a young man. He was well kept and was dressed fashionably.
"Shiva mera bacha. Aa gaya tu. Main khaana ka intezaam karti hu"
" nahin bhabi, woh saab baad mein. Yeh Prakash hai. Mera mumbai ka dost aur ab patha chala.. hamari purani dosti hai"
"Jai Somnath bhabi. Main Prakash. Jab main chota tha..main yaha holiday par aaya tha . Pandya store hum aksar shopping karte the. Meri dadi yaha se hai. Gayatri Sharma."
" Tu Gayatri ka pota hai " suman had come in and saw the exchange. The hard wall she had built had began to melt seeing Shiva. She hadn't seen or spoken to him since his defiance regarding Raavi. She decided to speak to her son before he went back to Mumbai.  She was his mum and though he failed to understand her, the truth was she been failing to understand him for years. If only she could face the music and just admit it.
Slowly everyone greeted Prakash and Shiva until they reached Raavi
" Prakash yeh Raavi hai"
" Pata hai Pata hai, yeh tere sapno ki rani hai"
Shiva blushed like a teenage boy, goofy and in love and Raavi couldnt help but smile. She found Prakash to be amusing and moved forward to shake his hand when Prakash greeted her with a namaste stance saying Jai Somnath
" Sorry sorry Raavi ji. Pata hai main America para likha hoon lekin chinta mat ki jiye, main abhi sanskaari hoon. Phir bhi dil hai hindustani."
Prakash failed in his Srk pose and Krish tried to teach him and Shiva just rolled his eyes.
Raavi looked around embarrassed. No wonder her life was a mess. She was too friendly for her own good. Prakash even knew not to get too friendly with a random person. Even though Raavi was his friends wife.
She became all chummy with Arnav. A man who she intially hired for help and who then became a colleague. She forgot that professionally you should keep boundaries. She looked at Shiva who just looked down and shook his head. She sensed disappointment but when he noticed her eyes on him. He gave a pleasant smile. She tried to reas every part of his face. The truth was the writing was blurred. She couldn't read him properly

Later during supper

"Mujhe tho yakeen nahin ho raha hai ko Shiva...tumne yeh store ko chala rahe ho"

"Kyun bhabi"

"Maaf karna, lekin tumne parayi puri nahin ki tho...."

Shiva had a slight glint in this eye as his back was turned. What did she know about him..what did his family know about him. It was time to prove them wrong  but before that...it was time to vent. The moving target was in site. He grabbed his Roti. Tore it apart like a banyan and ate like a menace. He was pissed off and couldnt give two shits.

"Bhabi, aapko pata hai Richard Branson kaun hai. Woh Virgin travels create kiya hai. World famous hai"
Rishita nodded. Of course she knew him.
" shayad aapko nahin pata lekin woh school dropout hai. Bhoot saare famous log hai jo school par nahin gaye lekin phir bhi kamyab hai. Shiva has abilities that no education institution can provide. Usne Pandya store ko success kiya and jaha tak mujhe pata hai, he singlehandedly is doing a better job"
Shiva stopped midway and looked up at Prakash who defended him. He shared a big smile and felt  respected. He didnt know what respect felt like until now. Rishita pulled a face. Dev gave Rishita a side glance which meant business because Rishita only apologised and tried to backtrack then. Krish was too busy posting his food on Snapchat. Dhara and Gaumbi and Suman smiled whilst Raavi was in deep thought. Shiva was making a life in Mumbai.  He made new friends from what she noticed . He lived healthier and better and was running the store well. It began to feel he was drifting away. It was time. She was going to have a chat with Shiva. Like hell will he go Mumbai without her this time