Chapter 9

unicornwriter

@unicornwriter

PART 8: LOVE STORY

8 A.M. , BANGLORE

"Ho Aaji aap fiqar mat karo main ghar par sab sambhal lungi. Ab araam se Mandir jao aur phir shopping par." Pallavi had to literally beg and then drag Aaji out of the house so that the preperations could get started. She never understood how people can plan a party in a blink of hours when they have been planning it for a week and still running late on their schedule.

"Par dukaan bhi toh hai aur aaj woh-" Aaji turned to counter reply only to be shushed again.

"Dukaan Shiva sambhal lega aur ghar main. Abhi aap jao kyunki mujhe bhi dance classes ke liye late ho raha hai." Pallavi gave a stern look and after alot of 'please' Aaji went away.

"Chal gayi toh sahi hai." Shiva came through the back door with a box of lights in hs hand.

"Idhar kya susta raha hai. Fatafat light laga main khana dekhti hoon." Pallavi scolded him and everyone dispersed for their work. 

Kaku and Pallavi together worked on the mouth watering dishes talking about how Azoba used to make it a special day for Aaji and take care of her as if she was his queen. Pallavi smiled as she remembered all the stories Aaji had been telling her since they met.

"Aaji toh bahut sundar lagti hongi na nayi nawari saari main?" Pallavi asked as she picked out a knife to chop some vegetables.

"Han toh. Ek dum rani lagti thi Aaji. Nayi nayi sari, haathon main mehendi aur Kaka ka dher sara pyaar." Kaku giggled remembering the old times. Pallavi was so lost in her words that she didn't noticed the knife slide through her skin and slit her flesh. 

"Aah" she felt a sharp pain as blood oozed out of the cut.

'Pallu" Kaku ran to her and kept her finger under running water so as to stop the bleeding and clean the wound. Sh made Pallavi sit on a chair as she came back with a container of haldi.

"Beta zyada dard ho raha hai kya? Dekh abhi main haldi laga dungi na toh sab theek ho jayega." Kaku stroked her hairs as she sat infront of her and started dressing the wound. The blood made no worries on Pallavi's face but the pain of a memory surely did.

FLASHABACK

"Ek baat batao tumhara family ke peeche tv serial wale camera lekar ghumte hai kya!" Raghav teased while Pallavi gave him a confused look.

"Koi reality tv show bann raha hai kya tumhara family par. Nahin, matlab itna melodrama tv main hi hota hai real life main kidhar hota hai." he added with animated actions with his hands as Pallavi folded her hands infront of her chest.

"Vidhwa bahu, khadus baap, Nirupa Amma, woh shashikala types aunty. My goodness!" He exclaimed as he grabbed an apple to eat. 

Pallavi felt like banging his head on the same table. Here she was stressed out for her family but no all Raghav Rao wanted to do was make jokes on her family.

"Aisa look kya de raha hai. Mereko look deke kuch fayda nahin hai. Just sit and relax." as if sensing her irritated face, he shrugged her worries away.

"Tum pendulum sa ghumega toh woh log aakar tumhe apna problem nahin batayega. " he added and started cutting the apple when with one wrong cut, he slit his finger slightly. An extremely small cut to be specific.

" Aaah" a shriek left his mouth and Pallavi ran to him in worry but calmed down as soon as she saw the size of the cut. Such a small cut, and such extreme drama of this man.

Stupid man, she thought and took a few steps back.

"Tum peeche kya jaa raha hai. Meri ungli se khoon nikal raha hai main behosh ho jayega. Jaake kuch first aid box lekar aao na." he cribbed like a kid when he noticed her back away.

"Achcha ek baat batao. Tumhare peeche kya koi tv camera lekar ghumta hai kya. " She gave him back the taste of his own teasing as he looked at her.

"I mean itne chhote se cut par itna saare melodrama toh maine tv par hi dekha hai. " she gave a slight laugh.

"Tum kya bol raha hai. Jaake kuch first aid box lekar aao na." he replied back still holding his finger as if it would fall.

Kya? Kuch kaha kya tumne?" she moved closer to him.

"Woh kya hai na bina please ke mujhe kuch sunai nahin deta hai." she added teasing him a bit more.

Really saree ka dukaan." he asked annoyed at her behaviour while she just rubbed her ear.

"Please." he finally gave in.

'Kya?Kuch kaha tumne? Sunai nahin diya" she asked being dramatic.

"Please help me main khoon ko nahin dekh sakta. " he looked at her like a small kid as she too gave in.

"Ek minute ruko." she went away and second later brought the masala box as she sat opposite to him.

"First aid box kahan hai?" he asked being confused.

"Itni bhi chot nahin lagi hai. Zara sa cut hai. Haldi se kaam ho jayega. Fauran theek ho jayega." she explained.

"Ooh hello. Main woh haldi waldi nahin lagayega. Jaake koi antiseptic cream lekar aao." he waved her off.

"Antiseptic ka pehla version hai haldi. Maine tumse kaha tha na meri aai ke paas aise kayi gharelu nuske hai. Aur shaam ko tetnus ka injection lagwa lena tum" she replied.

"Han okay dekhlunga main." he replied extending his finger.

"Tum na ek personal nurse rakh lo apne liye. Khudko itni chotein lagate rehte ho. Har baar nahin aane wali hoon tumhaari seva karne ke liye." she spoke pulling out a cotton and putting some haldi on it.

"Toh phir? Jab tumko chicken pox aya tha. tumhare liye neem ka patta lekar aaya. Tumhara personal assisstant bana. Toh tum chhota chhota kaam nahin kar sakta." he taunted.

"Kyun karun! Waise bhi sirk ek mahina hai mere paas uske baad main chali jaungi." she said in a reflex.

"Kaun jaane dega?" he asked with sincerity. A sincerity that stopped her heart for s second as she looked deep into his eyes. How was he so sure that he won't let her go. It did not look like a question to her. rather it was a statement to remind her that he was gonna do anything to stop her. To never let her go.

FLASHBACK ENDS

"Tum na-" Pallavi started speaking when she saw Kaku looking at her intently.

"Kisse baat kar rahi hai. Dekh ho gaya. Chal ab kitchen se jaa main idhar ka kaam dekhlungi. Masala lag gaya cut par toh jalan ho jayegi." she patted her hand and got back to her love as Pallavi looked at her wound and then at her bracelet.

Sab itna kaise badal gaya Raghav. Tumne kaise mujhe jaane diya. She thought as she went out.

8 A.M. HYDERABAD

"Anna plane ka time ho gaya hai. Aap aiye main yeh bags rakhwata hoon gaadi main tab tak." Farhad told Raghav and went out.

Raghav looked around his house one last time before leaving as he promised to get it's joyness back soon. He was about to step out when Amma stopped him.

"Kidhar jaa raha hai Raghav?" Amma asked.

"Office ka kaam se bahar jaa raha hoon Amma. Kuch din main wapas aunga." he replied taking her blessings.

"Lekin aajka din? Aaj main tumhara aur Pallavi ka shaadi ke liye pooja rakhwaya hai." Amma held his hand.

"Jo hai nahin abhi uske bina iss pooja ka koi matlab nahin hai Amma." Raghav replied as he looked at Pallavi's picture that hung on the wall with a garland around it.

"Par agar aaj woh idhar hota toh-" Amma tried to reason his son.

"Nahin hai Amma woh par main wada karta hai jab woh hoyega na tab hum woh sab karega jo tum aur woh chahega." he replied squeezing her hand.

"Raghav par-" Amma tried to stop him but got interrupted by a servant.

"Ma'am woh sheera tayyar ho gaya hai." he informed to which Amma nodded and went with him.

Raghav walked upto Pallavi's picture as he removed the garland off it. 

"Ab iska jagah idhar nahin hai Pallavi aur na hi kabhi tha. Main Amma ko kaise bataye ki main yeh sab tumhara bina nahin kar sakta hai. Kyunki tum hai iss duniya main. Mera life main." he stroked the picture and left dropping the garland over the lawn.

7 P.M. , BANGLORE.

"Urvashi main kabhi tere saath bahar nahin jaungi. Thaka diya na tune." Aaji complained as she stepped inside a dark house.

"Yeh light ko kya hua? Lagta hai uss gadheda Shiva ne phirse bill nahin bhara. Deva main iska kya karoon." she slapped her forehead and started calling out for Pallavi and Shiva when suddenly the lights flicked opena dn everyone shouted surprise.

"Happy Anniversary Aaji!" Pallavi hugged as she wished Aaji.

"Pallu yeh sab?" Aaji asked in shock.

"Aapki anniversary ki party." Shiva side hugged her as the entire society rejoiced.

"Lekin tumhaare Azobaa" Aaji looked at Pallavi with a sad smile.

"Yeh sirf aap dono ka din nahin hai Aaji. Aapk bhi haia ru hamesha rahega. Aajke din meri Aaji duniya ki sabse sundar baiko bani thi." Pallavi wiped her tears.

"Tu na bilkul Aaho ki tarah baat karti hai." Aaji kissed her forehead as everyone came ahead to comgratulate her.

Pallavi and Shiva backed away as they signalled kaka to start the music.

(Playlist - Aashiyan from Barfi)

Itti si hansi

Itti si khushi

Itta sa tukda chand ka

Khwabon ke tinkon se

Chal banayeinn aashiyaan (x2)

Pallavi brought in a cake as she kept it in the centre.

Dabe dabe paaon se

Aaye haule haule zindagi

Hothon pe kundi chadha ke

Hum taale laga ke chal

Gumsum tarane chupke chupke gaayein

Aadhi aadhi baant le

Aaja dil ki ye zameen

Thoda sa tera sa hoga

Thoda mera bhi hoga apna ye aashiyan

Shiva , Pallavi and the girls along with kaku and kaka danced infront of Aaji as she clapped her hands like a kid crying for getting soo many happiness at once. As they all danced happily around her, Pallavi grabbed her hand and pulled Aaji towards the cake.

Everyone clapped as Shiva handed her a knife to do the honours but before they can have the ceremony started, the lights went off.

"Shivaa ab yeh kya naya drama hai!" Pallavi asked irritated with her plan being spoiled.

"Ruk na dekhkar aata hoon." Shiva replied as he went out to check the main switch board because from what he remembered, he had placed the lights rather correctly.

"Yeh pagal aisa hi adhoora kaam karta hai." Aaji taunted him.

"Offo Aaji ruko main iski madat karke aati hoon." Pallavi smiled at her and went out too.

The outer area was darker than expected. She realised that they should have placed some candles or diya's outside rather than LED lights as she called out for Shiva.

"Shiva!! Yeh light ko kya hua?" she shouted but got no response.

She started to move towards the electricity board area when she stepped on something hence she took a step back only to be engulfed by a known fragrance and a known touch that could send shivers down her spine in any eternity. Her heart started beating fast as she felt short for words. It was the same cologne, the same smell that radiated a warmth in her heart everytime her senses smelled it. As her thorat went dry, all she could voice out was one word.

"Raghav".

Sorry for being late. Got stuck in a lot of work but promise to post the next part soon.

Most porbably in a day or two.