I haven't proof read this topic. Kindly ignore my errors.
*****
Tough Jobs.
The streets of Somnath remain busy. The by passers wander around looking for shops and stall in the noon of a blazing hot day. The sun remains at the peak flaring the rays around, letting people fetch for water and shade. These kinds of days are celebrated for mangoes, melons, juices, warm terrace nights and many more. Walking through the scorching heat, reaching home, drinking cool water from the pot and laying down below the fan is the kind of heaven summer gifts to an individual, provided they are not irritated by it for a bit.
Raavi puffs her cheeks and wipes the sweat off her forehead. Normally, she would have craved for a few ripe mangoes toppled by some chilly powder. Now, with the glory of sweat and irritation, the mere thought adds up her frustration. Maybe she wants to fall flat over the sacks in front of her and close her eyes until the stickiness vanishes from every inch of her body. She shakes her immediately in disapproval; she might end up favouring her thoughts otherwise. She closes her eyes.
Focus Raavi. Focus.
Her duppatta is tied sideways, while her hair is made in a top knot, giving enough space for the winds to blow over her. She had already removed her earrings that kept sticking to her neck at the dire moment of irritation. If she could, she would have thrown them out through the window. A mild breeze from the window stopped her from doing the same. Raavi does not remember feeling this sweaty and sticky in a while. She opens her eyes and sighs, this is not working; she feels a wave of heat flood around her. She shakes her head again. Complaining would procrastinate her time at the store, the sooner she finishes, the sooner she can have at least a drink to satisfy herself. She looks up at the sacks and begins to count them; she then notes them on a notepad.
With humongous time, sweat and irritation mixed with the hope of a chilling drink; she manages to count them all. She also arranges the things she was asked to do. She wipes the sweat as she labels some boxes. The initial days in the store left her confused and the inexperience brought some clumsy situations, but her sweet Gautam gave her the space to learn; now she knows where she works the best on and Dhara is sure she can do it better than the other members in that aspect. Raavi sighs; she places her hands on her hip as soon as the work finishes.
"Finally!" She smiles, her eyes twinkle at the thought of sipping a drink under the fan.
She carries the notepad with excitement, she exists the storeroom looking for Gautam and Dhara. She finds her rebellious husband instead, sitting on the counter, managing with some paper work; looking good as usual.
"Shiva, Dhara di kahan hai?"
Shiva lifts his head on the question. The glinting eyes manages capture Raavi, she notices him looking at her from bottom to top.
"Naha ke aayi hai kya?" He teases her.
Raavi narrows her brows. Can't the idiot see?
"Haan, swimming kar ke aayi hoon."
He smirks, nodding his head impossibly. Raavi has all the rights to get frustrated beyond the point; the formidable circumstance is as of such. The heat, the sweat and the sweltering vibrations from her clothes ask for nothing but some cold blows. Yet, even in the atrocious moment, his smirk seems to provoke Raavi. Why is he looking adorable with that stupid twitch of lips?
"Give this to her, aur bolo...saare labels bhi daal di."
"And why should I say? You did the work...tu bol."
"Shiva irritate mat kar...do na, I'll go home and come back in a while," saying that, Raavi hands him the note pad and tries to take a leave.
"Oh madam."
"There is some more work, Dhara bhabhi asked to you to do it. There are some sacks there too, uska bhi counting chaiye." Shiva points at the things placed behind the cooler.
Raavi widens her eyes, some more? Her muscles wilk give up on her anytime. She wants to eat and then sleep. None of that seems to hapoen. She groans in frustration in her mind.
She can do it; she says it in her in her mind. Just some more work, yes and then she can tear off the sticky dress from her body and wear some loose and better ones. Raavi prepares herself for this mentally. Grabbing the notepad back from his hands, she walks over to the place where her attention is demanded. Her duppatta is still tied diagonally and the top knot is still intact. The place is more vehement than the store room. She remembers Suman's discussion regarding the weather forecast, they had mentioned about the heat; it would remain for a week or more. They should also have mentioned about the irritation that comes along with it, what a bunch of fools! Do they even know how it feels to stand here on a Salwar suit which leaves no chance stick away from her body? It is no less than being backed inside an oven.
Raavi closes her eyes. If she is feeling like this, her husband might be even tired by carrying all the heavy goods under the heat. Under the damn freaking heat! Raavi sighs; his work needs more effort than hers. She looks back at him, he is busy arranging the things on the shelf; she smiles and continues with her work. As she finishes, she places the notepad back on the table.
"Hogaya Shiva."
"Hogaya?" Shiva asks, teasingly again. Raavi nods her head childishly.
"Koi aur kaam doon?"
To that, Raavi frowns. When will this Bhootnath get his brains? She cannot deny it and if she agrees, she might end up being a cooked chicken today. Or the rock head understands her situation way more than needed, and hence he is irritating her silently.
"Tu mujhe irritate karne keliye bol raha hai, ya sach mein kaam hai?"
"Depends."
"Tu koi baat seedha kyun nehi bolta hai?"
"Aadat hai."
Raavi stomps on her foot, she decides to leave and just by then; she feels his hot fingers over her wrist. On any other day, she would have been thrilled about his touch. Today is not one of them, she is already inflamed by the heat; his touch is infuriating it further.
"Shiva kya hai? Already itni garmi hai..." She complains, scrunching with annoyance. He takes her behind, to the backyard; a small place where members of the store would rest sometimes; taking in the breezes and watch the sky for some relaxation. On a tiny stool in the corner is placed small clay pot filled with water with a copper tumbler put above the lid. Raavi looks on.
"Thodi dhool jhadlegi na toh koi absagun nehi ho jayega." Shiva says as he bends down to fill the glass with water.
Raavi watches him in surprise. He holds the glass, eyeing her with a glitter in his eyes. He waits for her to kneel down. Raavi, on the other hand is statured in her amusement. She bends down slowly, placing the few messy traces of hair behind her ear. Shiva pours the water; she receives them through her hands and splashes them on her face. The soothing cool water does the goodness she was craving for a long time. The prefect chillness gives her a temporary relief from the heat, she can feel some droplets gliding down her neck and to certain places she cannot mention. The guy might be eyeing her consciously, Raavi holds back the smile. She washes her arms and gets up; the previous irritation is now replaced by a huge hold repose.
"What was your aim Mr? To help me out or check me out?"
Shiva smirks, putting the glass back on the lid of the pot.
"Wanna have lunch?"
Raavi stomps her foot again, he will never accept his deeds.
"Yeah, I was going home and you stopped me for this." Raavi will not give up on the topic either. Shiva raises a brows, there used to be a time when Shiva expressed all without a filter and Raavi couldn't absorb a single essence from his flowing emotions. Now, he does everything and never accepts until she rattles him to the peak of his vexation. It is his way of testing waters, he loves to drive her impatient and he celebrates every moment of her cute fussy expressions.
"So you are telling me to waste food?"
Raavi scowls, how she will waste his food?
"Shiva, what do you mean?"
"If we go home, who will eat the food you made for me?"
"We? I am going home Shiva, you are staying here. Dhukan sambhalna hai...toh obviously you should eat."
"My ghadhedi does not understand a thing, does she?" He taps her nose and walks inside.
With her eye brows still narrowed, she trudges to fish out her husband's actions. Shiva is seated down in a secluded corner with the table fan blowing over his face. Down on the ground, the unpacked lunch prepared by her is placed randomly along with a bottle of water giving company to the opened boxes. Raavi then understands his actions. She knows his head would break if he conveyed this verbally. There are small things which gives him great happiness, the ones that brings a twinkle in his eyes; like holding her hand while sleeping; Raavi staying back at the store and waiting for him to finish his chores, them eating something random in the middle of the night and sharing food. Though he does not say it out, she cannot ignore the happiness on his face in that moment. But if he can test her, she can test him too. After all, in the entire Somnath; it is Raavi who can agitate him in minutes.
"Haan toh Khaa na...waise bhi, mujhe change karni hai, so I'll go home and eat."
Shiva frowns, just the way Raavi wants.
"Apne pati ko akela chod ke jaaogi?"
"What if somebody tries to woo me?"
The smile on her face turns into a frown; she comes closer to him and kneels down to his level. She takes a good look at him.
"I doubt so; I remember how you stammered when a girl tried getting close to you."
Shiva grabs her waist and pulls her towards him.
"Aee...zyada mat bol samjhi..."
Raavi presses her lips together, muffling her laugh. "Kyun? Jhatka lag gaya kya?"
"Ai...aisaa..nehi hai..that...I ."
Raavi begins to laugh in that moment. Only if he can see how adorable her Shiva is, like a cute little kid caught stealing a chocolate. And he calls her cute! Maybe she is. When it comes to him maybe she is ready to fail that test. His desperate attempts pull out a different kind of affection in Raavi and she is grateful that Shiva happened to her. What would she ever do without him? She does not want to think about it ever.
Of course Raavi will tease him with that all through their life, Shiva thinks. That is the only thing she could tease him with for eternity. Well, there are a lot more in her list against him that drives him klutz. She aces it at the perfect time and perfect situation. She continues to laugh at his flustered expressions. With tongue on cheek, head up and a sarcastic smile on his face; he patiently waits for her laughter sessions to find a closure. When she doesn't, he scowls in her direction profoundly.
"Hassi nehi rukthi hai na?...leh aur hasso." Shiva tickles Raavi.
"Ah, Shiva nehi..."
Raavi squirms under his hold; she tries getting up but in vain as his grip tightens with each of her try; she screams with laughter; tears brim her eyes while she keeps putting an effort to slip away from his hold. She is afraid somebody would turn up at the moment, hearing her laughter. She cannot handle the embarrassment; they are not at home and the entire place would tease them regarding it.
"Okay, okay...sorry." She pants, giving up. Shiva stops.
She is seated comfortably on his lap; her head rested on his left shoulder, nestled prefectly. She gasps for air with her eyes closed. She sighs, feeling comfortable; more than she needed and she might love staying here just like this. And when somebody comes, she would easily be targeted to second hand embarrassment. At that thought, she tries to get up. Shiva pulls her back, holding her waist tightly.
"Shiva, koi aajayega."
"It's afternoon Raavi, we are in a corner; plus the shop is now closed for lunch."
"I'm sweaty Shiva."
"Do you think I care?"
Raavi smiles, she gives up; feeling very comfortable here. She wants this for a little longer, just for some few minutes. Raavi is amused when Shiva brings a morsel of Parantha and curd in front of her mouth.
"Waah, aaj ki taaza khabar Junglee bhalu apni biwi ko khila raha hai!" She laughs.
"Aaj toh, barish hona hai, itni garmi kaise?"
Shiva rolls his eyes and stuffs the parantha in her mouth. She relishes the food, forgetting the next words built in her mind. She totally wanted this, after all; working heavy and having something to fill the stomach later is heaven. In that sense, her husband needs more. She pulls out a large piece of parantha, stuffs them with curd and pickle, and feeds it to Shiva. He takes the bite with a satisfied smile. Her spine tingles seeing the joy on his face. She can never get enough of him ever.
While feeding each other, a long trace of her hair dangles in front of her eyes.
"When did you untie my hair?" Raavi tries blowing it away from her face.
"The tickling session." He admits with a smirk, placing them back to its position. Raavi is not suprised of his silent skills, he does it every time.
"Waise, you are no less. You almost murdered that poor girl for proposing me."
Raavi frowns childishly, chewing the food; feeling no less an kid on his lap. The idiot wouldn't let her down either. Of course, she would make a big deal out of it! That girl was her college mate, she knew about Raavi being his wife and she dared to come close him.
"Haan toh, that poor girl knows we are married. I trust you, but she should know who she is messing with!"
Shiva smiles in naught, the evil hint in his eyes indicates the joy he has in this conversation. A rattled Raavi is always a treat to watch and when she becomes possessive of him, she turns into the definition of hot.
"Wasn't that too early?" Shiva asks, meddling with her further.
"What do you mean?" Raavi grits.
"I mean, she was looking hot and I was just trying to start a conversation. You came in between and spoilt it."
Shiva smiles seeing her irritated expressions, they are the exact kind of expression he had when he tried eating ripened mango with chilly powder. Fuming, aching and crazy as his beautiful wife.
"Then go keep her on your lap and feed her.." She hits chest and she hears a yelp from him; she grits her teeth and tries to move away. Shiva holds him tightly, letting out a sheepish laugh; relishing her expressions.
"Shiva chod.."
"No"
"Shiva, chod na.."
"Nei."
"Sara mood kharab kardiya, ab kya kehna bhaaki hai? Go tell her...waise bhi," Her sentences are captured by his lips, riling her body in tingles. She opens her eyes widely, feeling a familiar pleasure shoot up her spine. Raavi melts into his kiss, giving back much more intensity in return. Shiva beholds a fascination for her hair, Raavi has noted the delicate hold of her traces; his hands keep tracing them time to time.
His mouth moves along, deeper and just in about that time a loud nose brings out a groan from them.
"Raavi bhabhi! Shiva! Kahan ho aap log!"
The two break from their moment. Shiva utters some gritting nonsense while Raavi jumps out from his lap, adjusting her clothes. When Krish arrives Raavi plops in some food to avoid getting caught.
"Kya Kar Raha ho?"
"Dhik nehi Raha kya? Kha rahe hai hum." Shiva becomes irritated.
"Mujhe bhi chahiye!" Krish sits beside Shiva and pulls the lunch box from him.
"Ae, khane ko haat matt laga. Yeh Mera hai!"
"Issme tera naam nehi Likha hai. Bhabhi mujhse pyaar Karti hai Woh khana khane degi hai na Bhabhi?"
Raavi looks on.
"Raavi Tu meri biwi hai ya iske Bhabhi?"
Raavi looks on again, she face palms internally. She is now stuck with two manchild.
"Arrey bolo na Bhabhi, aap meri Bhabhi ho."
"Woh kyun bolegi? Meri biwi hai, mujhse Shaadi ki hai. Nehi toh Woh Teri Bhabhi nehi banpaati. Iss khane pe haq Mera hai!"
"Nehi Mera"
Raavi does not know when they would find an end to this. Summer seems better than their heated argument. She knows she got to sort them back again.
Tough jobs indeed.
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