The next few days were one of the worst days in Shiva's life. He had made it clear to his mother that he wouldn't tolerate Disha as anything more than her guest, as he wouldn't disrespect Raavi by entertaining anyone else. Disha specifically wanted to chance her arm being with him in case he did divorce Raavi.
All the while, Raavi innocently tempted him by just existing. Her pure heart, her innocent soul, her beautiful smile enhanced by the mole on her cheek, her twinkling eyes, not to mention her luscious body, all of her was so tempting to him. He still dreamt of her in that pale pink saree and the rose saree, looking more stunning than any human had the right to be. Shaking his head, wandering around the bustling house after dinner, he saw Dhara and Rishita Bhabhi with his mother chatting and laughing, planning Dhara's birthday and pooja, they would be having for her and her unborn child, tomorrow. His older brothers were balancing the monthly books for the house and Krish was playing on his phone.
Deep in thought, he stopped to sit on the cot as he came to the realization, he was certifiably crazy: After his actions on Karva Chauth, he put some distance between them, taking on more work and volunteering at soccer club, dissuading her from sleeping beside him and bore his mother's interference stoically, in hopes to discourage Raavi, so she could move on to better things in life. Despite his intentions to stay away from her, his eyes always sought her out, his heart cheered up just seeing her, and his mind craved to be around her. You just want to hold on to her and never let go. He ran his fingers thru his hair, resisting the urge to pull them all out in sheer frustration.
Speaking of his sweet Chipkali, where was she? It had been a very busy day at the Store clearing out month end stock, which had given him the perfect cover to maintain his distance but racking his brain through all the instances he saw her today which wasn't a lot, he realized belatedly he hadn't even seen Raavi eat dinner. Did she eat? Forgetting everything else, he mentally swore to himself if she hadn't eaten dinner, he would yell at her so loudly she would remember it for the next fifty years.
"Dhara, Rishita Bhabhi, yeh Chipkali ghar ki kis kone main apna dhum hila rahi hai?" he asked, forcing himself to keep his voice relaxed.
"Arey Shiva, abhi toh yahan thi. Backyard main taazi hawa khane gayi hogi. Aaj subah bhi keh reh thi, saar dukh raha hai, toh maine usse zyada kaam karne se mana kiya," said Dhara Bhabhi, as Rishita nodded.
Raavi had a headache, and no one thought to tell him? Balling his fists by his side, he just nodded in thanks. He pulled out his phone and messaged her. No response. Hamesha toh phone ke saath chipki hui milti hai. His mind was working on overtime, and his gut told him something was off, as he looked around. Raavi wouldn't miss Dhara Bhabhi's birthday planning session even if she was sick. He thought long and hard, scrolling through his phone, and suddenly looked down at the date on his phone: October 31st. F**k.
Suddenly scrambling, he ran outside, mumbling an excuse about meeting Arjun. He made his way back home in thirty minutes, choosing to go up to the terrace. As he suspected, he found Raavi on the terrace staring at the night sky. "The view is better if you look in the opposite direction," he remarked casually, causing Raavi to turn slowly and look at him, clutching her parent's photo frame. Oh, baby girl. He came up to her to stand beside her, demonstrating his remark.
Raavi continued to stare at Shiva, as he pointed to the night sky, showing various stars. A tear slipped, and he looked at her, pausing mid-sentence. "H-How di-did you know?" asked Raavi in a low voice. Raavi knew the second she saw him that he knew.
Shiva resumed talking various stars, pointing to a constellation he figured out by looking it up on the internet. Raavi stepped closer, resting her head on his chest, and taking his arms to wrap them around her waist. Hold me. Pressing a finger to his mouth, she repeated herself, "H-How did you know?"
"Hetal told me when we went together to get your parent's photo framed. Also, unlike you, I have very good memory and I am smart. 10 years ago, I saw a Chipkali on a neighbouring terrace on the same day. I just put two and two together," said Shiva, "I was busy with work today, otherwise..." he started a tad guiltily, but she just shook her head and pressed herself closer to him, closing her eyes as another tear slipped out.
They held themselves in this position; Raavi resting her head on chest, holding on to him and her parent's photo, listening to the faint thud of his heartbeat. As soon as he came to her, she felt her heart and soul latch on to him. His presence itself was balm to her invisible wounds and pain, healing her, making her feel better. "Show me the constellation again," asked Raavi after few minutes. Shiva wrapped his fingers around the index finger of her right hand and slowly traced the out the shape in the air.
"Its so beautiful" whispered Raavi, "do you still come to look at the stars?" referring to the Grad Excursion. Shiva quietly nodded, ever so slightly tightening his arms around her.
She just stared at him from the cocoon of his arms, taking in his profile as he stayed and looked at the night sky with her, occasionally pointing to the stars, saying something to make her feel better. How many years had she spent this day by herself not letting her heart and soul acknowledge who she wanted to be with on this day?
"Show me something else."
Shiva disentangled Raavi from himself and took her a few steps in front of on an old park bench that had been upcycled to be used in the terrace. Making her stand in front of him, he sat down on the bench taking the photo from Raavi and resting it beside him. Then, he reached backwards, and pulled open a box with a single cupcake. He stuck a candle into the cupcake, lit it up, and said, "Come, let's celebrate your mother's birthday."
Raavi clenched her fists painfully to stop herself from jumping into his arms. She should've known he'd come. No. As much she had sought out the stars to find peace, her heart had been patiently waiting for him to comfort her. Only him. He had known and just come to her. She kept looking at him without moving, causing him to wave his hand at her face and gesture to sit next to him. Wordlessly, she sat on his lap, ignoring the space beside him. Tucking her hair to one side, leaned forward to blow the candle. She took a bite removing the candle. "Hmm, vanilla cupcake with cinnamon sugar icing, from Mukesh Tea Café, right?"
"Acchi hai?" he asked gesturing to the cupcake. She nodded, licking the frosting. Did she have to lick it so sensually?
"Khud kha, aur moksh pa le," he said gruffly. She wasn't the only one who liked cupcakes. Letting out a watery chuckle, she gave him a big piece, "abhi deni hi wali thi... ye le, toos le, bhukkad."
As he took a bite, she smiled and asked, "aachi hai na?" and he nodded.
They ate the cupcake in silence, Shiva's gaze took in Raavi. He was glad she looked better; her cheeks a tinge rosy, her eyes gaining back their sparkle, her lips nearly ready to break into her signature smile. He realized he was staring because Raavi looked at him, her chin tilting up in question. He shook his head, stroking away a wayward crumb from her chin, quickly averting his gaze, mentally warning himself to not get carried away.
Clearing this throat, "Yahin ghar basaegi kya? Ab utt, T-Rex ki behen," he said without any heat, just desperate to infuse some distance between them.
"Itni bhi heavy nahi hoon," she said mildly, as she got off his lap, "ki tujh jaise Chattan Pandya ko kabhi farak pada ho, ya aage farak padega."
No lies detected there, Shiva, he thought to himself, "Ye toh wazan utane wale ko hi pata hoga na?" he countered, "apni dhole shole dekh,"
She rolled her eyes knowing he was purposely bickering with her, "Haan, chal, aaj dekh hi lete hain. Flex kar... kar na!" she said, flexing her arm, laying it beside his to compare the very obvious difference in sizes of their arms, as they made their way downstairs, almost ready to settle in for the night.
Taking in the peachy perfection of her slender arms, "sukhe pehelwan ki tarah dikh rahi hai," fibbed Shiva when they came to the aangan. She huffed but let the jibe go. As if her wobbly arms could ever compare to his sexy biceps. They were in a league of their own, along with the rest of his body.
He took a deep breath, as if he needed to detox something from his mind, "Mujhe kaam hai," he muttered and went to the kitchen.
Raavi went to the washroom first and made her way into the room after changing into a sleeveless night kurti set. Laying her parents' photo back in the side table, she found a glass of water and two Crocin tablets. Her phone buzzed; a message from Rishita, "I left some meds for you for your headache. Can you take that after you eat the sandwich, which, again I, left in the kitchen? Do it in the next fifteen minutes, because otherwise, I am sending over pest control to eradicate a permanent lizard problem we have in this house."
Scoffing, she muttered, ek din ek bandar ka dhoom seedha karna hi padega, nevertheless she did as she was instructed.
A little while later, Shiva came into the room to find to Raavi sitting on his side of the bed, lost in her phone. As soon as she saw him come in, she loudly texted, "Hi Rishita, I ate the sandwich you left for me and took the meds as well. I just want let you know, don't put so many tomatoes and butter as the sandwich was soggy, but it's the intent that counts, so thank you... Rishita," dropping in a mock salute to her phone as she hit 'send'.
Rolling at his eyes at her mock salute, he just came by the side table, lightly swatting her away, "apne side pe jaa, Raavi!" She scooted aside, to lie down few inches away.
"Raavi, ye tumhara side hai?" asked Shiva, keeping his voice carefully neutral.
"Maine saari pillows kahin kho diya. Humein ye pillow share karna padega," said Raavi without a hint of apology in her voice. Shiva closed his eyes, to push away the joy that was threatening to unfurl in his heart at her antics.
He was just relieved she was back to being her dramebaaz self. "Aur ye ajooba hua kaise?" he asked, opening his eyes.
Raavi shrugged, "stranger things have happened...chahta hai toh kal police compliant kar sakta hai," He gave her a narrow eyed, 'are-you-serious' look and said, "then, you can sleep without a pillow."
"Nahi!" pouted Raavi getting on her knees, grabbing the pillow, "main thehri Somnath ki sabse sundar ladki, mujhe meri beauty sleep pillow ke saath hi milega!"
"Dekh Raavi nautanki bandh kar...har cheez main drama karti hai, bahut hogayi teri manmaani," he warned her, fighting the warmth settling into his stomach like warm baked fudge.
"Maine high school main hi bola tha, main teri boss hoon, aur main tere saar pe naachungi. Mere saare nakhre tu hi jhelega. Chup chap soja," said Raavi settling back down.
He muttered something about her eating Crocin and passing on the headache onto him.
"Kya kaha tu ney, abhi? Saar dard? Tujhe kaise pata mere saar dard ke baare main, woh toh Rishita ko pata tha na?" teased Raavi, as Shiva slid her a side glance, fiercely fighting to stop the smile that threatened to break out at her teasing.
"Nautanki..." he muttered, settling beside her. He made a show of wiggling his head to find a comfortable spot on the pillow and in the process, purposefully pushed her aside.
Raavi huffed at her head being kicked off the pillow. "Tu ney je jaan bhooj ke kiya na?"
"Kya kiya...maine?" he asked innocently, "tera sar itna chota hai, pillow se phisal gaya, main kya karoon?"
She narrowed her eyes, and said, "soch ke kar raha hai, na?"
He shrugged.
Fine by her. "Theek hai, tu hi pillow rakh," laying her head on his muscular chest, wrapping her arm around him. "Ab ye hi hai mera pillow, I hope mere dhole shole zyada heavy nahi hai!" He huffed at her but didn't say anything else after that.
As they lay quietly trying to sleep, Raavi dared to ask, "Shiva...do you think my mom would be happy with me? After... loosing the money to a scam charity and the div---" unable to finish that word. When Shiva didn't respond, she closed her eyes, disappointed. But he surprised her by quietly saying, "I think you have given her a lot of reasons to be happy with you."
Pleased with his reassurance, she nodded and drifted into a fitful sleep. Shiva stayed awake for a long time, just looking at her. Right before sleep claimed him, gentlest breeze rustled their room, carrying a whisper, you are the best thing she has ever done.