Pandya Store - Shiva Raavi (ShiVi) FF- My North Star

Chapter 17

Raavi jerked up sleepily as she heard Dhara Di's voice yell "Raavi! Raavi! Wake up!" and bang their bedroom door. She pushed herself up, cracked one eye open, and looked over to the clock, which read 3:55 AM. Protesting the disturbance, she muttered five minutes and went to sleep.

"RAAVI!!" Dhara Di's voice called out again. Groaning, as she tried pushing herself to get up and wake up, "OW!" hissed Shiva, "are you trying to kill me? And you are again sleeping ON top of me. Kuch toh raham karo, dinosaur kahinki." He gave her a tough time just because it was 4 AM and she still smelled like a cupcake.

"Shut up" muttered Raavi. She sat up on the bed and focused on keeping her eyes open.

"Ja! See why Dhara Bhabhi is calling you."

"Karva Chauth" said Raavi in response, dragging herself from the room.

After rest of the family gathered in sleepily, Dhara explained the rituals related to Karva Chauth in detail. Shiva looked at Raavi absorbing all the information, determined to do her part despite the fact that they were getting divorced; he felt strangely grateful and uncomfortable that she had resolved to keep the fast for him. So, of course, he had to try and dissuade her in the most obnoxious way possible.

"Bhabhi, ye chipkali ab mere liye vrat rakhegi? Isse toh mere shirts theek se nahi rakhe jaate" said Shiva, his voice still raspy. Raavi scowled at him as Dhara ignored him and went on with her chores.

Suman agreed with Shiva and pointed out that since they were getting divorced, there was no point in fasting either. If anything, it would be better if Dishu kept the fast. At that point, Raavi got up to leave, muttering she had to get dressed for the day.

Later in the morning, Shiva came into to their room, and stopped dead in his tracks. This was the kind of view for which one needed to be warned, given seminars, and abundantly cautioned: It was Raavi in a pale pink saree with low back sleeveless blouse. Standing in front the dresser with her back to him, she had her wet hair tied in a loose bun and was trying to clip on her mangalsutra. A drop of water from her wet hair was dripping onto her back, and it took every ounce of self-control to stop himself from tracing that drop of water with his lips. He clenched his fists knowing he didn't have that relationship with Raavi and exploring that path would just complicate matters further. But he lost the battle in just admiring her from afar because he came up to her wordlessly, helped her tie her mangalsutra and in the process, impulsively untied her hair. Surprised, she turned to face him and a few droplets of water from her wet hair hit his face.

Raavi lifted her eyebrows questioningly and when she didn't get a response, she made a move to leave the room. Shiva blinked, cleared his throat, and grabbed her waist.

"Kya hai?" asked Raavi, curious why he stopped her. She was sure he had come to bother her and irritate her. "Dekh mujhe aaj teri koi bandar wale harkat nahi chahiye," she said shaking her finger at him.

Shiva just looked at her without a response. "Vrat mera hai ya tera maun vrat hai?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly. He just held her waist, but the gentle pressure of his fingers, sent tingling sensations down to her toes. He was so close; she could feel him all around her, overwhelming her senses. She instinctively closed her eyes and averted her face, her breath turning uneven. Pressing her gently against the door, he said, "Raavi, ye sab vrat tere bas ki baat nahi hai. Zaroorat bhi nahi hai... Tujhse toh ek minute bhooka nahi raha jata."

She opened her eyes and met his onyx gaze steadily. She pushed against her Chattan Pandya's chest, not that it made a difference, and said, "Listen to me carefully, I will keep the fast. It is my right as your legal and current wife." She paused and warily asked, "Is it because of that Dishu? Whatever you do or want to do with that dayaan Dishu is not my problem."