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

Chapter 19

Next day, when Suman made her way to the aangan, she found everyone giving their birthday wishes to Dhara, specifically she found Raavi, Shiva chatting and having Chai with Hetal. He was supposed to hang out with Disha, but here he was, with Raavi and his best friend. He was smiling at something Hetal said and looked happy, but she knew better. Each day, she observed, they were coming closer and closer together, whether or not, they realized it. Raavi bewitched her son with her wide smile, big hazel eyes, and fairy-out-of-woodlands personality.

She wheeled herself over to Kanta's house to invite her for Dhara's birthday party and pooja. She found Disha in the hall and irately said, "You are here, and Shiva is with Raavi."

"Sorry, Kaki, I was thinking what to do next to grab Shiva's attention," said Disha with a strange glint of determination in her eyes. No matter that Shiva never looked at her. For all he knew she didn't even exist. But she would not give up that easily. Today is the day Shiva Pandya paid attention.

"I have an idea; today is Dhara Bhabhi's birthday, at the pooja and party, I can sit with Shiva. Try to entertain him," said Disha as Suman nodded, unconvinced. Truth be told, she was getting vexed with this Disha. Where Raavi was being an absolute pari, this woman was being a Dabba Kumari. No charm, no personality. Shiva ko chodo, main pat jaati Raavi se! If this continued and one day Shiva told her to call off the rishta, she would have no choice but to comply.

Disha submissively looked down. She would toe the line with Suman Kaki. For now, anyways.

For better part of the day, Raavi was busy preparing for the pooja and the birthday party. She had woken up today in a splendid mood, feeling buoyant and hopeful about her life, so even extra work couldn't dampen her spirits. Luckily, she also had Hetal and Krish to help her out.

As they were cleaning up after lunch, to make the chores more fun Hetal played music on her phone. "Do you remember how we used to do chores in my house?" asked Hetal, and Raavi nodded excitedly. Nothing like music and dance to make cleaning more appealing. Dancing in the kitchen, Hetal picked up the washed plates, dried them and gave them to Raavi. Twirling and tugging the plates from Hetal's hands, Raavi sang along Nagada sang dhol baaje, dhol baaje, and put them in the cupboards.

Going to the aangan, they started wiping the countertops, sweeping, and mopping the floors. Krish picked up cleaning wipes to clean the swing. As the playlist shuffled in a new song 'Thats all I really wanna do', Raavi waltzed Krish around the aangan, wishing it was Shiva, and started miming the lyrics,

Krish loudly said "C'mon Bhabhi, sing it with me, that's all I really wanna do, that's all I really wanna do"

Letting the peppy beats overtake her; she swayed around the aangan, weaving herself around the swing, smiling to herself, thinking of Shiva, Dooba rahun dooba dooba rahun, Main tujh main hi tujh main dooba rahun, Thats all I really wanna do! Thats all I really wanna do!

Laughing, she linked her arms with Krish and Hetal to drag them to dance, until she saw Shiva had entered with Disha.

Shiva had woken up strangely happy, even the tedious work of organising the storeroom, and delivery of packaged items until 2 PM, didn't make him too surly and grumpy. On his way to Pandya Niwas to have a late lunch, Disha had ensnared him at the entrance of his house as he was walking in, insisting she wanted to hang out with him.

As he entered his house, he saw Raavi dancing with Krish and Hetal, cleaning up around the house and he was thoroughly charmed by her antics. Shiva was staring at Raavi, wishing he was dancing with her, as rest of the song played out, Dekhun tujhe, choo lo tujhe, sochun tujhe, sunu tujhe, Bas dil tujh main dooba rahe, Dooba rahe dooba dooba rahe, Dil tujh main hi tujh main dooba rahe.