Maami ki Behen ki Beti ✓

3. kesar aur pista

Raavi was lost the entire time during lunch. She sat, legs folded, in front of the plate which had a lavish spread of gujrati items Raavi once loved. Dhara had specially made her favourite undhyo and Gautam had brought jalebi-fafda from the neighbouring sweet shop with her favourite papaya mirchi. However, not only did Raavi not eat them, she did not even look at the food. Her eyes were always blankly looking ahead, or down at her plate, hands refusing to touch the food.

Gautam, Krish and Shiva were eating with her, Dhara serving them, but Raavi who sat next to Shiva, only kept breathing slowly. 

"toh Raavi?" Gautam offered to break the silence, "I heard you are leaving Somnath soon," the moment he mentioned that, all of their faces fell. Krish sighed sadly, not knowing what to say and thought it best to sit back while Shiva played with his food, his full attention on Raavi.

"Haan Gaumbi," Raavi smiled sadly and very softly answered, "in a week." 

"Kaha?" Krish asked, and Raavi looked at him.

"Woh, mama aur maami ke yaha, Jamnagar." 

Shiva who had a large appetite, felt bad seeing her not eating anything and hence, halted the morsel he was about to eat and kept it down. His eyes were constantly finding ways to steal glances at her without being too noticeable. He did not want anyone to consider his concern for Raavi anything more than that of general concern. 

"But you always wanted to be here Raavi," Gautam said, completely baffled at the state of this new Raavi in front of him.

Gone was the carefree and happy girl, instead, she was now a woman of soft speech and aching heart.

"Sapne pure nahi hote Gaumbi," Raavi chuckled, humorlessly, "atleast mere nahi."

Shiva fisted his hands, the way Raavi was speaking was really infuriating him. He did not quite understand what the big deal was, because for him it was just an incident. He never fell in love before but seeing Raavi this miserable, he vouched that he would never want to fall in that pit.

But his heart was a step ahead of him.

"Raavi, kuch toh kha le baccha?" Dhara asked, now holding her shoulder, "aa jo, taaru pasand ki mithai." 

Raavi shook her head, really not in the mood to eat anything. She had hardly eaten one or two morsels for the sake of the sweet family, but she knew she would puke if she ate more. Moreover, her hunger had gone on a permanent vacation. 

"Dhara dii, thank you." Raavi spoke softly, she was so soft that Krish had to rub his ear. He almost thought he had lost his earing senses but kept quiet when Shiva glared at him. "I think I'll leave."

She would have left if it was not Dhara who stopped her, "Raavi," She held her chin, "I am sorry. We all..."

"Dhara dii please," Raavi shook her head, holding Dhara's hand, "dii kehti hu aapko, aur usse maanti bhi hu." Dhara smiled sadly at the mature yet heartbroken girl, "bhabhi nahi toh na sahi, dii toh aap hamesha rahogi." 

"Aur tu bhi toh humare liye humari pyaari Raavi hai?" Dhara said, tearing a piece of the thepla, dipped it in the sweet aachar and brought it closer to her mouth. "Kha le, please?" Raavi looked at Dhara and then at Gombi and she felt tears hit her eyes again.

This all could be hers, she kept thinking, they all could be hers.

No Raavi, she calmed herself, please hold yourself. Do not give Shiva a chance to see you cry, else that idiot would keep teasing you forever.

That was what she always told herself whenever Shiva teased her or when she wanted to cry in public, but Shiva had always been such a bitter gourd towards her and if she cried, he'd keep teasing her. Her tears always worked on others though, they made Dev and Krish side with her, they made Dhara and Gaumbi to leave everything and ask about her but to Shiva, her tears made no difference.