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

Chapter 30

           Before they left for Raavi's shopping expedition, she excitedly gave Shiva a tour of her apartment, showing him various trinkets, photos, books, she, and Hetal had collected over the years they had stayed together. She showed him the meager items her parents had left behind: few utensils, blanket they had maybe used, her mom's handkerchief, just small wayward items that would mean nothing to somebody, but meant the world to her. Shiva had taken it all in with patience and love often hugging and kissing her, comforting her.

Getting dressed to go to the mall, Raavi changed into a full sleeved pale lavender straight cut kurta set embroidered with applique mirror work and dainty flowers. She twisted the front pieces of her hair backwards, applied some tinted lip balm, along with her lotus flower pendant-on-chain and, finished off with some lotion and perfume.

She exited her room, almost fully dressed, stopping in front of Shiva, who was waiting for her. "Shiva, ye dori bandh de, please?" asked Raavi, standing with her back to him.

He dutifully helped her, pressing kisses all over the exposed skin of her back, taking twice as long to do the task. "Ab, mujhe distract mat kar, tujhse help maangna hi nahi chahiye tha!" she pouted, arching her back, sensitive to his kisses.

"Is it working?" asked Shiva hopefully, "I was thinking, I can stay back watch the apartment...you take your time at the mall, and I will come by to pick you up," In one quick motion, she turned, escaping his inquisitive hands and mouth. Cupping his face, she repeatedly kissed his lips, saying "this is an apartment, not a toddler Shiva! And you promised we will go to the mall. I just know we are going to have fun!" not caring that he muttered, speak for yourself. She gave herself a self-satisfied smile, marvelling at herself for managing to scoop the opportunity in front of her, and drag him to the shops. While she cared that he got new clothes; she was more excited about a special something she was going to give him.

Watching her mentally pat herself on the back, he shook his head knowing it was her bikini that got him here, he tipped her chin up, "lets go, but remember, you owe me a huge compensation."

Every step he took in one of the city's biggest, swankiest malls, Shiva felt himself grow impatient and surly. He knew it was partly because he had no patience for shopping, partly observing the looks and passing by glances Raavi attracted. Lucky for him that his sweet dobi was a klutz, she held on to his arm after she tripped stepping into the escalators needlessly signalling to the world, she was with him.

"Chipkali, Mall main hain, chal, aaj tujhe chashma lagwata hoon... hamesha yahan wahan girti padti hai," said Shiva in a grouchy voice, looking around at the mall in derision.

"Mere cute se face ko chashme nahi sunglasses ki zaroorat hai jo main apni real wali honeymoon main pehen sakti hoon. Chahe toh mujhe woh leke de sakta hai," said Raavi cheekily. Maybe he'd replace the ones she lost in Ahmedabad a year ago.

"Haan, uske saath Maa ki chadi bhi leke doonga. Tab tu ek dum fit oh fit lagegi... aandi aur langdi," he quipped as she comically frowned at him. They had just stepped into the mall, and he was already grumpy.

"Tera chehra theek kar! Aur itna nautanki kyun kar raha hai? Shopping hai, suli pe chadna nahi hai" said Raavi, she dragged him from store to store. She giggled, patting his cheek, "oh, poor Shiva, ye shaadi ke side effects hai. Tu iss hadse aur sadme ko survive zaroor karega, mujhe pura bharosa hai."

He grew surlier, and the worst of it all was the shared 'welcome to the club' looks he received from other men hanging out in the common areas of the mall dutifully carrying bags as their wives looted and raided the shops with the precision of seasoned warriors. Such a typical husband, she smiled to herself, but all hers so she didn't mind.