ShiVi - Redemption

Chapter 32

Long overdue chapter! Happy reading!

Chapter 32

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Shiva was looking at Suman question Raavi and him, more Raavi than him about what kind of the joke they have made all this out to be. Raavi had so selflessly defended him in front of Mama-Mami when they had blamed him rightly for all the things he had done. And Raavi had never been at fault ever, not when he had sent her the divorce papers, not when she slapped him outside the mandir in front of all and not now. She had always done what was right, loved his family like no other and in return he hadn't done anything.

"Aye maarkundi gaay, Tujhe kya lagta hai mera beta Shiva tujhse pyaar karta hai?" asked Suman in overconfidence, looking at Raavi.

Raavi had no answer to her to this, she was right Shiva hadn't told her he loved her so far. He had told her he had wanted to make things right, wanted to make sure he does everything to make her happy, but did he love her? Just as she was about to look down from Suman's steely gaze, not having an answer, she felt Shiva's hand holding intertwined with her fingers as he said, "Maa, Raavi, Raavi naam hai uska aur haan main karta hoon usse pyaar" looking at Raavi intently.

The whole room full of people were all taken aback with the fact that Shiva confessed so blatantly in front of all. Recovering from it, some faces broke into huge smiles while some including Mami and Suman looked horrified. On the other hand, Raavi couldn't believe it, did her Bhoothnath just tell Kaki he loved her? Is this even real? Was she dreaming again?

"Maa, tu Raavi se sawaal kyun kar rahi ho, jo bhi sawaal jawab karna hai main karoonga, aap sab ko pata hai ki maine Raavi se iss liye shaadi ki thi, kyun ki Bhabhi ne mujhe se kaha tha, main bachpan se hi Mami ki wajah se, meri Mami ki Behen ki Beti se nafrat karta tha, pann dheere dheere mujhe woh Raavi nazar aayi, jo sabse acche se rehti thi, sab ka accha sochti thi, sab ke liye kuch na kuch karti hai, mujhe Raavi pasand aane lagi thi, par maine yeh baat samajh li ki Raavi aur mera koi mel nahi hai, main kahan anpad, jawar aur kahan Raavi Somnath ki sabse sundar ladki", as Raavi reached out to him, he shook his head asking her to let him finish.

"Iss liye maine bina usse kuch kahe bina baat ke usse jhagda karne laga, usse jaahil ki tarah pesh aaya, taaki woh mujhe chod kar chali jaaye, pann Chipkali toh Chipkali nikli, mere laakh koshish ke baad bhi mujhse chipki rahi jaise ki main uska deewar hoon" chuckling at his own joke humourlessly.

"Aur phir maine usse mandir mein gusse mein aake characterless kahan, sab ke saamne tamasha kiya, uss ne mujhe thappad maara, aur main woh deserve karta tha, uss mein Raavi ki koi galti nahi thi, aur phir maine divorce papers bhej ke usko yeh yakeen dilaaya ki main iss shaadi se khush nahi hoon aur mujhe usse mukti chahiye, taaki woh chali jaaye, aur apne life mein aage bade, taaki life mein usse woh har khushi mile jo main usse kabhi nahi de paaonga" wiping a tear off and smiling at his stupidity.

"Gadhedha tha main, mujhe usse jaane hi nahi dena chahiye tha, aur phir yeh sab kaand hota hi nahi, woh baar baar meri taraf kheeche chali aayi aur maine apne aap ko usse door kiya, pann mere itna sab kuch karne ke baad bhi woh humesha wapas aati rahi, aur maine, hum sabne usse itna bura bartaav kiya, uske liye main apne aap ko kabhi maaf nahi karoonga" said Shiva with remorse walking around, pointing to everyone and then himself.

"Mujhe pehle nahi samajtha tha ki Bholenath ne hum ek saath kyun bandha tha, par main samajh gaya hoon ki Raavi mere liye hi bani hai, aur mere itni galtiyon ke baad bhi aaj woh mera saath khadi hai, kyunki uss ne apni acchayi se meri zindagi sawar li, yahan tak ki mere gusse ko bhi kaboo karna sikhaya, jo aaj tak koi kar na paaya, agar main aag hoon, toh woh behte hui paani ki tarah hai" confessed Shiva remembering how he had memorized to tell her this at one time, smiling slightly.

"Main humesha se Bhabhi ka favorite baccha aur tera khaas raha hoon Maa, pann main ab Raavi ka Shiva bhi ban ke rehna chahta hoon, mujhe pata hai yeh sab mujhse sunna thoda ajeeb hai par yeh sab kehna zaroori tha, Pichli baar teri khushi ke liye maine aage badhne ka faisla kar liya, pann iss baar Maa main chahti hoon tu meri khushi chun le, aur meri khushi sirf Raavi hai, Aur Raavi ne humesha teri izzat ki hai aur iss pariwar ki bhi, iss liye ab tu bhi uski izzat rakhle, aur humein aashirwaad de de" taking a step forward towards Suman and pulling a rather amazed yet dazed Raavi alongside him.

Suman looked quite taken aback by Shiva's statement. Her son who was always someone who stood up for the family, and abided by everything that her or his Bhabhi told him, was standing here and talking about how he was wrong and asking her to choose his chosen happiness, Raavi. She thinks about how her dislike for Raavi started when she saw her son, Shiva who wouldn't care about what people thought of him, question himself and his self worth. And now, here he stood claiming to everyone that he wants her in his life. Before Suman could say anything, Raavi stepped up and said, "Kaki, please maan jaayeye, main Shiva ko humesha khush rakhoongi" stealing a glance at Shiva, while he smiled at her earnestly.

Without saying a word, with a grave expression Suman left the aangaan on her wheelchair and made her way into the room, leaving everyone dumbfounded and worried. Shiva glanced at Raavi looking at him despairingly. Untangling his hand from hers, he left from the aangaan following his mother into the room, determined. He knew his mother well, but Shiva was her son too. They both were known for their stubbornness and this time, his stubbornness, his love would come out winning. He would make sure of it.

Before Raavi could process anything, Dhara went to her and gave her a hug saying,

"Raavi, aaj main bohut khush hoon ki finally Shiva ne yeh baat sabke saamne maan liya ki woh tujhse pyaar karta hai"

"Par Dhara di, Kaki...." countered Raavi.

"Tu tension mat le, Shiva Maa ko mana lega" said Dhara trying to convince her.

"Raavi, this is so exciting, finally tu wapas aa jaayegi iss ghar mein" shrieked Rishita hugging Raavi in excitement while Raavi kept looking at Suman's room door.

"Raavi, Dhara ne kaha na tu tension mat le, Shiva nahi sambhal paaya, toh hum sab hai na, hum sab milke Maa ko samjha denge" added Gaumbi reassuringly.

"Haan Raavi, mera bhai sab kuch sambhal lega, aur hum toh hai hi" chipped in Dev.

"Raavi bhabhi, take a chill pill, jab se Shiva aa gaya toh aap toh mujhe bhool hi gaye ho" said Krish dramatically looking away.

"Krish, teri nautanki kabhi khatam nahi hoti na" said Raavi, hitting him on the head, smiling a little finally.

"Mama, aap Raavi ki chinta mat karo, hum Raavi ke saath kabhi kuch galat nahi hone denge" said Gaumbi turning to Mama.

"Gautam, meri beti ke khushi ke khatir main kuch bhi kar sakta hoon, pann abhi ke liye hum chalte hai, jab meri behen khud apne beta ka rishta leke nahi aayenge Raavi ke liye, main tab tak aashirwaad nahi doonga" added Mama firmly and left with rather protesting Mami and a subdued Anita.

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What will Shiva say to convince Suman? Will Suman agree?