Petrichor to his Heart – part 6
“I thought he was helping you pleat..” Mansi teased her as she worked on her pleats. “I knew the moment he excused himself that he was coming here only.”
“Mansi… saree pe Dhyan de aur use washroom hi use karna tha.” Pallavi told her maintaining a strict posture.
“but Amrutha was telling…
“bas… okay, he came to see me.” Pallavi turned that very moment to avoid Mansi.
“oo Shundri…look at all those blushes.” Mansi was in no mood to spare her today.
“Mansi, kya bakwas kar rahi hai, mujhe ready hone de.” Pallavi purposely opened her handbag to get nothing.
“haan haan, mera piya ghar aaya, o Ram ji.” Mansi hit her shoulder with hers singing the song.
“mai ja rahi hu, tu gaane ga.” Pallavi turned to leave the room unable to get all those teasing.
“arey Pallu, ruk na…achhaa, theek hai no Masti par I am so happy for you,” Mansi told her turning her to face her.
“arey dekh na,” lifting Pallavi’s chin she smiled at her.
“after Dada, I never thought you would be having one such life, I mean I knew Kaku would get you married but I never knew you would get all the happiness you deserve… I am so happy for you.” Mansi got emotional and turned to hide her tears.
“Mansi, ab tu mujhe bhi rulayegi kya…” Pallavi hugged her from behind.
“nahi… rona mat varna sara kajal face par aa jayega aur Raghav yahi chhod jayega tujhe.” Mansi replied managing between her tears stricken voice.
“koi bat nahi, chhod jaye… vaise bhi use jhagdne ke alawa aur kya aata hai.” Pallavi said hugging her more.
“achha, ab tujhe jhooth bolne ko kisne kaha… jhagdne ke alwava use sach me kuchh nahi aata Pallu?” Mansi got herself free and teased her again.
“aur nahi to kya….” unable to get Mansi’s words she repeated her words.
“achha… achha” Mansi stared into her eyes.
“kya…” Pallu looked at her puzzled.
“Pallu, jaldi aa beta…pā’ūsa paḍēla asē vāṭatē.” Sharda’s voice came from downstairs. (it seems its about to rain).
“bas aa gayi ,Aai,” she replied collecting everything in her bag.
“chal Mansi, fir jaldi milte hain.” she hugged her sister before leaving.
“haan , achha sun…” Mansi stopped her.
“haan bol…” Pallavi half turned to her.
“ye neckpiece bahut sundar hai… lagta hai Jayati jewellers se parcel aaya hai.” Mansi winked at her and blushing hard Pallavi left the room.
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“What is this Farhad, I am trying for 5 or 7 minutes but it wont start…” he barked on the phone.
“Anna, it was alright…might be some battery or connector issue. Give me some moments I’ll tell Harish to arrange something for you.” Farhad told her calmly.
“and what were you doing that Car is not maintained.” he was angry by now.
“Anna, please calm down…give me 5 minutes I am arranging something,” he told him before cutting the call.
“Panikirānidi.” he muttered kicking the car in anger and frustration. (useless).
“kya hua beta, koi problem hai?” Vijay came towards him.
“arey nothing at all, I think the car has some problem… Farhad is arranging something.” embarrassed about the earlier kicking he turned softer in no moment.
“aaj kal mausam ka koi bharosa nahi, I’ll ask Nikhil to arrange something.” Vijay turned in haste to get Nikhil
“arey No, uncle… don’t worry.” he stopped him touching his arm.
“lo Nikhil aa gaya…Nikhil, seems like there is some issue with Raghav’s car…
“arey No , uncle, Farhad might be arranging something- one minute
He swiped his screen to take Farhad’s call.
“haan Farhad, kya… Harish is not taking the calls…ye gorilla, batata hai mai isko..” his anger started spiking.
“no don’t leave Keerti alone,I’ll manage.” he cut the call with a curse to everything.
“Nikhil, beta arrange a cab or taxi or something,” Vijaya told him.
“Raghav Bhau,I have an idea if you don’t mind.” Nikhil walked to them with a smile.
“haan batao.” Raghav eyes him with a scowl on his face.
“you can take my bike… there is no luggage or is there something Farhad bhai or anyone can pick later.
“arey nahi nahi… mausam ka kya bharosa, barish toofan, nahi nahi bilkul nahi.” Vijaya didn’t like the idea at all concerned about them.
“actually it’s a good idea.” Raghav smiled to himself. “Nikhil, go get the keys and tell Pallavi to come soon.”
He had not touched the bike for quite a few years but he recalled his time a few years ago, Ved and he used to race in the barren roads in late nights.
Such an enthralling and adventurous thing it was for them after his family fell apart, Ved was someone who bought him back to life.
with the good memories came the bitter one but he chose to ignore the bitter ones and locked the car before fetching his jacket and phone.
“uncle, keep the keys with you… I’ll send someone the soonest to pick it.” he told his father in law.
“don’t worry about it, but I am still not okay with you guys leaving on bike.” Vijaya looked at the black clouds which were coming down in no moments.
“dont worry we’ll be fine,” he assured him.
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“wait, I’ll start and bring it here,” Raghav told Pallavi as they bid everyone bye.
“Okay.” she affirmed.
“he could have arranged something, I don’t know whether he knows how to ride it or not,” she whispered to Mansi.
“arey don’t worry, I know he does and by the way I believe almost every guy knows riding a bike for …” Mansi was starting again.
“Mansi , chup.” Pallavi chided her.
“aai , baba aap andar chalo aur Nikhil kal dukan pe milte hain.” she told them as Raghav stopped the bike in front of them.
“hold this in your hands…” he extended his jacket and phone to her meanwhile putting his shades on.
“okay.” she put the phone in her bag and folded the jacket to carry in her hand.
“sit properly and then tell me,” he told her.
“i know how to ride a scooter.” she glared at him.
“but I was making sure you know how to sit behind… on a bike.” he didn’t know why but he loved crossing her.
“please… I am afraid if you know riding a bike or not… always in a car.” she too loved giving him back.
“then we’ll reach heavens together.” he smiled before releasing the accelerator.
“Pallu, inform us when you reach.” Mansi’s voice cut them from their session.
“okay.” she turned and smiled at her.
A few minutes passed smoothly or it was until her house disappeared completely and then he picked speed.
“my wife… get ready for the ride,” he shouted.
“now I am sure, we are not going home in one piece,” she shouted back.
The roads were barren due to the heavy rain warning earlier they had missed and it only when first drops touched them.
“its going to be quite an evening, Saree ka Dukan.” his voice reached her.
She smiled at his enthusiasm and this new energy coursing through him, usually, he was quiet and composed in the car rides but today she was meeting the carefree Raghav who was lost somewhere in today’s Raghav.
She jerked forward and clutched his shirt to get the support and contemplated about how to manage his jacket in her hands and to get support.
He slowed the bike and in a few moments, they were stopping out of a sweet corn vendor.
“We need to get home soon, why are you stopping here.” she interrupted him.
“This weather is too good to go home early and besides enjoy the first rain of us together.” he walked her to the vendor and asked for roasted corns.
She stared at him and smiled at this side of him, the romantic side which he didn’t want to accept.
She grabbed a small reusable bag from the nearby shop to save the jacket from rain and then they resumed the adventure.
“chalen..” he asked her when she came back with the bag securing the jacket.
“Haan.” she smiled at him.
“so what do you say, how is the experience behind me?” he asked as he slowed again on the highway.
“you are not that bad,” she told him as she snaked an arm around him.
“tum kabhi bhi seedhe nahi bolega…so hold tight,” he cautioned her and one more time tires screeched with the sharp turns and she closed her eyes and held him tight.
The raindrops started beating them down and the coldness started spreading through their wet clothes. But it also created a mystic effect in her heart.
This was new for both of them, someone to hold and someone to trust their life with… someone to agree and disagree to … someone to trouble and tease … and someone to share the hobbies and adventures with.
She looked at him but then she found the curls instead and lovingly she caressed it.
“Pallavi, hold tight, varna dono girenge.” he bent his neck and told her.
The moments with him started rolling in front of her eyes and she closed her eyes again when he slowed the bike in the screaming drops.
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“hum ghar aa gaye…” she didn’t remember when did she lose track but now they were in their room and he was putting her down on her feet.
“Haan, and I dint know tum scooter par so jata hai…tabhi girta padta rahta hai.” his last words could not reach her as she started zoning out again.
“Pallavi…change your dreresese…beemeerbee ho gayatotheek ho jayega…” his words started jumbling in her head and she thumped on the bed.
She heard some distant words again and then someone held her. The touch was relaxing and she leaned into the touch.
The person was familiar and she inhaled the smell and smiled as her brain told it was okay to lean into the recognition.
she felt something was put away from her hand and then she felt coldness surrounding her.
She didn’t want to open her eyes but something was not happening accordingly so she opened her eyes.
She was clinging to a body and a pair of hands were untangling her saree.
“stop it…” she tried to get free from the hands before someone sneezed.
“bola tha mat niklo bahar, beemar ho jaoge.” she mumbled again before tiredness, cold and her long-awaited sleep welcomed her in their embrace.
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Hey everyone, here is the next chapter
I hope you liked them, I’ll be waiting for the feedback.
Also, You guys are awesome and so are they.♥
Stay safe and stay healthy.
With love Morusya.
Note – after this, i am taking a short break, see you guys in a couple of days.