Chapter 32
Shivanya
Shivi sat down on the sofa, her brain in a whirl.
As she drove home, images flashed through her mind. Akash and her in college together. Akash teasing her, and reducing her to tears. His contrite offering of flowers, his apology when he’d found that she was genuinely upset, the first time she started falling in love with him. Their college picnic on the beach, where she'd gotten knocked over by the waves. He'd helped her to her feet, steadied her, calmed her down after her scare. And then he'd kissed her - their first kiss.
Shivi swerved, lost in memories. She parked the car, and walked onto the sea-front promenade, as the memories continued. They had studied together, laughed together, played together. And when the tragedy had happened, a year ago now, she had been there with him. Lavanya had gone off, she remembered. She had even argued with her sister as to why she was leaving when Arnav needed her, but Lavanya had refused to give up her job, and had left. She, Shivi, had stayed on for her final college year, had tried to be near Akash, comfort him. And he had pushed her away repeatedly, till she had given up in despair that she would ever be able to get through to him.
Then Khushi had called her, Shivi remembered. Called her and asked her to visit Akash, persuade him back to college. Shivi hadn't needed much persuasion, it was something she wanted to do. But when Shivi came with his friends, and tried to talk Akash into coming with them, Khushi had appeared and autocratically refused him permission. College was all right, she had said. I asked you to take him back to college. Not to roam around with you all.
Shivi remembered her utter confusion at Khushi's volte face, and then, her sense of victory as Akash rudely brushed his sister-in-law aside, and left with his friends. At that time, she could not understand Khushi’s behavior, her complete turn around. But now she realised what Khushi had been doing, then and time and again. Pushing and goading Akash towards her, towards his friends, towards back to living life normally. Helping him get over the tragedy and face life again.
And Akash had realised that now, thought Shivi. He had finally seen through Khushi's barbs and arrows, to the effort behind them to push him back to living life, instead of just existing. Which was why now he was Khushi's slave, why he refused to have anything to do with Shivi, after she had belittled Khushi again and again, just like her sister had. Khushi had not asked for his love and respect, she had just showered him with her own. And she had won him.
And now, it's your turn, thought Shivi to herself. If you want to win him back, you have to give. Give him all the love you have in you. Give your love to his family, that your sister turned her back upon. You have to show him that you're not like Lavanya. That if anything, you're more like Khushi.
Shivi bit her lip as she pondered more. To do that, she thought, you need Khushi on your side. You need her help. You already have her support, if you're ready to show her that you care for Akash enough.
She straightened,her mind made up.
She came to see Khushi the next day.
"Help me," she said directly. "Will you help me, Khushi bhabhi?"
Khushi smiled warmly at the younger girl. "Do you love him?"
Shivi nodded, biting her lip.
"Enough to fight for him?" asked Khushi gently. Shivi looked at her questioningly.
"Fight? Fight whom?!"
"Fight Akash, mostly" said Khushi smiling. "Shouldn't be too difficult. His brain might try to fight you, but I have a feeling his heart is on your side. Cliched though that sounds, it's true."
Shivi smiled in spite of herself. She looked at Khushi, hope in her eyes.
"Do you really think so, Bhabhi?"
Khushi put her hands on the younger girl's shoulders. "I do," she said gently. "But the heart has its own ways. I will help you as much as I can, but it's finally between both of you. If you mean as much to him as he means to you. That's for both of you to find out. Are you ready?"
Shivi took a deep breath. She looked at Khushi and nodded firmly.
"Then do as I say," said Khushi.
So Shivi did. And Akash found, to his extreme annoyance, that he couldn't get her out of his sight, let alone his mind.
Shivi was everywhere. She at his home every evening, when he got home from office. She was with Khushi in the kitchen, learning Akash's mother's recipes, helping Shantitai. She was with Radhika, helping her with her books, teaching her numbers, colours, running with her in the garden. She was getting his father his medicines, his water, his glasses, wheeling him into the lawn with Radhika.
Enough was enough, thought Akash grimly, when for the tenth time in as many days, he came home from office to find Shivi reading to Radhika in the sitting room. Ignoring her, he cornered his errant sister-in-law in the kitchen.
“What are you up to, bhabhi?” he asked, annoyance in his tone. Khushi looked at him innocently.
“What am I up to? I’m organizing dinner, that’s all. Why?”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” he retorted. “Why is Shivi here every day? I told you …”
“She’s doing a course in Home Science,” said Khushi smoothly. “She wanted my help in some recipes. Your mother’s recipes are very good, Akash. I’m helping her try some of them, that’s all.”
“That’s all?” he repeated, not believing her for an instant. “All? Nothing to do with me and that little talk we had the other day?”
“What talk?” Khushi asked innocently, then looked at his skeptical face, and gave an exaggerated sigh. “Ah, that! Well, Akash, that’s up to you, I told you … but she was your friend, so I thought … if she wanted to come over once in a while to spend some time … If you don’t like her, it’s perfectly all right. No one’s forcing you to sit on her lap. She’s just learning some … ”
“Yeah, I know … she’s trying out some recipes,” he said, in a tone which showed exactly what he thought of that excuse, and Khushi grinned unrepentantly.
“If you’ll excuse me,” she said pertly, “I think your brother’s calling me …”
She waltzed out of the kitchen, and Akash was left glaring after her. He knew exactly what Khushi was up to, he thought wrathfully! Once upon a time, she would have been able to fool him, but not any more. When she looked her most angelic, she was at her devious worst. And she was now hell bent on pairing him up with Shivi. I have to disabuse her mind of this latest nonsense, he thought, ignoring the little voice in his head that said he was quite enjoying Shivi's attention!
He went out after tea. Strolling in the garden, he could hear Radhika's high, childish voice, now laughing, now shouting. He heard Khushi answering her, and smiling, he strolled towards the voices.
He bumped into Khushi, as she came down the path.
"What's happening?"
Khushi looked at him, an imp of mischief in her eyes. "We're playing hide and seek," she said, softly. "Akash, you go that side. Let Radhika find you. She'll be very disappointed if she doesn't."
He smiled back at her, and moved down the path. He skirted carefully around the big tree at the bottom, taking care to keep out of Radhika's sight.
"Ooof!"
Shivi had backed into him. She had obviously been playing with Radhika, too. Khushi had omitted to tell him that, he thought grimly, and held Shivi in his arms easily. Both Khushi and Shivi needed a lesson!
Shivi struggled in his arms, and looked up at him, her eyes wide and surprised. Her mouth opened.
"Shhh," he whispered, easily holding her. "Do you want Radhika to find you so quickly. Quiet!"
She quietened and stayed in his arms obediently. He held her tightly against him, and slowly lowered his lips to the nape of her neck. Startled, she looked around at him, and he brought a quick finger to her lips.
For the next few minutes, he had her alone to himself, and he used the time well. He caressed her, moving his hands over her slowly, his lips over her neck, her shoulder …then he twisted her around in his arms to face him, and continued silently, driving her wild, her arms tight around him, her face buried in his chest to stifle her moans, as his arms roamed her back freely, and his lips tasted her neck, her face, her ears, her lips …
She jerked her head away, breathing hard, and stared into his eyes, her own wide and dilated. He smiled at her, a not very nice smile.
"Isn't that what you wanted?" he asked softly. "Why are you stopping me? I don't mind! Spending a casual evening with a pretty girl in my arms is quite a good idea, isn't it?"
His tone was purposely, coolly casual. She jerked herself out of his arms, and backed away slowly, her hand over her mouth, her head shaking slowly.
"You don't … you can't … mean that …" she said. "It's not casual, Akash, you know it's not! I love you, Akash!"
He shrugged. "All the better for me. Come back, Shivi! I was just beginning to enjoy myself."
She shook her head, her eyes wide and horrified. Then she turned and ran up the garden path to the house, only half seeing Khushi and Arnav as they stood a little way away, stunned at the tableau they were witnessing.
Akash followed Shivi but he paused when he saw his brother and sister-in-law. Khushi put out a hand to him.
"Akash. Be kind."
"Bhabhi, I am not interested. Let her be."
Khushi looked at him distressed, and Arnav put an arm around her. "Khushi, he's a grown man. Let him fight his own battles. He can do it. Have faith."
Akash went on up the path to the house and Khushi looked at Arnav in distress.
"It's my fault, Arnav. I did encourage her. She loves him, and I thought he …"
"Let him be, Khushi," said Arnav gently. "Maybe he's not yet ready. He'll come around in time."
Khushi shook her head. "I don’t want either of them to get hurt,” she said fretfully. “Neither him … nor Shivi. She does love him. She’s not like … “
She stopped precipitously and stole a look at Arnav. He was looking back at her steadily.
“No,” he agreed softly, almost … lovingly? “She’s not like Lavanya. Funnily, she’s more like you. And Akash will see that sooner or later.”
Her color rose slightly, both at his words and their tone. His arm was still around her and his face was very close in the dim light. She spoke softly, hesitantly.
“Am I pushing him too hard, Arnav? I did so want him to be settled, too."
Arnav led her further into the garden slowly. "Don't worry," he said, softly. "You've accomplished a lot. And that too, in far less time than I had hoped. Give him some more time. He’s very young still. Why are you in such a hurry?"
She smiled uncertainly, her face small. "I have done some good, haven't I, Arnav? Once he is settled, my work here is over."
Arnav looked out into the distance. "Are you in such a hurry to leave?" he asked casually.
Khushi moved away from him, her eyes shadowing.
"If I don't leave soon, I may not be able to leave at all," she said softly, half to herself, then stopped in horror at the direction her thoughts were taking. Had he heard her?
She turned around to see Arnav looking at her. Looking at her steadily, with an expression in his eyes, his face, that made her blood run hot, and her hand tremble.
But before she could say anything, Shantitai came running down the path, calling for her. And the moment was lost.
