Chapter 53: "Caught in Love—By Dadi!"
A Nighttime Discovery, A Morning Revelation, and A Family Council of Chaos
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Late Night. Boby's Room.
The village was silent, bathed in the gentle moonlight of a cooling March night. Most of the family had fallen into a peaceful slumber—except one.
Dadi, ever vigilant and curious, crept through the hallway in her soft cotton night saree, holding a brass oil lamp.
> Dadi (whispering to herself): "I heard giggling—could be rats again… or maybe that boy's watching those anime girls on his phone."
She tiptoed towards Boby's room, already rehearsing a scolding about "late-night screen time ruining boy's brains." But as she opened the door just a crack, her eyes widened in sheer shock.
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Scene: The "Scandalous" Bed
Inside the dim room, Raviel lay curled against Boby, her arm lazily draped over his bare chest.
Boby's face was nestled into her neck, and just then, in his sleep, he pressed a soft kiss to her collarbone.
Raviel, not quite asleep either, responded instinctively with a kiss to his forehead, then whispered, "Mine. Always."
Dadi gasped like a full-on Bollywood twist had just unfolded before her.
> Dadi (in her head): "Aiye haye! This is better than Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi!"
She closed the door slowly, eyes sparkling mischievously.
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Next Morning – Breakfast Chaos
The family sat under the verandah, sipping chai, munching on namak para, when Dadi suddenly clapped her hands twice and announced:
> Dadi (grinning): "So! Boby, beta. Raviel, beti. Let's discuss your midnight... yogasana."
Coughs exploded. Aunty spilled her chai. Boby turned red. Raviel blinked.
> Boby: "Dadi, wait—it's not what you think—"
> Dadi: "Beta, I saw you kissing her like she was made of rasmalai. And you told me she's just a 'friend'? FRIENDS DON'T DO FOREHEAD BHOG! Now explain!"
Raviel covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. Boby looked like he wanted to melt into the earth.
> Dadi (still smiling): "Look, I'm not angry. I'm happy. Just say the truth. This girl is your girlfriend, yes or no?"
> Boby (blushing): "Yes… Dadi."
> Raviel (smiling softly): "Yes. And he's mine."
Dadi clapped again.
> Dadi: "Good! You have my full support. If your mummy or papa object, I'll throw both of them out of the house. This is my kingdom!"
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Family's Hilarious Reactions
Papa (quietly): "Maa, no one's objecting... I didn't even say anything."
Mummy (smiling at Raviel): "I didn't either. In fact... I'm also happy."
She held Raviel's hand gently.
> Mummy: "I don't care about your caste, your background, or where you came from. I just want to know—do you love my son?"
> Raviel (with tears in her eyes): "Yes. I love him. As a mortal, as a goddess, in every form I exist—I love him."
> Mummy (smiling): "Then we'll take care of our little idiot son together."
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Suddenly, from the corner, little cousin Bunty, 9 years old, piped up:
> Bunty: "But she's not even Brahmin!"
> Dadi: "SHUT UP, CHACHU! You still pee the bed and want to talk about caste?"
The whole family burst out laughing.
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Final Moments – Pure Domestic Bliss
Later, Boby and Raviel sat on the rooftop, sipping chai together as the sun dipped into orange dusk. A kite flew high above, tangled in telephone lines but still soaring.
> Boby: "So... caught by Dadi, huh?"
> Raviel (smirking): "Well, better her than the Chain of Equilibrium."
> Boby: "You're adjusting well to the real world."
> Raviel: "I have you. And... Shahi Paneer. It's hard to be sad with both."
She leaned her head on his shoulder. From inside, the family was singing wedding songs for the upcoming marriage of Boby's cousin. The air smelled like sandalwood and fried snacks.
> Raviel (softly): "I was a goddess who created galaxies. But here, in this madness... I feel human. And I like it."
> Boby (pulling her closer): "You're mine. Goddess or girl, you're home."
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End Scene: And behind them, the diya in the temple flickered again—burning golden and blue. The threads of fiction and reality twisted ever tighter, bound by love, chaos, and color.