Chapter 16

3 years ago

twerping

@twerping

It was the day after Holi and Ishita was off carpool duty. Coloured purple, red and a sickly shade of yellow in the case of Shravan and Parmeet, the children had all been allowed a day of reprieve from school as they scrubbed off the consequences of hedonism from their skin. The apartment complex lay quiet even as splatters of colour still painted the grounds and the stairwells in some places. Mrs. Iyer had tried to begin her day as always with bells and conch shells but had to let off after growls emanated from her two sons and husband who sat silently philosophising over their morning coffee while nursing hangovers.

As Vanditha helped her with breakfast, Mrs. Iyer complained about the selfishness of some people. Ishitha had left early that morning. Since she didn't have to drop off the children, she could go in early she'd said.

"Didn't even give me the chance to tell her to help with the breakfast before leaving. No! Off she goes through the door!" Mrs. Iyer huffed with one strict eye on the milk. 

Vanditha knew better than to speak up for Ishu at this point. It would only make Mrs. Iyer angrier. So apart from the angry grumblings in the kitchen, silence reigned over the Iyer household.

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The Bhalla household presented a similar picture. Tired from yesterday's exertions, Ruhi was fast asleep. Mrs. Bhalla quietly pottered about the kitchen while Romi and Rinki went through the selfies they had taken during the celebrations. Mr. Bhalla had gone out for his walk as usual. Nothing save an immediate apocalypse would disrupt that gentleman's daily routine. Raman had not emerged from his room so Mrs. Bhalla presumed him to be asleep. 

Raman was not asleep. He was busy. Supremely busy. There was that presentation from the legal team that he had to study before the board meeting that was coming up. Emails to check. Files to go through. A lot of work. Indeed, he had far too much work to waste time thinking about hypocritical Madrassans whose eyes say one thing and lips another. 

Should he be surprised? Hardly! Wasn't this what he knew to be the nature of most women? He had learnt the lesson once already the hard way. Why would this Madrassan's words surprise him? Respecting marriage vows?! Mrs. Ishita Iyer was serving some A-grade bullshit with that one. 

Hadn't Shagun been the epitome of the perfect wife? Hadn't she been everything their family had looked for in a bahu? And hadn't she herself lured him into the complacent belief of her own love for him? Yet, Ashok's wealth had her giving up her whole life back here in Delhi. To Shagun, a luxurious life in New York had been worth trading her own daughter for. And Mrs. Ishita Iyer spoke of respecting marriage vows! After kissing him with passion enough to set fire to Mayur Vihar! 

He had been small fry before Ashok brought him face to face with reality. RKB was now rich enough to set some lures out for himself. Did that make him into a version of that Ashok? Perhaps. But why not be an Ashok? The guy was successful. He had the woman he wanted with him. And he had wealth enough to make sure she wanted him. So would Raman Bhalla, head honcho of Janus group, not be able to engage the temporary interest of a hypocritical Madrassan?! 

Judging by that fiery kiss there was not much to be done on that score. But would Raman be still interested in a woman who tried to feed him sanctimonious bullshit after doing exactly the opposite of what she claimed to hold dear? God no! He didn't have time to waste on her! He had far too much work. And so Raman Bhalla sat ensconced in company reports, his heart and mind very much in disarray, anger and annoyance warring for prevalence.

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The quiet in the Bhalla household was suddenly broken by the sound of a child crying. Mrs. Bhalla rushed to check on Ruhi only to find her sprawled on the bed, red-faced, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Papaaaaa", Ruhi wailed.

Romi and Rinki also ran to their niece trying to cajole her. Raman was the last to arrive. Ruhi held a hand to an ear as she cried, fat teardrops splashing on her nightshirt. Her cries rose as everyone tried to find out what was bothering her. Raman picked her up in his embrace and tried his usual trick of running his hand across her back. Mrs. Bhalla cooed and fussed over the child, trying to turn her mind to something else. 

"It huuuuuurts!" Ruhi wailed.

"Where? Where?" A chorus of voices asked her in unison.

"In the ear," Ruhi sobbed, laying her little head on her father's shoulder.

With the cause revealed, Raman wanted to take the child to an ENT immediately while Mrs. Bhalla wanted to give the child a warm compress. An argument ensued while Ruhi whimpered in her father's arms. 

This state of things might have continued had Mr. Bhalla not returned from his walk at that very moment. Accustomed to both his wife's and son's characters, he took over. Toshi Bhalla was sent to get the warm compress while he picked up the phone.

"Who are you calling, Papa?" Raman asked.

"Ishita beti," whispered back the senior Bhalla while waiting for his call to be picked up. Only the ingrained habit of deferring to his father stopped Raman from snatching the phone away. Mr. Bhalla did not have to wait long. Eager to secure an appointment for Ruhi, he missed the dark cloud passing across Raman's face. 

"Shouldn't we take Ruhi to a proper hospital?" Raman groused once Mr. Bhalla ended the call. 

"Don't worry. I wanted to ask her since she would know which doctor to take Ruhi to. She told us to come straight to the clinic. She is calling Dr. Goel there. It won't take us long to reach," Mr. Bhalla replied, his attention focused on his teary-eyed grandchild. 

Noticing Raman standing like a statue instead of gathering Ruhi's medical files, Mr. Bhalla added, "Don't worry puttar. Goel is very good. He has treated a lot of the kids here. It is very hard to get an appointment but Ishita works at a clinic where he is in emergency care. Ishita said he is on call today and she will let him know. She'll call us in five minutes to confirm."

Ruhi wasn't initially paying much attention to the conversation, weighed down as she was by the earache. However, with the name Ishita being bandied about so, it was inevitable that even through the haze of pain, it would capture the attention of Ruhi Bhalla. Raising her head she asked in a feeble voice, "Are we going to see Ishita aunty?"

"Yes beta," Mr  Bhalla quickly replied, noticing that the child had stopped crying. "We will be going to Ishita aunty's clinic! Don't you want to see your Ishita aunty?"

Raman remained silent right up to the point they were parking their car before the clinic. Mr. And Mrs. Bhalla had come with him. All the way Ruhi had not cried even though her face remained red because of the pain. Something twisted deep in Raman's very soul and it made him angry. Angry enough to set fire to this cruel world that had left his daughter so hungry for love that the very thought of meeting a comparative stranger could give her tiny self the strength to bear pain. 

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It was a quiet morning at the clinic. A few patients were waiting for their regular checkups with the Maternity doctor, Dr. Matthews. Ishita hung up the phone. Dr. Goel was on his way. The Bhallas would be there soon. She turned to Nina, the other receptionist. 

"In case, I am needed on the emergency case that Dr. Goel is coming in for, you will manage the front desk, Nina?"

"Don't worry Ishu. But who are these Bhallas?"

"Our neighbours. Their granddaughter is unwell. You will see her. She is the sweetheart I keep telling you about."

"Raman Kumar Bhalla's daughter?!" Nina almost squealed.

Ishita looked at Nina in surprise. She had never considered that Raman was somewhat of a celebrity. Involuntarily the memory of a certain moment of shared intimacy flashed through her mind like a ball of fire. She suppressed it but unbeknown to her, her cheeks became flushed. Fortunately, it passed unnoticed before a Nina revelling in her own excitement. 

"Banda toh single bhi hai! Meri setting karwa de, Ishita!"

"For that, you will have to check in on Mrs. Bhalla," Ishita said, torn between exasperation and an irrational annoyance. Naturally reserved and of a serious turn, Ishita never knew how to respond to Nina's frivolity and usually took it in stride. This time however the customary feeling of amusement eluded her.

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Ishita ushered the Bhallas into the chamber and told them Dr. Goel would be there shortly. Raman's seething anger would have exploded had Ruhi not at that very moment turned to Ishita aunty and still very weak with pain, flung out her arm and with a feeble whine called out, "Ishita aunty!"

Even as Raman's world came to a sudden halt with Ruhi's cry, like a shot, Ishita was beside the child. Ruhi left Mr. Bhalla's arms and snuggled against her beloved friend. Raman watched Ruhi as Ishita calmed the child down. His daughter with her eyes closed held tightly onto the woman while Ishita spoke softly to her. 

Soon Ruhi opened her eyes and allowed Ishita to settle her into the chair reserved for the patient. Ruhi did not cry but sat wearing a brave expression that surprised Raman out of his anxieties. Turning to the worried Bhallas next, Ishita told them to sit and wait while she checked in on the doctor's progress. She had barely reached the door before Dr. Goel stepped in. Ishita would have left but Ruhi called out weakly, "Ishita aunty!" and she stayed. 

The next fifteen minutes, Raman watched as Ruhi sat bravely holding on to Ishita's hand as the doctor checked her ear from the other side. Raman stood beside Ishita forgetting the rage and hurt that had filled him only a short while ago. Till yesterday, he had seen Ishita as a woman, attractive, desirable. But today perhaps for the first time, even if momentarily, Raman realised what Ruhi saw in her Ishita aunty.

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It wasn't till they had all settled in the car ready to return home that Raman discovered he had left Ruhi's medical files in the clinic. Relieved from the pain and overjoyed by the unexpected meeting with her Ishita aunty, Ruhi was excitedly chatting with her grandfather about the insect that had been suctioned out of her ear only a few moments ago. Toshi Bhalla was offering a quick prayer. Raman signalled to his father and left the car. 

Entering the clinic, Raman noticed Ishita was missing from the receptionist's desk. He would have walked on to Dr. Goel's chamber but the receptionist who was in attendance held out a familiar folder towards him along with a beaming smile. 

"Mrs. Iyer noticed you had forgotten this and kept it ready to be sent to you," the girl told him, eyes shining. Raman smiled his thanks and turned to walk out. 

"If you wish, you could thank Mrs. Iyer as well. She is in the management section, the first door to the left near the entrance."

Raman looked at the girl for a clue. She returned a smile you could sharpen a knife against.

Despite his misgivings, Raman was about to knock on the door to the management section when he was stopped by the sound of an angry voice. It was muffled coming as it did from behind the wooden door but it was still enough for Raman to hear.

"You are not paid to act like some neighbourhood midwife. Your behaviour today was absolutely unsuitable. If you go about clinging on to patients with the excuse that they are your friends or whatever, won't others complain of being neglected? You have to set a fixed standard of behaviour that cannot change as per your wishes."

Raman waited for some kind of response from Ishita who was obviously the one receiving the scolding. None came. The abrasive voice continued. 

"Also Mrs. Ishita Iyer, as far as I know, you are a married woman. So what is this thing you were doing here? I understand Raman Bhalla is a rich man but to be trying to gain his attention and that too through his daughter is not something I would have expected from someone who carried references from the Batras themselves."

Raman had heard enough. He knocked and without waiting stepped in. His eyes went to Ishita, standing near the wall, face flushed. He quickly looked away, turned to the speaker, a lady sharply dressed and presently beaming at him.

Ishita's silence at the barrage of words thrown at her irritated Raman. Always quick to anger, he felt a sharp annoyance surge through him making him want to shake her. She could scold him, point out flaws in him but when faced with such absolute bullshit, she chose to remain silent? He hardly knew that he was actually glaring at her. 

"Mr. Bhalla! I do hope you found nothing to complain about in the services rendered by our clinic?" Sugar dripped from the words offered to him by the HR manager. Raman now turned towards the lady. Perfectly coiffed, professional smile in place, standing straight, he would have hired this woman on any other day.

He opened his lips poised to tell the lady exactly what he thought of her sanctimonious upbraiding when Ishita spoke.

"Ah, Mr. Bhalla, you must have returned for the medical file. Let me get it for you." And then she looked straight at his eyes for the first time that morning and stepped out. Raman followed.

Out in the corridor, he took her hand and forced her to turn around. 

"Why were you silent in there? You never stop preaching to me the correct way of behaviour! Was it all a show only for my benefit?"

Ishita looked at him, her face taut as a mask. Raman's hand rose towards her shoulder. She stepped back. His hand stilled in the air.

"I see Nina has given you the file. You should be getting back to Ruhi," her voice was soft, raspy, stumbling over Ruhi's name. 

Ishita looked away, blinked, and then turned to meet his eyes. "I know how to stand up for myself and I can choose which battles are worth fighting for."

Raman nodded. Today perhaps for the first time in their acquaintance, Ishita's words were accepted by him for what they were.

"Thank you Mrs. Iyer," he said. His voice was firm, honest, lacking the undertones of amused cynicism. "Today you being here really made things easier for Ruhi. I shall not get in your way now. You must have a lot on your plate." 

Did Ishita notice the change in him? Her stony face gave nothing away as Raman turned around and left the clinic, determined to steer clear of Ishita Iyer.