Chapter 2
Ranveer and Shikhar left in Ranveer's car after the party wrapped up. Ranveer asked him not to call Nirupa, least she should decide to hide in her room. He took few pieces of the birthday cake with him in a box. As they reached the house, Shikhar pressed the bell and almost simultaneously exclaimed "Oh no!", "What now?" Ranveer questioned. "I forgot my cell in the car. My brain has really stopped working nowadays. I will be back in a moment." Ranveer shook his head and gave him the keys as he smiled at Shikhar's state.
He stared at the closed door. That distinct flutter of the morning was back and there was anticipation in his heart making it beat faster. He felt his breath quickening. For the life of him, he could not understand what was happening. He heard footsteps inside and the door opened. As he saw the face that became visible from the gap in the door, Ranveer could not believe his eyes. The door opened completely, two quick gasps and then silence filled the air.
Ranveer stared wide-eyed and hard at Ishani as she stared back at him. He felt as if he was struck by lightning and had become immobile. A volcano of emotions erupted within him - shock, happiness, surprise, relief, anger, guilt - he was gasping for air as all those feelings almost choked him. It was a miracle that he was indeed standing in front of her - all flesh and soul, intact from the clutches of death. A feeling of pure bliss filled his heart and his eyes could not get enough of her. The love and longing in his heart that he thought he had locked up, was back with a force unknown to himself. He wanted to hold her close and just forget the world around them.
Ishani was trembling with emotion as she found him most unexpectedly. She knew that this was going to happen someday but she was so not prepared for it at this moment. Her eyes brimmed up with tears seeing Ranveer so close after such a long time. So many thoughts came to her mind that she did not know what to say. She wished she could just run into his arms and give him solace for all the pain she had given him, once and for all telling him how much she really loved him.
But she was aware of the reality more than he was and she could see he was astonished to see her, his eyes lit up with love. It is too late and he does not belong to me anymore, she reminded herself. She had no wish to snatch away whatever little happiness life had started giving him. She knew she could only offer him more pain again if she bared her heart.
"Ishani, you are alive! I knew it, I always knew it. In my heart I always believed that you were not dead and I will see you some day. You have no idea how I lived through these last months. But why did you not come to me Ishani? Why did you keep away from me?" Ranveer exclaimed and stepped towards her. She hesitated, she looked at him bewildered at his expectation and felt hurt. Ranveer stopped at that moment as if he was given a rude shock. The least he had expected her was to be happy to see him, but she seemed to be lost and unsure.
The conversations he had with Shikhar rang in his mind, he realized it was more than 2 weeks since she was here. He felt cheated. "Did I not deserve that much, Ishani? As least you could think of informing me that you are alive, not as a friend but at least as a courtesy after I spent so much time trying to get you out of jail?" Anger started to build in him with every moment now, as he saw her standing quietly with a questioning look on her face. Why did she not think of me at all? That question burned in his mind.
"How could I come to you Ranveer and with what right?" Ishani glared, angry after hearing what he assumed of her even though he was married already.
Just then there were footsteps heard. Shikhar came in view and they both became silent. "I am so sorry, guys. Nirupa, this is RV, my dear friend and mentor in some special matters." Shikhar chuckled. "RV, this is Nirupa. She works with my mother in her NGO, she is living with us currently." Shikhar was careful not to mention anything that will upset Nirupa. But he should not have really bothered since she was more than upset already.
As they went in, there was a coldness in Ranveer's manner, equally reciprocated by Ishani. They seemed to avoid looking at each other. Shikhar did not know what to do and glanced at both. He fiddled with the box of cake and kept it on the side table. Ranveer tried to regain his composure, he must not let Shikhar know something was amiss, he realized.
"I am happy to have met you, Nirupa." Ranveer emphasized the new name, it gave him an alien feeling. "I believe I have spoken to you already a couple of times, though I never had the pleasure of hearing you speak."
Ishani noticed the edge in his voice. "Fine, I can play this game too." She thought.
"Thank you and I am happy to have met you too, Mr. RV. I am sorry, I bothered you quite a bit that day in the hotel. You were very kind to me, when not knowing who I was." Ishani replied.
"RV is the kindest soul I have ever seen!" Shikhar interjected. "He is just like you, he knows what people are feeling before they tell him and always wants to see everyone happy."
"Oh, Shikhar, you give me more credit than due. I am sure Mr. RV is much more well-equipped to help others than me and I am really no comparison to him as far as giving happiness is concerned."
Ranveer felt the emotion in her voice, he wondered if it was a veiled rebuke. He felt his temples getting hot and his nerves throbbing.
"Well, I try to do whatever I can because someone once told me that biggest gift you can give anyone is hope. Once hope is destroyed, a person's life is nothing, he or she is as good as dead. You should have at least one person in your life who can give you hope, whom you can trust and who can make your life worthwhile by just being there." As he said that, his expression turned remorseful and then acidic, his eyes fiery.
Ishani felt her heart getting injected with millions of needles as those words fell on her ears. Is this why you decided to marry Ritika, because she gives you hope, trust and makes your life worthwhile? - all those questions remained unanswered in her mind since she dared not ask them.
"Giving hope is as rare as giving love. Only the lucky ones have such people in their life, Mr. RV. Not everyone is that lucky. "
"Well, sometimes it is because not everyone understands that they already have such a person in their life and keep looking elsewhere." He replied instantaneously.
Ranveer wondered whether he should continue this sword-less duel or just make some excuse and leave. He was too overwhelmed at his own feelings to think straight and the fact of her existence had completely made his world go upside-down. Ishani wanted to run away to a far end of the world, where no one could ever see her. She decided to end the matter as fast as possible, the last thing she needed was Shikhar getting doubts on her relation with Ranveer. She became silent again.
Shikhar looked at both of them lost in their own thoughts and the conversation where he had no share, seemed to have ended. "Well, Nirupa, I think you have forgotten something. " He tried to hint. Ishani looked at him blankly.
"Can you get that gift you got for RV?"
"Yes, I am so sorry, I completely forgot about it in all that talk." Ishani genuinely felt bad. She got the box and handed it over to Shikhar. "Why don't you give it, after all you took all the trouble!" he gave the box back to her. Ishani hesitated but took it on impulse. She turned towards Ranveer, her hands gripped the box as she felt unsteady with the surge of emotions. Her demeanor changed as the realization dawned on her that she was finally given a chance to meet him on his special day. Ranveer looked at her shaky hands and suddenly lost all the animosity he had a few moments ago.
"Wish you a Very Happy Birthday and a wonderful life ahead! I really hope all good things come your way and you get as much happiness as you give." She said sincerely, controlling her tears, as she gave him the gift.
"Oh yes, he does have some good things coming his way! Didn't I tell you that he is becoming a father very soon?" Shikhar exclaimed.
"Yes, more reasons for celebration, I must congratulate you and your wife Mr RV, her name is Ritika, right? Please do convey my best wishes to her." Ishani looked at Ranveer with a forced smile. Ranveer's face turned pale. The whole room seemed to blur in front of his eyes. This is it!' he realized. Now he knew the reason of that hurt in her eyes and why she never came to him. But how could she believe it and how could she not know about the baby, wasn't she told that it was Sherman's, How do I tell her the truth now, his mind was bursting with thoughts, he felt uneasy and clutched the box absentmindedly.
"Why don't you open your gift?" Shikhar was curious since he wanted to see the gift too. Ranveer opened the box. It was a beautiful Indian style men's kurta of lime green colored silk, with delicate embroidery near the neck. It was simple, classy and elegant. "I love it." he said touching it fondly. "Thank you very much. I love this color, it reminds me of an old one someone had given me years ago."
Ishani did not dare to look at him, she knew which one he meant. She had hoped that he would remember it when he opened his gift at home. But now seeing him reminiscing the past in front of her was unbearable.
"Well, time to eat the cake!" Shikhar's timing and enthusiasm was unbeatable. Ranveer wished he could just make him disappear and talk to Ishani alone. There was so much to say and so much to hear between them. Deep in his heart he knew she could not possibly love Chirag but she had been so adamant on that. He wanted to get some clue on what she really thought of him. He just wanted to hold her close and make her swear on his head that she had no love for him in her heart. Only if he could.. , he felt the frustration rising in every cell of his body.
They ate the cake quietly, Ranveer and Ishani both thought of the one they had enjoyed on Ishani's birthday. Shikhar was observing them quietly wondering whether Ranveer had got enough insight on Nirupa to form an opinion. Little did he know how futile his worry was.
"I must leave now. It is getting late." Ranveer was most reluctant but he knew he had to. Ishani nodded and followed him and Shikhar absent-mindedly to the door. Ranveer stood near the door, looking at her. She stared at the floor as if it was the most interesting object in the whole room. The locks of her hair were covering her face, making it more inscrutable. His hands twitched, he wanted to lift her face and put those locks in their proper place, like he had done innumerable amount of times.
As if by telepathy, Ishani lifted her face and moved her left hand across her locks, putting them back. Something twinkled and glowed on her hand spreading a small aura of delicate light, it was the dove-ring. Ranveer's gazed at it incredulously, he realized it had found its way back to the rightful owner from Sanaya. The light of the ring reflected in his heart, a wing of hope was unfurling inside him, the cocoon getting destroyed slowly. He was determined that he will not let go of her again whatever happens. He smiled at her, she had given him the best gift today he could have ever asked for.
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Sorry, this became a little too long..and will take some patience to read !!
All comments/criticism are most welcome !! 🤗
Edited by matsh - 10 years ago