Raman had tried speaking to Ishita all evening, but she was always
surrounded by someone in the family. The only time he was able to be near her
was at dinner.
She served him his food without so much as looking at him and sat down
on the only vacant chair, which was the one directly on his right. Ruhi was
sitting on Ishita's right, being fed by her Ishi Maa as she found food to be
more delicious when taken from her mother's hands. Raman was done eating and
was sitting at the table only to spend some time with Ishita. He sat with the pretence
of conversing with everyone, but all he really wanted was to be near his wife.
Ruhi, Raman and Ishita were the last ones at the table - Ruhi and Ishita
still not having finished their food. While she was eating Raman grabbed Ishita's
left hand, just wanting to touch her, to be sure she was there and hadn't left
him. He watched her reaction closely. Her eyes widened and her spoon stopped
midway to her mouth. Raman started playing with her engagement ring, the 'R'
making circles around her finger as he twisted the ring. Ishita mistook his
action as a way of him saying 'Sirf Ruhi ke liye'. She thought he wanted to put
on the happy couple act for their daughter, who was happily watching both her
parents sitting together.
"Ruhi, Ishi Maa ko bhi khaane do, tumhe khilate khilate unhe khud ke muu
me kuch dalne ka waqt hi nahin mil raha."
"Offo Papa, tho aap khilado na Ishi Maa ko."
Raman smiled at his daughter, knowing that that was exactly what she
would say. He wouldn't miss this golden opportunity.
"Teekh hai, mein hi khilata hoo tumhari Ishi Maa ko."
Raman scooped up some food from Ishita's bowl and brought the spoon
towards her mouth.
"Raman, aap yeh kya- "
She was unable to finish her sentence as Raman had stuffed her mouth as
soon as she opened it to speak. She huffed and grumpily chewed on her food,
giving him an angry look. He grinned in return, which only served to infuriate
her more.
Ishita fed Ruhi, who would then look at her Papa waiting for him to feed
Ishita. This went on until both Ishita and Ruhi's plates were devoid of food.
"Ishi Maa, aap ko Papa ke haath se kha kar khaana zyaada acha laga na,
iss liye itni jaldi khatam kar diya haina?"
Raman silently laughed, while Ishita's face flushed in embarrassment.
She fumbled to answer her daughter's innocent question.
"Woh Ruhi... mein... Roo, kitni raat ho gayi hai, tumhe ab sone ki
tayari karni chahiye, chalo hum jake brush karte hai."
Ishita quickly stood and picked up her little girl, both heading to the
washroom, leaving behind a smirking Raman.
"Abhi bhi mujhse baat nahin kar rahi yeh. Shagun ke saamne toh bada bol
rahi thi 'mere pati', ab ussi pati se door baag rahi hai. Pata nahin kya chalta
rehta hai iss ke dimaag mein! Lekin mujhe ab sorry ke saat isse thank you bhi
bolna padega. Kaise bolu mein? Yeh toh phir mujhe avoid karne ke liye jaake
Ruhi ke kamre mein so jayegi! Aaj to Ruhi ko hamare kamre mein hi sona padega,
warna phir mujhe chodo ki tarah uss ke kamre mein jaana padega, aur subah ko yeh
Jhansi Ki Rani kahin mujhe utha ke window se hi bahar na phenk de."
Raman got up after a while and headed to Ruhi's room. Ishita was in the
washroom changing her clothes. Ruhi was finding a book to hear from Ishi Ma as
was their nightly ritual. She looked up to see her Papa standing in the
doorway.
"Yaay Papa, aaj aap phir yahan soye ge?"
"Nahin Ruhi, aaj tum hamare saath hamare kamre mein so jao. Bohut dino
se hum ek family ki tarah nahin soye na? Aur aaj toh tumhare Papa tumhe story
sunaye ge."
"Sachi Papa? Kitna maza aayega!"
An excited Ruhi ran to her parent's room and quickly slid under the
covers of their bed. Raman followed suit, he sat on her right side with his
upper back against the headboard. Ruhi put her head on his stomach and lifted
her left leg to rest it on his own legs. She then picked up Raman's left hand
and placed it on her hair. Raman understood what she wanted and so he started
stroking her hair the way he had seen Ishita do many times. Ruhi snuggled
closer to him and handed him the book she had picked out.
"Papa, story sunao na!"
It was at that moment that Ishita entered the room in order to put her
clothes away. She saw the father-daughter duo lying in bed and halted in her
steps. She smiled at how cute they looked together. When Raman smiled back she
remembered that she was supposed to be angry, she quickly schooled her
expression into one of indifference and made her way to Ruhi's other side. She lay
facing the wall, her back to them both. Although Raman was disappointed, he was
happier that she hadn't cooked up an excuse to sleep somewhere else.
"Papa, aap kitni der lagate ho, mujhe kal school bhi jaana hai, aur
story ke bina mujhe neeni nahin aati, jaldi sunao na!"
"Acha meri maa! Sunata hu tujhe!"
Raman picked up Ruhi's bedtime story and started reading out loud.
Once upon a time, in
a very big house lived a very small family - Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby
Bear. Papa Bear used to be a grumpy old thing; he never played or spent time
with poor little Baby Bear. Baby Bear always ran around him, wanting him to
play with her, talk to her or even look at her. But Papa Bear wouldn't do any
of those things. And then came Mama Bear.
Mama Bear took one
look at Baby Bear and instantly fell in love; she had never seen anyone cuter
than her. She also saw how rude Papa Bear was to everyone around him; he caused
many problems in Mama Bear's life and Mama Bear had started calling him a devil.
But when Baby Bear was being taken away from Papa Bear by two very evil
monsters, Papa Bear had cried for the first time in 6 years. He didn't want
Baby Bear to leave him and Mama Bear wanted a Baby Bear of her own. So Mama
Bear and Papa Bear decided to get married, only for Baby Bear.
After the wedding they
started living together, but they didn't like each other at all. They would
fight every day. But Mama Bear and Papa Bear had started liking their daily
fights; their day wouldn't start without hearing or sharing a taunt. Mama Bear
had slowly changed Papa Bear from the rude bitter creature that he was to a
more caring and gentle being. She was that amazing! A little fat, but still the
nicest and prettiest bear he'd ever seen. She was the kind of bear he had been
dreaming about all his life, the perfect bear for him.
Although Raman was looking at the book, his words were different to what
was written on the page. He was narrating his own life story in the hope that
maybe Ishita would be listening. And listening she was. She had realised the
minute he started the bear story that Raman was making it all up, she knew of
every book Ruhi owned as she had bought them all herself and she did not remember
buying any bear stories - Ruhi enjoyed only princess stories. But for some
reason Ruhi was not stopping her Papa from telling her this bear story, maybe
because her Papa rarely told her any stories. Ishita was glad Ruhi hadn't
stopped the story, because Ishita herself was very eager to hear where Raman
was going with this, she listened intently, but still kept her back to them.
"Papa, Mama Bear kitni achi hai na? I like her."
"Haan beta, I like her too."
Ishita's heart beat took off at a feverish rate as her cheeks flushed. A
hint of a smile formed on her face and she clutched her pillow tightly.
But Papa Bear wasn't
the perfect bear for her. Papa Bear had lied to her and hurt her feelings; he
had broken her trust in him and made her cry. He was very sorry, but he didn't know
how to say it to her.
"Offo, yeh Papa Bear bhi na! Uss ne sorry bolna hai tho kaan pakar ke
sorry bole aur phir promise kare ke woh kabhi Mama Bear ko hurt nahin karega."
"Haan Ruhi, Papa Bear bohut stupid hai, hamesha galti karte hai woh."
Raman was now sounding choked up, his eyes were also tear-rimmed, but
before a wayward tear could fall from his eyes he quickly composed himself. Ishita
heard the slight break in his voice, and was unable to stop her own tears from
falling.
"Acha Ruhi, ab baaki ki story mein tumhe kal sunaoo ga, tab tak Papa
Bear ne sorry bol diya ho ga. Ab tum so jao."
"Teekh hai Papa, par kal aap ko story ka next part mujhe sunana padega.
Ruhi promise karo!"
"Ruhi promise."
Raman smiled at his daughter. He turned to put the book on the bedside
table and then positioned her to lie down in the middle of the bed. He looked
over at Ishita to see her eyes were closed. A wave of disappointment washed
over him as he then adjusted himself to lie down properly beside Ruhi, his hand
resting on her stomach.
Ishita gave it a few minutes waiting for Ruhi to fall asleep before she
turned to face a still awake Raman. She looked directly into his eyes. Raman
was surprised to see Ishita awake, and her bloodshot eyes indicated that she
had heard his story. He took his hand off Ruhi, held his ears and whispered his
apology.
"Kaan pakar ke sorry Ishita. Mein promise karta hu ke dubara tumse kabhi
kuch nahin chupayu ga, kabhi jhoot nahin bolu ga. Ruhi promise."
Ishita's tears had a mind of their own; they were falling rapidly
against her wish. Still, she couldn't help but give a teary smile at his cute
apology. Ishita placed her hand on Ruhi's stomach.
"Mama Bear ne Papa Bear ki sorry accept kar li. But Mama Bear chahti hai
ke Papa Bear bole ke woh bohut patli hai."
Raman silently laughed at her attempt to lighten the mood.
"Haan, Mama Bear tho bohut patli hai, woh to Ruhi ke dresses ko shirt
banake pehen sakti hai, aur kholna bhi nahi padega uss patli Mama Bear ko!"
"Ramaaan!"
His smile widened at her cute yet annoyed expression. He placed his hand
on top of hers, his eyes softening when she sighed contently.
"Ishita mujhe tumhe thank you bhi kehna hai, aaj tumne jo kiya, mere Adi
ko mujhe lauta kar uss ke liye mein tumhe jitne bhi thank you's bolu woh kam
hoge. Tum sach mein duniya ki best bear ho."
"Acha acha, ab zyaada maska mat lagayiye. Aap ka thank you aur sorry
dono accept kiye maine. Ab aap so jayiye, aur mujhe bhi sone de!"
Now tired with all the day's events Ishita just wanted to sleep. She
snuggled closer to Ruhi, her hand still under Raman's. Raman also scooted
closer. Ishita turned her hand over so that her palm touched with the warmth of
his. Raman tightened his grip on her hand and they both shut their eyes
together, falling asleep with smiles on their faces. A few minutes later Ruhi
shifted in her sleep and rested both her hands on her parents', holding them
together.
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