I am back with my third piece of work on Ishra. I wrote this a while back and had been debating whether to post it or not. I decided to take a leap of faith and post it for now. Please let me know what you think and whether I should leave it as a one shot or continue. Your comments mean a lot.
Kittens
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The best part about raising a child is the insane amount of curiosity they possess, asking innocent questions all the time. Little Ruhi was no different and had driven her Ishima and Papa both crazy with her questions.
This particular morning Ruhi wandered into her parents room deep in thought. Upon seeing her mother ironing Raman's shirt she asked, "Ishima, why do you pack my tiffin everyday?" Ishita smiled and responded, "because I love you beta, when you love someone you enjoy doing their work". "Is that why you iron Papa's clothes, and make his nashta?" Ruhi asked innocently, a flustered Ishita answered by saying "Ishima loves Ruhi, Ruhi loves Papa, Papa loves Ruhi and Ishima loves Papa's princess", but before she could finish her sentence Ruhi cut her off by saying, "I knew you loved Papa!".
A blushing Ishita looked at the reflection in the mirror which showed a smirking Raman listening in to their conversation, she then looked at her daughter who wore a similar smirk on her face and thought of the many similarities between the two.
Before Ruhi could ask anything else, Raman came to the rescue by ushering Ruhi to hurry up or they would be late for school.
As Ruhi ran out the door, Raman picked up the ironed shirt and commented, "wow Ishita tum mera kitna kaam karti ho, tum Ruhi ke papa se itna pyar karti ho"? An embarrassed Ishita decided to give Raman a taste of his own medicine, and rested her hand of his shoulder using it to support her head and said, "meri Ruhi ke strong papa, mujhe aapse nahi mujhe aap ki in adaaton se pyar hai jo meri Ruhi ke ander hai". With that being said, Ishita left a speechless Raman behind who was still trying to decipher what Ishita had said. "Ek din yeh Jhansi ki rani mujhe pagal kardegi", he said while he fumbled to button the shirt his wife had lovingly ironed for him.
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The next day, Raman sat on the bed his back resting on the headrest, busy typing away at his laptop while a deep in her sleep Ruhi cuddled against his side. A relaxed Ishita sat on the couch dressed in her favorite green kurta and white tights reading a well-worn novel when she heard Ruhi's sob.
Raman and Ishita rushed to attend to Ruhi who was sobbing in her sleep. Ishita caressed Ruhi's head a worried expression on her face, while Raman cuddled Ruhi whispering reassuringly in her ear. "Papa, Ishima please don't fight", Ruhi whimpered in her sleep. A shocked Raman and Ishita looked at each other, their little princess was having nightmares about their fighting. What was a silly little nok-jok in their view was something totally different in Ruhi's little innocent eyes.
Ishita's eyes began to tear looking at her innocent angel, the insecurities that Raman and Shagun's divorce had left in little Ruhi's heart still existed. After both Raman and Ishita calmed Ruhi down, Ishita pulled Raman aside. "Raman humein kuch karna padega, Ruhi humare beech ke nokjok se bohat pareshan hai", Ishita said concern evident on her face. "Haan Ishita, Ruhi ko bachpan se maa baap ka pyar dekhna naseeb nahi huva, humein usse yeh yaqeen dilana hoga ke uske Ishima aur Papa ek doosre se bohat khush hai", Raman replied subconsciously grabbing Ishita's hand. And just like that the wheels began churning and a plan was set into motion.
The next day Ishita and Raman woke up with a purpose. Ishita had just returned after her shower and was about to fill her mang with sindoor when Raman stopped her. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder he filled her part with sindoor, "Ruhi uthgayi hai", he whispered in her ear. A smiling Ishita turned around wrapping her arms around Raman's neck playing with his tie, she whispered just loud enough for Ruhi to hear, "meri Ruhi ke strong papa, aaj aap ka mood bohat acha lagraha hai lekan Ruhi uthjayegi aap jaiye tayaar hojaiye", and with a mischievous wink she walked towards the bed. "Raman beta tu toh gaya kaamse, yeh Ruhi ko pyar dikhane ke chakkar mei tumhe sahi mei pyar na hojaye" Raman thought as he watched Ishita's retreating figure.
"Ruhi beta utho school ka waqt hogaya hai", Ishita said to Ruhi who was pretending to be asleep. A cheerful Ruhi woke up giving her Ishima a big hug and Papa a big kiss while she skipped off to get ready for school. "Mission A is a success, now mission B", Ishita said highfiving Raman.
Raman quickly munched through his breakfast while leafing through the newspaper. From the corner of his eyes he observed Ishita loving feeding Ruhi her favorite aloo ke parathe. "Jaldi kar Roo beta, papa is getting late", Raman reminded Ruhi as he got up from the table. Ruhi scrambled to grab her bag and water bottle, before grabbing onto Raman's hand. Ishita smiled and waved as the father daughter duo left hand in hand, her mind however thinking about mission B.
Raman and Ruhi had barely made it to the parking lot when he heard Ishita screaming, "Raman zara rukhiye". Startled to see her running down the stairs, Raman halted in his steps. "Aap apni watch bhul gaye", Ishita said fastening Raman's watch on his left wrist. "Bye Ruhi beta, Bye Raman", Ishita said pecking Ruhi's cheek before she planted a kiss on Raman's cheek as well.
A flustered Ishita ran to the steps before she hid behind the wall to calm her heartbeat. Mustering some courage she peeked to see the aftermath of mission B. A shocked Raman stood next to a dancing Ruhi, one hand on his cheek and his face blushing red. A cherry red crept onto Ishita's face as she thought of the effect Ravan Kumar had on her. "Mrs. Ishita Raman Kumar Bhalla, you are a lost case" Ishita concluded as she made her way up the stairs.
Index
Part One... Page 1
Part Two ... Page 6
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